Thread by @althecat

As the TPLF flies its new us media/diplo campaign beseeching US/EU impunity for its war crimes >> #NoFlyZoneInTigray >> we have a growing number of Western participants in this disaster speaking up including Envoy Jeffrey Feltman, former EUSR Alex Rondos and Gen. Tsadkan.

The latest Feltman IV leads off the latest edition of Focus on Africa here >> bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w1…

The Feltman interview is diplomatic, not particularly circumspect perhaps about US contributions towards this disaster, but that is to be expected.

Tsadkan and Rondos IVs are in this edition of BBC Newshour >> bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w1…

Before looking at what each of these participants are saying - represent respectively US, EU & TPLF camps we need to also have a counterpoint on the table.

In my view this is best expressed here by @BronwynBruton & @NebiyuAsfaw >> medium.com/@nebiyuasfaw/t…

https://twitter.com/BronwynBruton/status/1473660241833299976?s=20

@BronwynBruton @NebiyuAsfaw Effectively each of these representatives in these interviews is projecting their views on what they would like to happen. And at this stage what they are asking for effectively - direct discussions between the GoE and the TPLF - is, from what I can see, a non-starter.

In her briefing on the 21st, @PMEthiopia spokeswoman @BilleneSeyoum was careful not to talk about military objectives, and contrary to some reporting she did not rule anything in or out. Rather she expressed the widespread view, presumably in the Govt. as well as the public....

... that the TPLF is not an viable negotiating partner, due to its own actions and words. This ought to be a non-controversial position, but as @BronwynBruton and @NebiyuAsfaw pointed out, it is, because the TPLF appears to still enjoy the patronage of the US and EU.

The @StateDept's social media suppression activities being implemented by @TwitterSafety continue with the suspension not just of @NebiyuAsfaw but also of @NoMoreHub, after previously banning @HornOfAfricaHub.

Yet it appears that Tigray social media accounts retain impunity.

@StateDept @TwitterSafety @NebiyuAsfaw @NoMoreHub @HornOfAfricaHub This @tigraionline tweet was removed for being in breach, which is progress, but it is far from clear that @TwitterSafety is being even handed here. In fact the reverse appears to be the case. The partiality of US/EU towards TPLF is mirrored by @Twitter.

https://twitter.com/althecat/status/1473425656843284488?s=20

@StateDept @TwitterSafety @NebiyuAsfaw @NoMoreHub @HornOfAfricaHub @tigraionline @Twitter This new video, released today by @mfaethiopia contains a clear additional perspective on the view of the GoE about where it is now and is useful for this helicopter discussion thread.

https://twitter.com/althecat/status/1474017738490269706?s=20

With the benefit of hindsight, it is clear this entire horror show was avoidable, if only Western nations had followed international law and recognised the Article 2 rights of Ethiopia to protect itself at the outset of the war instead of taking the side of the TPLF insurgency.

Several months ago, shortly after the 28th of June unilateral ceasefire I reached out to @wdavison10 to discuss the insanity of what was happening after that ceasefire was announced, i.e. the frenzy of western media and diplomatic support rallying behind the TPLF.

We specifically discussed the Welkaite issue, which Davison was insisting was obstructing any chance of peace. This is after the TPLF rejected the ceasefire as a sick joke and made a set of completely unfeasible demands.

Davison maintained a position that withdrawal from Welkaite was a necessary precondition to a ceasefire, parroting the views of TPLF leadership. I responded pointing out the impossibility of this as it would open Tigray up to being re-armed from Sudan. All pretty obvious stuff.

The conversation continued and eventually Davison said his problem with the GoE ceasefire was that it was "insincere". To which I balked and embarked on a discussion of international law 101. Eventually he agreed that yes, the legal position under the UN Charter was clear.

We ended the discussion, I hoped he would take a principled approach back to his team at @CrisisGroup, but if he did nothing eventuated, and he like all international participants remained mute to the horrors of the invasion of Amhara which had been apparent since its outset.

This core feature of the war, the false equivalency of the TPLF which is often called the Govt. of Tigray by media and diplomats. The same diplomats and media persist with the "big lie" in this classical fascist conflict, namely that @AbiyAhmedAli started the war on November 4th.

Had the govt's of the EU and US and the UN engaged as bound to do under the charter, and engaged directly with the Ethiopian Govt. from the outset of this conflict as the legitimate Govt. all that has happened since could have been avoided.

#TwitterRacism is now a hashtag thanks to it being dragged into this conflict directly by the @StateDept on the pretext of the need to prevent a genocide. #DiplomaticRacism ought to be one too, as that is what we have seen for the past 13 months.

So what did we learn from the BBC IVs yesterday with Jeffrey Feltman, Alex Rondos and General Tsadkan?

Unfortunately we learned that nothing has changed. For some reason all three appear to think that they still have the right to dictate to Ethiopia around its next steps.

The new media narrative - led as is often the case by the @StateDept's publication of record the @nytimes, is that the victory of Ethiopia over the TPLF is due to external interference. Suddenly supplying arms is considered interference.

Is supplying arms to govt's is interference then the world's biggest interferers are the US and EU who sell the vast bulk of global armaments.

The nations that rallied to Ethiopias defence did so on a far more principled basis than 98% of global arms deals.

Specifically they acted in accordance with international law, assisting a democratically elected sovereign state to defend itself against an internal terrorist insurgency.

A simple recent analogy would be the military assistance being provided right now to Ukraine to protect against a proxy conflict erupting in the Donbass region, with Russian backing.

(to be continued...)