Thursday 3rd December 2020 | PALATINATE
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Politics
Civil conflict: What is happening in Tigray?
Jess Jones Abiy Ahmed was elected Prime Minister of Ethiopia in 2019, during the chaos of mass protests against the coalition government, headed by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). After years of what was largely seen as an autocratic rule, characterised by the severe oppression of political dissidents, Ahmed sought to reunify Ethiopia under his new Prosperity Party. His peace efforts with neighbouring country Eritrea won him a Nobel Prize in 2019. It is from this background that the current Ethiopian civil conflict has stemmed. Ethiopia is an ethnically diverse country divided into 10 regions. The Tigrayan region has felt marginalised since Ahmed rose to power and deposed many TPLF elites from high positions in the government, even persecuting some on the grounds of corruption. Unfortunately for Africa’s youngest Prime Minister, this only earned him enemies and even an attempted assassination in 2018. Although Ahmed pledged democratic reform upon his election, some Ethiopians feel that
he has not fulfilled his promises. He postponed the elections in March this year citing the pandemic as the primary concern, which has led to accusations that he is making a grab for power.
Ahmed took to Twitter to urge peaceful surrender As a result, the TPLF refused to acknowledge Ahmed as the legitimate leader of the country and held their own election illegally in September. In a stalemate situation, Ahmed also refused to recognise the results of the TPLF vote. The TPLF’s constant efforts at undermining Ahmed’s government throughout its rule has now escalated into direct violence, with the party attacking two military bases in Tigray on 4th November. Ahmed’s government retaliated by sending in army forces. Civilians who could not flee in time were caught in a lethal crossfire.
There have been reports of atrocities on both sides and even a massacre where hundreds were hacked to death. It is hard to know precise numbers or get footage of what is happening because the Ethiopian government has cut off all communications with Tigray, including roads, airports, phone networks and the internet. On Sunday evening, Abiy Ahmed took to Twitter to urge the TPLF to “surrender peacefully within 72 hours”. It followed a statement from Ethiopian military
(Statsministerens Kontor via Creative Commons)
spokesman Colonel Dejene Tsegaye, who declared army plans to surround Mekelle with tanks. He said, “We want to send a message to the public in Mekelle to save yourselves from any artillery attacks and free yourselves from the junta […] After that, there will be no mercy.” This puts the approximately 500,000 people who live in Tigray’s capital Mekelle at a very high risk and human rights activists are concerned about the legality of the threat. Leader of the TPLF, Debretsion Gebremichael, responded that his people were “ready to die” defending their right to administer their region. What does this mean for civilians? There has been a mass exodus of at least 40,000 people as yet, with the UN refugee agency predicting up to 200,000 if fighting continues. There is some concern that the war will continue to spread, perhaps even into Eritrea, and destabilise east Africa. Refugees have travelled across the border into Sudan where camps are overcrowded and unprepared to deal with the excess of civilian displacement. There is relative safety but access to shelter, clean water, food and health care is compromised.
Sudanese authorities have expressed the need for more camps to be established and easy humanitarian access to them provided. Sudan is already struggling with its own economic problems, so it needs the international community to pull together and help. Thus far, Ethiopia has ignored American pleas for a ceasefire and peace talks. On Wednesday, Ahmed rejected attempts at international intervention from the African Union and the UN. It is going to be difficult for the civilians to be saved. Abiy Ahmed has promised the army would not be targeting Tigrayans.
face the difficult situation that the country is going through”. Sagasti has shown himself to be a promising President, one who will act upon the requests of the majority and seek to put an end to the overwhelming corruption that darkens Peruvian democracy. The new President has already reacted to the overwhelming levels of police violence that occurred in recent weeks, retiring three lieutenant-generals and fifteen generals of the National Police whilst ordering further lengths of reform. This comes in response to the deaths of the two aforementioned students, Jack Pintado and Inti Sotelo, who both
lost their lives at the use of firearm projectiles.
Ethiopia has ignored US pleas for a ceasefire and peace talks Nonetheless, it is not hard to imagine a scenario where innocent people are killed or injured. International powers need to place intense and consistent pressure on Ahmed and the TPLF to stop escalating the war further and they need to provide essential humanitarian aid in this time of crisis for Ethiopia.
Presidential turmoil follows Peru elections
Jack Graham November has been a month of immense political disorder in Peru; the nation has witnessed three presidents pass through the seat of power within a single week whilst protesters have taken to the streets of the capital in anger. Thousands of furious citizens have crowded the streets of Peru and have stormed social media outlets, all under the communal banner of #TheyMessedWithTheWrongGeneration.
Three Presidents have passed through the seat of power within a single week In the face of an apparent constitutional crisis, the younger generation has sought to make their voices heard, pleading against the long trail of corruption that has tainted the highest offices within the Peruvian government for decades. Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index has claimed Peru to be the 101st most corrupt nation in the world, whilst their southerly neighbours of Chile place 23rd. Lima, the capital of Peru, continued to echo with calls for the
removal of Manuel Merino, the first replacement for the former president, Martin Vizcarra. Vizcarra was removed from office following an impeachment upon grounds of "moral incapacity", accusers have claimed that he interfered with corruption investigations and accepted numerous bribes from companies concerning public work contracts – all of which he has repeatedly denied. His removal from office is being described as a coup d’etat by many, once more news outlets have been engrained with imagery of brutish clashes between protesters and police units clad in riot gear, armed with tear gas canisters and wielding rifles releasing barrages of rubber bullets into large crowds. The crowds awoke the city of Lima with the unceasing chant “Merino, listen up, the people reject you!” – a message that eventually got through to Merino, he resigned following the rising public opposition against him and the unfortunate killing of two protestors, Jack Pintado, 22, and Inti Sotelo, 24. According to The Guardian, analysts have confirmed that Vizcarra’s removal from office was coordinated by his political enemies, opposers of his anti-graft reforms which sought to eradicate political corruption from the highest levels
of the Peruvian government.
The younger generation has sought to make their voices heard against corruption Vizcarra was one of the most popular Presidents of his generation, despite the Covid-19 outbreak. His approval rating had floated above 50%, causing political demonstrators to claim that Congress has deviated from the democratic norms and have acted against the will of the people. Since Merino’s resignation, however, yet another President has taken up the mantle of authority. Francisco Sagasti assumed office on 17th November and faces an immensely difficult challenge. The people of Peru now look to Sagasti to repair the damages caused by the ongoing turmoil, to act upon the furies of his protesters and to tend to the wounds inflicted upon Peruvian reputation. Sagasti said his inauguration was “not a day of celebration”, stating “we can take action from Congress, from the executive, so that this does not happen again.” Vizcarra has publicly shown support for Sagasti, tweeting “I congratulate Francisco Sagasti on his election as President of Parliament. Only a person with democratic principles will be able to
Sagasti has shown himself to be a promising President Time will only tell whether Sagasti will step up to the plate and do his nation justice, whether he will bring a cease to the overwhelming levels of corruption within his nation or if he will merely pass office without significant effect. He will remain in office for what was the rest of Vizcarra’s term, meaning that he only has until 28th July 2021 to refashion his government. (Protestors Blur via Creative Commons)
