Beles massacre
Coordinates: 14°04′06″N 38°24′20″E / 14.06838°N 38.40558°E
| Beles massacre | |
|---|---|
| Part of Tigray War | |
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| Date | Lua error in Module:WikidataIB at line 665: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). |
| Target | Tigrayans |
Attack type | |
| Deaths | 34 civilians |
| Perpetrators |  Ethiopian National Defence Force  Eritrean Defence Forces |
The Beles massacre was a mass extrajudicial killing that took place in Beles (Tigrinya: በለስ) in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia during the Tigray War, on 18 November 2020.[1] Beles is a tabiya (including the villages of Beles, Meskelo, Chguarid, Adi Keshi and others) in woreda Tahtay Koraro, Northwestern zone of Tigray.
Massacre[edit]
The Eritrean Defence Forces (EDF) and Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) killed 34 civilians in Beles (Northwestern Tigray) on 18 November 2020.[1] In line with historical studies of massacres, including those committed during the Armenian genocide,[2][3] a massacre can be defined as a conflict incident in which at least five unarmed civilians were killed on the same day at the same location. Typical massacres committed by Ethiopian and Eritrean soldiers in the Tigray war are (1) revenge when they lose a battle; (2) to terrorise and extract information about whereabouts of TPLF leaders; (3) murder of suspected family members of TDF fighters; and (4) terrorising the Tigray society as a whole such as in case of mass killings in churches.[4]
Perpetrators[edit]
Relatives and witnesses reported the perpetrators of this massacre as being Ethiopian and Eritrean soldiers.[5]
Victims[edit]
The Tigray: Atlas of the humanitarian situation mentions 34 victims of this massacre,[1] 23 of whom have been identified:[5]
In Meskelo[edit]
- Tadesse Mekeonen Gebrewahid
- Kewani Berhe Hiluf
- Guesh Destay Weldemariam
- Hadush Destay Weldemariam
- Birhane Teklehaimanot Abay
- Mearg Desta Gebrehiwet
- Mekonen Niguse Gebrehiwet
- Destalem Nega Haile (Deacon)
- Angesom Gebremeskel Gebregiorgis
- Tsegay Haile Gebremariam
- Priest Berhe Gebreselassie Abraha
- Kiros Gebreselassie Kidane
In Chguarid[edit]
- Alem Mebrahtu Gidey
- Kidanemariam Asfaw Gebretsadik
- Birhane Tareqe Asrese
- Tefera Shishay
- Desta Mesfin (Deacon)
In Addi Keshi[edit]
- Mewatsion Gebreselassie Kahsay
- Atakilti Yohannes Gebrehiwet
- Tadele Fisseha Berhe
In Addi Golo[edit]
- Abrahaley Girmay
In Adebza[edit]
- Negasi Amha
In May Gundo[edit]
- Berhe Gebremariam
Reactions[edit]
The Tigray: Atlas of the humanitarian situation,[1] that documented this massacre received international media attention, particularly regarding its Annex A, that lists massacres in the Tigray War.[4][6][7][8]
After months of denial by the Ethiopian authorities that massacres occurred in Tigray, a joint investigation by OHCHR and the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission was announced in March 2021.[9]
While the Ethiopian government promised that Eritrean troops will be pulled out from Tigray, the Eritrean government denies any participation in warfare in Tigray, let alone in massacres.[10]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Annys, S., Vanden Bempt, T., Negash, E., De Sloover, L., Ghekiere, R., Haegeman, K., Temmerman, D., Nyssen, J., 2021. Tigray: Atlas of the humanitarian situation
- ↑ Levene, Mark; Roberts, Penny (January 1, 1999). The Massacre in History. Berghahn Books. p. 90. ISBN 978-1-57181-934-5. Archived from the original on May 10, 2016. Unknown parameter
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- ↑ Melson, Robert (July 1982). "Theoretical Inquiry into the Armenian Massacres of 1894–1896". Comparative Studies in Society and History. 24 (3): 482–3. doi:10.1017/s0010417500010100.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 The World radio (2 April 2021): Counting the victims in Tigray
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 TGHAT, A compilation of the verified list of civilian victims from different sources
- ↑ EuroNews, 2 April 2021 – See film embedded in the news item: G7 'seriously concerned' about human rights violations in Ethiopia's Tigray region
- ↑ CBC, 2 April 2021: As It Happens: The Friday Edition (from 28:00 to 35:30) Tigray, Ethiopia Massacre
- ↑ The Guardian, 2 April 2021: Ethiopia: 1,900 people killed in massacres in Tigray identified
- ↑ France24, 18 March 2021: UN rights chief agrees to joint Tigray probe
- ↑ DW, 19 March 2021: Fact check: Are other nations involved in the war in Tigray?
External links[edit]
- Twitter: author @tvbempt; hashtags #NeverForget #SayTheirNames #Beles
- World Peace Foundation: Starving Tigray
- Tigray: Atlas of the humanitarian situation
- TGHAT: A compilation of the verified list of civilian victims from different sources
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- Articles containing Tigrinya-language text
- 2020 in Ethiopia
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- 2020 crimes in Ethiopia
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- History of Ethiopia
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