Genocide by Killer Robots or Drones?

The #TigrayGenocide is about to become the first genocide in human history to be enabled or carried out by “ Killer Robots” or “drones” or “autonomous weapon systems” as the fascist regime of Ethiopia is deploying massively and extensively these killer robots or drones in the ongoing genocidal civil war against the Tigrayan people over the last two weeks.

Ethiopia is not producing these killer robots or drones or autonomous weapon systems. It acquired them from third countries.

But, as part of the emerging Artificial Intelligence Technology, neither the production nor trade in these technologies nor the use of these killers drones or autonomous weapon systems are regulated globally.

Due to this total lack of legal regimes governing these technologies, the Ethiopian regime has acquired large quantities of these killer robots, from at least four countries, in recent months, and is using these drones or killer robots in the ongoing deadly genocidal civil war.

The #AbiyAhmed regime’s use of these killer robots or drones in Ethiopia’s genocidal civil war is raising a new global human rights concern within the context of international peace and security, particularly, as these drones or killer robots are being used to commit internationally prohibited atrocity crime, namely, genocide on a minority ethnic group nationally vilified by the regime.

The Tigrayan people have heroically defended themselves against the genocide waged against them by this fascist regime over the last one year.

But, now, with the Ethiopian regime’s acquisition and massive use of killer robots or drones over the last two weeks, the Tigrayan people’s capabilities to defend themselves against the genocide being committed against them by these unregulated and new autonomous weapon systems, demands the intervention of the international community to prevent an imminent genocide.

It is also important to note here that the Ethiopian regime’s genocidal intentions and genocidal acts against the Tigrayan people are expressly stated by the regime for the international community not to remain silent, when the first of its kind genocide is about to be committed by unregulated killer robots or drones in human history.

We, therefore, call upon the international community, particularly, the great powers, the United Nations Security Council, and international human rights organizations,to urgently take-up the issue of the use of killer robots or drones in civil wars, to prevent an imminent case of unfolding genocide against the people of Tigray by the Ethiopian regime.

The UN Security Council could also take up this urgent and critical, and very unique matter under the responsibility to protect clause.

Tigrayan, Oromo and other activists must also reach out to the global media, policy makers as well as human rights organizations to enable them to be aware about , and take a fresh look into the effects of unregulated AI technologies in committing atrocity crimes such as genocide and crimes against humanity.

Birhanemeskel Abebe Segni