Ethiopia: The Situation in Ethiopia Is a Unique War and the African Union Has a Legal Duty to Silence the Guns

26 November 2020
opinion

The onset of a shooting war between Ethiopia's National Defense Force (ENDF) and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), which began on 4 November 2020, was predictable. The surprise so far has been the reluctance of Ethiopia's leadership under Nobel Peace Prize-winning Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed Ali, to accommodate appeals for de-escalation. On 25 November, the Prime Minister took to his twitter-feed to urge "the international community, to refrain from any acts of unwelcome or unlawful interference and respect the fundamental principles of non-intervention under international law." In an appeal garnished with generous references to Charter of the United Nations, the Constitutive Act of the African Union and to case law of the International Court of Justice, the Prime Minister argued that "the measures we have taken against those who have taken up arms against the federation are in accordance with the spirit and objectives of the African Charter on Democracy, Elections and Governance, which prohibits unconstitutional change of government and promotes democratic governance."

The audacity of this position is disconcerting in the manner in which it distorts international law at best, converting the Charter of the United Nations from an instrument, Chapter VI of which expressly mandates the pacific settlement of disputes, into one that underwrites their violent escalation.

...

AllAfrica publishes around 500 reports a day from more than 100 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.