Although the atrocities of the Ethiopian army and its Eritrean allies have damaged the Ethiopian government’s international reputation, their failure at the hands of the Tigray rebels may ultimately have greater consequences.

Prime Minister Abi Ahmed announced “Unilateral ceasefire“When his army retreated, but the Tigray Defense Force stated that it would only accept it if conditions permit. As a TDF, there are extraordinary scenes. procession Thousands of captured Ethiopian soldiers marched through the streets of Merkel, the capital that was retaken fling in teeth.

The direct cause of the failure was a successful offensive by Tigray’s army, although pressure from foreign donors may have contributed.

The United States and the European Union are increasingly opposed to Prime Minister Abiy, winner of the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize. Canada is more tolerant.

Trudeau seeks support from Abiy

Since the first year of Trudeau’s administration in 2016, Ethiopia has been the world’s largest or second largest recipient of Canadian development assistance, and Ottawa has never publicly hinted that the assistance will be suspended.

Ethiopia was the first stop when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau began to visit three continents in February 2020.The Liberal government is focused on gaining a seat on the UN Security Council and believes that Abiy Ahmed (Abiy Ahmed) is essential to win African support for Canada’s purchase, the latter Finally failed.

Trudeau cheer Abi’s “Contribution to Regional Peace and Security”.

That was before Abiy invited neighboring Eritrea to invade his own country. Eritrea was a sealed police state managed by Isaias Afwerki since 1993.

EU suspends aid

The United States and the United Nations have defendant Abi’s forces burned crops, stole or killed livestock, murdered farmers and blocked roads.The United Nations says Abi’s Eritrean ally is intentionally “Hungry Tigray.”

Washington announces travel Sanctions Oppose all officials who committed crimes in Tigray.

The European Union suspended aid to the Ethiopian government at the beginning of the year, and the head of foreign policy Josep Borell (Josep Borell) undoubtedly conveyed to the Ethiopian government a message about Tigray-“A kind of indication that our rejection is happening there. The European Union and the United States both describe it as “ethnic cleansing”.

Canada has not used such language or imposed penalties against the Abiy government, and Say It remains “always ready to support the Ethiopian government and its people in pursuing a national and inclusive political process.”

“We are concerned about what happened in Ethiopia,” Global Affairs Minister Mark Gano told CBC this week.

“I have talked with my counterparts, the Prime Minister has talked with his counterparts, (International Development Minister Karina) Gould…has already talked with her counterparts, and the message we have been conveying is, Ethiopia allows the Tigray region to provide humanitarian assistance, and we have long called for the withdrawal, especially the Eritrean and Ahmar (Ethiopian region) troops.

“We worry that progress is extremely slow.”

No sanctions, no condemnation

But Patricia Skinner of Global Affairs told the CBC that Canada is not ready to follow the steps of other countries that sanction Ethiopia.

“Canada is wise in choosing to implement sanctions and is committed to using sanctions effectively and in a coordinated manner when appropriate,” she said. “Canada will continue to work closely with like-minded governments and consider a wide range of response options.”

However, she added, “Canada has redirected US$18 million from its donation to Ethiopia’s national flagship production safety net program to target communities affected by food insecurity in Tigray.”

The project is described as “led by the Ethiopian government and supported by the Canadian government” and involves global affairs website.

In any case, the plan was originally scheduled to end this year. GAC officials told CBC that its suspension does not represent condemnation or sanctions.

‘Ethnic cleansing’

Mulughetta Tadella, a mathematics professor from Windsor, Ontario and chairman of the Canadian Tigray Community Association, said his community is grateful for Canada’s US$41 million in emergency assistance to Ethiopia, some of which are dedicated to Tigray.

He also pointed out that compared with the condemnation of European and American counterparts, Ottawa’s statement of concern is obviously not so sharp.

“We think Canada can do more,” he told CBC News. “Indirectly, Canada really supports the ethnic cleansing that took place in Tigray. How can a country highly support such behavior, such a government, and such a leader?”

The Ethiopian Embassy did not respond to a call for comment.

Biden and Trudeau are miles apart

The Trudeau administration’s attitude towards the conflict is in sharp contrast with the Biden administration’s attitude.

Secretary of State Anthony Brinken call PM Abiy urged “immediate, full and unhindered humanitarian access to prevent further loss of life” in the violent February.

Later that month, Trudeau called Abi back. already, Massacre video The Ethiopian army’s articles are circulating in the mainstream media, but Tigray is not at the top Agenda.

The following is a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office describing this call: “Prime Minister Trudeau welcomes efforts to expand humanitarian aid and access to journalists, restore critical services and infrastructure, and protect the people. Prime Minister Trudeau Reiterate Canada’s support for the ongoing reforms. Consolidate Ethiopia’s lasting and inclusive peace and democracy.”

On March 10, Brinken told Congress that the United States had seen “ethnic cleansing” in Tigray.

On March 16, Gould and the Minister of Small Business, Export Promotion and International Trade Mary Ng met with his Ethiopian counterparts and participated in the “Clean Growth Seminar”. They announced a donation of US$133 million to the Canadian-African Development Bank Climate Fund. The important follow-up announced by Prime Minister Trudeau in Ethiopia last year”. The GAC stated that the donation was “aimed at enhancing women’s economic rights”.

A full week later, Abi Accepted In his country, the Eritrean army has “raped women and robbed property” and “violence has occurred.”

“Fighting is destructive, it hurts a lot of people,” he said.

‘War Agreement’

Tadella said that the West naively fell in love with Abi’s reformist attitude from the beginning, and the settlement with Eritrea that allowed Abi to win the Nobel Prize “is not a peace agreement, but a war agreement.”

Even before the current war broke out in November 2020, human rights organizations pointed out that Abi’s new Ethiopia retained some Worst feature In old Ethiopia, there were genocides and forced displacements where security forces sometimes took part.

Tigrayan troops are accused of their own crimes War crimes.

However, the most serious allegations are the Ethiopian army and its Eritrean allies, including the mass rape of local women and girls.People in Abi Ahmed’s government, including the Ethiopian female president, have recognized and condemn rape.

The last one Few soldiers Has been tried and convicted.

“They will destroy the Tigray people”

Abi Ahmed himself felt the pressure and tried to resolve the pressure in a way. Opened In February.

He wrote: “Despite our best efforts, the sufferings and deaths that still occur have brought great pain to me personally and all peace-loving people at home and abroad.” “We work day and night for us in Tigray. Citizens and those in neighbouring provinces who need help provide necessary supplies and ensure respect for human rights and return to normal life.”

The European Union’s special envoy, Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto (Pekka Haavisto) traveled to Addis Ababa when Abi was writing the column and said that he had heard very different information in private.

“When I met with Ethiopian leaders in February, they really used this language. They will destroy the Tigray people, they will wipe out the Tigray people for 100 years and so on,” he told a committee of the European Parliament last month , Clearly stated that Abiy Ahmed participated in these discussions.

“It’s like ethnic cleansing to us.”

The Ethiopian government has Be fired Havisto’s accusation is “some kind of illusion or some kind of memory error.”

But since writing his article, Abi Ahmed was forced to admit that the Eritrean army was operating in the country and lied about it for several months.

“This must be Abi Ahmed’s most treasonous act,” Tadela said. “Invite an enemy, the army of a neighboring country, to dismantle Tigray’s infrastructure-its own area-and kill all these young people who have nothing to do with politics, and rape a girl as young as 7 years old.”

Tedela said that the foreseeable result is that many Tigray people who were willing to live in the Federal State of Ethiopia now only want complete independence.

“They must lay the foundation so that these atrocities won’t happen again.”