Report accuses Ethiopia of limiting rare UN probe on war abuses in Tigray

Ethiopia has tried to limit a UN human rights investigation into massacres and atrocities committed in the blockaded restive northern region of Tigray, a report says. 

The findings of the only human rights probe, jointly conducted by the UN human rights office and the government-created Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC), in northern Tigray were expected to be released on Wednesday. But The Associated Press cited people with knowledge of the probe as saying that it had been limited by authorities, who recently expelled a UN staffer helping lead the probe.

Citing sources on Tuesday, the AP said that the head of the EHRC, Daniel Bekele, had underplayed some allegations that fighters from the country's Amhara region were responsible for abuses in Tigray and pressed instead to highlight abuses by Tigrayan People's Liberation Front (TPLF).

That account of events contradicted purported witness reports that pointed to soldiers from neighboring Eritrea, Ethiopian forces, and fighters from the Amhara region as the perpetrators of most abuses.

Bekele has rejected the accusation, saying the commission had found "serious indications that all parties involved in the conflict have committed atrocities."

With rights groups barred from Tigray along with foreign media, the joint investigation is a rare collaboration between the UN and the Ethiopian government and may be the only official source of information on atrocities in Tigray.

The probe has been lacking the support of the Tigray authorities, who have been administering the region since the TPLF forces retook much of the area in June.

The AP report has raised concerns among ethnic Tigrayans about impartiality and government influence.

The UN human rights office in Geneva said investigators had been unable to visit the scene of many alleged massacres in Tigray. It said the government's severing of flights to and communications in Tigray during the planned investigation period had made it difficult to access key locations.

In September, Ethiopia's government expelled UN human rights officer Sonny Onyegbula. Six other UN officials were declared "persona non grata" alongside Onyegbula and were ordered to leave the country within 72 hours.

UN condemns Ethiopia’s expulsion of its staff, says 5.2 million need aid in Tigray

The UN has denounced Ethiopia’s decision to expel seven of its top officials from the country, warning that 5.2 million people are in need of urgent assistance in the restive Tigray region.

The conflict in Tigray has involved alleged gang rapes, mass expulsions, deliberate starvation, and thousands of deaths.

The civil war has been intensifying. More than two million people have been forced to flee their homes since fighting began almost a year ago.

International pleas to stop the fighting have failed so far.

Ethiopia declares state of emergency in Tigray

In a separate development on Tuesday, Ethiopia declared a state of emergency after Tigray forces said they were gaining territory and considering marching on the capital, Addis Ababa.

The announcement came two days after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed urged citizens to take up arms to defend themselves from the TPLF. A statement issued by Abiy's office accused the local government of attacking federal troops and trying to "loot" military assets.

Earlier in the day, authorities in Addis Ababa had already told residents to register their arms and prepare to defend their neighborhoods.

"Our defense forces… have been ordered to carry out their mission to save the country. The final point of the red line has been crossed. Force is being used as the last measure to save the people and the country," Abiy said in a social media post.

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