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The INVESTIGATIONS into possible war crimes committed during Ethiopia’s military offensive against the northern region of Tigray must be impartial, thorough and transparent, the United Nations said today.
The UN Office in Geneva (UNOG) says an independent investigation must be carried out to determine what happened in Tigray amid reports that civilians were attacked and massacred during the operation that began in November.
Between 9 and 10 November, a massacre took place in Mai Kadre, in western Tigray, in which at least 700 men, women and children were brutally executed.
Government forces tried to blame the Tigray People’s Liberation Front for the atrocity. But subsequent investigations, including eyewitness testimony, pointed the finger at the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF).
Those who fled the scene alleged that the killings were committed by members of Fano, a youth militia affiliated with the government of the Amhara region.
One witness said: “Fano came from the Amhara region, then he took us all out of our homes. We saw how they killed and massacred our neighbors, in the same way that wood is cut, with an ax and a knife ”.
Ethiopian government forces reportedly stood by as Fano fighters went door-to-door, demanding to see people’s identification documents to identify ethnic Tigrayans.
“Young men were sent to kill us. Over 70 [Fano militia] they were trying to kill us. We hid in the fields. They hunted us. On the way many died. We passed many corpses.
“They verified the identifications of the people … if they find someone of Tigrayan origin …[they] killing with a knife, ”said the witness.
UNOG said in a statement: “If a party or parties to the conflict deliberately killed civilians, these killings would amount to war crimes.”
Elections will be held in June, although Tigray has been excluded from the polls until the state of emergency is lifted in the region.
