ICHREE Intends to Cultivate Victim Narrative around TPLF: British Writer, Charity Worker
The renewed mandate of the International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia (ICHREE) intends to present an image of Tigray as victim and cultivate a narrative around the rebel TPLF, the British writer and charity worker Graham Peebles said.
Speaking to ENA, the writer stated that the initial findings of the commission which accuse the Ethiopian government are biased accounts of the conflict and the human rights abuses that have taken place.
The commission also fails to mention that the TPLF started the war, never agreed or accepted a ceasefire, and re-ignited the ongoing fighting in August 2022.
Asked about why the resolution for the extension of the commission’s mandate was supported by the Western powers, Peebles said that it was a result of wrong foreign policy.
“It is a shameful act that foreign policy of western powers is not determined by altruism but driven by self-interest… Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is independent and Ethiopia is moving towards becoming a regional power and a legitimate democracy,” the writer noted.
Recall from the outset that Ethiopia had opposed the EU-sponsored resolution establishing experts’ commission on Ethiopia in December 2021. By the authors own admission the report is poorly researched, rushed, and premature.
The report is primarily based on web based submissions and telephone interviews. The researchers spent only a week in Ethiopia during which time they stayed in Addis Ababa and did not speak to people directly affected by the conflict.
Yet, the ICHREE presented its initial findings on the alleged human rights violation in Tigray and accused the Ethiopian government of crimes against humanity.
The government categorically rejected the initial findings of the commission as it is a manifestly political statement issued under the guise of an “investigation report.”
Moreover, the United Nations Human Rights Council recently adopted a resolution extending the mandate of the International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia.
“I assume this is to present an image of Tigray as the victim and to cultivate a narrative around the TPLF as a rebel force fighting for independence. In fact they are a terrorist group that wants to overthrow the government.”
The writer pointed out that authors of the ICHREE report have made it clear that they have not had time or resources to conduct detailed research.
However, Peebles argued that given the biased distorted nature of the report so far compiled the prospect is that any further report will also be inaccurate and slanted.
In the initial findings of ICHREE, there are scant mention of TPLF atrocities in Afar and Amhara regions and no record of TPLF use of child soldiers, he stated.
According to the analyst, TPLF leaders have been employing the same recruitment methods when they were in power. Forced recruitment of men and women as well as boys threatened with violence and families compelled to surrender at least one person from a family is strictly enforced by the group.
The authors of the report also failed to relate that the TPLF stole over 400 WFP trucks in 2021 and in August this year stole 12 more WFP trucks with 570,000 liters of fuel, he stated.
As the report is a further attempt by western powers to discredit and smear the Ethiopian government, the writer said it should be ignored.
Peebles appreciated the Ethiopian government for rejecting the report and called on the UN Security Council to do likewise.
Ethiopia and all African states need to turn to one another and away from western nations, he urged. The writer commended the pivotal role of the African Union (AU) in “convening peace talks in South Africa as positive.”
Peebles is confident that the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission is well placed to carry out a detailed report once the fighting stops.
Source: Ethiopia News Agency