Ethiopia Tigray Detentions USAGM
Metadata
- Ethiopia Tigray Detentions USAGM
- June 9, 2022
- Content Type Package
- Language English
- Transcript/Script English USAGM SHARE ((PLAYBOOK SLUG: ETHIOPIA TIGRAY DETENTIONS (TV) HEADLINE: Ethiopia Denies Tigrayan Detentions, Mass Graves during Tightly Controlled Visit TEASER: PUBLISHED AT: 6/9/2022 at BYLINE: Henry Wilkins DATELINE: HUMERA, ETHIOPIA VIDEOGRAPHER: Henry Wilkins VIDEO EDITOR: PRODUCER: SCRIPT EDITORS: Schearf, Steve Hirsch VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA, ZOOM, HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV X RADIO__ TRT: VID APPROVED BY: TYPE: TVPKG EDITOR NOTES: There is an accompanying radio piece. )) ((INTRO)) [[The war in Ethiopia has seen reports alleging ethnic cleansing and mass detention of Tigrayans, including in western Tigray region, where authorities have prevented entry to rights groups and journalists. VOA was given rare, but limited and tightly controlled access, to the region and some sites allegedly used for detentions and mass graves. Henry Wilkins reports from Humera, Ethiopia.]] ((NARRATOR)) Humera, a focal point for rights groups investigating claims of ethnic cleansing against Tigrayans. ((Mandatory courtesy: Human Rights Watch)) Human Rights Watch which provided these illustrations and satellite images from a recent report, alleges Amhara security forces in the Ethiopian town have detained large groups of ethnic Tigrayans without charge. ((Mandatory Courtesy: Zoom)) ((Latetia Bader, Human Rights Watch Director for Horn of Africa (English, 27 secs))) “One of the last and latest phases, was from November, December, through to January this year, where we were again seeing mass arrests of Tigrayans who were remaining in certain towns, notably in the town of Humera, detentions in two facilities in particular, one prison in Humera Town and one makeshift warehouse facility.” ((NARRATOR)) A BBC report in May quoted locals in Humera alleging Tigrayans were executed there and buried in mass graves. Ethiopian authorities blocked independent investigators and journalists from the area until May, when they gave VOA rare and unexpected access. ((Ashete Demelew, Humera Administrator (Amharic, 30 secs)) “Visiting the agricultural institute or the Guna warehouse and other sites mentioned will show how they fabricated the story. … No innocent people are imprisoned in Humera. … As the saying goes, seeing is believing. Why don’t you go and see some of the places?” ((Mandatory Courtesy: Human Rights Watch)) ((NARRATOR)) VOA asked to see five sites in Humera where alleged abuses and atrocities occurred, but local officials gave limited and controlled access to only two. The Guna warehouse, which was mentioned in the Human Rights Watch report, did not appear to have had any recent use. A school official at the site of an alleged mass grave reported by the BBC denied any such atrocity. (((Wendowessen Abebe, Lucy Primary School (Formerly Hamele Hamushte School) (Amharic, 10 secs)) “To my knowledge, no Tigrayans were killed and buried in a mass grave.” (tigr-EYENS) ((VIDEO-VOA: SCHOOL SITE – various, HUMERA- various)) ((NARRATOR)) It was not possible for VOA to determine if any bodies had been buried near the school. An official said VOA had asked too many questions and should leave the town. VOA was not allowed to interview any locals in Humera. ((NARRATOR)) But in other parts of the country, Tigrayans who do not wish to be identified for their own security say they are being arbitrarily detained and abused. ((Former Tigrayan Detainee (Amharic, 30 secs))) “They terrified us by saying, ‘Get ready. You’re going to be killed by tomorrow…’ There was not sufficient food to eat for the detainees, who came from all professions. The place was so hostile, we all suffered there, all of us lost weight.” ((NARRATOR)) Meanwhile, rights groups and independent investigators are still waiting for Ethiopian authorities to grant access to Tigray and other regions where alleged atrocities were committed by both sides in the 18-month conflict. ((Henry Wilkins, for VOA News, Humera, Ethiopia.))
- Transcript/Script USAGM SHARE ((PLAYBOOK SLUG: ETHIOPIA TIGRAY DETENTIONS (TV) HEADLINE: Ethiopia Denies Tigrayan Detentions, Mass Graves during Tightly Controlled Visit TEASER: PUBLISHED AT: 6/9/2022 at BYLINE: Henry Wilkins DATELINE: HUMERA, ETHIOPIA VIDEOGRAPHER: Henry Wilkins VIDEO EDITOR: PRODUCER: SCRIPT EDITORS: Schearf, Steve Hirsch VIDEO SOURCE (S): VOA, ZOOM, HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV X RADIO__ TRT: VID APPROVED BY: TYPE: TVPKG EDITOR NOTES: There is an accompanying radio piece. )) ((INTRO)) [[The war in Ethiopia has seen reports alleging ethnic cleansing and mass detention of Tigrayans, including in western Tigray region, where authorities have prevented entry to rights groups and journalists. VOA was given rare, but limited and tightly controlled access, to the region and some sites allegedly used for detentions and mass graves. Henry Wilkins reports from Humera, Ethiopia.]] ((NARRATOR)) Humera, a focal point for rights groups investigating claims of ethnic cleansing against Tigrayans. ((Mandatory courtesy: Human Rights Watch)) Human Rights Watch which provided these illustrations and satellite images from a recent report, alleges Amhara security forces in the Ethiopian town have detained large groups of ethnic Tigrayans without charge. ((Mandatory Courtesy: Zoom)) ((Latetia Bader, Human Rights Watch Director for Horn of Africa (English, 27 secs))) “One of the last and latest phases, was from November, December, through to January this year, where we were again seeing mass arrests of Tigrayans who were remaining in certain towns, notably in the town of Humera, detentions in two facilities in particular, one prison in Humera Town and one makeshift warehouse facility.” ((NARRATOR)) A BBC report in May quoted locals in Humera alleging Tigrayans were executed there and buried in mass graves. Ethiopian authorities blocked independent investigators and journalists from the area until May, when they gave VOA rare and unexpected access. ((Ashete Demelew, Humera Administrator (Amharic, 30 secs)) “Visiting the agricultural institute or the Guna warehouse and other sites mentioned will show how they fabricated the story. … No innocent people are imprisoned in Humera. … As the saying goes, seeing is believing. Why don’t you go and see some of the places?” ((Mandatory Courtesy: Human Rights Watch)) ((NARRATOR)) VOA asked to see five sites in Humera where alleged abuses and atrocities occurred, but local officials gave limited and controlled access to only two. The Guna warehouse, which was mentioned in the Human Rights Watch report, did not appear to have had any recent use. A school official at the site of an alleged mass grave reported by the BBC denied any such atrocity. (((Wendowessen Abebe, Lucy Primary School (Formerly Hamele Hamushte School) (Amharic, 10 secs)) “To my knowledge, no Tigrayans were killed and buried in a mass grave.” (tigr-EYENS) ((VIDEO-VOA: SCHOOL SITE – various, HUMERA- various)) ((NARRATOR)) It was not possible for VOA to determine if any bodies had been buried near the school. An official said VOA had asked too many questions and should leave the town. VOA was not allowed to interview any locals in Humera. ((NARRATOR)) But in other parts of the country, Tigrayans who do not wish to be identified for their own security say they are being arbitrarily detained and abused. ((Former Tigrayan Detainee (Amharic, 30 secs))) “They terrified us by saying, ‘Get ready. You’re going to be killed by tomorrow…’ There was not sufficient food to eat for the detainees, who came from all professions. The place was so hostile, we all suffered there, all of us lost weight.” ((NARRATOR)) Meanwhile, rights groups and independent investigators are still waiting for Ethiopian authorities to grant access to Tigray and other regions where alleged atrocities were committed by both sides in the 18-month conflict. ((Henry Wilkins, for VOA News, Humera, Ethiopia.))
- NewsML Media Topics Arts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
- Network VOA
- Embargo Date June 9, 2022 12:38 EDT
- Byline Henry Wilkins
- Brand / Language Service Voice of America