Thread by @theskypriestess

Parliamentarians in India are often accused of disrupting the House & not respecting parliamentary norms. They get copies of their dissent (outside the bounds of procedure) and show it to their voters back home, saying: ' I fought for you, but the Government did not let me win'.

As soon as the cameras are turned off, members of antagonistic parties relax together for a tea break and there is a general peace amongst them as they do incredible amounts of work behind the scenes in committees. People who focus on the screen do not know the actual work done.

What is signaled and what is done are two different things.

In the case of #Tigray, there are plenty of signals from various parties (condemnation, being appalled at the horrors) that attempt to appease an intended audience and preserve one's one image (as an upholder of justice, carer of rights, etc.). These signals do not match actions.

When a signal does not match subsequent actions, it can mean
- the person signaling is using it to secure something else (i.e. credibility, popularity, etc.)
- there is a lack of accountability and follow-through
- they have nothing to lose if they do not act, i.e. no incentive

With #Tigray, we see all of the above.

The legitimacy of international institutions and powerful states is not determined by how they choose to act (or not) in this context.

There is no real means of ensuring follow-through except through sustained pressure.

But here's the thing, not only does pressure need to be sustained over time - it needs to be amplified so it reaches ' critical mass' . This happens by reaching out to more individuals and organizations with similar goals and to elicit the support of popular figures.

One additional way to expand outreach is not only to focus on the humanitarian aspect of things, but to also teach people about Tigray, it's culture, religion, geographical landscape, food and customs. There is much to love and fight for in this situation.

What drew me to Ethiopia is its place as the birthplace of human civilization, its ancient ties with South India and its sites of worship (Axum, Lalibela, and so on). There was a reason for me to care in the first place. People need to have that connection to care deeply.

If you cannot incentivize action for states and international organizations, you can incentivize action amongst the public by helping them see what you care so much about - so that they will start to care for it too and find that passion engage as allies.

*to engage as allies.

Without that personal connection and reason, the cause seems abstract. And as there are so many humanitarian crises going on in the world right now, people are easily jaded - unless they have a good reason not to be.