OMNA TIGRAY – JULY 2024 QUARTERLY SITUATION REPORT

June 2024 marked the three-year anniversary of the liberation of most parts of Tigray from invading Ethiopian, Eritrean, and Amhara forces. These forces had occupied the region starting from November 2021 and unleashed unimaginable horrors on the people of Tigray. Ethiopian, Eritrean, and Amhara forces undertook a genocidal campaign of destruction, killing hundreds of thousands of people, displacing millions, weaponizing sexual violence against at least tens of thousands of people, and destroying the region’s food, water, and health infrastructure. In the wake of these attacks, which killed an estimated 600,000 – 800,000 people in Tigray and displaced millions, the Tigray Defense Forces (TDF) arose to defend themselves and their homes from these genocidal forces. Composed of ordinary men and women in Tigray who were driven to take up arms in self-defense, TDF forces fought valiantly to expel Ethiopian, Eritrean, and Amhara forces from Tigray. In June 2021, TDF forces drove out these occupying forces from the Tigrayan capital, Mekelle, and many other parts of Tigray, liberating much of Tigray and restoring the Tigray regional government. This occasion was met with jubilation and celebrations in the streets of Tigray and is commemorated as a day to celebrate the indomitable spirit and unimaginable sacrifices of Tigrayan forces.

While largely free of invaders after June 2021, Tigray continued to face a dire humanitarian crisis that is still being felt today. After being driven out of Mekelle, the Ethiopian government enacted a deadly siege, cutting Tigray off from food aid, medical supplies, utilities, and communications. In a second phase of the genocide, for months, millions of people in Tigray were encircled on all sides and denied essential food, medical, and other life-sustaining supplies. Moreover, while the TDF managed to liberate much of Tigray in June 2021, several parts of Tigray are still under the occupation of invading forces today. In particular, Eritrean forces continue to occupy Irob, and Amhara regional forces are occupying much of Western Tigray. While the signing of a Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (COHA) in November 2022 eased some of the security concerns, the humanitarian condition in post-war Tigray is still dire and complex. Food insecurity remains high after years of war, which disrupted supplies and prevented farmers from working on their land. Moreover, the destruction of public infrastructure, utilities, and institutions has proven to be highly detrimental, negatively affecting the safety, security, and quality of life in the region.

One of the most pressing problems in the region is the high number of Internally Displaced People (IDPs). Hundreds of thousands of IDPs, forced from their homes in Western Tigray, have suffered under immensely difficult conditions for nearly four years. IDPs are leading extremely precarious livelihoods in major cities across Tigray, unable to access shelter, food, or jobs. All IDPs express their desire to return to their homes and begin rebuilding their lives but have been unable to do so because their homes are still under the occupation of Amhara and Eritrean forces. In July 2024, some Tigrayan IDPs began returning to their homes, which marked some progress in the implementation of the COHA. However, only a tiny fraction of the tens of thousands of IDPs have had the opportunity to return, and there are indications that Amhara regional forces and Fano militias are mobilizing to prevent the repatriation of Tigrayn IDPs. It is, therefore, vital that the Ethiopian federal government and other stakeholders work together to facilitate the return of Tigrayan IDPs and ensure the full implementation of the COHA.

Lastly, justice and accountability for the victims and survivors of the Tigray Genocide remains a distant possibility and elusive. However, in June 2024, a report by New Lines Institute, produced by a team of independent experts in international law, found that there is a reasonable basis to believe that Ethiopian, Eritrean, and Amhara forces committed genocide against the Tigrayan people. As did the authors of this report, we urge the international community to explore and facilitate international mechanisms and pathways for justice and accountability for the people of Tigray.