Ethiopia: Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) – OLF Considers the March 8 International Women’s Day as a significant Historcal Event and denonunce the Human Rights violations against Women in Ethiopia (08.03.2022)

Ethiopia: Tigray External Affairs Office – Statement on the Appointment of Members of the International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia (07.03.2022)

Ethiopia: Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) – Regarding Continued Accusations of Atrocities Against the OLA (05.03.2022)

Ethiopia: Afar Revolutionary Party – Tigray Terrorist Criminals Continue to Commit Genocide and Ethinic Cleansing in Afar Region – Ethiopia (28.02.2022)

Ethiopia: Tigray External Affairs Office – Statement on the Continuing Suspension of Humanitarian Aid Delivery into Tigray (28.02.2022)

Ethiopia: Urgent appeal to the International Community by Afar People’s Party (27.02.2022)

In Ethiopia, the Afar Regional State is neighboring to Amhara, Oromia, and Tigray regions, while internationally bordering to Djibouti and Eritrea. This geopolitically important region that predominantly inhabited by indigenous Afar pastoralist is now exposed to unimaginable scale of grievances and humanitarian calamities due to the invasion of Tigray People Liberation Front (TPLF) and its military forces.

The first unprovoked invasion of Afar region by TPLF began in mid-July 2021 occupying the central Afar zone (Zone 4) leaving hundreds of thousands displaced, infrastructures destroyed, domestic animals were raided and mass-killed by heavy artilleries, schools and health facilities are looted and burned down to the ground . Civilian causalities in this attack are much underreported given the majority of the victims are pastoralists without civil registration system.

However, the heinous bloodbath occurred on 5 August 2021 in Gaalikooma kebele of Gulina district in Zone 4, where more than 280 displaced families temporarily sheltered-in health and a school facilities bombarded by heavy artilleries of Tigary forces. The victims of this barbaric act were children, women and elderly IDPs. This act of terror was reported by the press statement of UNICEF.

In September 2021, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights reported about the prevailing atmosphere of fear, and deterioration of living conditions and gross violations of human rights that resulted in the forced displacement and suffering of the civilian population.

The second aggression of TPLF on Afar started on 24 Jan 2022; one month just after the TPLF announced its troops withdrawal from both the Afar and Amhara regions. Since then residents of Aba’ala, Magale, Erebti, Barahle and Konnaba are enduring the harshest period. This second unprovoked and systematic offensive has created a wave of civilian displacement and a mass exodus of population exposing them to hunger and thirst in desert landscape.

Moreover, a systematic destruction of health facilities, looting and burning of food stores and warehouses for essential medicines, confiscations of domestic animals and plundering of small business has disrupted the livelihood of Afar people. Hence, the entire region is facing famine like situation. Similarly there is a growing challenge with regard to deteriorating health conditions of IDPs (Internally Displaced People) where essential medicines are inaccessible.

The magnitude of infrastructure destruction and human suffering as well as crime against humanity in Afar region is unfolding in daily bases. Afar people are now a nation going through a trauma, while both the Federal Government of Ethiopia and the International Community stays silent to what is happening.

It is important to recall that the Afar People’s Party (APP) has decided not to Participate in the process of National Dialogue and Reconciliation Commission; due to it’s exclusiveness , lack of transparency and huge and direct influence and involvement of Federal Government.

We reject any exclusive,non-pariticipatory bilateral deals or negotiations of both TPLF and GoE while A deadly war is still taking place in Afar and the northern part of Afar region is under the occupation of TPLF.

APP demands a total withdrawal of TPLF forces from the Afar region and stops any conflict in order to initiate a genuine dialogue and lasting peace. APP calls up on the Federal Government of Ethiopia to ensure the inclusiveness of the dialogue by inviting all stakeholders including the opposition political parties.

Afar People’s Party is a legally registered political party that has been chairing the Ethiopian Political Parities Joint Council and participated in national election 2021.

Afar People’s Party calls up on:

1. The International Community to address the humanitarian crisis taking place in Northern part of Afar Region with urgent humanitarian assistance;

2. International community to pressure TPLF to withdraw immediately and unconditionally from Afar Regional State and respect the constitutional sovereignty of Afar Regional State;

3. The Federal Government of Ethiopia to ensure the protection and safety of its citizens, by showing a clear and open terms and conditions of ceasefire, humanitarian access to all those in need and withdrawal of occupying forces;

4. The Federal Government of Ethiopia to revisit the National Dialogue and Reconciliation Commission; it’s independence , it’s all inclusivity and transparency of it’s process, due to the fact that we believe the process is as equally important as the anticipated outcome;

5. The Afar Regional Government to clearly follow up and update both media and the general public on current crisis in the region;

6. Human Rights bodies to investigate the war crimes committed by TPLF during its occupation in Afar regional State ;

7. The International Community to support the devastated social and economic infrastructures as well as the livelihood of pastoralists deliberately destroyed by the invading Tigray forces.

Afar People’s Party

Samara, February 27, 2022

Ethiopia: New OCHA Report – 9 million people needs food assistance in Northern Ethiopia

According to an emergency food security assessment conducted during the main harvest in November 2021, the levels of food security in Tigray have dropped, particularly in North-Western, Eastern, and Central zones. Food assistance will be required throughout 2022 across northern Ethiopia. More than 9 million people need food assistance in northern Ethiopia” (OCHA, 24.02.2022).

The war and conflict in Northern Ethiopia that started in November 2020. It is still having ripple effect and not only in the Tigray Region, but also now in Afar and Amhara regions. This shows how the warfare is affected civilians across the regions. Even as the humanitarian assistance blockade, which is last for months upon months on end.

The UN Organization, which has revised and constantly addressed the situation in Northern Ethiopia isn’t showing any positive signs of late. Neither is there any proof that the bureaucratic or closure of the hurdles, which has been inflicted on the humanitarian organizations who tries to help the civilians in need. Therefore, the Federal Government of Ethiopia haven’t acted righteous or in good faith. As this is a constant and people are starving, dying and it’s done by a man-made famine. Which the state could have stopped and this is deliberate to starve a region and now the border regions are hit with it as well. Showing the state has no issues to use the civilians as shields in their war in Ethiopia.

Just read this:

The situation in northern Ethiopia remains fragile and unpredictable. Although the overall situation in Tigray and Amhara regions continue to be relatively calm as lines of contacts remained static, armed clashes, with reported use of heavy weapons and airstrikes, continued to be reported in multiple locations in Afar Region mainly in Berhale, Erebti, Koneba, and Abala woredas, all in Kilbeti zone (Zone 2). Insecurity in Afar and earlier administrative measures, with no relief convoys reaching Tigray since mid-December, continue to affect civilian lives, their safety, restrict access to livelihoods. This situation further increases humanitarian needs notably with a continuing and growing number of displaced people and hinders humanitarian access and delivery of aid to affected areas in northern Ethiopia” (OCHA, 24.02.2022).

The current blockage of the Semera-Abala-Mekelle route has further exacerbated the flow of humanitarian supplies into Tigray, combined with the limited supplies allowed in before mid-December, mainly due to earlier administrative measures, which was already far below what is needed. Since 12 July, only 8 per cent of the 16,000 trucks with the needed humanitarian supplies entered Tigray. As a result, humanitarian operations have been further impacted and humanitarian partners continue to reduce their operations. Two out of three partners halted their school feeding program this week due to lack of supplies and cash. The third partner limited the distribution of high energy biscuits to only early childhood care and development classes in Shire area of operations in North-West Zone while sharing one pack among two or three children to adjust with the limited supplies. One partner ceased distribution of scholastic materials in Tselmati woreda in North-West Zone due to lack of fuel. Food partners reported that as of 22 February, only around 800 metric tons (MT) of food commodities remain within Tigray” (OCHA, 24.02.2022).

This just shows the dire needs in Northern Ethiopia. These are innocent civilians that is caught between the Federal Government, Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and all other stakeholders in this conflict. It is all done deliberately and the people are wounded because of this. It is tragic and sinister, that this is happening for so long.

What is striking that this could have been avoided, but they are choosing to do this. This should be seen as a war-crime, as civilians and citizens are not getting their basic needs met, because the state decided to block that from happening. 9 million people needs help and they need it now. Peace.

Ethiopia: Tigray External Affairs Office – Statement on the Current Condition of Religious and Cultural Heritages in Tigray (24.02.2022)

Ethiopia: Somali Prosperity Party (Salvation-Wing) – Press Statement (24.02.2022)

Ethiopia: Catholic Eparchy – Adigrat Tigray – Statement on the Eparchy of Adigrat in response to the Current Situation in Tigray (22.02.2022)