UNITED NATIONS, September 1 – With the UN Security Council presidency for September being taken over by Ethiopia’s Tekeda Alemu, Inner City Press on September 1 asked Ambassador Alemu four questions, the answers to which sketch out the Ethopian government’s worldview. In response to Inner City Press asking for an update on the Oromo Protests – and crackdown on them – Alemu said the question should have been asked privately.
He said there are issues to be sorted out. He said there are “a lot of hands… the role of the social media has been extremely dangerous, there are radio stations which have been fanning conflict. That’s why I’d like to have a private discussion with you. But for now, this will suffice.” Video here. In response to Inner City Press asking asking why Burundi, where even the UN says there is a risk of genocide, is not on his September Program of Work nor on the agenda of the Council’s visit to Addis Ababa, Alemu said that you can’t compare Burundi to Central African Republic, that Burundi has “strong state institutions.” But it is that very “strength,” which some say the country shares with Ethiopia, and with until recently military-ruled Myanmar about which Inner City Press also asked, that has led to the human rights violations. In this context, Inner City Press asked Alemu about the Oromo protests – and crackdown – in his country….
