Donate

Category: Humanitarian Crisis

UN warns sexual violence being used as war weapon in Ethiopia’s Tigray region

Posted on by Sami Mulaw

The top public health official for the interim administration in Tigray Dr. Fasika Amdeselassie told Reuters that 829 rape cases have been reported at five hospitals since the fighting began in November.https://5910ffc374826a4162020c05eb3cf756.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html#xpc=sf-gdn-exp-4&p=https%3A//thehill.com

“Nearly a quarter of reports received by one agency involve gang rape, with multiple men assaulting the victim; in some cases, women have been repeatedly raped over a period of days. Girls as young as eight are being targeted,” Lowcock said.

Read the full story…

UN Security Council Needs to Act on Ethiopia’s Tigray Region

Posted on by Sami Mulaw

After the Ethiopian government announced the withdrawal of Eritrean troops from its borders, Eritrean forces opened fire on civilians in the border town of Adwa, reportedly leaving at least nine dead and dozens injured. In late March, Ethiopian forces executed four men in front of Médecins sans Frontières (Doctors without Borders) staff. Health officials and the UN continue to report on horrific sexual violence by Ethiopian and Eritrean forces. Millions remain in need of food assistance.

Read the full story…

UN: Tigray’s Humanitarian Crisis Worsens, No Eritrean Exit

Posted on by Sami Mulaw

The U.N. humanitarian chief is warning that the grave humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia’s embattled Tigray region is deteriorating, with no sign of Eritrean troops withdrawing and alarmingly widespread reports of systematic rape and other sexual violence mainly by men in uniform.

“Cases reported have involved Ethiopian National Defense Forces, Eritrean Defense Forces, Amhara Special Forces and other irregular armed groups or aligned militia,”

Read the full story…

reuters: Health official alleges ‘sexual slavery’ in Tigray

Posted on by Sami Mulaw

The 27-year-old mother said uniformed soldiers from Eritrea pulled her off a minibus on the road from Mekelle to the city of Adigrat on Feb. 6. They tied her up and marched her through fields to a bush camp, she said. After 11 days of rapes and beatings, she said, the soldiers forced nails, cotton, plastic bags and a rock into her vagina and left her alone in the bush.

Fasika, the health official, said at least 829 cases of sexual assault have been reported at the five hospitals since the conflict in Tigray began. Those cases were likely “the tip of the iceberg,” Fasika said

Read the full story…

Ethiopia – Tigray Conflict Fact Sheet #6 Fiscal Year (FY) 2021

Posted on by Sami Mulaw

4.5 MILLION People in Tigray Requiring Humanitarian Assistance UN – March 2021

4 MILLION Estimated Number of People in Urgent Need of Food Assistance Food Security Cluster – January 2021

62,383 Ethiopian Refugees Arriving in Eastern Sudan Since November UNHCR – April 2021

Read the full story…

Ethiopia (Tigray) Meeting under “Any Other Business”*

Posted on by Sami Mulaw

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced on 26 March that Eritrea will remove its military forces from Ethiopian territory, without specifying a timeline for the withdrawal. Since November 2020, several sources, including international human rights NGOs, have reported killings of the Tigrayan population perpetrated by Eritrean troops.

Read the full story…

Remarks by Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield at a UN Security Council Open Debate on Sexual Violence in Conflict

Posted on by Sami Mulaw

In particular, right now the Security Council needs to pay attention to deeply disturbing reports of mass sexual violence occurring in Ethiopia’s Tigray region. We as a Council must address reports of women being forced by military elements to have sex for basic commodities, and reports of sexual violence against women and girls in refugee camps, among other horrific information. The international community must work to ensure that all those involved respect their obligations under international human rights law and international humanitarian law. And the international community must establish immediate protection mechanisms, humanitarian aid, and other needed services for survivors. Independent, credible investigations must be conducted to hold perpetrators of these, and other human rights abuses and violations committed in Tigray, accountable.

Read the full story…

World Peace Foundation: Starving Tigray

Posted on by Sami Mulaw

“Starving Tigray: How armed conflict and mass atrocities have destroyed an Ethiopian region’s economy and food systems and are threatening famine”

Regardless of who is responsible for the outbreak of hostilities, the sole reason for the scale of the humanitarian emergency is that the coalition of Ethiopian Federal forces, Amhara regional forces, and Eritrean troops are committing starvation crimes on large scale.

Read the full story…

africanews: USAID Airlifts Shelter Supplies to help Ethiopians affected by the Conflict in Tigray

Posted on by Sami Mulaw

It is critically important that all parties ensure unhindered humanitarian access. However, humanitarian assistance alone will not address the root of this crisis. An immediate end to the conflict is needed to alleviate suffering. A cessation of hostilities, the immediate and complete withdrawal of Eritrean forces, and an end to the Ethiopian government’s deployment of Amhara regional forces in Tigray are essential first steps. As this crisis deepens, the United States welcomes contributions of other donors to continue scaling up assistance to reach the people who need it most.

Read the full story…