Ethiopian Accusations Regarding The Involvement Of WHO Director General Tedros In The Tigray Uprising

Sekjen WHO Tedros Adhanom (Twitter @ DrTedros)

JAKARTA - Top Ethiopian military officials have accused World Health Organization (WHO) Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus of supporting and seeking weapons and diplomatic support to the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), the largest political party in Tigray that led the rebellion.

"This man (Tedros, red) is a member of the group (TPLF)," said the Chief of Army Staff, General Birhanu Jula, as broadcast on television in Ethiopia, Thursday, November 19.

So far, WHO spokesman and Tedros have not responded to the allegations. Tedros is an Ethiopian native to Tigray. He has served as minister of health and minister of foreign affairs from 2005 to 2016 when the government was controlled by a coalition of parties led by TPLF.

The TPLF was for decades the strongest political party in Ethiopia and in the coalition government. However, this domination ended after Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed took office two years ago.

"What can be expected of him (Tedros, ed) when his group and his people choose to go to war?" Birhanu said. He also called Tedros a criminal who should be removed from his position as director general of WHO.

"We can't expect him to stand with the Ethiopian people and curse these people (rebels, red). He has done anything to support them, he has campaigned to neighboring countries to condemn war," he said.

Birhanu did not provide detailed information regarding the allegations against Tedros. Tedros, 55, was elected as the first WHO director general to come from Africa in May 2017. He is currently one of the global figures during the COVID-19 pandemic considering his position as the number one person in WHO.