Rafael Mitchell
@rafaelmitchell.bsky.social
Senior Lecturer in Comparative and International Education, University of Bristol | Co-Director of CIRE | BAICE | Schooling in Africa, democratising knowledge in education
Reposted by Rafael Mitchell
UN Voices Concern Over Rising Insecurity, Drone Strikes In Ethiopia
Stéphane Dujarric: “We’re deeply concerned by the worsening security situation and recent developments in #Ethiopia, including the formation of a new coalition of armed groups and reports of continued insecurity and drone strikes.”
Stéphane Dujarric: “We’re deeply concerned by the worsening security situation and recent developments in #Ethiopia, including the formation of a new coalition of armed groups and reports of continued insecurity and drone strikes.”
September 22, 2026 at 8:08 PM
UN Voices Concern Over Rising Insecurity, Drone Strikes In Ethiopia
Stéphane Dujarric: “We’re deeply concerned by the worsening security situation and recent developments in #Ethiopia, including the formation of a new coalition of armed groups and reports of continued insecurity and drone strikes.”
Stéphane Dujarric: “We’re deeply concerned by the worsening security situation and recent developments in #Ethiopia, including the formation of a new coalition of armed groups and reports of continued insecurity and drone strikes.”
Reposted by Rafael Mitchell
Reposted by Rafael Mitchell
There is limited international awareness of the crisis affecting over 6 mill people in #Tigray, Ethiopia. The Civil War led to economic collapse, mass displacement and widespread trauma and hardship across the region. The impact on education has been catastrophic.
www.ukfiet.org/2026/restori...
www.ukfiet.org/2026/restori...
Restoring the right to education: Research for post-war reconstruction in Tigray, Ethiopia
There is very limited international awareness of the crisis affecting over 6 million people in Tigray, Ethiopia. The Civil War (2020-2022) has led to economic collapse…
www.ukfiet.org
July 2, 2026 at 5:58 AM
There is limited international awareness of the crisis affecting over 6 mill people in #Tigray, Ethiopia. The Civil War led to economic collapse, mass displacement and widespread trauma and hardship across the region. The impact on education has been catastrophic.
www.ukfiet.org/2026/restori...
www.ukfiet.org/2026/restori...
There is limited international awareness of the crisis affecting over 6 mill people in #Tigray, Ethiopia. The Civil War led to economic collapse, mass displacement and widespread trauma and hardship across the region. The impact on education has been catastrophic.
www.ukfiet.org/2026/restori...
www.ukfiet.org/2026/restori...
Restoring the right to education: Research for post-war reconstruction in Tigray, Ethiopia
There is very limited international awareness of the crisis affecting over 6 million people in Tigray, Ethiopia. The Civil War (2020-2022) has led to economic collapse…
www.ukfiet.org
July 2, 2026 at 5:58 AM
There is limited international awareness of the crisis affecting over 6 mill people in #Tigray, Ethiopia. The Civil War led to economic collapse, mass displacement and widespread trauma and hardship across the region. The impact on education has been catastrophic.
www.ukfiet.org/2026/restori...
www.ukfiet.org/2026/restori...
There is very limited international awareness of the crisis affecting over 6 million people in #Tigray, Ethiopia. The Civil War (2020-2022) has led to economic collapse, mass displacement and widespread trauma and hardship across the region.
www.ukfiet.org/2026/restori...
www.ukfiet.org/2026/restori...
Restoring the right to education: Research for post-war reconstruction in Tigray, Ethiopia
There is very limited international awareness of the crisis affecting over 6 million people in Tigray, Ethiopia. The Civil War (2020-2022) has led to economic collapse…
www.ukfiet.org
July 1, 2026 at 12:02 PM
There is very limited international awareness of the crisis affecting over 6 million people in #Tigray, Ethiopia. The Civil War (2020-2022) has led to economic collapse, mass displacement and widespread trauma and hardship across the region.
www.ukfiet.org/2026/restori...
www.ukfiet.org/2026/restori...
#Tigray Teachers' Association says unpaid salaries pushing teachers into severe hardship, urges national body to intervene
addisstandard.com/tigray-teach...
addisstandard.com/tigray-teach...
addisstandard.com
June 19, 2026 at 4:22 AM
#Tigray Teachers' Association says unpaid salaries pushing teachers into severe hardship, urges national body to intervene
addisstandard.com/tigray-teach...
addisstandard.com/tigray-teach...
"Any future political project in Tigray will ultimately depend not only on institutions and borders but also on whether water continues to flow, soils remain productive, electricity functions, and landscapes sustain human life."
Jan Nyssen in Addis Standard
addisstandard.com/between-resi...
Jan Nyssen in Addis Standard
addisstandard.com/between-resi...
addisstandard.com
June 10, 2026 at 8:14 AM
"Any future political project in Tigray will ultimately depend not only on institutions and borders but also on whether water continues to flow, soils remain productive, electricity functions, and landscapes sustain human life."
Jan Nyssen in Addis Standard
addisstandard.com/between-resi...
Jan Nyssen in Addis Standard
addisstandard.com/between-resi...
Reposted by Rafael Mitchell
What are the Government, police and security services doing about the people who are quite clearly in the pay of a hostile foreign state, and using their platforms to whip up actual pogroms on our streets? This is a major national security issue and absolutely nothing seems to be happening about it
June 10, 2026 at 7:25 AM
What are the Government, police and security services doing about the people who are quite clearly in the pay of a hostile foreign state, and using their platforms to whip up actual pogroms on our streets? This is a major national security issue and absolutely nothing seems to be happening about it
Reposted by Rafael Mitchell
New Open Access article by colleagues at Mekelle University reveals the devastation of the school system in #Tigray, Ethiopia caused by the Civil War, and the role of local researchers in post-war recovery.
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Policy–research partnerships for post-war reconstruction of education in Tigray, Ethiopia: the role of local university-based researchers
This article draws on the experiences of university-based researchers involved in the post-war reconstruction of education in Tigray, Ethiopia. Based on experiences following the 2020–2022 civil wa...
www.tandfonline.com
June 1, 2026 at 12:04 PM
New Open Access article by colleagues at Mekelle University reveals the devastation of the school system in #Tigray, Ethiopia caused by the Civil War, and the role of local researchers in post-war recovery.
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Rafael Mitchell
As Ethiopia is heading to the polls, the #Tigray region won't be participating in the vote for the second time, with tensions simmering on.
www.dw.com/en/ethiopia-...
www.dw.com/en/ethiopia-...
Ethiopia election 2026: Tigray excluded and on edge
As Ethiopia is heading to the polls, the Tigray region won't be participating in the vote for the second time, with tensions simmering on. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and his Prosperity Party meanwhile ...
https://www.dw.com/en/ethiopia-election-2026-tigray-excluded-and-on-edge/a-77346844?at_medium=SocialMedia&at_campaign=Twitter&at_share_source=SharingButton&at_origin=Web?mobileApp=true#cmpimport=Q1FrOXNBZ1FrOXNBZ0FmUDZDRU5DaEZnQUFBQUFBQUFBQWlnR2d3QVFHZ2dBQUFBI180N180OV8jX3M5NF9zNDBfczIxOF9zNjVfczIzX2M0MzQ0OV9jNDQ0MjhfczExMDBfczdfczI2MTJfczEzNV9zMTQwOV9zOTA1X3M5NzdfczQ2X3MxNF9zMTQ3NV9zMl9jNDQzOTRfYzQ0MzkxX2M0Mjc3NV9jNDQzOTJfczM0X3M2N19jNDI4MTRfczMwX1VfIzEtLS0j#cmpimport=Q1FrOXNBZ1FrOXNBZ0FmUDZDRU5DaEZnQUFBQUFBQUFBQWlnR2d3QVFHZ2dBQUFBI180N180OV8jX3M5NF9zNDBfczIxOF9zNjVfczIzX2M0MzQ0OV9jNDQ0MjhfczExMDBfczdfczI2MTJfczEzNV9zMTQwOV9zOTA1X3M5NzdfczQ2X3MxNF9zMTQ3NV9zMl9jNDQzOTRfYzQ0MzkxX2M0Mjc3NV9jNDQzOTJfczM0X3M2N19jNDI4MTRfczMwX1VfIzEtLS0j
June 1, 2026 at 5:24 PM
As Ethiopia is heading to the polls, the #Tigray region won't be participating in the vote for the second time, with tensions simmering on.
www.dw.com/en/ethiopia-...
www.dw.com/en/ethiopia-...
New Open Access article by colleagues at Mekelle University reveals the devastation of the school system in #Tigray, Ethiopia caused by the Civil War, and the role of local researchers in post-war recovery.
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Policy–research partnerships for post-war reconstruction of education in Tigray, Ethiopia: the role of local university-based researchers
This article draws on the experiences of university-based researchers involved in the post-war reconstruction of education in Tigray, Ethiopia. Based on experiences following the 2020–2022 civil wa...
www.tandfonline.com
June 1, 2026 at 12:04 PM
New Open Access article by colleagues at Mekelle University reveals the devastation of the school system in #Tigray, Ethiopia caused by the Civil War, and the role of local researchers in post-war recovery.
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Reposted by Rafael Mitchell
Ethiopia Heads to the Polls, But Not Everyone Can Vote
Ethiopia’s general election takes place on Monday as conflict rages in parts of the country, meaning many people will not be able to vote. In fact, the whole northern region of #Tigray, has been totally excluded from the poll.
Ethiopia’s general election takes place on Monday as conflict rages in parts of the country, meaning many people will not be able to vote. In fact, the whole northern region of #Tigray, has been totally excluded from the poll.
Ethiopia election: The country heads to the polls, but not everyone can vote
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's party is expected to dominate the election as conflicts overshadow the vote.
www.bbc.com
May 31, 2026 at 5:57 AM
Ethiopia Heads to the Polls, But Not Everyone Can Vote
Ethiopia’s general election takes place on Monday as conflict rages in parts of the country, meaning many people will not be able to vote. In fact, the whole northern region of #Tigray, has been totally excluded from the poll.
Ethiopia’s general election takes place on Monday as conflict rages in parts of the country, meaning many people will not be able to vote. In fact, the whole northern region of #Tigray, has been totally excluded from the poll.
Reposted by Rafael Mitchell
The BBC goes with “slapped” and “hit” as a sub-headline, choosing to ignore “15 cases of sexual assaults, including rape. Shot with rubber bullets at close range. Tens of people's bones broken."
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Gaza flotilla activists allege abuse by Israeli forces while detained
The detainees say they were slapped, hit, humiliated and even subjected to sexual violence, but Israel's prison service says the allegations are false.
www.bbc.com
May 23, 2026 at 5:40 AM
The BBC goes with “slapped” and “hit” as a sub-headline, choosing to ignore “15 cases of sexual assaults, including rape. Shot with rubber bullets at close range. Tens of people's bones broken."
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Reposted by Rafael Mitchell
We talk about not only the violence inflicted on Tigrayans, but also the politics of visibility, silence, and international response in the face of mass atrocity and genocide.
Listen to the full episode here: soundcloud.com/niod_rewind_...
Listen to the full episode here: soundcloud.com/niod_rewind_...
NIOD Rewind Episode 48 - Genocide in Tigray: Assault on the Womb, Starvation and Censorship
What is happening in Tigray? In this episode Anne van Mourik speaks with Teklehaymanot (Tekle) Weldemichael (University of Manchester) about the strong evidence that Ethiopia committed genocide in Tig
soundcloud.com
May 14, 2026 at 11:05 AM
We talk about not only the violence inflicted on Tigrayans, but also the politics of visibility, silence, and international response in the face of mass atrocity and genocide.
Listen to the full episode here: soundcloud.com/niod_rewind_...
Listen to the full episode here: soundcloud.com/niod_rewind_...
Reposted by Rafael Mitchell
Are we teaching English if students are silent + not allowed to articulate ideas? This blog shares one teacher's experience of a curriculum imposed from above. EMC view: English this ain't! @warwickmansell.bsky.social @natecommunity.bsky.social @englishassociation.bsky.social
tinyurl.com/5a9anapp
tinyurl.com/5a9anapp
How English pupils are being silenced in lessons
An English teacher sets out how he is required to teach by his senior leaders - and what it is doing to students
www.englishandmedia.co.uk
May 7, 2026 at 3:31 PM
Are we teaching English if students are silent + not allowed to articulate ideas? This blog shares one teacher's experience of a curriculum imposed from above. EMC view: English this ain't! @warwickmansell.bsky.social @natecommunity.bsky.social @englishassociation.bsky.social
tinyurl.com/5a9anapp
tinyurl.com/5a9anapp
Reposted by Rafael Mitchell
Think using a chatbot makes your work better?
Think again.
1/3
Think again.
1/3
May 7, 2026 at 2:59 PM
Think using a chatbot makes your work better?
Think again.
1/3
Think again.
1/3
It's my understanding that many rural schools in Tigray have now closed because they can't pay their staff. The Ethiopian government suspended the budget to Tigray back in October 2025.
addisstandard.com/news-tigray-...
addisstandard.com/news-tigray-...
addisstandard.com
May 6, 2026 at 2:13 PM
It's my understanding that many rural schools in Tigray have now closed because they can't pay their staff. The Ethiopian government suspended the budget to Tigray back in October 2025.
addisstandard.com/news-tigray-...
addisstandard.com/news-tigray-...
Study by health researchers in 2024 found that starvation was the leading cause of death in Tigray, Ethiopia after the 2022 ceasefire
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Starvation remains the leading cause of death in Tigray, northern Ethiopia, after the Pretoria deal: a call for expedited action - BMC Public Health
Background People in war-affected areas are more likely to experience excess mortality with hunger. However, information on the causes of death associated with hunger is often nonexistent. The purpose...
link.springer.com
April 23, 2026 at 12:35 PM
Study by health researchers in 2024 found that starvation was the leading cause of death in Tigray, Ethiopia after the 2022 ceasefire
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
link.springer.com/article/10.1...
Reposted by Rafael Mitchell
Why Tigray’s Industrial Heart Has Failed to Restart
Three years after the Pretoria Agreement, the expected ‘peace dividend’ has vanished. Trapped between a liquidity crisis and political deadlock, #Tigray’s economy is not just stalling – it is disintegrating.
Three years after the Pretoria Agreement, the expected ‘peace dividend’ has vanished. Trapped between a liquidity crisis and political deadlock, #Tigray’s economy is not just stalling – it is disintegrating.
Ethiopia: Why Tigray’s industrial heart has failed to restart
Three years after the Pretoria Agreement, the expected ‘peace dividend’ has vanished. Trapped between a liquidity crisis and political deadlock, Tigray’s economy is not just stalling – it is disintegr...
www.theafricareport.com
April 3, 2026 at 10:37 AM
Why Tigray’s Industrial Heart Has Failed to Restart
Three years after the Pretoria Agreement, the expected ‘peace dividend’ has vanished. Trapped between a liquidity crisis and political deadlock, #Tigray’s economy is not just stalling – it is disintegrating.
Three years after the Pretoria Agreement, the expected ‘peace dividend’ has vanished. Trapped between a liquidity crisis and political deadlock, #Tigray’s economy is not just stalling – it is disintegrating.
Reposted by Rafael Mitchell
Meanwhile, in the Horn of Africa:
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has said his country does not want war, even as regional Tigray authorities say federal forces are massing around the northern region, raising fears of renewed conflict.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has said his country does not want war, even as regional Tigray authorities say federal forces are massing around the northern region, raising fears of renewed conflict.
March 7, 2026 at 11:45 AM
Meanwhile, in the Horn of Africa:
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has said his country does not want war, even as regional Tigray authorities say federal forces are massing around the northern region, raising fears of renewed conflict.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has said his country does not want war, even as regional Tigray authorities say federal forces are massing around the northern region, raising fears of renewed conflict.
Reposted by Rafael Mitchell
How did Ethiopia get away with the mass murder of close to a million Tigrayans?
In my latest piece for @theconversation.com, I examine the tactics the Ethiopian regime and its allies used to conceal the genocide in Tigray, and evade accountability.
theconversation.com/how-to-get-a...
In my latest piece for @theconversation.com, I examine the tactics the Ethiopian regime and its allies used to conceal the genocide in Tigray, and evade accountability.
theconversation.com/how-to-get-a...
How to get away with mass murder: 4 tactics Ethiopia used to hide Tigray atrocities from the world
The violence in Tigray was structured, targeted and sustained.
theconversation.com
February 13, 2026 at 11:36 AM
How did Ethiopia get away with the mass murder of close to a million Tigrayans?
In my latest piece for @theconversation.com, I examine the tactics the Ethiopian regime and its allies used to conceal the genocide in Tigray, and evade accountability.
theconversation.com/how-to-get-a...
In my latest piece for @theconversation.com, I examine the tactics the Ethiopian regime and its allies used to conceal the genocide in Tigray, and evade accountability.
theconversation.com/how-to-get-a...
Reposted by Rafael Mitchell
The Tigray crisis remains largely invisible to the world.
"Factors such as race and the peripherality of the region made the Tigray conflict a blind spot in global geopolitics. But these explanations are not sufficient."
In @uk.theconversation.com by @tekgw.bsky.social: bit.ly/4qvJzux
"Factors such as race and the peripherality of the region made the Tigray conflict a blind spot in global geopolitics. But these explanations are not sufficient."
In @uk.theconversation.com by @tekgw.bsky.social: bit.ly/4qvJzux
How to get away with mass murder: 4 tactics Ethiopia used to hide Tigray atrocities from the world
The violence in Tigray was structured, targeted and sustained.
bit.ly
February 13, 2026 at 10:26 AM
The Tigray crisis remains largely invisible to the world.
"Factors such as race and the peripherality of the region made the Tigray conflict a blind spot in global geopolitics. But these explanations are not sufficient."
In @uk.theconversation.com by @tekgw.bsky.social: bit.ly/4qvJzux
"Factors such as race and the peripherality of the region made the Tigray conflict a blind spot in global geopolitics. But these explanations are not sufficient."
In @uk.theconversation.com by @tekgw.bsky.social: bit.ly/4qvJzux
Reposted by Rafael Mitchell
UN Rights Chief Calls for Urgent De‑escalation In #Tigray
Volker Türk: “The situation remains highly volatile, and we fear it will further deteriorate. There must be concerted and sustained efforts by all parties, with the help of the int’l community, to de-escalate tensions before it is too late.”
Volker Türk: “The situation remains highly volatile, and we fear it will further deteriorate. There must be concerted and sustained efforts by all parties, with the help of the int’l community, to de-escalate tensions before it is too late.”
Ethiopia: Türk urges restraint and steps towards de-escalation amid volatility in Tigray
GENEVA – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk on Tuesday called on all parties to take urgent steps towards de-escalation, amid the precarious situation in the Tigray region.Recent fighti...
www.ohchr.org
February 10, 2026 at 2:55 PM
UN Rights Chief Calls for Urgent De‑escalation In #Tigray
Volker Türk: “The situation remains highly volatile, and we fear it will further deteriorate. There must be concerted and sustained efforts by all parties, with the help of the int’l community, to de-escalate tensions before it is too late.”
Volker Türk: “The situation remains highly volatile, and we fear it will further deteriorate. There must be concerted and sustained efforts by all parties, with the help of the int’l community, to de-escalate tensions before it is too late.”
Reposted by Rafael Mitchell
Tigray Calls on AU for Immediate Action to Avert War
The #Tigray interim administration, in a letter addressed to the AU, called for “immediate action to avoid an imminent war. The repercussions of a new conflict would be catastrophic and irreversible” and “plunge the region into a wider conflict.”
The #Tigray interim administration, in a letter addressed to the AU, called for “immediate action to avoid an imminent war. The repercussions of a new conflict would be catastrophic and irreversible” and “plunge the region into a wider conflict.”
Éthiopie: regain de tension au Tigré, les craintes d'une reprise de la guerre dans la région se multiplient
Alors que de violents combats ont opposé les forces tigréennes à l'armée fédérale éthiopienne dans l'ouest du Tigré ces derniers jours, la population et l'administration intérimaire locales s'inquiète...
www.rfi.fr
February 2, 2026 at 4:11 PM
Tigray Calls on AU for Immediate Action to Avert War
The #Tigray interim administration, in a letter addressed to the AU, called for “immediate action to avoid an imminent war. The repercussions of a new conflict would be catastrophic and irreversible” and “plunge the region into a wider conflict.”
The #Tigray interim administration, in a letter addressed to the AU, called for “immediate action to avoid an imminent war. The repercussions of a new conflict would be catastrophic and irreversible” and “plunge the region into a wider conflict.”
Reposted by Rafael Mitchell
UPDATE: according to reports from Tigray regional state television, drone strikes targeted trucks in two north-east Tigray towns at 4AM local time. A driver was killed, another is injured.
These would be the first civilian casualties of drone strikes in Tigray, since the Tigray war ended in 2022.
These would be the first civilian casualties of drone strikes in Tigray, since the Tigray war ended in 2022.
3.5 years after a ceasefire ended a brutal Ethiopian civil war that killed hundreds of thousands in two years...Ethiopian forces and Tigrayan rebels clashed on Thursday, marking the most serious fighting since the war ended.
Ethiopian Airlines has suspended all flights to Tigray.
Ethiopian Airlines has suspended all flights to Tigray.
Clashes between government troops and Tigrayan forces erupt in Ethiopia
'Deteriorating' situation causes suspension of flights, security and diplomatic sources say.
www.aljazeera.com
January 31, 2026 at 7:30 AM
UPDATE: according to reports from Tigray regional state television, drone strikes targeted trucks in two north-east Tigray towns at 4AM local time. A driver was killed, another is injured.
These would be the first civilian casualties of drone strikes in Tigray, since the Tigray war ended in 2022.
These would be the first civilian casualties of drone strikes in Tigray, since the Tigray war ended in 2022.