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PM Abiy is correct that non-intervention is a cardinal principle of international law. But there are some exceptions to this principle. The Security Council could intervene if it decides that the crisis constitutes a threat to international peace and security. [THREAD] https://twitter.com/AbiyAhmedAli/status/1331471406144622592
The international community (particularly the AU) may also intervene to stop grave war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide.
Does the Tigray war threaten int’l peace? There’s no exact formula for this, my view: generally the conflict must involve or spread into multiple states. Currently this is not the case. If anything, there is a historically unprecedented friendly relations among…
virtually all HoA states and a consensus to not let the conflict spread – Eritrea’s non-response to Tplf’s missile attack is a remarkable testament to this. As things stand, the Security Council should have no mandate to intervene. But again, the SC could conclude otherwise.
Some also claim Eritrea is involved. If so, it is with the consent of Eth gov’t; so, no conflict between two states. So questions is, does consensually invited external involvement in an internal conflict amount to ‘threat to international peace and security’? its open for debate
Is there grave war crime, crimes against humanity or genocide? So far, there is no known evidence of such crimes happening, with one exception – which is the MaiKadra massacre. This massacre was perpetrated by sub-state actors (Tplf affiliates) which…
.. the Federal government is capable (and likely willing) to investigate/prosecute – or can invite international investigators at its discretion. There is no other ongoing case of any of those crimes that would invite international intervention.
Even if there was, there is the principle of subsidiarity, which entails that the international community may only intervene if the government is unwilling or unable to stop those crimes.
So, as long as those crimes are not being committed by the gov’t and/or the gov’t is unwilling and unable to stop them, the international community doesn’t have an automatic right to intervene.
The blockage of humanitarian access by the government, however, has a potential to become a war crime if it results in starvation of the population (although siege warfare is not prohibited). If there is indiscriminate attack on civilians in Mekelle that will also be a war crime.
Therefore, it is absolutely essential that the government immediately provide access to necessary humanitarian assistance and ensure civilians are not targets of attack. [END]
