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>>> A DIFFICULT ELECTION IS
UNDER WAY IN AFRICAS SECOND
LARGEST COUNTRY BY POPULATION.
ETHIOPIAENS BEGAN VOTING
YESTERDAY, BUT SOME AREAS OF THE
COUNTRY, INCLUDING THE NORTHERN
REGION OF TEGRAI HAVENT EVEN
SCHEDULED THE VOTE YET.
PRIME MINISTER ABIY AHMED IS
FAVORED TO WIN.
HE WAS APPOINTED PRIME MINISTER
IN 2018 AFTER THE ELECTED PRIME
MINISTER RESIGNED.
A YEAR LATER, PRIME MINISTER
ABIY WON THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE
IN RECOGNITION OF HIS WORK TO
END THE CONFLICT BETWEEN
ETHIOPIA AND ITS NEIGHBOR,
ERITREA, WHICH WAS THEN AFRICAS
DEADLIEST BORDER WAR.
SINCE THEN, PRIME MINISTER
ABIYS PEACE-MAKING SKILLS
HAVENT BEEN ENOUGH TO SUBDUE AN
UPRISING CENTERED IN THE
NORTHERN REGION.
7 MILLION OF ETHIOPIAS 110
MILLION PEOPLE LIVE THERE, WHICH
HAS BECOME A WAR ZONE.
WITH THE NOBEL PRIZE WINNER NOW
IN COMMAND OF AN ARMY WITHIN HIS
OWN COUNTRY, THOUSANDS OF
CIVILIANS HAVE BEEN KILLED AND
OVER 2 MILLION PEOPLE HAVE BEEN
DISPLACED SINCE NOVEMBER.
THE UNITED NATIONS SAYS THE
REGION IS FACING THE WORLDS
WORST FAMINE.
OUR NEXT GUEST IS ASKING US TO
NOT LOOK AWAY FROM ETHIOPIA.
IN HIS "NEW YORK TIMES" COLUMN,
OUR NEXT GUEST HAS SAID WHAT IS
HAPPENING IN ETHIOPIA IS
SOMETHING THAT WE MUST FOCUS ON
AND THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT MUST
FOCUS ON.
JOINING US IS IT NICHOLS
CHRISTOPHE.
THE ELECTION WILL TAKE WEEKS.
THERE ARE SECTIONS OF THE
COUNTRY THAT ARE NOT ESPECIALLY
INVOLVED IN THE VIOLENCE.
WELL HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE WHAT
HAPPENS THERE.
BUT LETS START WITH WHAT CAN
THE UNITED STATES DO ABOUT WHAT
IS HAPPENING INSIDE ETHIOPIA.
>> THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HAS
TRIED TO PUT PRESSURE ON PRIME
MINISTER ABIY TO LIGHTEN UP ON
THE BRUTAL PRESSURE UNDER WAY IN
THE AREA.
I DONT THINK ITS BEEN ENOUGH.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE HAVE
THE WORST FAMINE IN THE WORLD IN
TEN YEARS.
WE HAVE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF
PEOPLE WHO MAY STARVE TO DEATH.
WE HAVE A CAMPAIGN OF MASS RAPE
UNDER WAY.
WE HAVE AID WORKERS BEING KILLED
AND FOOD BEING BLOCKED TO GET
THERE.
IN THE FACE OF ALL THAT, THE
BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HAS IMPOSED
SANCTIONS ON PEOPLE, IT HAS SENT
SPECIAL ENVOYS, BUT I DONT
THINK IT HAS APPLIED ENOUGH
PRESSURE TO A COUNTRY THAT IS,
AFTER ALL, THE LARGEST AID
RECIPIENT IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA.
I THINK WE HAVE TO, YOU KNOW,
TURN THE SCREWS RATHER HARDER IF
WERE GOING TO GET THE PRIME
MINISTER TO STOP THIS.
>> IS THERE ANY WAY TO DECIDE --
THE PRIME MINISTERS ARGUMENT IS
THAT THE VIOLENCE AGAINST THE
GOVERNMENT WAS VICIOUS OR AS
VICIOUS AS WHAT THE GOVERNMENT
TROOPS HAVE DELIVERED IN
RESPONSE TO IT.
IS THERE ANY WAY TO SAY WHICH
SIDE HAS BEEN BEHAVING WORSE
THAN THE OTHER?
>> OH, I MEAN, LOOK, BOTH SIDES
BEHAVED BADLY.
IT DID START TO SOME DEGREE WITH
A MUTINY, BUT WHEN WE HAVE A
GOVERNMENT ALLIED WITH US THAT
USES MODERN EQUIPMENT TO MOW
DOWN CIVILIANS, NOT JUSTIFY
OTHER COMBATANTS TO ENGAGE IN
MASS RAPE AND THEN TRY TO STARVE
A LARGE REGION INTO SUBMISSION,
AND TO THEN BRING IN THE
ERITREAN FORCES FROM NEXT DOOR
TO ADD TO THAT, THEN, YOU KNOW,
THAT IS NOT AN APPROPRIATE
RESPONSE.
IT IS WAR CRIMES.
I THINK IT REEKS OF GENOCIDE,