Ethiopia: A Joint Press Release by Salsay Weyane Tigray (SaWeT), National Congress of Great Tigray (Baytone) and Tigray Independence Party (TIP) regarding the press release by the US State department (03.03.2021)

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF): Main points on the humanitarian situation in Ethiopia (02.03.2021)

More than three months into the crisis, MSF is very concerned about the humanitarian situation in Tigray. Hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to leave their homes after fighting broke out in early November, 2020, according to OCHA. As of mid-February, more than 60,000 people have crossed to Sudan as refugees, while many others are displaced within the region, staying in towns, remote areas or trapped between localised outbreaks of fighting.

In the areas MSF teams have been able to access, displaced people and conflict-affected communities have very limited access to basic services, like food, clean water and shelter. Shortages of food and supplies and the interruption of essential services like electricity are having a devastating impact on the population and affecting access to medical care and livelihoods.

Most of the health facilities our teams visited in the towns and peripheral areas of Tigray visited so far were non-functional. It is crucial to restore essential life-saving services, including medical care, in Tigray to meet the population’s basic needs

We are particularly worried about the food situation, which was already bad before the fighting broke out. The fighting started at harvest time in a region where crops were already badly damaged by desert locusts, leaving food in short supply.

The scale of humanitarian needs is alarming and the response on the ground is still extremely limited. Access remains challenging, but is possible in some areas. MSF is scaling up medical activities in Adigrat, Adwa, Abyi Addi, Axum, Adwa, Dansha, Hiwane, Humera, West Tigray and Shire and Shiraro areas and we see huge needs requiring an urgent scale up of principled and humanitarian assistance.

Safe and unimpeded access for humanitarian assistance and population’s access to services needs to be ensured in all areas of Tigray. There are still large parts of the region where MSF teams and other humanitarian organizations have not been able to gain meaningful access.

MSF response in the context of the Tigray crisis:

MSF teams have been providing medical care to some of the most affected people in the Tigray region since mid-December 2020 by providing basic primary healthcare to the displaced people and fighting-affected communities, as well as facilitating referral of critically-ill patients to secondary level of care facilities. Our teams also donated emergency and essential supplies such as medications, oxygen and food for patients, and rehabilitated key services of badly damaged health structures in all those areas we could access so far.

As of the end of February 2021, MSF teams are supporting 5 hospitals. We are also supporting health centres and are running mobile clinics in over 25 locations. Note: the number of locations with mobile clinics keeps changing constantly as teams are expanding outreach activities to new locations on a weekly basis.

Opinion: Abiy will work on overtime to save his image ahead of the election

The Ethiopian Prime Minister Ahmed Ali Abiy and his Prosperity Party (PP) will work ahead to clean its image. No matter what sort of reports, reporting or stories that comes out from the Federal Republic. His supposed to look good ahead of elections. That is something he needs to be crowned king later in the year.

That is why all authorities, state agencies and such is putting in so much efforts to “debunk” and “dismiss” any negative story about the warfare in the Tigray Region. A war brings atrocities and deaths. That is just a matter of fact. When you operate a war and conflict. There will be blood spilled and no mercy on innocent civilians who get caught in the cross-fire. Even if the Prime Minister promise to not hurt any civilian. His army has most likely killed civilians either by bullets or by default for closing roads, shattering access and hunting for the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).

The TPLF will do their bidding against their enemies. They have to stand responsible for its actions. However, they are not in the same pickle as Abiy. Abiy have to look good and astute as a statesman. While his acting as a warlord. The PP and Abiy have already named the TPLF a Terrorist Organization and Outlawed them. So, no matter what they do. They will “win” in the end. As the state have stand accountable for the conflict and the rebuilding of the region. That is not something you can pin on the former ally and coalition partner TPLF.

That is why Abiy have hired lobbyists to look better and get better coverage. Why his government has allowed 7 media houses to cover the region and now opening up unfettered access to humanitarian organizations too. That after claiming to do so much humanitarian work itself as a government. Who is there with Eritrean army, Amhara Para-Military Group “FANO” and own national army fighting on enemy, which it has now been doing since early November 2020. A conflict that was supposed have ended in late November close to December of 2020. We are now in end of February and soon March 2021. This sad tragic conflict seems to have no end and no positive outcome in close proximity.

Even if the Prime Minister needs to grow trees, opening up industrial parks and prove agricultural output. The PM needs to show the quality of the coffee and the basis of financial growth. While asking IMF and World Bank to cover his deficits. As the state is struggling financially and needs to still look vibrant ahead. All for the sake perception, as he cannot tank everything.

Especially, when his “reforms” only have let the world see more pain and suffering. The reforms have only arrested development and detained the opposition. If has detained it… he has silenced it and outlawed it. If it is in Ogaden, Oromia or in Tigray. There is all a bloodshed, people detained and paying the price for the wrong association. That is the reaction his leadership has brought, while he consolidated one coalition into one party. The others he brought peace with after getting power is behind bars. That is the tragic enterprise of this man.

Abiy is only in it for total power. He doesn’t care how many who dies or get in chains. As long as his crowned king. The warlord, the emperor and the sovereign who gives no fucks about the consequences of his actions. As long as he gets all the glory and festivities. He needs the salutes and the praise.

That is why Abiy is reacting now. Giving some ways and speaking of investigations. Even though they will end up nowhere. Just like the Court Orders helping Oromo leaders behind bars. They are shunned and doesn’t matter, as the “Superior Order” have more value then the rule of law. That because the pride of Abiy is mattering to much. He can do this, because he has the state power and doesn’t intend to loose it.

He has to calculate ahead. As the devastations and atrocities will come out. The reports and stories, which entails horrific acts and violations against humanity. Where there been blunt destruction, death and assault on a region. All to prove a point. Burning villages and killing anyone in sight. That is the stories of war and Tigray will be no different. The media blackout, social media blackout , telephone jamming and such have helped to lesser the leaks. Only later witness stories have been let out by refugees fleeing to Sudan. Where the state also claims war-criminals have fled to safety from the state and they want them returned. So, they are planning to persist their attacks on the region for a long time.

Just as the peacekeepers from Tigray was assaulted in Juba,as their time in South Sudan was over and the commando took charge and beat them into submission there. That says it all about the state of affairs. When even the ones serving and the ones who await punishment coming home. They want to avoid that, but is punished before even entering a plane “home”. This is a story, which is reflecting how the state operates and is leaked, because it happened in Juba and not in Addis Ababa.

Abiy doesn’t want that and wants that dismissed. Its inaccurate and always wrong. Just like any other story. However, he can lie and deflect. He can say things that is easily to see is wrong. Like the time he claimed only “youth” was refugees. That was easily debunked, but proves his character and his will to peddle own propaganda for his cause. Therefore, they will go after the ones who dare to question and will most like silence the ones that dares to talk. Especially, ahead of the elections.

When Abiy again needs to be the golden child and be the poster-boy of modernity. Abiy needs to be figure and posture of flair. He cannot look like or talk like a warlord, even if his actions speak of those. As the dead are mounting up and the unknown costs of the Law Enforcement Operation is in the air. Since, the state keeps that hidden and don’t want that out.

What we do know… is that Abiy needs to look good, even when he does bad. Abiy needs to look like a saint, but that is impossible. When his men is killing civilians on a daily basis. Peace.

Ethiopia: Office of the Prime Minister – Unfettered humanitarian access and joint investigations in the Tigray Region (26.02.2021)

Ethiopia: Tigray is not all accessible for humanitarian organizations

The Office of the Prime Minster Ahmed Ali Abiy published today a statement, which it did refute the idea that humanitarian agencies lack of access in the Tigray Region. A region where there been 4 months of conflict since 4th November 2020. All of this time, there been hot-minutes of entries, but not a fully operational of humanitarian operations there.

The Law Enforcement Operation have made things volatile and a huge humanitarian crisis of such proportions that we cannot have idea about. This because several of parties have been involved in the warfare there. This being the Ethiopian Army, Eritrean Army and Amhara Para-Military troops (FANO). These three allies are going after the outlawed and now deemed “terrorist” organization Tigray People’s Libeartion Front (TPLF). The TPLF have their own milita and its known as Samri. Therefore, the additional damage done and made by the warfare is still unknown.

There been little report. The media has had an blackout. The internet blockade was lasting super-long. The telephone lines was jammed. The journalists and aid agencies was not allowed to enter. The stories we got was from the 60,000 refugees seeking asylum in Sudan. Where camps was set-up and aid agencies got help them inside Sudan. Therefore, the Ethiopian government know very well what they have done to its citizens and civilians in Tigray.

Yes, OCHA have now dropped a map that is revealing, as the state wants to brush over the fact of lack of control and also places the aid agencies can go. Even if they now allows them full access. That is now impossible…

The snap-shot map of Tigray says it all. No matter what the PM says in his statement. The United Nations doesn’t have a reason to lie about this, but Abiy does… as he needs a better image of himself and his actions in office. His soon having a fake-election where most of his opposition is either behind bars, detained, killed or blocked from participating. That is the natural beauty of this postponed enterprise.

In this manner… Abiy and the Prosperity Party needs some flair to light up this fiasco. As the warfare in Tigray have backfired. His looking like a warlord. The PM is killing his own citizens. Using soldiers to participate in atrocities and war-crimes in the region. The Federal Government will blame and lie its TPLF fault. But how long can they be able to sell that story? As they are doing what they can to peddle the lies and try to deceive the international community.

The PP and Addis Ababa government wants the world to believe and smell roses. They wants it all to fine and dandy. While people are suffering. The army and allies are destroying a region, because they defied and didn’t follow the command of Abiy. That is why we are here and the constitutional dispute has become a giant worm that is destroying itself.

That is why Abiy needs the lies. Abiy needs the goodwill and look like a gentlemen. He don’t want to look like a warlord, even if his acts states so. That is why he needs … International Community to back his efforts and his government. Therefore, the picturesque catastrophe he has created in Tigray will haunt him. All the lives, massacres, rapes and other human rights violations will follow him. Just as aid agents and journalists have been killed there. But remember… these deaths will always be blamed on either the victim or TPLF. That is the game the state plays and how it will end.

Prime Minister Abiy and his office can promise and say they want all Tigray to get humanitarian access. However, the truth is far from it. The state doesn’t even have access or safe areas for it. That is because the warfare and the enemy they have created by going to war in early November. A war they had prepared in Amhara region and flown in troops to Eritrea to attack the region from two sides. While blaming TPLF for attacking the Northern Command, which was just the latest straw, but we are supposed to forget the troops movement, mechanical brigade and airlifting troops from Ethiopia to Eritrea in advance. Because that happens in no time. It takes time to move massive amounts of troops. Therefore, the Ethiopian-Eritrean war in Tigray was planned in advance and wasn’t an last attempt. Even if the state will claim so.. it doesn’t add up.

A warlord wants to be saved and get glory. A warlord wants to be legendary. His battles and the heads of his enemies as his trophies. He clearly aim at them all to be supreme in the election. That is all that’s into it. If he had nothing to hide. He wouldn’t have it like this and acted with such acts. However, he has and now he got to save face. Even though that will not work. When the truth differs from his reality. He wants the PR shots and Pressers. The PM wants the showers of praise and glory, but he will not take responsibility for all the lives his taken and going to take, just to prove a point in Tigray. Peace.

Ethiopia: Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) – Updates on Tigray Region (24.02.2021)

Sudan: Thousands of Ethiopians seek asylum in Sudan’s Blue Nile State (23.02.2021)

This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at today’s press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

23 February 2021

Several thousand people fleeing escalating violence in Ethiopia’s Benishangul Gumuz region have sought safety in Sudan’s Blue Nile State over the last month.

Tensions have been high in the Metekel Zone since 2019 with several reports of inter-communal attacks in the region. The situation has rapidly escalated in the past three months. The federal Government of Ethiopia declared a state of emergency in the area on 21 January 2021.

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is working closely with Sudanese authorities and partners to assess the situation and respond to the humanitarian needs of the newly arrived, many of whom have arrived in hard-to-reach locations along the border.

Benishangul Gumuz is in western Ethiopia. The current displacement is not directly related to conflict in the country’s northern Tigray region which have pushed more than 61,000 to seek safety in Sudan in recent months.

Out of the 7,000 people estimated to have arrived in Blue Nile State, nearly 3,000 have been registered. This number is expected to increase as the verification exercise continues in all the locations where refugees are being hosted.

In the past weeks, UNHCR and partners have already provided humanitarian assistance to nearly 1,000 refugees in Yabatcher, on Sudan-Ethiopia border. Refugees have received food, access to health, water and sanitation facilities, and aid supplies.

The majority of these asylum-seekers are living among the Sudanese host community who continue to welcome people seeking safety. UNHCR and partners will continue to ramp up the response to support the government in its response.

Opinion: Gen. Museveni is condescending towards the EU Envoys

We don’t see you as enemies, remove all the diversions and concentrate on the shared goals and help one another for the prosperity of our people” (…) “By involving yourselves in matters that you don’t understand, even if you do understand, you should not get involved because this kind of misconduct can lead to many serious consequences and suffering of the people like it happened in some African countries” – President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni to the European Union Envoy on Thursday at Entebbe State House 18th February 2021.

Well, General Museveni, the Self-Styled President for Life and junta leader showed his true self. We know he still believes his the only man with a vision. The President still believes he understands everything and got the right hunch. This man believes his self-righteous and has the God given rights to rule supreme indefinitely. That is apparent by his actions and how he runs his state.

The General is the Personification of the state. It is his final orders that is fatal for people. It is his decisions to address or fix bottlenecks. However, Museveni misses one key aspect now. He cannot control information or reports across borders. The National Resistance Movement (NRM) cannot decide what sort of intel or reporting that comes elsewhere. They are getting stories, documents and proofs of actions made. Which in the past would have been kept confidential. That is why his speaking this way. Because, he still thinks he can control the narrative and get the envelope.

The General should know better, but the “Panda Gari’s” was something you was supposed to get rid off. However, you have re-issued them for the opposition and the National Unity Platform (NUP). It is not like the outside world is seeing your tyranny and suffering you putting on people. Just so you can rule into a 4 decade. Because, that is all that matters… and everything else is fair game. People are dying and extra judicial killings is now common. That is tragic, but the abductions, keeping people incommunicado and torturing them. That is why EU is sanctioning you and your regime.

Museveni wants to be allowed to be a War-Lord … and be praised for being so. He wants honour, statutes and be known liberator. Nevertheless, the people aren’t free just because the elite is eating and his closest associates are getting wealthy on crippling the state. Kudos to the pain and suffering you are giving the general public, dissidents and lack of government delivery to its citizens.

He wants to be honoured and getting kisses of the ring, which his used to by the 169 Presidential Advisors and his huge cabinet. All of the NRM Party is a machine built around him. Just like he has done with the state. That is why his letters are vital and the way things moves. Not to mention the NRM Caucuses at Entebbe State House. Where the final decisions are made in co-operation with NRM Central Executive Committee (NRM CEC). Its all run by him… and that is why he doesn’t want get questioned or even resolutions against him. That is not how you supposed to operate, because nobody else does. He is used to being worshipped, the uncrowned monarch and demi-god, which deserves to hailed in all of his glory. A man who needs to preserved as a living legend and a treasure to humanity. The EU Envoys needs to know this, because that is the case.

That is why his really showing his colours when he states things like this. He wants to rule indefinitely without any accountability or transparency. The General wants to eat their money and not be held accountable for it. Because, he see it as his money and not for the development, agencies or whatnot it was supposed to go too. No, it is his funds and he knows how to spend it. However, he didn’t raise it or are entitled to it. Still, he will feel hurt if they suddenly doesn’t drop him grants or aid in his favour. Since, he knows the issues and they don’t, but he does need their money. That is how I am understanding it.

The coins can always come… Museveni will always need a helicopter, SUV, ranch or a fancy plane. The old man always needs some more expensive gadgets and tools to keep himself in shape. That is why he needs the EU Envoy to continue to facilitate his government deficits… but they are not supposed to involved in the business in general. They are supposed to sign checks and shut-up. They don’t understand it anyway, but their money is all good. That is the moral of this story.

General Museveni to the rescue. He can spend your money, but don’t you dare insult his intelligence by questioning his uses of violence, human rights violations or oppressive behaviour to continue to stay in power. The EU is supposed to look the other way and just give him the shillings. So he can use the tear-gas, guns and “safe-houses” to silence his critics. Because, what do they know? Nothing right? Peace.

Somalia: UN and Government of Somalia call for urgent scaling up of emergency response as 2.65 million Somalis are projected to be in acute hunger (17.02.2021)

17 February 2021, Mogadishu – Over 2.6 million people in Somalia are expected to be in extreme food insecurity according to the latest joint technical assessment released by the Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit (FSNAU) of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET). The report cites poor rainfall, flooding and desert locusts among the main contributing factors and warns that the situation could worsen through mid-2021 in the absence of large-scale and sustained humanitarian assistance.

FAO and the Government of Somalia have emphasized the urgency to increase support to sustain ongoing desert locust control and surveillance efforts, and to provide rapid emergency assistance over the coming months.

“Despite relative progress, there has been a new upsurge of desert locusts that has destroyed crops. We will continue working as a combined force to combat the threat of Desert Locusts and mitigate the potential of a more devastating outcome,” said Said Hussein Iid, Somalia’s Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation.

The report highlights that desert locusts will continue to pose a serious risk of damage to both pasture and crops countrywide through mid-2021. In addition, available forecasts indicate an increased likelihood of below-average rainfall during the 2021 Gu (April-June) season across most of the country, which would further exacerbate food and nutrition insecurity for millions of people.

“With the Government’s support, our teams and partners have maintained operations in control and surveillance, while delivering crucial humanitarian assistance and livelihood support during extremely challenging circumstances. Expanding the emergency response is crucial and underway, with a focus on interventions aimed at reducing food consumption gaps, saving lives, and protecting and preserving livelihoods,” said Etienne Peterschmitt, FAO Representative in Somalia.

From July to December 2020, assistance reached more than 1.8 million people per month on average in parts of Somalia. This large-scale humanitarian and government support helped to minimize the magnitude of the crisis and funding is needed urgently to boost efforts to reduce the new food security threats the country is currently facing.

Approximately 1.6 million people face Crisis (IPC Phase 3) or worse outcomes in the presence of planned humanitarian assistance during the first quarter of 2021. An additional 2.5 million people are Stressed (IPC Phase 2), bringing the total number of people experiencing acute food insecurity to 4.1 million. This also includes approximately 840 000 children under the age of five who are likely to be acutely malnourished, including nearly 143 000 who are likely to be severely malnourished. According to FSNAU-FEWS NET, from April to June 2021, food insecurity is expected to deteriorate. largely among poor rural, urban and displaced populations, due to the multitude of threats and crises. Humanitarian assistance must be sustained through mid-2021 to prevent Crisis (IPC Phase 3) or Emergency (IPC Phase 4) outcomes for nearly 2.7 million people.

“Somalia’s long-standing crises are compounded now by the ‘triple threat’ of the COVID-19 pandemic, Desert Locust infestations and climatic shocks,” said the UN Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General Adam Abdelmoula, who also serves as the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia. “We must continue to work with all humanitarian partners to ensure the most vulnerable Somalis are able to withstand the challenges and build resilience against future shocks. I urge all partners to work together across the humanitariandevelopment and -peacebuilding paths to address the root causes of these crises and build lasting solutions that leave no one behind,” he added.

Republique Centrafricaine: UNHCR appeals for access as Central African displacement soars (12.02.2021)

This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR spokesperson Boris Cheshirkov – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

GENEVA, Switzerland, February 12, 2021 – UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is appealing for humanitarian access to reach tens of thousands of people in dire need after they fled  escalating violence, clashes, and military operations in the Central African Republic (CAR), a country where almost one third of the population is now forcibly displaced.

Increasing attacks against humanitarian workers and blocked key supply routes are hampering UNHCR and other humanitarian organizations’ ability to assist internally displaced Central Africans. The humanitarian situation has deteriorated, increasing the suffering of an already vulnerable population.

Humanitarians have been targeted and have had their offices looted and their vehicles stolen. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), 66 such incidents occurred in January, the highest number ever recorded in a single month in CAR. In December 2020, one humanitarian worker was killed, and five others injured.

Clashes, military operations, and blockades along the main road connecting CAR to Cameroon are preventing the delivery of supplies, causing prices in affected areas to skyrocket as much as 240 per cent for imported staple foods and up to 44 per cent for local goods. This also impacts the delivery of humanitarian relief from the capital Bangui with dire consequences for people in urgent need of food, health care products, water and sanitation, essential household items, and shelter.

Despite these challenges, UNHCR is working closely with national authorities, humanitarian partners, and the United Nations peacekeeping operation, MINUSCA, to continue distributing lifesaving items at accessible sites. Last week, our supplies reached some 4,600 people from over 740 households in Bouar, a town some 450 kilometers from Bangui.

Since December when the crisis began, OCHA estimates that more than 100,000 people have been displaced inside CAR. Most are living in deplorable conditions in the bush for fear of fresh attacks on their villages.

According to figures from state authorities in neighbouring countries, at least 107,000 people have also fled across borders into the Democratic Republic of the Congo (92,053), Cameroon (5,730), Chad (6,726), and the Republic of Congo (2,984). This brings the total number of Central Africans displaced in their country and across the region to over 1.5 million – nearly a third of the country’s total population of 4.8 million.

Inside CAR, UNHCR continues to receive reports of grave human rights violations, including arbitrary arrest, illegal detention, torture, extortion, armed robbery, assault, restricted movement, expropriation and looting. Sexual violence – including against young children – is on the rise as insecurity creates a climate of lawlessness and impunity.

UNHCR teams have reported recurrent violations of the humanitarian principles of the IDP sites. We reiterate our call for meaningful dialogue to de-escalate tensions, as well as sustained and robust support from the international community to ensure that the effective humanitarian response is resumed and prospects for solutions are strengthened.