The policy of willful neglect by the Ethiopian Ministry of Education for the status of thousands of university students who were previously enrolled in Tigray including Mekelle University furthers the false narrative of a limited law enforcement operation being carried out in Tigray by the Ethiopian government for the “benefit” of Tigrayans. This week the Ministry announced that degrees will not be awarded to students who transferred to other Ethiopian universities because of incomplete records.
Since the occupation of Mekelle the Ethiopian government imposed a blockade of internet, mail, power, and transport. I and others witnessed the bizarre communications done by satellite telephone with the Ministry which repeatedly told us to continue our educational duties but offered no budget, no salary, or any effort to relieve the communication blockade. Any lack of records is not due to any action by Mekelle University or other universities in Tigray. Instead this just confirms the intent of the Ethiopian government leadership to carry out a cultural and education social genocide to completely punish the Tigray people.