Thread by @althecat

Update on this thread.

There was no mention in the latest @WHO #COVID19 Briefing - and the English soundtrack can be found on the Twitter version of the briefing. Which is quite interesting.

Apparently hamsters are now getting Covid. And not just hamsters.

https://twitter.com/althecat/status/1483481138232446984

The full briefing is here (video tweet attached).

I have also checked @DrTedros's twitter account. He has not tweeted about Tigray since January 15th. The day after the Govt. of Ethiopia lodged its complaint about his conduct.

https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1483469303470964737?s=20

This search query finds his "Tigray" Tweets. Between 6th and 15th Jan he tweeted about Tigray 9 times. This was the week in which he raised the subject in two COVID19 Briefings.

twitter.com/search?q=(from…

@WHO itself tweeted twice about Tigray on January 6th to its 10.5 million followers - in addition @DrTedros posted and pinned three video tweets with video extracts and prominent WHO branding from the Jan 12th briefings regarding Tigray.

Prior to that @WHO tweeted about "Tigray" on:
December 30th (once inside a thread)
October 30th (5 tweet thread)
October 13th (12 tweet thread - 8 pictured)
And before that in August and July - several times on July 6th

In his briefing remarks at the beginning of today's briefing. @DrTedros referred to a meeting of the Board of @WHO taking place soon, and it is possible that Ethiopia's complaint will be on the Agenda.

@DrTedros @WHO The twitter and press conference activity by Dr Tedros is quite likely the tip of the iceberg of @DrTedros's engagement in political activities in support of the TPLF.

The @WHO Board needs to launch an investigation into his conduct in order to preserve its integrity.

The investigation ought to - among other things - look into whether @DrTedros attended an Executive Council meeting of the TPLF on November 1st, two days before the attack on Ethiopia's Northern Command.

Public allegations to this effect are being made based on his tweets

Specifically this one (quoted) on 1 November 2020, in which he publicly announces that he has had a covid contact and will work from home.

https://twitter.com/DrTedros/status/1323032927492542465?s=20

This is on the day as the #TPLF held a "CC" meeting as we can see in this tweet >>

https://twitter.com/reda_getachew/status/1322871960481783811?s=20

This is a very serious allegation, and in the current circumstances, given @DrTedros's very high profile position in relation to global affairs - it ought to be looked into.

Dr Tedros was the No. 3 official in the TPLF and nobody ever really leaves the TPLF as is evident from his recent misuse of @WHO's media resources and platforms for political purposes which assist his former colleagues.

If they were not former colleagues at the outset of the war (and perhaps even now) then holding on to his current position which requires impartiality and independence is surely untenable.

This query shows his twitter activity 28/10 - 5/11 2020.
twitter.com/search?q=(from…

On halloween he tweeted about the birth of a grand-child and by the 4th of November he was back at work doing a presentation.

He did not mention either Tigray or Ethiopia until 19 November when he responded to accusations that he was "Taking Sides".

https://twitter.com/DrTedros/status/1329495772128227334?s=20

This query shows his tweets mentioning "Ethiopia" from the beginning of the war till June 30th (the unilateral ceasefire). twitter.com/search?q=(from…

And here tweets mentioning "Tigray" from the beginning of the war till June 30th (the unilateral ceasefire) twitter.com/search?q=(from…

On twitter at least he appears to have managed to maintain the appearance of independence and impartiality until March 2020.

(^^ that should read March 2021)

Here are corresponding queries from the unilateral ceasefire through to 31st December 2021.

Ethiopia: twitter.com/search?q=(from…

Tigray: twitter.com/search?q=(from…

And here are queries for @WHO tweets - before and after the ceasefire:

AFTER
Mentioning Tigray - twitter.com/search?q=(from…

Mentioning Ethiopia - twitter.com/search?q=(from…

BEFORE
Mentioning Tigray - twitter.com/search?q=(from…

Mentioning Ethiopia - twitter.com/search?q=(from…

What is notable here is that it appears that @WHO had also been very careful not to tweet about the War, Tigray or Ethiopia prior to March 2020.

The more aggressive approach to tweeting coincided with the COVID19 virus outbreak.

Anyway... just a preliminary analysis, but given that @DrTedros is due to appear before his board - at which the Govt. of Ethiopia's complaint is likely to be addressed by him in a formal response - more work on this is needed urgently.

@DrTedros And his and WHO's twitter history needs to be archived to prevent scrubbing.

/ENDS

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