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An Open Letter to Mr. David Malpas President of the World Bank Group 

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Financing Genocide is Morally Repugnant and Legally Criminal Stop Enabling Genocide in Tigray, Ethiopia 

Dear President Malpass : 

Security and Justice for Tigrayans (SJT), a US based global advocacy organization of diaspora  Tigrayans and friends of Tigray, would once again like to bring to your attention the genocidal  war happening in Tigray and throughout Ethiopia so that your decision to finance the Ethiopian  government is based on solid and principled grounds to which your organization is committed. 

One of the basic objectives of the World Bank and IMF is to stabilize the economy of member  countries by helping them maintain a fair economic and financial systems in their development  schemes. As stated in your objectives, “the WB five institutions share a commitment to reducing  poverty, increasing shared prosperity, and promoting sustainable development”. Additionally, it  is stated that the Bank promotes shared prosperity, “by increasing the incomes of the poorest 40  percent of people in every country”. 

We would like to argue that contemplating providing financial help to a country, where the  banking system has refused, and in fact illegally withheld the savings and investment of its seven  million citizens is morally, financially, and economically untenable. 

We have previously appealed to the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund to re evaluate their practices and halt any financial assistance to the government of Ethiopia which is  committing atrocities amounting to a genocide on its own people, the worst of which is in the  Tigray region. SJT is extremely concerned by the WB continued engagement with the Ethiopian  government, widely condemned for committing human rights violations and committing crimes  against humanity. 

Given the current dire economic situation in Ethiopia inflicted by Prime Minister Abiy’s wars  throughout country and the resulting shortage of hard currency, the government of Ethiopia has  found many creative ways to divert hard currency provided by international donors such as the  IMF and World Bank to purchase drones and other military hardware. Any assistance the  government receives from international donors and governments will contribute directly or  indirectly to this effort of financing its genocidal war. No amount of scrutiny will stop the Abiy  Government from using the money for its war efforts. The World Bank should refrain from aiding a government to perpetuate a war that has caused so much misery to people that wish to  live in peace.

SJT has no doubt that the World Bank is aware of the atrocities happening in Tigray and the rest  of Ethiopia since Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed rose to power in 2018 as extensively reported by  international media throughout the world. The government of Ethiopia shut down everything  including electricity, telephone, internet, water, and banking systems and attacked Tigray on  November 4, 2020 with its full military might along with allied forces it assembled from the  region. During the past two years, the invaders have massacred Tigrayans in the hundreds of  thousands, raped thousands of women and girls as young as 12, some gang-raped by as many as  23 soldiers.  

This is a government that has invited a foreign country to exterminate its fellow citizens in  Tigray. To stay in power at any cost, Mr. Abiy Ahmed has militarily encircled Tigray and people  are dying of hunger, air and drone strikes and heavy bombardment as we write this letter. The  atrocities are simply too gruesome to list here. In the last few days alone hundreds if not  thousands of civilians have been killed by drones and air bombardments. 

It must be clearly understood that the Ethiopian financial system and its overall economic  outlook is very bleak and no amount of intervention by international actors such as the World  Bank and IMF will reverse the trend if the war efforts by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is allowed  to continue. The World Bank and IMF can do their part by withholding funding until the  government agrees to stop the war. Approving funds for Abiy government is an endorsement of  his genocidal activities and we hope the World Bank will be on the side of victims and not war  criminals. 

We respectfully ask the world institutions to evaluate their practices on Ethiopia and cease  assisting the government until the government commits to dialogue and peace, respects human  rights, turns all looted properties, compensates individuals and the regional government for  damaged and destroyed public and private properties, and respects the constitution of the  country. 

We thank you in advance for your cooperation and hope that your organization will respond  positively to our letter. Please do not hesitate to contact us if we can be of any assistance with  providing any further information. 

Respectfully,  

Teka Neguse, PharmD 

President, Security & Justice for Tigrayans (SJT) 

Tel: 443-537-3910  

Email: sjte.info@gmail.com 

SJT is a US 501(c (3)) registered non-profit organization that advocates for the wellbeing of  Tigrayans at a global level.

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