Ethiopia: Maikadra Massacre Perpetrators to Face Charges

February 25, 2021

Emergency Task Force says perpetrators of Maikadra Massacre and attack on the Ethiopian Defense Force will face charges in the weeks to come 

Borkena

Ethiopia State of Emergency Fact Check, a government body tasked with sharing information  about the state of emergency in Tigray and the law enforcement operation, on Thursday disclosed that government will lay charges in the weeks to come against those involved in Maikadra massacre and attack on the Ethiopian Defense Force. 

Thirty-six suspects have appeared in a federal court on Thursday in connection with the Maikadra Massacre – which took place in early November 2020 after the TPLF forces opened an attack on several military bases of the northern command. 

Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC), the Federal Police and the attorney general have been investigating the crimes committed in Tigray region of Ethiopia, it was said.  

In particular, EHRC has been investigating alleged rape and sexual violence in Axum city. It was making headlines in media outlets in the western world. 

Furthermore, the taskforce disclosed that EHRC investigated the alleged crimes in the region with support from international experts. 

The Federal Police and the office of attorney general have been undertaking their investigation on similar issues. They will make their findings public, the taskforce added.  The update from the task force said  “These institutions will continue to communicate to the public their findings and based on these findings the Government of Ethiopia will take the appropriate measures in accordance with the law. While tragic incidents and unfortunate events do occur in conflict situation, the Government of Ethiopia does not condone any act that gratuitously puts the lives of civilians in danger. ” 

Dozens Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) key authorities, including party ideologue Sebhat Nega, were captured in a joint-operation by the Ethiopian Defense Force and the Federal Police in early January 2021.   

It has been months since the law enforcement operation was completed in Tigray region. However, there have been reported security incidents in the past two weeks involving the killings of civilians. Last week, at least six recent graduates of Adigrat University were killed and ten others wounded as they were travelling from Mekelle to Addis Ababa. Earlier in the week, an electric power supply line was attacked in the area that used to be called South Tigray. 

Despite that it was the Ethiopian government that is regularly grilled in international media outlets. This week, the office of the prime minister issued a statement saying that the misinformation campaign by entities with political motivation has reached a point where Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government expressed “grave concern” about them. 

In November 2020, Ethiopian government said that some of those who perpetrated the Maikadra massacre might have crossed the border to Sudan as refugees.