Civil War in Ethiopia

The civil war in Ethiopia has shifted dramatically since Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed began a military campaign in the Tigray region a year ago. With Tigrayan fighters advancing toward the capital, Ethiopia is now at risk of collapse. After a year of conflict that has left thousands dead, forced more than two million people from their homes and pushed parts of the country into famine, the tide of the civil war in Ethiopia has shifted.

Fighters from Ethiopia’s northern region of Tigray close to he capital Addis Ababa and foreigners have left the capital.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has responded with defiance, declaring a state of emergency and appealing to citizens to take up arms.

So What About that Nobel Peace Prize?

When Mr. Abiy became one of the youngest leaders in Africa, there was great hopes of change in Ethiopia.

He freed thousands of political prisoners, relaxed a repressive security law and helped mediate conflicts abroad. He also made peace with Eritrea. In 2019 he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

However, when war with Tigray broke out, Mr. Abiy and Eritrea’s Mr. Isaias joined forces against the Tigrayans. But even before war erupted in Tigray, the internet was shut down in some areas, journalists were arrested and protesters and critics were detained by the thousands. The security forces have been accused of killing hundreds of people.

As the war grew Mr. Abiy’s actions grew harsher. In the capital, as well as elsewhere, Ethiopians of Tigrayan ethnicity are being rounded up and detained, ethnic cleansing is underway.

Until recently Addis Ababa was the Geneva of Africa, the United Nations and other humanitarian agencies, The World Bank, representatives and lobbyists working side by side; now Mr Abiy has called citizens to take up arms to defend the city.

Lisa had a young man from Addis Ababa, who asked us not to use his name, visit the studio and sit down to talk about the situation and how it has affected his family. He talks about his concerns and what he would like the Luxembourg government and EU nations to do.