Melissa Harris-Perry: Hello everyone. I'm Melissa Harris-Perry in for Tanzina Vega and you're listening to the Takeaway. Last November, a brutal war began in Ethiopia between the Ethiopian government and rebel forces in the Tigray region. Thousands have died in the conflict over the past eight months.
Earlier this week, rebel forces claimed that they'd captured Alamata to the major town in the Southern part of Tigray. Ethiopia's is prime minister Abiy Ahmed said he would repel the attacks, even though just two weeks ago, the federal government declared a ceasefire. We're joined today by Samuel Getachew a freelance journalist based in Ethiopia. Samuel welcome back to the Takeaway.
Samuel Getachew: Thank you Melissa how are you?
Melissa Harris-Perry: Can you talk to us about the veracity of the claim that rebel forces have captured Alamata?
Samuel Getachew: We're hearing the rumors. As you know, it's an area where we can't even travel in. I just came back from Humera and Mai Kadra where genocide happened late last year and that was also believed to have been captured by the TPLF, but I was in Humera and that wasn't true.
When it comes to Alamata and Kori where the 1984 Ethiopian famine happened, it seems to be-- we've been hearing from different credible sources they're telling us it indeed has been captured by the TPLF. The leadership of the TPLF was in Alamata, Getachew Reda meeting with his family, giving us more proof that it has been captured by the TPLF forces or TDF.
Melissa Harris-Perry: What will that mean for the people, for the residents who live there?
Samuel Getachew: I mean, when I was in Humera it seemed to have been a very dead city. It was tense, the people seem to be confused and it continues to be that way because can you imagine living in a city where you don't even know who is in charge? I think the people of Alamata are going through that process.
Melissa Harris-Perry: What do you make out the prime minister's response that he's going to repel these attacks?
Samuel Getachew: There seems to be a willingness to respond, but again, I have to wonder what it means on the ground with this conflict reaching its first year anniversary in November with so many people attacked. I have to speak from the humanitarian perspective. It seems to be a very overwhelming conflict. That's going to continue to affect more people and the famine is going to be certainly in the future of the region.
Melissa Harris-Perry: We spoke just two weeks ago, and there was a unilateral ceasefire declared by the federal government. What's happened to that?
Samuel Getachew: The ceasefire that was to have come into effect was the idea of the Ethiopian government. The TPLF left felt it wasn't consulted enough and they called it a "sick joke" and they had their own ideas, how they would endorse some ceasefire. Some of the demands they had was the release of all its political prisoners. They felt that they were targeted because of their background, according to them, the recognition of their TPLF government in Mekelle and transfer payment that they felt should go to them that they deserve to receive from the federal government.
These were some of the demands they had. I don't think it has been implemented the way it should have been. According to the UN, there are many, many areas that they can't access and give everyday people the support they need so Ethiopia can prevent a famine that's certain to come to the area. You have to remember close to 1 million people, according to the Biden administration in Washington are facing famine. This is a disaster that we can't help but watch from a distance because nobody can access it anymore.
Melissa Harris-Perry: Samuel Getachew is a freelance journalist in Ethiopia, Samuel please take care of yourself, and thank you so much for joining us.
Samuel Getachew: Thank you, Melissa.
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