The Associated Press published on 14 December 2022 an article titled "Ethiopians File Lawsuit against Meta over Hate Speech in War" by Cara Anna.
Two Ethiopians have filed a lawsuit against Facebook's parent company, Meta, over hate speech they say exacerbated the conflict in Tigray Region. The lawsuit seeks the creation of a $1.6 billion fund for victims of hate speech.
Ethiopia Insight published on 3 September 2022 a commentary titled "I Exposed the Axum Massacre, and Faced the Consequences" by Asmelash Yohannes Teklu, Tigrayan former senior advisor of the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission.
This an account by a Tigrayan serving at the time as a senior advisor to the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission to investigate the 28-29 November 2020 massacre in Axum of Tigrayans by Eritrean forces.
Amnesty International posted on 21 July 2022 a press release titled "Ethiopia's Authorities Must Investigate Massacre of Ethnic Amhara in Tole" by Deprose Muchena, Amnesty director for East and Southern Africa.
On 18 June, at least 450 ethnic Amhara died, allegedly at the hands of the Oromo Liberation Army, in Tole ward of Oromo Region, according to a local official. Amnesty conducted interviews with local people who confirmed the killings and called for a thorough investigation.
Ethiopia Insight published on 15 July 2022 a commentary titled "Re-engaging Ethiopia at the Expense of Justice Won't Bring Peace" by Gebrehiwot Hadush Abera, former dean at College of Law at Mekelle University, and Mulu Beyene Kidanemariam, University of Bergen.
The authors argue that the international community should not support the idea of allowing the government of Ethiopia to investigate the atrocities that occurred in Tigray Region. They claim the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission is beholden to the government. Instead, they call for an investigation by the Commission of Human Rights Experts.
In a collaborative effort, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch published on 16 December 2021 a report titled "Ethiopia: New Wave of Atrocities in Western Tigray." See the Human Rights Watch account.
The two organizations report that Amhara militias known as Fanos have systematically rounded up and expelled to central Tigray Tigrayan residents in western Tigray. They reportedly shot run aways and other Tigrayans are still missing.
The Media Manipulation Casebook published on 14 September 2021 a detailed study titled "Dueling Information Campaigns: The War Over the Narrative in Tigray" by Claire Wilmot, Ellen Tveteraas, and Alexi Drew.
The paper looks at the competing information campaigns related to the conflict in Tigray Region of Ethiopia and discusses the contesting narratives designed to influence international understanding of the conflict being played out on Twitter.
Amnesty International posted on 4 May 2021 a commentary titled "Ethiopia: Tepid International Response to Tigray Conflict Fuels Horrific Violations over Past Six Months."
Amnesty International took the international community to task for not responding more forcefully to probable war crimes in Tigray Region.
The government-affiliated Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has just issued a report titled "Investigation into Grave Human Rights Violations in Aksum City: Report on Preliminary Findings." The EHRC report is similar to ones issued earlier by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.
In a chilling report, the EHRC concluded that "more than 100" civilians were killed in Aksum between 18 and 24 November, 2020 by Eritrean soldiers and possibly ENDF soldiers. Eritrean soldiers fired randomly at civilians, targeted others, and looted the hospital. They also did significant damage to private property and churches.
The EHRC said "these widespread human rights violations are not ordinary crimes but grave contraventions of applicable international and human rights laws and principles, marked by intentionally directed attacks against civilians who were not directly taking part in the hostilities and including intentional looting, destruction and appropriation of property not justified by military necessity."
African Arguments posted on 4 February 2021 a commentary titled "Ethiopian Government Must Allow Full Humanitarian Access to Tigray" by Vanessa Tsehaye, Amnesty International's campaigner for the Horn of Africa.
Humanitarian access to Tigray Region remains extremely limited. Most requests by aid workers to enter Tigray have been denied. The Internet and telephone access have not been restored. The author urges that humanitarian personnel be given immediate and full access to Tigray Region.
Amnesty International posted on 12 November 2020 an account titled "Ethiopia: Investigation Reveals Evidence that Scores of Civilians Were Killed in Massacre in Tigray State."
A horrible incident occurred on the night of 9 November at Mai-Kadra in the South West Zone of Ethiopia's Tigray region. Large numbers of day laborers were massacred on the streets of the town. Amnesty International has not yet been able to confirm who was responsible for the killings or the details of the events that led up to the massacre.
This event cries out for a thorough investigation and action against the responsible parties.
