makes it hard which makes it. our future depends on what happens here in one of the most fragile ecosystems on the. northern lights like within the arctic circle starts december 21st w. o e m a piece out of it get him out of the open to being easy to write like how could you say this with 100 percent more than 2 years ago ethiopian prime minister abi ahmed road to power on a wave of hope for peace and democracy in the longer oppressive country but now he has waged a military offensive on forces in the northern tier of reaches sparking a humanitarian crisis my guest this week from addis ababa is i think a brought up minister for democratization where is the peaceful future as prime minister promised.

ministers are to go bra how welcome to conflict zone thank you very much to me of last year prime minister abi ahmed was awarded the nobel peace prize and in his acceptance speech he said the following war is the epitome of hell i know because i have been there and back i've seen brothers slaughtering brothers older men and women children trembling in terror now fast forward one year later he's led a military offensive against the t.p.o. left group in the northern region of thousands are feared dead has he led ethiopia into the hells of war that he described one year ago most of whom. is a model of peace. you know he has deep convictions and peace and need your support to be able to some country because as you said he is

going to search or do such difficult times so his his believes on peace is informed by his own personal experience from the good cop. car you know it is not our stories to go to war we lived close to 100 to settle the difference that we had with libya if the people lived chose to give if years you know their lives was a great writing force him ocracy is very eyeline element 40 pairing people in it he is the use to say this is by the muzzle of the incident with. so nama other. right that of the difference so dialogue and discussion didn't live game was to give out his live for peace. here and here.

and we will talk about how you got here and in fact but for now i would like to just focus on the situation on the ground because the u.n. and n.g.o.s they say that there is an urgent need right now for independent monitoring of the human rights situation after the international n.g.o.s mysie international brought to the world's attention the massacre in my car drop they say the following that there are possibly hundreds of civilians stabbed hacked to death with knives machetes the u.n. says that if a party to this conflict was involved it would constitute a war crime again this is an international ngo that brought this incident to the world's attention would it not be advisable to have an independent international investigation and monitoring of what is happening right now and to grow on the ground that those of us were waiting for some was that. the government. is gone you know we have our. human him or human rights commission

but the forum or your mother it was that it. is the resume me if i was as good as any and all he has his years of immunity which means bloggers. and he can consult with the people. and i suspect that's this constant is coming from the deeply held convictions or it comes from northern ministers there are a multitude essentially ministers that are out there. who impartially investigate human rights. issues i think that the issue that is is being brought up is not that that africans can administer it it's that you are one of the parties to the conflict in fact and your government's response in fact to those calls for international investigations has been and i'm quoting here we do not need

a babysitter we will invite assistance only if the government feels that it had failed to investigate again you're one of the parties to the conflict that doesn't sound like transparent say that one. in this edition is not the us it is an independent human rights commission led by danny in brooklyn who was just 2 years down the line. which what i think he's resuming of as good as any. so i don't think anyone for a moment it's international or you were it would be better to. look at this. to belittle and his investigative part so you have every report you for asking any question i would like you to go and read his is in this edition so just in case you have questions. it's in your blood and believing that we. need a look at him he's human rights commission. is going to let's look at some of these

allegations more deeply and i'd just like to take you through them. for example they claim that your forces have been party to the violence refugees who have made it to sudan they also echo those claims for example c.n.n. spent a number of days interviewing refugees who were crossing over the border and to sudan and they describe to the following the if you'll be an army entering in. to a town telling civilians they are safe then the soldiers leave and other armed groups such as the amara militia in the final aligned with the if he'll be an army arrive. there are concerns that this is descending into an ethnic conflict the conflict in tikrit i. is the final being brought in to finish the to grier's as one refugee described it. harms. gears of war thousands of years we'll have our army makes its way to get our people to you know

have been coming out months in mass jumping in one common goal who. are our special . descent it is a stupid lives. apart. crossing that administrative elimination of that if you looked into degraded so damn hard what my heart special forces did it in spite of themselves do you acknowledge the presence of the funnel because a spokesperson for example for your government at 1st denied the existence of the final militia but then confusingly acknowledged that the militia of the un horror region were engaged to the extent of securing border towns between the 2 regions and you have refugees describing this this fear of this force are they there are more in them what i mean just to be going. on was it used group b. user group is not anywhere. it is a modest speech of modern english just gives it away just on us without pot budget

to be a live. military establishment and. they were the source of. them of killing anyone in fact we had to rescue. people. which was booked so they can also use them whatever even for more than 2 years so this is not a good company use rather. than these knowing what is going to be true since. this is not even a civil war but in the summer let's look at another claim because you say that it's a law and order operation as you've just articulated right now but there is growing fear that the conflict in fact is drawing in regional actors for example eritrea and could impact regional stability of the us cites the following they say that they are aware of credible reports of the eritrean military involvement in te gras and that they view this as a grave development as we mentioned earlier prime minister he made peace with

eritrea that is part of what won him the nobel peace prize are they now an ally that has helped you fight your military offensive all in all our middle east. has been weakened. in keeping he's keeping missions. was a problem of ealing was if you know so she's i'm so torn of those that say that will become a good book and. i can issue 100 percent terms in one of them one put some sort of get out of it him out of his open to being in what i'm wondering though how you can assure and 100 percent terms when the americans say that they have satellite images they say intercepted communications anecdotal reports from the region also add to that we know eritrea for example just for contacts is a country that has long face accusations of large scale human rights abuses and there were about 100000 eritrean refugees that are located in tikrit i so there's

a lot at stake here the united nations says the following. over the last month we have received an overwhelming number of disturbing reports from eritrean refugees empty grave being killed being abducted being forcibly returned to eritrea and if confirmed these actions would constitute a major of violations of international law these are horrifying reports can you not guarantee their safety and how could you say this with 100 percent of the some of the largest. global we are known for hosting the refugees with all due respect that is that is very loud in room commission you hear if you do sir. we will take your career there if there is no unity in our or putting in together so there is no evil is it implicit establishment come in attack. refugees if that

was a gift would have been the 1st stand against it and then soon make sure that our the messages are safe that is very long that is there for submission you know we still believe go on one of our because we're better than ever even though it was one of the reason behind her i'm still with you of that. now it is being abused disseminated into our leaders running for their labs or having our safe. mr minister i'd just like to bring it back to the actions of your government though because your government says that it's returning in fact eritrean refugees that have fled in the northern region of to grab a human rights watch says that it's unacceptable the u.n. calls those reports alarming. so you're essentially returning people that fled in fear many of them fled went to the capital they're afraid of being exposed to eritrean violence how do you explain that to the world amid amid these reports amid

these fierce from these refugees we can only really anything was a consultant of the refuse to get out is no safe route they can point. you guys it's you you know so you should stay in a certain delimits this. will be. singular and they are to save lives once they've been saved will come to me that's what it is and it's not being done for. shipping government believes in consultation with. its lips. to be respected and did your mother suspect so that's not all mcclish remember in the manner you say that it's a safe and stable situation about we have reports of 4 aid workers that have been killed a u.n. security team seeking access near an eritrean camp for refugees was also shot at by here for since that doesn't look good how is it possible that a u.n.

team could not be coordinated in the region are or are you afraid of where you are afraid of what they might see. if you're if you happen to read to supplement the shoot. him or if you. just look at it over 2 days ago they have us as a holy. this is a technical problem. for service we're not supposed to go so it's implicit we are building bridges roads. we have established their lives. we have established it can connectivity we're going to get it and out of these look at it it's the entire region from this joined up so i just said the international community mr minister is not convinced of that the u.n. says that we have reports that the fighting continues between federal forces and the t p l f an affiliate in the leisure and gold eyes they describe the situation as worrying

as volatile as spiraling out of control with an appalling impact on civilians ultimately i just like to bring a back to the fact that abi has he has pursued a military solution to this conflict ultimately while your international allies on the continent and beyond have expressed a lot of concern and they've called for dialogue there was an african union delegation actually in the capital that was reportedly not even allowed to meet with the t.p.o. laugh by your government is that your understanding of more democracy blocking dialogue why not talk. one thing i'm talking to you from itis. whether i'm a rehab he was in ice on the ground where what's happened. but in public and i'm telling you you're a safe and i think it's good to. so they go. because well

because us troops you know these is just a lot you know protracted it's loud information that. does not in any way explain what's going on on the ground. the idle can only happen between 2 reasonable parties. for the past year and a half you still haven't begun to believe to come to the table and settle out because that is not the assessment by the way of others who are following the situation because you came to power promising democracy promising peace after decades of repressive roar but in their transition chatham house says the following about the lack of inclusion has angered the opposition groups with whom the government has had little genuine dialogue could you have done more to bring the country together for a more inclusive dialogue from the very beginning could all the bloodshed have been avoided this government was able to look at the least. and solve the

problem which was a longstanding one. we can with we can do it with our brothers in europe we don't have a problem this government you cannot. accuse this government of lacking the culture of yellow this government is all about democracy reform and doubt but even if he's not used to lease we're going to talk about it don't worry if you're not me i want to be used very important for us to. kill our soldiers i seriously do believe killed women in uniform i did a sleep which government will towards this will your government will u.s. government will get german government. i don't know how i missed actions cannot occupy their minister. the international crisis group mr minister of the international crisis group says the following that this conflict runs the risk of ripping the state asunder the t.p.o.

left as a valley into fight on there are reports of clashes continuing on the ground experts say we're seeing the beginning of a drawn out insurgency and yet your government is declaring victory you're saying that you have the situation under control after the offensive on the kelly your prime minister even said that that no citizen was killed is in your declaration of victory premature amid all of those assessments look. at what's a look around we know what is happening out there we. know there's an. end up him some pretty much. the war is over but mr minister it is not just the region of t. who are that is a concern ethnically motivated and intercommunal violence have been on the rise there have been reports of about 150 fatal clashes in the past year some of those

instead it incidents have estimates of hundreds killed millions have been internally displaced and now the united nations is warning of a heightened risk of genocide war crimes ethnic cleansing crimes against humanity when you look more broadly at the rest of your country are you on the brink of a potential genocide does the state run the risk of breaking up are you the next you can slavia that's a very negative report you'll get which is also our games that look we have a sense that remark making you consider what if you'll be a user of that or the post i mean just to. make it so that it was sold at the. the resource that he'll be on is is more than any of it useful you could last a muslim's of ice it was inside the window 40 years ago so you just don't deny we had a meeting internet persons know none of them of this list but. they

used me and living a 2nd life so this does not the president does not explain the ground that is not the situation that is described by international n.g.o.s amnesty international reports for example that your security forces are part of the model and they say for example 6 in the region is your only excuse it wants in of a romeo for example this is obvious political base they quote the carrying out of extrajudicial executions arbitrary arrests and detention torture other forms of ill treatment forced evictions destruction of property human rights violations serious accusations they've called on your government to do more to stop it where's the action you know if you. look at. and most of you are there is there are some. sort of disease on the

whistle. now there are some new to don't use it if you number if you see the situation or years ago they would have by far. the writing group now the committee has rejected that it is a community so it is fighting against people we can look at in extra judicial killings they need to leave for good use 2 and a half years ago clause a chapter of us i'd like to move on now to democracy because you're the minister for democratization as we mentioned in the beginning you've delayed the general election this was your 1st real shot at democracy after decades of oppressive rule now opposition political parties mainly from these ethnic erroneous strongholds they say they're being intimidated amnesty describes the following the crackdown on dissenting political views ahead of general elections the leading opposition figure has even been jailed how legitimate and democratic can your election really be made

what is being described as a crackdown. it is not us the lives election is a national look at what. was going to be extra. personnel political person and. you know it is you to get 90 more than 50 countries. to equal the 90 we had i'm not an exception to what are you asking me mr minister i'm asking you this question because you have somebody who was detained and jailed because he has a critical view of your prime minister be ahmed or at least reportedly that's why he says that he was detained in fact there seems to be little appetite to tolerate criticism even abroad i'd like to bring you to another case and this is one of the u.k. based academic who was among those who actually nominated abhi for his peace prize he learned through reports apparently on ethiopia state broadcaster that police had

accused him of quote using international media to destroy the country in response to his critical interviews that he's done on international media is this what opponents of your government can a suspect expect in the country he says he fears going back to the country he thinks there's a significant risk of him being detained. you know as you said. the one thing based in was the movement as if it had we have you know more than that i mean people in groups outlawed will begin to come to your view we have limits that we have got to be looked at to be switching you know getting. you know just new york moving freely whereas just in order. to come together jalen just a solution we have for us winning or losing his election is equally equally significant if lose this election will be the saddest party who accepts that atoms

and to competitive election and hand over par mr minister how about press freedom and your country the international federation of journalists reports the following a wave of arrests against journalists covering the ongoing conflict in the team grab region they say that since november 7th at least 6 journalists have been arrested on unknown charges the ethiopian human rights commission has expressed concern there's also reports that the government has repeatedly cut off the internet journalists barred from traveling to teague right to cover this all this election that that the to gran's had back in september a new law criminalizing hate speech apparently has a provision that can be used as a lock up peaceful dissidents is that how you define democracy isn't freedom of the press the central pillar you know if you're on the ever reduce of to. eat in ethiopia there are more due to notices in prison because of the goodness of sex . a journalist your marriage can happen to commit

a crime on his individual capacity most of. you cannot believe someone from criminal prosecution just because he's a doormat you're journalism is not an immunity to. run away from accountable just comes out of the masters as national dialogue mr minister briefly before we go you're. not asked me if you typically have cats in the me there is a kind of security coming up with you released you sick or showing you can little fishes well how does a minister. mr minister you've cut the internet before another regions but briefly before i go i just like to ask you where is the spirit of madame or the spirit of coming together and synergy that abi described that he promised the country when he took office in this conversation we talked about i think violence a military offensive in the north concerns that you are backsliding on security and democracy is this the best that you can offer our offer ethiopia where's the

synergy that was promised. not when we're going to be talks about it in the service is deeply it is easy if he has a deep connection and he took his support to be a peaceful country. as you know joe's it's. important other it's like you remain to go if europeans are united more than ever if you're going to happier more than ever we have a challenge posed by that even if that was that became an order block and it wanted us stock from marching was it out of democracy this is what was happening was deep if gone if your peers will be united more than iraq ethiopia winning because it gives of democracy principles of democracy more than ever and ethiopia's will be able to help will be able to hold the most peaceful the most democrat minister election. is an issue ministers article about how we have to leave it there thank

you for joining us on conflicts. if you think you're. up.

to. the bar. grappling with such subscripts ability. to create yet but i would like to be considered an artist mandate looking for new perspectives. to not be replaced basically the i can do influence to frankly the become to the place where we reflect on society. oxford.

county totals. why are people forced to hide in trucks. there are many reasons. there are many answers. and there are many stories. make up your own mind. made for minds. this is

a 15 year old girl. being gang raped. this teacher is beating a boy for talking back and class. for the rest of the class watches. and here is a toddler has been hit by his mother. breaking up lots. of child sleeps in the streets because her family through iran. from here. on lying bowling. pushes a teenager over the edge. just because you can see violence against children doesn't mean isn't there make them visible visible of us might violence against children disappear.

this is g w news live from berlin tonight a verdict in france's charlie hebdo terrorism trial a court has found 14 people guilty of aiding the islamist militants in the 2015 paris attacks on the satirical magazine and a jewish supermarket also coming up numbers of coded 19 deaths reported in germany as the country goes.