By Asqual Teferi
From the outset, I would like to condemn any act of sexual brutality against women. I strongly support a thorough investigation of the alleged sexual violence against women in the Tigray region by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and the Ethiopian troops.
Having said that, I would like to register my opposition to the Amnesty International report issued on August 10, 2021, titled “Ethiopia: Troops and militia rape, abduct women and girls in Tigray conflict.”
Flawed Methodology
Amnesty International used a flawed methodology to prepare this highly accusatory hit piece to sway the American public opinion against the Ethiopian government. Let us look at the sample and methods used by Amnesty International to prepare the report.
• First, the sample is meager to be reliable. Amnesty International selected a total of 63 “survivors of rape and other sexual violence” out of the millions of Tigrian Ethiopians to recount the alleged sexual misconducts by the Ethiopian troops. According to Amnesty International, “between March and June 2021, Amnesty International interviewed 63 survivors of rape and other sexual violence; 15 in person in Sudan, and 48 remotely on secure telephone lines.”
• Second, because Amnesty International has not indicated the process by which the 63 interviewees were selected, it is difficult to rule out the possible involvement of TPLF to manipulate the selection process to tilt the outcome in their favor.
• Third, Amnesty International did not provide the names and backgrounds of the medical professionals and humanitarian workers who helped Amnesty International corroborate the allegations of the 63 interviewees; therefore, it difficult to prove the neutrality of those humanitarian workers and medical professionals.
One- Sided Story
This was simply a one-sided story to implicate the Ethiopian troops in the alleged “widespread sexual violence” and “sexual slavery” against women in the current conflict in Tigray.
Surprisingly, Amnesty International chose not to offer the Ethiopian government the opportunity to provide their perspectives related to the serious allegations levelled against the Ethiopian troops by the 63 interviewees and others.
This hit-piece painted a dark picture of the thousands of patriotic Ethiopian soldiers while providing a cover for the alleged atrocities committed against Ethiopian civilians and troops by the TPLF troops.
The report should be rescinded.
For the reasons outlined above, the report by Amnesty International is unreliable; therefore, the report should be rescinded. Amnesty International should do the right thing by scrapping this incredulous and one-sided report for the sake of its reputation. It should go back to the drawing board to expand its sample size and representation to ensure that it reflects the voices of the victims in the Tigray conflict irrespective of their ethnicity. Amnesty International should investigate the allegations of misconduct on the part of the TPLF as well as the Ethiopian troops. To produce a credible report, Amnesty International must send staff who are trained to conduct in-person interviews in conflict zones.
Unfortunately, the report in its current form is a stain on the record of Amnesty International. Amnesty International must refrain from being perceived as an advocate of the TPLF’s agenda. Erroneous findings, such as this one, is incredulous and consequential in securing the means to exact justice to future victims of this heinous crime. I’m hopeful that Amnesty International will take a swift action to correct this egregious error.
Finally, I’d like to bring to your attention this well-researched document prepared by New Africa Institute titled, “Disinformation in Tigray: Manufacturing Consent for a Secessionist War” which relates to our request herein:
https://newafricainstitute.medium.com/disinformation-in-tigray-manufacturing-consent-for-a secessionist-war-275544445c5
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It is great, such article should be posted all over media. It is high time ethippians as a whole speak against misingormation on ethiopia. The etjoopian movement or action has been weak gor years: raise money, it hoes into others pocket wasteful, start organization such as Vision Ethiopia it ends up hurting ethiopia and becones tool for neocolonizers. The weakness of ethiopia is, Vision Ethiopia, if it is hijacked, then eyhippians should snatch it from the thieves and make it function for what it should stand for! Hope this article shared all over.
Dear Asqual
You have put forward a serious concern about the behavior of AI. Thanks for this well reasoned and timely article.
But I don’t think AI and its associate in crime Human Rights Watch are genuinely concerned about justice or human rights as such. They are political tools of the West for their imperialistic agenda.
I think the comment I made on the excellent article written by Tibebe Samuel Ferenji on the same issue is relevant here as well:
Dear Tubebe
Thank you for this. As usual well researched, gentle, and timely. Though too gentle considering their outrageous behavior, in my view.
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I, in fact, believe that they have never been honest and objective in whatever they do. The West has established these organizations, along with numerous so called NGOs, disguised as forces for good, to support and promote their imperialistic agendas around the world.
You recommend that they should improve their research methods, data collection, etc. I can’t help smiling. The management of these organizations do what they do deliberately with a specific objective they must meet. Therefore, I believe they know the conclusion, the message, and purpose even before the report is written. The pretense of research is a game; it is no more than talking to some people they have previously coached.
You say they were winners of the Nobel Prize in 1977. But that was the time when ‘dinosaurs walked the earth’, considering the information and communication technology advancements attained now. Then society didn’t have the means to check what they were reporting. Thinking of it, we even thought the BBC, VOA, AFP, the Guardian, etc. reported the truth. Simply, we have been coned. But the world has awakened.
Go get’em tigress!!! Do not stop at rendering your support to those who pay the ultimate sacrifice to protect the interests of the old country and its upright citizens. You and your fellow fire spitting patriotic women should be organized in a strong party and snatch away the mantle of governing that gem of the colored from us men.
Dear Madam,
We men have been ruling that country for ages now. Due to such monopoly in governance we have became over confident and arrogant. We have stopped being reasonable centuries ago. We start devastating wars mainly among those otherwise harmonious people just for silly reasons. We sent your children to their deaths in wars we intentionally started while keeping our children at home. We see you and your children starve to death when we worry about which fillet mignon cut we have to put on our dinner table every night. When you and your children’s rib cage is exposed with bones sticking out from lack of food we are walking around with bulging beer gut almost reaching the ground. When you and your children are going to bed with excruciating pain due to hunger we are suffering from obesity and it’s consequences of high blood pressure, diabetes and sky high cholesterol. We men are so spoiled by our exclusive ownership of political power we have stopped listening to reason completely. Meanwhile you our glorious women have been carrying the entire country on your back while we men are loafing around and hatching devastating wars. It is time for you, our upright women, to rise up and grab the authority of leading that country from tone deaf men. Then you must tell the men to go back, all the way back in line for the new 100 years. Then show us how a country is supposed to be run. Woman prime minister, deputy prime minister, minister of every department except keeping cities and towns squeaky clean which should be our men’s exclusive job, more than 70% of the seats in the parliament, my goodness, that sounds soothing music to my ears, Ali Birra and Miles Davis in the same band!!! That is the only way to achieve lasting peace in that country. We men must be driven out of political office at least for the next 100 years and do so peacefully. If you are united you can do it.
Make that: Then you must tell the men to go back, all the way back in line for the next 100 years.
By definition Amnesty international is a terrorist organization, in cahoot with terrorist, if the Price is right, Amnesty international is for sale 24 hours a day seven days a week, 365 days a year, period. Have you ever heard or read about Amnesty international criticizing, US, England and or European Union, white supremacists, the Arabs, its because Amnesty international is like a cheap prostitutes, they will bend over for the right amounts of money, but not For HUMAN RIGHTS, as they subscribe to and advertise. Amnesty international is one of the reasons of the infestation of terrorism around the globe.