Ethiopia: The war never ceased in Tigray – The Tripartite Alliance just needed reinforcements

The civil warfare that started in early November last year never stopped. The “unilateral ceasefire” which was announced on the 28th June 2021 was utter rubbish. The Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF), Amhara Special Forces or Para-Military Group “Fano” never left and that¨s why the Tigray Defence Forces (TDF) have fought to take back territories to this day.

The Prosperity Party and the Prime Minister can act like it ceased. However, we know with the TDF taking back Mekelle. That the TDF humiliated the Tripartite Alliance, the ENDF, Eritrean Defence Force (EDF) and “Fano”. They dismantled their forces, captured plenty of their soldiers and was able for two weeks to go into successive wins on the battlefield. That’s why the “unilateral ceasefire” happened, because the Federal State and its allies was losing ground.

Now, today the Prime Minister has called for retaliations. After the TDF is getting closer to the borders of the regional states. As it is taking back the territories the Amhara and others have annexed from the Tigray region. This is showing the acts of the state and that they had a long-term plan for this, but it has backfired as the TDF have grown in strength.

Today its revealed that the Sidama and Oromia Special Forces are now recruited as reinforcement to the continued warfare. The Prime Minister is seeking whatever brigades or armed forces he has at his disposal. Since, the war has already cost and the National Army has had heavy losses of late. The same must have happened to the Amhara Special Forces and “Fano” as well. Therefore, the brief warfare of November 2020 is still persisting.

The state is still willing to wage war and tried to besiege the region. Close it off, have a total blockade and lock it out. The Federal Government have made it hard for humanitarian organizations to deliver aid and food. As the man-made famine is still on-going. The catastrophe of the Tigray region isn’t over and the Federal Government haven’t done anything to really do it any good. They haven’t held talks or even tried to concede with the Regional Government of Tigray. Instead it has gone after it and vilified it even more. That’s why today’s statement is telling and news of reinforcement says it all.

The Tripartite alliance and its allies hadn’t given up this war. The warlords was ready for another battle and find new ways of going after the TPLF. They are trying to find new ways of propaganda and lies about their acts. So, that they can have a moral grounds for it. While the PM talks of saving children. Him and his allies had no issues targeting all woman and sexually assault them, even mass-rape them. The state had no issue causing famine and destroying people’s livelihood. The state had no issues to do what it could of looting and destruction of a region in the previous months. So, it is hard to believe that the PM wages this war to save the children of Tigray. Who is he kidding here? Who is he trying to fool? The Nobel Peace Prize committee, maybe?

Surely, the Law Enforcement Operation is still active. Now, the new fresh blood is coming from Oromia and Sidama. Don’t be shocked if previous troops who has been stationed in Somalia suddenly ends up on the border regions to Tigray. The state needs to reinforce its borders and quickly too. The ENDF already lost several thousands of soldiers as a prisoners of war (POW). Clearly, the state has to deploy other men to take their place.

TDF have shown heart and ability far beyond what the Tripartite Alliance could imagine. PM Abiy thought a few weeks and this would be a done deal. However, he didn’t know who he was fighting and neither did his allies. That’s why the “unilateral ceasefire” wasn’t about stopping the war, but changing the guards. The “ceasefire” was about buying time and finding new means to an end. Peace.

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Ethiopia: Abiy’s lies is catching up with him fast

The Tigray Defence Force (TDF) has since the “unilateral ceasefire” been preoccupied with battles to continue to liberate the Tigray region. The “ceasefire” of 28th June 2021 wasn’t sincere. Since the Amhara Special Forces, Ethiopian National Defence Forces (ENDF) and Amhara Para-Military Force “Fano” have still continued to annex land. That’s why the “ceasefire” announced from the state was insincere.

Just like the whole Law Enforcement Operation wasn’t about liberating the Tigray people. Neither was it to give the general public a democratic alternative. No, it was just to consolidate all power, which has been the objective of the Prosperity Party under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali. This has all been revealed since the end of June 2021.

Now we are in the middle of July and with the recent statement from the PM is very telling:

The Government of Ethiopia has paid sacrifices in declaring the ceasefire, and it was a choice made consciously to give peace a last chance. But true to its form, the TPLF chose violence to peace. It has demonstrated that it cannot survive without engaging in conflict. It has continued to use child soldiers by numbing them through drugs. The Ethiopian Defense Force is obligated to protect these kids. The ceasefire could not bear desired fruits due to people who could not appreciate the sacrifices that the Government of Ethiopia has paid for the sake of the people of Tigray” (Abiy, 14.07.2021).

What is striking here is that his blaming the TPLF. We knew that would be the case… and he wouldn’t speak the truth. That despite the ceasefire… the ENDF, the allies and such was still behind blocking everything entering the region. The humanitarian organizations has to take a longer route to Tigray region. They have to be assessed and the state got to check all humanitarian convoys there.

That’s why the TDF and the Regional Government of Tigray have to continue to fight to get their territories back. Since, the “ceasefire” was only announced, but not signed between the parties. Neither, did the Addis Ababa government anything to give back electricity, water, telephone-lines and internet. The total blockade has continued and it’s now revealed that its happening in Northern Afar region in the bordering woredas towards Tigray.

He continues:

The TPLF junta was lamenting that the Government of Ethiopia had been using starvation as a weapon of war. However, when the Federal Government declared the unilateral humanitarian ceasefire, the Junta soon forgets the famine accusations and intensified its military activities. The international community also soon forgets its pronouncements on looming famine in the Tigray region. They said nothing while the Junta recruits children as soldiers. They even tend to point fingers at the Government of Ethiopia even when the Junta makes humanitarian corridors as centers of military conflicts” (Abiy, 14.07.2021).

Here we are seeing the willing to lie and deception the PM is doing. That his government is screening anything arriving in Ethiopia. The blocking of humanitarian convoys has been done by the government and the Amhara Regional State has made it even harder for humanitarian organization to operate. That’s why the World Food Programme (WFP) finally had one convoy this week, but that shows how limited this has been. In the middle of famine and the man made efforts of the state, which have been reported by the Interim Government who fled Mekelle in the end of June 2021. So, the state that Abiy runs and his handlers was the ones saying the farming output had been destroyed and the agricultural sector was destroyed by the warfare. Therefore, this isn’t an accusation, but something his own government have verified in past!

He ends with:

The people of Ethiopia should understand that our domestic and external enemies are working in unison to sow dissent and mistrust among us. The Government urges the people of Ethiopia to stand together and continue supporting the ENDF in every way possible and defend the country’s sovereignty and reverse the threat posed by internal and external enemies of the country” (Abiy, 14.07.2021).

He speaks of dissent and again of mistrust. That coming from a leader who is willing to lie about everything. He lied about Eritrean Defence Force (EDF) involvement in the conflict. The PM was willing to lie about the demographics of the refugees from Tigray in Sudan. The same man was willing to lie about the reasons for the conflict and warfare in Tigray in the first place.

That man is speaking of mistrust and sowing dissent… that says a lot in 2021. Like we don’t remember all the other lies he has said. That is just water under the bridge and the PM’s own authorities has gone after the ones who actually have tried to report and do their jobs as journalists.

The PM is making everyone who isn’t behind him as enemies. Anyone who doesn’t support his causes and what he believes in. People are supposed to naturally believe his words and his stances. Without any questions and be praising his leadership. That’s the tragic reality here. As he uses patriotic means to destroy his own people and citizens of Tigray. That’s what’s outrageous and deserves to be pointed out.

Abiy will make everyone who is not behind him as enemies. Just like he has done with opponents, political parties and now continuing with the people of Tigray. Peace.

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Ethiopia: Statement by UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi on the situation of Eritrean refugees in Ethiopia’s Tigray Region (13.07.2021)

UNHCR calls on all parties and actors to not only comply with their international legal obligations.

GENEVA, Switzerland, July 13, 2021 – I am extremely concerned about the conditions of Eritrean refugees in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. Since the outbreak of hostilities in November 2020, they have been deeply affected by the violence and insecurity that has engulfed the region. They have been caught up between warring groups, two refugee camps have been completely destroyed, and tens of thousands of Eritrean refugees were forced to flee – yet again – for their lives. We have received credible and corroborated reports of reprisal attacks, abductions, arrests, and violence meted out against Eritrean refugees for their perceived affiliation with one side or the other throughout this bloody conflict.

I have been disturbed by general criminality against refugees committed, mainly at night, by various armed actors in the Mai Aini and Adi Harush refugee camps. In the past weeks, hundreds of Eritreans have been arrested in Shire. We have sought clarity from the authorities in Mekelle and have requested access to and the immediate release of any unlawfully detained refugees and asylum seekers. We have also heard reports of other very serious allegations of violence against Eritrean refugees and have called on both the Federal Government and the Tigray Regional Government to launch formal investigations into all credible allegations.

The violence and intimidation of Eritrean refugees must stop. Refugees are civilians in need of and with the right to international protection. UNHCR calls on all parties and actors to not only comply with their international legal obligations, including the protection of civilians but also to stop using and manipulating refugees to score political points.

Our collective focus must instead be on ensuring their protection – including from violence, arrest, and abduction – and stepping up assistance to them. This means urgently constructing a safe new camp for Eritrean refugees who were previously living in the now destroyed Shimelba and Hitsats camps. It means being able to access fuel and cash to run our operations to assist refugees and the two million other displaced people in the Tigray region. It means restoring essential banking services, as well as electricity and communications networks, which are – along with security – essential to ramp up the humanitarian response. And it means opening the airports in Shire and Mekelle, as well as all land routes into Tigray from neighboring regions of Ethiopia so that humanitarians can get more help into the hands of those in need – Eritrean refugees and all other impacted civilians in Tigray.

UNHCR is scaling up its response both in the delivery of relief materials and in the deployment of more senior personnel. But protecting civilians, including Eritrean refugees, and greater efforts to facilitate the humanitarian relief effort are urgently needed by all parties.