and one of the 2 leading candidates is only 35 years old, bought each a former student leader. if the transcends people like these will be playing a decisive role in deciding who governs chile to the next 4 years. see in human al jazeera, cynthia. ah, hasn't with the headlines now on jessie, they've been protest this weekend in europe over co with 19 restrictions in austria, members and supporters of the far right freedom party have been holding a rallied. a nationwide lockdown begins on monday. austrians wont be allowed to leave home except to go to work shop for essentially an exercise. restrictions were initially lost for 20 days. the netherlands is also seeing protests against co would restrictions where the country went into a partial lockdown

a week ago. 810000 cove in 1900 cases were reported last week. on friday night things turned violent in the city of rotterdam. at least 7 people were injured and thousands of rest of police declared that emergency and shut down public transport . earlier in australia, tens of thousands of people protested against cope with 19 vaccine orders and pandemic laws. rallies what held in every state capital, including sydney, demonstrates us in melbourne, called for the scrapping of a bill they say will give the state premier too much power us secretary of state antony blinking will be visiting a covey 19 vaccine manufacturing facility incentive goals. capital back up the bus . the institute received millions of dollars from foreign partners, including the u. s. to help african nations produce their own japs, the content and currently import 99 percent of all its axis. nicholas hawk has moved from car. well, the vaccination rate is really for me,

only 2 percent of the 2 percent of the population in africa. we're talking about a 1000000000 people have been vaccinated. compare this to what's happening in europe right now. where, where there's discussions both in north america and europe of a 3rd job. people here are not being, are not getting vaccinated, not because they don't want to, but simply because they don't have access to those coven vaccines. despite the fact that early on in jo biden's presidency he had in, she had promised that millions of doses of those vaccines would be delivered to africa that has not happened. and the u. s. is calling on china to prove that tennis player punctual i is. okay. she hasn't been seen since she accused the high ranking politician of sexually assaulting her. those are the headlines. we're back in half an hour right now and i do 0. it's up front. teach, you know, you can watch out to see we're english streaming light on. i teaching channels plus

thousands of our programs. award winning documentaries, and in debt. news reports. subscribe to youtube dot com, forward slash al jazeera english a year into a conflict between government forces integration rebels. ethiopia has seen thousands of lives lost in nearly 2000000 people displayed. and now as fighting intensifies a larger humanitarian crisis. loops international, regional diplomats, are working to contain the conflict and stave off the spectre of famine. but is there a way to avoid catastrophe? we'll hear from to gram people's liberation front advisor and former you an ambassador to say hi asked dome a little later in the show. with 1st, we speak to selma with casa a spokesperson for ethiopian prime minister avia meds, w. ah, so lemme would cost to thank you so much for joining me on up front. it's been now a year since this beginning of the conflict between your government and the to

grand people's liberation front the t p. a left the humanitarian situation. the region continues to get worse, they are now 400000 ethiopians facing starvation at the moment. what is your government doing? what is ethiopian government doing to help them? well, as i've mentioned, the t pair left started this conflict last year in november, attacking and seizing the ethiopian northern command headquarters in to cry through this process in the past. so 4 or 5 months of thousands were also killed and hundreds of women have been great by this a terrorist group, militants said the t p, elephant. their supporters are at this moment and it's an important point that you bring up this idea of sexual violence in many the other atrocities that are happening in the region. but i want to just bring it back to the humanitarian question for a moment. and just to clarify,

i didn't say that the ticket at the tpl, if started the war, said that the, the conflict started between your government and the t p. a left a year ago. what the question is, but what is the ethiopian government doing to help the people who are suffering due to this humanitarian crisis? the 400000 ethiopians were facing starvation. my question is, what is the government doing in response to that? well, the government is doing everything in its power to address that humanitarian crisis in all the to gray, the i'm hata and the off i regions and what mainly the teeth elephant. their supporters are basically pretending that, that to gripe bridge and is then made victim of the federal system that they basically once cruelly dominates it. but yet their supporters and the malicious are the ones that you know attacking that original a states of amada and af i regions and committee very cruel to crimes against humanity. so let me, let me just pause you just for a moment. i again, i understand your position and we are we're,

we'll have plenty of time to sort of unpack your, your concerns and your critique of the t p left. but my question is really around the humanitarian response. and the reason why this question is so urgent to people is because last month or after the you in a cheap martin, griffith's called on your government to facilitate access to today. the government response was to expel 7 top you in a humanitarian workers in the country. at the same time, the hundreds of thousands of ethiopians are desperate for food and medical supplies . i'd like you to talk about again, not so much with the t p l f is doing, but what the, if you're being government is doing to address the humanitarian issue of, of, of, of hunger, of famine, et cetera. but also how you respond to these criticisms that people are being literally pushed out who are providing the aid. well, for many months now of the if the government has been facilitating every effort, including those efforts by the united nations, to gate foods and aid to those he meet, however,

that he pay left the have led to the work lives of the world. that said, this efforts have been properly addressed. i can mention one number for you in here . more than 1100 trucks have been that we are transporting food and aid to the to grey region. but more than a 100 of them haven't been returned from tig right. those trucks have been used after that, they were seized by this telescope and took right. there are used for military purposes. there were not traded back to their intended purposes. this is one thing that the federal government is trying to of projects that the world should know that this terrorist group is using the agenda. alpha humanitarian aid to project that the federal government doesn't care for its people. but the fact is to the opposite of that, because the, the federal government has been trying to push whatever is needed for it for that

bad people integrate. and also for that people in, i'm hot and off. i regents, most of the international community kind of neglects neglects that their regional commodities that have been displaced from their homes because of the aggression by the t p. i left and i'm hotter and outage and also need humanitarian assistance. that is what the federal government is trying to address at this point. but the t p a left is basically stopping the that the activities of the federal government to address those humanitarian needs in our, in those areas affected by the conflict. so i understand your position to the tp. a left is the reason why aid is not getting to the people in the region who need it. outside agencies, outside entities are saying something quite different, a 100 trucks a day are needed in aid. according to the united nations, ah, to get to get the ticket. i only about 10 percent about 10 trucks a day, or actually getting there again, you and

a chief morton. griffith suggests that it's the ethiopian government that has not done what it needs to do to facilitate the process. in addition, it's not just you and officials this year. your government also ordered a 3 months suspension of the activities of the norwegian refugee council, and of a branch of doctors without borders. and just last week, 72, our truck i was working for the world food program were arrested by government forces. what do you say to that? well, that is one of the narratives that the tpa life is trying to projects that, that the federal government is neglecting its people, which is the opposite. as i've mentioned before, the terrorist group is basically stopping the activities alpha. this is the, this is the united nations, this is doctors without borders. this is a norwegian refugee council. this is the world food program. but this isn't simply a typical f narrative. i mean, is there, are you saying that all of this information is simply misinformation? basically what the t caliph is doing as promoting aggression. arrived at the origin

of administration self. i'm hata and alpha digits, which are mainly their routes where the aid trucks can be passing through. so where they're, the aggressions are going through that federal government is trying to, of promote and also facilitates the necessity and the needs of that people in to ryan. also, i'm hot out in a 5 digit, but in that to drive agent mainly that the aggression from the teepee left has stopped almost all of that communication and also the transportation off this aid trucks because of this, that cheap enough has continued using that propaganda that they, a federal government is using hunger and to inflict in debt to gray, a bridge in that state, but which is completely false at this narrative, i want to move on because, according to amnesty international,

your government has already committed what could amount to war crimes. they published a report last august, detailing how soldiers and militia aligned with your government are using sexual violence as a weapon of war and subject to women, to quote, rape, gang, rape, sexual slavery, sexual mutilation, and other forms of torture. how does this happen? i want to mention this same report that was brought up by amnesty international of probably last week that says that gang raped was also being used by the t p. ls of soldiers and militias around and fos much, i bet, is one very simple and very narrow example that we can mention here that more than 100 women where gang raped by the t pair left, soldiers and militias. they were also subject to inhuman axa and also where a subject to very heinous crimes by this said telescope. but i am talking about the

actions at this moment of the ethiopian government. we keep pivoting to the tpl. if i'd like you to talk about how these types of alleged sex crimes happened, committed by the ethiopian government, based on this amnesty international point, not the tpl f. how does this happen from the perspective of the ethiopian government? where basically they took in company a government is a commitment to ensure that of all perfect traitors of the serious crimes will be brought to justice, which is also being undertaken by the national courts here. basically that the seriousness of the government is demonstrated because we have allowed the united nation commission for human rights to conduct investigations on the actions of the if you open a soldiers the if your penn national defense force and also that human rights commission was part of this project that joint project and investigation, acknowledging the wrong doings or of some e n d f, the members of the government that has already been undertaken and there have been

a the government has taken the initiative to undertake this. a small group, small members of they have been national defense force members to that justice system that we have already in the country. so that is one thing that the government has done, acknowledging the wrong things, and also taking action accordingly. the numbers seem quite low though i mean prime minister abbey, amid to your point, said in march that any soldier responsible for raping our women in looting communities in the region will be held accountable. numerous in jails. numerous observers a documented the systematic use of rape as a weapon of war integral. and yet there have been only slightly over a dozen soldiers actually convicted if the government is really committed to this. and we've seen, you know, dozens of interviews, just amnesty international alone, interviewed a 63 survivors of raping other sexual violence. so if there's such a wide scale, systematic use you use of rape as war. why are we only seeing

a dozen soldiers convicted? i mean, it's hard to believe that the government is taking this type of violence seriously, by the way, the international community. and also the international media basically forgets that at this point the a t p left periscope is actively attacking those neighboring regions of am. hara and i'll fire regions because of that millions have been displaced. thousands of people had been killed and hundreds and more than hundreds of people. more than hundreds of women have been raped, gang raped by this telescope, malicious. they into national community and the media by itself, cubes for getting back to this, it's here to scope is now i talking bill scripts that if you're penn national defense force hasn't been in that tig right. there is no war and to examine whether i have to push back. so i'm going to have to push back on that just last week, amnesty international, publish

a similar accusations of sexual violence against the t p. a lab. so they're not ignoring this. this isn't a biased report, they're saying this is happening on both sides. and again, i intend to ask is the same questions that people have represent representatives. what i was asking about about, about the ethiopian government. and again, there seems to be a hard a sharp pivot toward the t p left. whenever the ethiopian government is subjected to scrutiny here. but again, i'll have to move on up. both parties are coming under increased pressure from the international community to sit down to negotiate and to come up with a peaceful solution. to this conflict, the african unions envoy ownership own obasanjo was in the country last mother this month. in fact, with canyon president rural kenyatta, do you agree with them that the only way forward is to dialogue in that's how we'll get into these hostilities? well, the, basically the t p i left is designated a terrorist group by the household people, switches and pat tips that speak to the whole country on behalf of the tippin

people. so any such move, 1st of all, will have to be dependent on the will and the voice of the people through the house of people representatives that's taking that into consideration, that open government has been supporting dr. if it is of the special envoy, president obasanjo, and it's a quest for the truth and in its quest, then his quest to find what is going on on the ground, the from old sex. all said the conflict and the pin government will basically continue supporting this piece, processed by the this especially emvoy glenwood carson. thank you so much for joining me on upfront. ah, barry the enemy, that's what you'll be in prime minister abbey amid said recently from the country's military headquarters in addis ababa, the enemy,

he's talking about is the t p. a left the to grind people's liberation front, the political party that govern the country for decades before abbey was elected. prime minister in 2018. you've heard the government's perspective. well, joining me now to share the view from the other side is for say her asked adam and adviser to the regional state government of to grey and former ambassador to the you in to say, how asked on thank you so much for joining me on up front a year ago, you said the to grade people want to live in peace as equals with the rest of ethiopians, no more, no less than yet. the t p. a left in partnership with a coalition of anti government groups is making in advance toward addis ababa the capital. how could that possibly be considered a pursuit of peace among equals? thank you for having me there. again, as you've said, it has been a year and a couple of weeks soon as sir avia. hm had declared genocide on what on the people off to cry. and what i said then it remains the same. the truth that is

to get, i is under a complete seizure. i to now people are dying. that is an oil power. there is no telephone van king. there is a continuation of the war, sort of starvation of the 7 minute people into her. i and we have no other choice, but to go forward and break the siege. we have no other altieri multry this again. we want to to break so loosely seek and peace, and bring peace to our people. we wanted to monitor and age. we wanted to talk to either each of fairness, who want to lives is peace like we do. therefore, the, the advancement of the ticket i forces toward this at this hour is nothing more, nothing less than to break the siege. and to bring about change. the security and

safety of the to can i people but, but this advancement right now has cost a great great amount of human lives. i mean, in august, you an aid chief morton. griffith said that more than 250000 had been displaced in the am herrera and afar regions. more recently, the government is said that numbers closer to a 1000000, there's a huge human cost. is it worth it? it is what is it? no human life is was her anything, but it is oars as far as the people of to can our concern we have in all as a choice. we are left her blocked her. the wallet has forgotten us. genocide has been committed against our people. children are dying, you are asking me if the people of ticket i should be sitting there and condemned to days. we wanted to shorten the suffrage. we don't want the people ofa. aha!

are far to go through what we have ones who for the 2 for the last one, humans would say that this i was pleased with this happening and i'm her in a far that you're referencing that's c p a life of the responsibility. no it is. it is, it is a war, sir. the ticket i forces are engaging in hot pursuit of what the 80 to a pair nationally foreign forces are doing to them. they are protecting themselves . do we have good people are suffering because of this war? it goes without saying, but the solution is not there to condemn the ticket people and to stop the to grounds. it is for the central government to make to come to each sense. and either it will be defeated militarily, or it has no to negotiate. and we have to come to some kind of the transition arrangement recently, the t p $118.00 other anti government groups, and now the formation of the united front of ethiopian federalist. and can federalist forces. one member of the allied group said the next step will be to

organize ourselves and totally dismantle the existing government, either by force or negotiation. is that an accurate assessment of your objective? that is, let me see, let, let me clarify the united front a has ah, ah, short term and a medium and long term agenda. in the short term, this 9 ottoman groups that are wooden war again, is the central government at one lever or another. wanted to coordinate amongst themselves or no joint command, militarily, capacity in air, in every aspect of it to shortens us genocidal war or pressure the government to come to negotiating table and to have sunk a transitional arrangement. if he refuses, it will be defeated militarily, but the political solution remains the same. this is the shorter term in the

following, the demise of this government in our d'silva. we wanted to call upon all others army, not armed. the stakeholders in ethiopia. compton negotiating table all inclusive. and then we'll see what kind of transition arrangement to we'll have. one way of the other. the auction is that abby hammered of our limited let's move on to talk a bit about the humanitarian crisis in the region. there are famine like conditions right now that are swept to gray region. in fact, it is the worst. a starvation crisis in the world, according to the united nations, are estimates from various internationally groups and the u. s. government say anywhere from roughly half to 1000000 people are facing starvation right now, but is a military advancement going to stop the famine? as you right? lose heard to get i is in our facing a starvation and her sadly establishing is used as

a weapon of war. the saddest thing is that his food medicine in fuel, just few kilometers across the border from to grey that abbey hammered, has denied us to you to, to, to bring it to the people. the international community have a st enough medicine fuel. and he has denied us. he has blocked us. yes, we have been dying for man just now. and the only way we can come out of the city is to break the siege and bring him editor and aid from the international community . but sir, that the criticisms about blocking or denying access to necessary aid arts is directed at ethiopian government. the united states agency for international development has accused the t. p l. f of looting, humanitarian aid warehouses, trucks, particularly in the, i'm ha, to region. how can you justify this with hundreds of thousands of people in it? you'll be right now. are desperate for food who are in desperate need of medical

supplies. how can you justify the the brocade of humanitarian aid, from djibouti to ticket? i squarely, squarely stops of the gates of abbey, yet he has stopped any thing going to took away because he wants to start of the people, even that ticket i army of the doing what you are legally said they are looting. the international community has to go there. we are willing to accept united nation personnel to their places where we are out in missouri right now, where we enter in right now. and all food and services should be delivered to all the people that are in need. what i'm thinking, the 9 reports that members of the t p left have been looting trucks. i mean, sean jones, ahead of the u. s. aid mission, ethiopia said specifically, we know for a fact that the t p a left every town. they've gone into the looted the warehouses, they blew the trucks, they caused a great deal of destruction in all the villages that they have visited. my question is less about the ethiopian government. more about the t p a left is a t p,

a left also involved in the losing it. if so, why, how can it be justified? i am, i am not denying nor am ard meeting because there is no verification of to the allegation over the years for the printer to but you also have to to you also have to remember the head of the user id have fade id hammered, has completely cut off took away and he's using food other weapon. 7000000 people are blocked off to august does not make right. the international community, including the united nation, have said to that are, is completely cut off from international aid. and that is famine integrate. it is not, it is not military people are dying, children are day in that has not been any trucks going to to that i seen is june, only 10 percent of the needed trucks out of that 100 trucks are supposed to enter

to good i every day abby am at has stopped us and our people are dying. this same operation should be gone to the, to our far the allegations out there. what you have to do is st. united mission personal to all these areas and via verifies them and deliver food to old victim as in our father in amara, but also integrated recently earth. numerous women told amnesty international that they were raped by fighters and a t p a left during the attack on the m harder region in august. but they describe being raped at gunpoint rob, and subjected to physical and verbal assault. they said the fight is also destroyed in looted the towns, medical facilities, or what do you have to say about these reports? and i would like to get your take on these allegations regarding the t p a left. in particular, this, as you say, these are allegations and we have high respect for the communist international. and we wanted to to see it verified, investigated by the united nations. and if any,

any one of our forces are found guilty of this, they will be accountable and they will be held accountable, but did not compare this and put it as if it is equal to what has happened in ticket i for 8 months is we're talking about every crime been human, the history has been committed integrate, and i do respect the report of the amnesty international. and yet, what it has to be investigated in the reported if there are 15 victims of any violence by the ticket i forces one is too many there will be you know, held accountable. said her asked on thank you so much for joining me on up front. thank you so much for having me. all right, that's our show up front. we'll be back. next.

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my own private bollywood. understand the differences and similarities of cultures across the world. to sentimental handley take, it will bring you the news and current affairs that matter to you. oh, this is al jazeera. ah, it's 1500 hours g m t 6 p. m. here in doha. hello, i'm come all santa maria. welcome to the news hour. there is anger in austria, replied nationwide cove at 19 locked down with supporters of the far right freedom party out on the streets. and purchased 2 in the netherlands against pandemic restrictions after a violent night. in rotterdam, also in the news, the salvi that coalition says it's conducted a major operation against the who.