Ethiopia: Prime Minister Abiy blocking aid to Tigray

There needs to be clarity as it pertains to UN access for humanitarian assistance. The agreement signed is for assistance to be led and coordinated by the Ethiopian government. No entity, multilateral or unilateral can supplant the responsibility of the government”– Ethiopian Ambassador to Eritrea Redwan Hussain (08.12.2020)

In moments like these it’s easy to loose hope in humanity. As the ice-cold hearted men are ruling in impunity and in injustice. They are not only ordering war together with allies, but brutally stopping United Nations and other Humanitarian Organizations access to the battle-torn region. As they are blocking World Food Programme and others access to the Tigray Region. The National Army has already killed UN Personnel after the “ceasing” of “warfare” and the fourth phase was starting. Alas, the government wasn’t honest about that either.

The government and Eritrean forces is still battling it out in Tigray. God knows the consequences and the damage being done. The amount of looting, gender violence and blunt killings. As the state hasn’t allowed reporting nor investigations into the matters. Only self-serving propaganda and media releases, which benefits their cause and not the whole truth. Just like the TPLF is dropping their dozes and their stories to benefit them. Therefore, both parties are blinding the perspective, while blocking for a third eye to see the deal.

The Humanitarian Corridor have been blocked, as it was a week ago the United Nations and Federal Governments signed an agreement. This is happening after weeks of reporting of blocked borders and shelling of towns and Mekelle in Tigray. There over 50,000 civilians who has fled to Sudan and who knows whose hurting more. As there are reports of raids, looting factories and taking assets from the region. We cannot imagine the horror or the suffering happening right now.

This is happening while the UN and World Food Programme haven’t been allowed to enter since 4th November 2020. That is over a month without logistics and manpower to the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), the Eritrean refugees and citizens lacking basic commodities. As the state and the army have blocked them from entering. That is grave act against humanity to block food, water and basic commodities to enter the region.

That the Prosperity Party and Prime Minister Ahmed Ali Abiy can do this and continue to freeze accounts, block telephone-lines and internet. Is all big black-out of information in combination of blocking international reporters and journalists from writing on it too. As the Federal Government only wants their “victory” and “fluff” pieces out.

The Ethiopian authorities doesn’t want the truth. The brutal truth. The reality and the hardships, the amount of deaths, the killings and the crimes against humanity out. They want it silenced as they know what they are doing, but doesn’t want it told. If they had nothing to fear or nothing to loose. They would have opened up the floodgates, as this is free food and commodities. The state isn’t paying for it or delivering it. No, its foreigners and international funds collective engagement securing the basic needs of starving citizens. This isn’t taxpayer money from Addis Ababa or revenue earned from exports. No, this is international solidarity given to the region of Tigray.

The humanitarian effort given by the United Nations and others are by the donors making it possible. Not committee controlled and working for the Ethiopian government. No, they are coming there because the Ethiopian government doesn’t have the capacity or the heart to help its own. This is why a “third force” is entering with a mandate of peace and shelter. Something the Federal Government cannot sufficiently deliver or have the ability to serve its citizens.

If everything was fine and dandy. Then the UN and World Food Programme wouldn’t need to come. However, the dire needs and the situation at hand. Their hands and their services are needed. Because, the Addis Ababa clearly doesn’t have it or can do it. If they did, then it would have happen a month ago. Peace.

Ethiopia: Tigray Region Humanitarian Update – Situation Report No. 7 (01.12.2020)

Phillippines: UN extends call for help to Typhoon Vamco-affected areas in Northern Luzon (27.11.2020)

Ethiopia: Prime Minister Abiy – What are you hiding?

When you don’t want interference or want to be accountable to use your sovereign stance. I wonder, what are you hiding? What is that your not telling or what to say to the International Community? Since the Prosperity Party and the Federal Government of Ethiopia would be challenged if the International Community abandoned it.

Let’s say the World Bank, International Monetary Funds, USAID, EU and everyone else giving direct donor support of the PP and Prime Minister Ahmed Ali Abiy government. These people should suspend their direct government budget support, as these monies are funnelling civil-war and warfare in the Tigray Region. While the same support is used to take political prisoners and create a media black-out in the Republic. Where only the voices of the Addis Ababa elites and the ones loyal enough to the PM can report. Therefore, God knows what is really happening.

If the PM wants to be sovereign. He should be sovereign on his own dime and the direct revenue of the Federal Republic. The IMF and World Bank, the Foreign donors and others should give him funds to cover the fiscal discrepancies he might have. Since, he clearly has money for war and fighting his own battles. Which he don’t want to say call it that, but calling it “Law Enforcement Operation” which has been going on since 3rd November 2020.

A man who wanted to be known for peace. A man who could easily mediate in foreign lands himself. However, he doesn’t want to have direct mediation in his own conflicts. Only his stories are to be sold. Everything else is to be shelved. If you speak up against him. You are speaking against the Republic. Even if you fear for the lives of civilians, refugees and the ones fleeing conflict. A war between brothers who turned guns against each other.

The Prime Minister are you hiding anything? Since you don’t want the International Community to look into your actions? Are you afraid of what their “fresh” eyes or what they might hear? Are you afraid of the outcry and the pain you have caused on civilians? Do you fear the witness reports from fleeing citizens in Sudan?

Eventually, the stories will not be in your favour. Even if you block everything and only blast your news. The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) wants their stories out to be in a good light. As they also will act with vengeance and retaliate. The TPLF will either be defensive or find an angle that make you look evil. That is all natural, just like your colouring them as treasonous people and terrorists after working with them for years in the EPRDF. This is why, I am sure and I know the TPLF have done evil in government. However, you have the army now and can cause lot of more suffering then they can at the very moment. You have the government, the army and the legitimacy as PM to cause much more harm than they can. They can finally and in the end… only create a guerrilla war, which you started on the 3rd November and will haunt you as long as you rule.

So, with all of this in mind. What are you hiding? What are you afraid of leaking or questions you cannot stomach? For a man who is bold enough to order people’s death and bombing towns with ease. How come you cannot answer questions of your donors and the ones keeping your government afloat financially?

Maybe, Mr. Prime Minister, you shouldn’t have accepted their money and their funds. If you didn’t want them to bother you. If you wanted to be totally sovereign. Your government shouldn’t have taken direct budget support. The International Community should with this message. Suspend the Direct Government Support and Budget Support. They should instead spend that on UN Organizations helping the IDPs and refugees in Sudan. They should instead help the ones who fighting for the justice, liberty and freedom within the Republic. The IC should support CSOs and NGOs who are working to help Oromos in need and Tigrayans in need now. Also, all the other places where the government use law enforcement to stifle dissent. Since, the government doesn’t want interference. Let’s support the local CSOs and NGOs who actually help the public. Not to fund a war, but fund the people in need.

Prime Minister Abiy, as long as you accept others people’s money to bankroll your government. You should expect that they will look under your skirt and question your actions. The moment you stop eating it and enjoying the perks of other people’s money. You might feel even more sovereign. Just think about that.

As long as you have military operations against your own. People will question you and your actions. Wonder how much pain, suffering and if you are violating the Geneva Convention or crimes against humanity. At this very moment we cannot know, as you are shielding the information and the flow of reports. However, with time the truth the will come out. While you are really showing your true nature to the whole wide world.

Your not a man of peace, but another War-Lord who wants to be unaccountable and only wants fanfare. Peace.

Somaliland: Ministery of Planning and National Development – Subject: Ministerial Circular (25.10.2020)

Ethiopia: Will the World Bank accept the blocking of the funding of the Safety Net Program in Tigray?

The World Bank together with development partners has supported a Safety Net Development projects since the financial year of 2018 and it’s supposed to end by 31st December 2020. It is called by them Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP). This is supposed to support farmers and secure food security across the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE).

Clearly, the fallout between the Tigray and Addis Ababa. The result of the political stalemate between Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and the Prosperity Party (PP) has yet another financial implication. The PP have already blocked Federal Support of the Regional Government of Tigray. Also, collaboration between the House of Federation (HoF) and Regional Government of Tigray has ceased.

Today, the news that the Federal Government are now blocking the funds and support through the World Bank Program of PSNP. A program made for farmers, secure livelihood and give the farmers social accountability. Latest support from the World Bank was in September 2020. The Federal Government got $66m USD allocated to PSNP. The funds now blocked has to be from this.

This means the state is deliberately blocking one region from accessing funds given to the whole Republic. It wasn’t given to just Amhara or Oromia. No, it was given to the government representing the whole Republic. That means, the altering of the funding, which was intended to them all.

The funders of the PSNP should react to this. Especially, if they care for the livelihood of the farmers in Tigray. If the state had blocked farmers in Ogaden or in Oromia. There would be the same reason to cry havoc. This is wrong on all basis and only done because the PP is punishing the Tigray for not following the “orders” from Addis.

The Federal Government is punishing the farmers of Tigray. That is the reality of this. The foreign donors are blocked from giving needed aid to Tigray. Just because the PP and Federal Government isn’t friendly with Mekelle at the moment.

This is tragic that foreign aid can be used like this and be suspended, because of the Napoleon Complex of the Prime Minister. Peace.

Sudan: Urgent need to strengthen food systems as multiple crises drive up numbers of hungry people in Sudan (16.10.2020)

Sudan: Floods in Sudan put more than 10 million people at risk of water-borne diseases (10.10.2020)

COVID-19 transmissions continue and new cases of vaccine-derived poliovirus have been reported.

GENEVA, Switzerland, October 10, 2020 –

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Rains started to subside and flood waters are receding in Sudan, after months of heavy rainfall that left more than 875,000 people affected by unprecedented flooding.
  • Over 10 million people are now at risk of contracting water-borne diseases and 4.5 million are exposed to vector-borne diseases, a 100 per cent more than in April 2020.
  • Meanwhile, a surging inflation is leading to increased humanitarian needs in Sudan and hampering humanitarian assistance when millions of vulnerable people need it the most.
  • COVID-19 transmissions continue and new cases of vaccine-derived poliovirus have been reported. Around 10 million doses of polio vaccine arrived in Khartoum.
  • Humanitarians are responding, but the extremely low funding, especially for health and water, hygiene and sanitation services are hampering aid organizations’ capacity to operate.

Download Report: https://bit.ly/33M5mXJ

EMERGENCY RESPONSE

Floods in Sudan – Situation Report

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Rains started to subside and flood waters are receding in Sudan, after months of heavy rainfall that left more than 875,000 people affected by unprecedented flooding.
  • Torrential downpours, landslides, flash and riverine flooding have killed over 150 people and left a path of destruction in all states across the country, according to the Government’s Humanitarian Aid Commission data.
  • More than 30 per cent of the water samples analyzed across 13 states were contaminated and the extensive damage to hundreds of water sources, the collapse of several thousands of latrines increase the likelihood of disease outbreaks.
  • Over 10 million people are now at risk of contracting water-borne diseases, and more than 4.5 million are exposed to vector-borne diseases, an increase of nearly 100 per cent if compared with April 2020.
  • Malaria cases have increased in seven localities of North Darfur and different parts of Sennar State. West Darfur reported nearly 100 cases of chikungunya, and hundreds of cases of viral haemorrhagic fever have been reported in Northern, River Nile, Kassala, Khartoum, Sennar and West Kordofan states.
  • Humanitarians are in a race against time to respond to the crisis and save lives, but the extremely low funding, especially for health and water, hygiene and sanitation services are hampering aid organizations’ capacity to operate.

SITUATION OVERVIEW

Flood waters started to recede in most of Sudan, following several weeks of torrential downpours that have caused deaths, displacement, and massive destructions to key infrastructure and livelihoods across the country.

As of 6 October, 155 people lost their lives and the number of people critically affected reached over 875,000, according to the Government’s Humanitarian Aid Commission. At least 150,000 refugees and internally displaced people are among those affected, according to UNHCR.

More than 82,500 houses have been completely destroyed and there are reports of nearly 92,600 houses damaged, generating dire and urgent need for shelter and household supplies. Several farms are flooded, especially in riverine areas along the White Nile, Blue Nile and Nile rivers, according to WFP, in a country where 9.6 million people are facing severe hunger.

Over 560 schools are damaged and another 60 are being used as shelter by displaced people. This could further compromise the starting of the academic year, already postponed from September to the end of November, due to challenges with resources to adapt the fragile education system to minimize the risks of COVID-19. Access to clean water and health services, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, has been compromised. Thousands of health centres are damaged or non-functional, around 30,000 latrines collapsed and the break of the Bout Earth Dam in Blue Nile State, on 29 July, risks compromising access to water for over 100,000 people, including IDPs and refugees, who rely on it as their primary source of water. The extensive level of damages increase the challenges to prevent and treat possible disease outbreaks. Malaria, dengue and cholera are endemic in several parts of Sudan, and the risk of these and other water-borne and vector-borne disease increases with the floods and stagnant water. The flooding also brings protection concerns, especially amongst children, women, and displaced people. Families who lost everything can be forced to rely on negative coping strategies to survive, including child labour that is already being reported, according to humanitarian partners. The lack of education services poses children at higher risk of exploitation, and the extra burden on affected families also increases cases of violence against women and girls. People living with disabilities or chronic diseases, elderly, pregnant and lactating women also need specific services that are now compromised by the destruction of facilities and reduced services.

The Government and aid organizations are closely monitoring the situation and providing life-saving assistance to people affected. Humanitarians reached over 400,000 people with critical support. But the stock is being depleted rapidly and more support, including from donors, is urgently needed. The Sudan Humanitarian Response Plan for 2020, which seeks US$1.6 billion, is less than 46 per cent funded.

OCHA: Humanitarian Coordinator in South Sudan condemns the attack on a WFP boat-convoy in Lakes and calls for an immediate end to repeated acts of violence (07.10.2020)

The Commonwealth: Commonwealth Finance Ministers Statement on COVID-19 (07.10.2020)