Perversion of Facts by VOA English to Defame the Amhara Militia: The Case of the Mai-Kadra Massacre Survivors

March 17, 2021

US secretary of state, Antony Blinken. (Photo credit : VOA – Screenshot from VOA video)

By Abebe Belay

The current situation in Ethiopia has been perplexed by lies and propaganda.   TPLF supporters, the international media, and foreigners are working day and night to destroy Ethiopia.  Former diplomats like Herman J. Cohen are repeatedly targeting the ethnic Amhara and blaming them for all evils in Ethiopia.  

Despite the multitude of evidence, unfortunately, the Ethiopia government has failed to timely and adequately reveal to the world the truth about the attack carried out by TPLF. The government is not doing enough damage control either.  Despite the request from the Parliament, the Abiy administration did not even want to outlaw TPLF as a terrorist organization. The current condition in Ethiopia is too big to be left to the government alone. 

All peace-loving Ethiopians should responsibly tell the truth to the world.   The Tigray state militia, as they themselves admitted, launched an attack on the Northern Command of Ethiopia’s National Defense Force and monstrously executed the army members while in their pajamas.  They took over the ammunition depots and launched rockets to Bahir Dar and Eritrea.  You may watch the testimony of TPLF when one of the TPLF leaders, Seku Ture,  admits that TPLF first launched an attack on the Federal Army.

The Northern Command of the Federal Army members were heinously attacked by Tigray militia and by the internal TPLF-affiliated collaborators (reportedly ethnic Tigrians) from within the army.  The Amhara militia rescued the Federal Army in some of the sites.  No one can contest this fact; but the international media is willfully distorting the facts on the ground. 

VOA English has joined some of the international media that are baselessly misinforming the international community and reversing the facts related to the Federal Government’s law- enforcement operation in Tigray.

The Voice of America (VOA) is an influential international media which is funded by the US taxpayers. It is expected to maintain basic ethical standards.

The first one is from AFP posted on Nov 26, 2020.  It is about the Mai-Kadra massacre carried out against Amhara by the Tigray militia at a small town called Mai-Kadra.  The video shows the survivors of the Mai-Kadra massacre by TPLF militia.  

The second video is from VOA posted on Mar 12, 2021.  It alleges that the Amhra militia and Eritrean forces carried out massacres against ethnic Tigray in Axum, Ethiopia.  Following that you will see the US Secretary of State Blinken and the White House Press Secretary speaking on the issue.

So far, there is no credible evidence for the claims that Amhara militia and Eritrean forces massacred civilian in Axum; instead, the VOA’s report shows the images and videos of the Amhara victims of the Mai-Kadra massacre that was reported by AFP in the first video and mentions the alleged massacre that the Amhara militia and Eritrean force committed.  What a complete perversion of facts by VOA! 

The videos are about three minutes each.  Please watch them and report to the international community this is a deliberate deception. This is one of the blatant attacks on the ethnic Amhara which itself is often the victim of ethnic genocide in various parts of Ethiopia. 

This is a serious matter as the US is taking a stand supporting the TPLF militia and criminalizing the ethnic Amhara militia.  Blaming the victims does not bring peace to the Horn but will worsen the conflict and can cause ethnic strife and eventually destabilize the Horn of Africa.  Ethiopia is being pushed away from the US because of ill-intentioned individuals in the US government that have historical ties with TPLF.  This will sever the Ethio-US relationship and endanger the interest of the US.  

The US Congress should find out the hard facts about the crimes and massacres committed by TPLF and should stop those who are pushing Ethiopia into ethnic strife and genocide.   Stable, united, and peaceful Ethiopia should be in the best strategic interest of the US.  

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