Tigray war: Modern geographies of mass violence and the invisibilization of populations

Abstract

The war in Tigray, Ethiopia, which erupted in November 2020, has been marked by widespread atrocities, including organized massacres, the systematic use of rape and sexual violence, the forced displacement of millions, ethnic cleansing, enforced disappearances, and mass detentions of ethnic Tigrayans in remote concentration camps. This was compounded by a siege lasting over two years, which inflicted immense suffering on the civilian population. With an estimated death toll of up to 800,000 people, the Tigray war is considered the deadliest conflict of the 21st century, though the true toll is likely much higher, given the millions still displaced and unaccounted for. Many experts and rights organizations characterize the events in Tigray as genocide, yet the crisis has largely failed to garner the global and domestic attention it demands.

This article critically examines the strategies and tactics employed by the Ethiopian government and its allies to sustain a “zone of invisibility” around the Tigray war. By analyzing government statements, media coverage, and reports from local and international human rights organizations, I identify mechanisms that contributed to obscuring the crisis. These include contextual tactics, such as communication blackouts and restrictions on access for independent media and humanitarian agencies, as well as epistemic tactics that framed the entire Tigrayan population as “rebels” or a “cancer in the body politic.” This narrative served to normalize and justify violence, effectively dampening calls for international intervention.