The yearlong war in Ethiopia appears to be escalating. The government has declared a national state of emergency as rival forces threaten to move on the capital, and on Nov. 3 the findings of a human rights investigation in the blockaded Tigray region will be released.
, assistant professor of government in the 麻豆视频 & 麻豆视频, studies law, violence, race, humanity, and world order in international politics. He says campaigns of disinformation from both sides make it hard to assess the extent of human rights abuses.
鈥淲hen Prime Minister Abiy launched an offensive against the Tigrayan People's Liberation Front (TPLF), he certainly did not consider that a year later, his regime would be on the brink of collapsing and the very survival of the Ethiopian state at stake. Abiy鈥檚 decision is one of the most serious strategic blunders in Ethiopian鈥檚 recent history," says Ba.
鈥淭here have been campaigns of disinformation from both sides of the conflicts, amidst restricted access to independent media, which makes it difficult to assess the extent of human rights abuses and mass atrocities. We may not know the true extent of these atrocities until much later.
鈥淲ith the TPLF considering marching on the capital Addis Ababa, the support of Oromo forces, and Abiy calling on civilians to take up arms and defend their neighborhoods 鈥 one can suspect that the mass atrocities will only get worse, especially in the urban areas, as the federal state loses ground.
鈥淭he incapacity of the African Union 鈥 which is headquartered in Addis Ababa 鈥 to successfully mediate a political solution to this conflict after a year of fighting is also quite alarming,鈥 said Ba.
For media inquiries contact Becka Bowyer, (607) 220-4185,
rpb224@cornell.edu.
More News from A&S
Government
Social sciences
