BBC apologized today for its unfounded report that alleged millions of pounds raised for famine relief in Ethiopia had been used to buy arms. It took BBC 8 months to investigate and find out that its ‘investigative’ report is baseless.

It is to be recalled that in March 2010, and the subsequent days, BBC World Service broadcasted a report concerning the use of western aid for 1985 famine in Ethiopia. BBC’s March report, Ethiopia famine aid ‘spent on weapons’, claimed:

Band Aid’s accounts show that it gave almost $11m to the society and other groups close to the rebels, but the charity has declined to comment.

Bob Geldof, the organizer of the then aid efforts, dismissed the BBC report days after its broadcast:

He said: “Produce me one shred of evidence and I promise you I will professionally investigate it, I will professionally report it, and if there is any money missing I will sue the Ethiopian government for that money back and I will spend it on aid.

“There is not a single shred of evidence that Band Aid or Live Aid money was diverted in any sense, it could not have been.”

But an Editor of the BBC World Service claimed that BBC had “quite a lot of evidence” to support the report.

HOWEVER, today BBC ‘apologized unreservedly for the “misleading and unfair impression” which was created’. The statement made by BBC states:

After an investigation by the BBC’s Editorial Complaints Unit, the corporation concluded there was no evidence relating to money raised by Band Aid or Live Aid, and statements alluding to the fact should not have been broadcast.

The statement made by BBC falls short of a full retraction of the news. The apology appears to be specifically directed to Bob Geldof, but not to the Ethiopian people.

However, as the Band Aid/Live Aid charity had been the main source of aid in the 1985 Ethiopian famine, BBC’s apology invalidates the whole report.

Gebremedhine Araya, former TPLF combatant, who was used as a source of the BBC report, was not at the area at the time. On the other hand, the CIA report referred to by the report was published before the aid started, thus has no relation to it.

TPLF(Tigrayan People Liberation Front) is one of the parties that make up the ruling party EPRDF. TPLF had a leading ruling role in ousting Mengistu Hailemariam’s Marxist military regime. Though a rebel group then, TPLF transported hundred thousands of farmers, including women and children, to relief sites in Sudan during the 1985 famine, since President Mengistu denied aid supply to the people in the areas under TPLF control. TPLF is founded in 1975. It is chaired by Premier Meles Zenawi is since 1989.

Here is the Statement made by BBC

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BBC apology over Band Aid money reports

The BBC has apologised to Band Aid over reports claiming millions of pounds raised by the charity for famine relief in Ethiopia had been used to buy arms.

A report on World Service’s Assignment in March claimed large sums of charity money had been diverted by rebels.

Although the report did not directly link Band Aid, other BBC outlets suggested its money had been involved.

The corporation said it apologised unreservedly for the “misleading and unfair impression” which was created.

The original investigation by the BBC’s Africa editor, Martin Plaut, included claims that substantial amounts of aid from Western government and charities went into rebel-held areas of Tigray province in 1985 and was used to buy weapons.

In a complaint to the BBC, The Band Aid Trust said the programme and subsequent coverage by other outlets including Radio 4, BBC News and the BBC News website gave the impression most of the money raised by the charity had been diverted.

‘Unusual lapse in standards’

After an investigation by the BBC’s Editorial Complaints Unit, the corporation concluded there was no evidence relating to money raised by Band Aid or Live Aid, and statements alluding to the fact should not have been broadcast.

The BBC also apologised to Band Aid Trustee Bob Geldof for implying he declined to be interviewed “because he thought the subject too sensitive to be discussed openly”.

In response, Mr Geldof said: “This was an unusual lapse in standards by the broadcaster and, most critically, the World Service.

“It was Michael Buerk’s frontline reports for the BBC from Ethiopia which prompted me to act and establish Band Aid in the first place and I recognise the important journalistic and humanitarian role the BBC has played in our story.

“We welcome the BBC’s apologies and hope that the public corrections can begin to repair some of the appalling damage done, and move forward.”

In a statement, the BBC said it regretted the error and “accepts we should have been more explicit in making it clear that the allegations did not relate specifically to Band Aid”.

“Assignment did not make the allegation that relief aid provided by Band Aid was diverted. However the BBC acknowledges that this impression could have been taken from the programme,” it said.

“We also acknowledge that some of our related reporting of the story reinforced this perception.”

It added: “We note that the ruling validates the main thrust of the programme’s journalism; that there was evidence from a number of sources that the Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front had diverted money intended for famine relief and that some of this was spent on weapons.”

On-air apologies will be made on all the BBC outlets that broadcast the claims.