Michael McCaul, the lead Republican congressman on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, raised concerns on Wednesday over whether genocide is occurring in Ethiopia’s Tigray region.
Addressing US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield in a committee hearing, Mr McCaul said the Ethiopian government's behaviour in Tigray points to possible genocide.
“As the fighting continues, there is starvation and systematic rape being used as a weapon of war. And comments from [USAID head Samantha Power] that Ethiopia is 'destroying the reproductive health of Tigrayans' really calls into question whether conditions amount to genocide under the 1948 Genocide Convention,” Mr McCaul said.
The government of Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, with the help of Eritrean troops and allied militias, has been carrying out a military offensive against the Tigray People's Liberation Front since November.
The conflict has internally displaced about two million civilians and the UN now estimates 350,000 people in Tigray are facing famine, including 30,000-plus children that are now considered malnourished.
Human rights organisations such as Oxfam, Doctors Without Borders and Amnesty International have reported aid restrictions, attacks on medical facilities and the destruction of food sources in addition to incidents of sexual violence, extrajudicial killings and massacres.
Ms Thomas-Greenfield said starvation is often used as a weapon of war in places like Yemen, Ethiopia and South Sudan, and voiced her frustration at the lack of action by the UN Security Council.
“I don’t think it is going to get better … it is going to get worse,” Mr McCaul said. His reference to "genocide" is the first made by a member of Congress.
UNHCR head Michelle Bachelet said in March that the brutality in Tigray may amount to war crimes and called for an investigation, while the patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, Abune Mathias, said last month he believes genocide is occurring in the region.
Cameron Hudson, a senior fellow with the Atlantic Council's Africa Centre, said a determination of genocide makes punitive action against the perpetrators inevitable.
"Once the spectre of genocide is unleashed, it will be difficult to talk about anything else and the bar for avoiding punitive measures will be even higher," Mr Hudson told The National.
“The only thing that will avoid further punitive measures at this stage is real, immediate, verifiable and irreversible actions by Ethiopia to allow in unfettered humanitarian access, withdraw Eritrean forces and initiate a ceasefire,” he added, while noting that the Ethiopian government has broken such previous commitments.
Mr Abiy, a Nobel laureate, has not yet fulfilled his March pledge of initiating the withdrawal of Eritrean troops and allied militias from Tigray.
On Monday, Ethiopia will hold a general election in which Mr Abiy is seeking to extend his mandate.
The US government has called for an inclusive process but said it is “gravely concerned about the environment under which these upcoming elections are to be held".
“The detention of opposition politicians, harassment of independent media, partisan activities by local and regional governments, and the many interethnic and intercommunal conflicts across Ethiopia are obstacles to a free and fair electoral process,” the State Department said.
Mr Hudson saw the vote as a great risk for Mr Abiy.
“It seems unlikely to be able to grant him the broad mandate or the legitimacy he is seeking. At the same time, it could further unleash forces within the country that are already undermining Ethiopia's unity and cohesion.”
The US envoy to the Horn of Africa, Jeffrey Feltman, has made two trips to the region to help broker a ceasefire in Tigray.
On Thursday, he will meet an official Ethiopian delegation in Washington, which will include Special Adviser to the Prime Minister Mamo Mehretu.
A protest outside the State Department has been planned by Tigrayan activists who are calling for the US to put more pressure on Mr Abiy.
The Ethiopian government has called reports of war crimes and famine in Tigray "baseless".
MATCH INFO
AC Milan v Inter, Sunday, 6pm (UAE), match live on BeIN Sports
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
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%3Cp%3E%0D%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E6-cylinder%2C%204.8-litre%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E5-speed%20automatic%20and%20manual%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E280%20brake%20horsepower%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E451Nm%20%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Efrom%20Dh153%2C00%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Enow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Tewellah by Nawal Zoghbi is out now.
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
'The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window'
Director:Michael Lehmann
Stars:Kristen Bell
Rating: 1/5
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
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THREE POSSIBLE REPLACEMENTS
Khalfan Mubarak
The Al Jazira playmaker has for some time been tipped for stardom within UAE football, with Quique Sanchez Flores, his former manager at Al Ahli, once labelling him a “genius”. He was only 17. Now 23, Mubarak has developed into a crafty supplier of chances, evidenced by his seven assists in six league matches this season. Still to display his class at international level, though.
Rayan Yaslam
The Al Ain attacking midfielder has become a regular starter for his club in the past 15 months. Yaslam, 23, is a tidy and intelligent player, technically proficient with an eye for opening up defences. Developed while alongside Abdulrahman in the Al Ain first-team and has progressed well since manager Zoran Mamic’s arrival. However, made his UAE debut only last December.
Ismail Matar
The Al Wahda forward is revered by teammates and a key contributor to the squad. At 35, his best days are behind him, but Matar is incredibly experienced and an example to his colleagues. His ability to cope with tournament football is a concern, though, despite Matar beginning the season well. Not a like-for-like replacement, although the system could be adjusted to suit.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
THE BIO
BIO:
Born in RAK on December 9, 1983
Lives in Abu Dhabi with her family
She graduated from Emirates University in 2007 with a BA in architectural engineering
Her motto in life is her grandmother’s saying “That who created you will not have you get lost”
Her ambition is to spread UAE’s culture of love and acceptance through serving coffee, the country’s traditional coffee in particular.
More from UAE Human Development Report:
FIXTURES
Saturday, November 3
Japan v New Zealand
Wales v Scotland
England v South Africa
Ireland v Italy
Saturday, November 10
Italy v Georgia
Scotland v Fiji
England v New Zealand
Wales v Australia
Ireland v Argentina
France v South Africa
Saturday, November 17
Italy v Australia
Wales v Tonga
England v Japan
Scotland v South Africa
Ireland v New Zealand
Saturday, November 24
|Italy v New Zealand
Scotland v Argentina
England v Australia
Wales v South Africa
Ireland v United States
France v Fiji
Origin
Dan Brown
Doubleday
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
Players Selected for La Liga Trials
U18 Age Group
Name: Ahmed Salam (Malaga)
Position: Right Wing
Nationality: Jordanian
Name: Yahia Iraqi (Malaga)
Position: Left Wing
Nationality: Morocco
Name: Mohammed Bouherrafa (Almeria)
Position: Centre-Midfield
Nationality: French
Name: Mohammed Rajeh (Cadiz)
Position: Striker
Nationality: Jordanian
U16 Age Group
Name: Mehdi Elkhamlichi (Malaga)
Position: Lead Striker
Nationality: Morocco
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More coverage from the Future Forum
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
