Ethiopia: 80% of the Tigrayan population without food – Bureau of Agriculture letter from March says so

The Law Enforcement Operation as destructible it is. The results from the conflict is now coming out. It is trickling out little by little, as the state and the Tripartite Alliance is holding the information close to their chest.

The newest revelation is a letter sent by the Interim Tigray Regional Government and the Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Development who wrote this letter to the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Resources. The letter states that the Interim Tigray Regional Government wanted a Emergency Plan and Request of funds.

It is bad when 80% of the region is going without food. When the Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Development that the majority farmers doesn’t have food, seed, oxen and farm tools. Because of the warfare and the open conflicts in the region. The farmers has lost their livelihood, the loss of crops, livestock that was either destroyed or looted. This is why this is a self-inflicted crisis by the Tripartite Alliance in Tigray.

The people are suffering and lacking the ability to be self sustainable as the raving conflict is persisting. The state has made the whole region suffer, because it decided to go to war in November 2020. They are not only letting the former Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) comrades behind bars or killed. No, the Tripartite Alliance is making everyone suffer with the complete destruction of the agricultural sector.

This has been done very quickly by the Tripartite Alliance and their warfare in the region. This is the Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF), Eritrean Defence Force (EDF) and Amhara Para-Military Force – Fano. These are the main culprits in Tigray region.

However, this is just one piece of devastation and destruction in Tigray since November. This is not amount of internally displaced people (IDPs) and refugees in Djibouti or Sudan. These are also causing prolonged harm and longer time get back to normal in the Tigray region.

The amount of massacres that has been happening on the regular. The unverified numbers of deceased and killed. The use of rape as a tool of oppression as well. All of the horrific acts done to put the people into submission. The destruction of schools, hospitals and other vital institutions, as well as looting and ravaging factories too. All of this will linger in memory and take decades to fix. The scars, the lives and stories that will be told. As the Tripartite Alliance have to take blame and pay the price of fixing it.

Nevertheless, that is the long time objective that is needed. Now the agricultural sector is broken because of the conflict and as it has been targeted. In Tigray region the Interim Government isn’t the believed rulers or representatives. They are the imposed on the general public and not their elected officials, which was deposed in November 2020.

All of the months have gone since the conflict started and now the effects of the warfare is becoming evident. Even the Interim Government states it too and asks for assistance from the Federal Government. Peace.

Ethiopia: Statement by the Call to Action on Protection from Gender-based Violence within the Tigray region of Ethiopia (23.04.2021)

Ethiopia: Permanent Mission of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to the United Nations – Statement on the Press Statement of the United Nations Security Council on the Situation in Ethiopia (22.04.2021)

Ethiopia: Opposition Leader charged over anti-Tigray War sentiment… [and barred for seeking medical treatment abroad]

We must make it clear that the Tigray people are either not Ethiopians or we must save them from the foreign invaders. If we want Ethiopia to continue to exist as a nation, we must stop the looting, killing, rape, and abuse perpetrated by Isaiah’s forces against the people of Tigray” (…) “If we remain silent whilst this scale of abuse is happening before our necked eyes; then, it means that the Tigray people are not Ethiopians and the Tigray region is not part of Ethiopia. He further said our silence on what is happening in that region will be an unprecedented historical mistake” Lidetu Ayalew, the former President of Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) Party

The CUD leader Ayalew because of this uttering was charged with terrorism,, unlawfully change the constitutional order or overthrow of the government. This offence could easily by sentencing get the politician behind bars for 15 years.

The Deputy Director for the Federal Criminal Investigation Bureau Assefa Atnkut have now written a letter barring him for leaving Ethiopia for treatment and medication abroad. This after the charges have been put on him. The state is clearly punishing him for uttering those words in a interview.

That clearly was to much for the authorities and the Operation Law Enforcement. A man was not supposed to say these words or dare to question the Tripartite Alliance operating in Tigray. That Ayalew did this is now a criminal offence. He has already been behind bars for it.

Now, the state is barring him from leaving the Republic and getting medical treatment. That is the sort of progress the Prosperity Party is delivering it’s dissidents. Such a reforming spirit of Abiy and his comrades. That he doesn’t have the heart for dissent or make it possible for them to get treatment abroad.

That is the sort of state of affairs Addis Ababa wants the world to know of and be the epitome of governance. The ones at the wheel in Finfinne clearly doesn’t care about the opposition. They only wants them gone or behind bars. That is why Ayalew got into trouble anyway. Because, he dared to speak ill of this regime and their actions in Tigray. Peace.

Opinion: Abiy’s election is a sham

We are committed to holding a free, fair, democratic & peaceful 6th National Election. Our follow up meeting today with regions & NEBE evaluated progress made since the last meeting in which direction was set to enable remaining stations to be opened & address pending matters. Elections are a demonstration of building a democratic culture in which differences are addressed through the ballot and not by the bullet. Through the voting process, citizens exercise agency and actively participate in the building of a democratic process” – Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali (22.04.2021).

The Prime Minister must take people for fools. He must think people are buffoons and drunk on the regular. Because, these statements is weird coming from him. Talking about free, fair, democratic and peaceful elections. It seems like his delusion have overpowered him or he thinks he can play this facade out without anyone calling him out.

The Prime Minister really trying to be the wolf in sheep’s clothing. The Prince of Peace is already barenaked. The PM is already waging war in his own domain. The PM is already having several of other conflicts and unleashing his armies on the people. So, promising peaceful elections in the middle of all this conflicts is insincere at best.

Abiy must think people are stupid, as the NEBE has deregistered over 50 parties. Other ones have most of their leaders and leadership behind bars. If not they are barred from standing or ability to run a campaign. The like of Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) have had trouble just holding meetings to set forward candidates within the Somali Region. Not to talk about the in-general political captives of the Oromo leadership and candidates. Where most of the OLF and other parties are behind bars. There is no way in this current time there will be fair or free elections. When your competition is either deregistered, detained or dead. That is what Abiy have achieved before the ballot is even cast.

That is why the PM must think people are really stupid. He must think the world in general is dense. That they either neither take his seriously or his just a useful false messiah for some. Because, his not a man you can trust or can see as a viable candidate. Unless, he has put shackles on everyone else or if not ensured their demise. Since it is not like he is delivering peace or fairness into the equation. The only one believing it is eating of the hand of propagandists and token Yes-Men who is serving the PM.

The PM can act like everything is fine and dandy. However, the reality is that its a sham. There will be no election, but another selection of predetermined results in favour of the PM. He will have control of the House of Federation and be the PM with a valid term. His lies and deceit is now all in the open.

He can act like this and say these words. Nevertheless, it doesn’t make it true. Even if all of his cronies and Prosperity Party associates say so. The truth is that his core opposition and leaders on the outside of the previous EPRDF is behind bars. The Prosperity Party will practically run a “one-party” election with a few hand-picked opposition parties. Who is not feared by anyone or is causing any alarm to ego of the Prime Minister. The PM will be safeguarded and just go on a friendly journey to the end. This election will not be free, fair or peaceful. Especially, when there is serious destruction and dismantling of society in the midst of the Federal Republic.

The PM cannot sell this story and make it believable. Only the naive and dense will buy into it. The ones who doesn’t the see the pain and suffering. The ones who doesn’t get the tyranny and despotic manner, which this man rules. No matter of publicity stunt and fine printed statement. Can overshadow the darkness and grim picture that is occurring as we speak. As long Jawar, Garba, Nega and alike is behind bars. This election is a fraud and a fake.

The PM cannot even be brave enough to have true opposition. His such a coward to keep them in prison as political prisoners. They are captive because of his ego and lack of character. If he was a man of his words. They would have been on the ballot and his reformist agenda would have made favours with the general public. However, that is seemingly just a smokescreen and not his true self.

The PM will now run a rigged and predetermined poll. Where we all knows the result and he cannot loose. That is by default… and this is why you shouldn’t be fooled. It is all a lie and the false prophet promise heaven, but given plenty of his citizens a living hell. Peace.

Ethiopia: Oromo Legacy Leadership and Advocacy Association (OLLAA) – OLLAA Condemns Violence in Amhara and Oromia Region (22.04.2021)

Ethiopia: Seb-Hidri Civil Society Tigray Statement on The United Nations Security Council’s Paralysis and a Renewed Call to the Western Powers for an Urgent Action to Stop an Ongoing Genocide in Tigray (20.04.2021)

Ethiopia: Oromo Legacy Leadership and Advocacy Association (OLLAA) – OLLAA Demands Justice for the Kemant People (20.04.2021)

Ethiopia: Crisis in Tigray enters sixth month with no clear end in sight amid ‘severe and ongoing child rights violations’ (20.04.2021)

Geneva Palais Briefing on the situation of children in Tigray, Ethiopia.

GENEVA, Switzerland, April 20, 2021 – This is a summary of what was said by UNICEF spokesperson James Elder – to whom quoted text may be attributed –  at today’s press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

“The crisis in Tigray has entered its sixth month with no clear end in sight.

“More than one million people have been displaced, and fighting continues. Access and security remain serious issues.

“We have been very concerned from the onset about the harm this crisis will cause to children. Such fears are now being realized.

“This is a protection crisis. What is emerging is a disturbing picture of severe and ongoing child rights violations.

“This is also an education and nutrition emergency, and I saw extensive destruction to the systems and essential services on which children rely.

Education

“Children in Tigray have been hit by COVID-19 then conflict. That means 1.4 million children have been out of school for more than a full year (since March 2020). Yes, not a day of school in 13 months.

“I met a 16-year-old girl, Merhawit who fled fighting in the west of Tigray, and walked – with her baby brother on her back – for 300km. Yes, she walked 300km in broken flip flops. Before the conflict, she was top of her class in physics. Now she was searching for food and hasn’t seen a classroom in more than a year.

“A decision to reopen schools, however, is contingent on (1) security; (2) rehabilitation works – the Ministry of Education estimates that up to 25 per cent of schools have been damaged; and (3) reopening schools requires the relocation of the hundreds of thousands of IDPs who are currently sheltering in school premises.

Water

“A recent assessment in 13 towns by UNICEF and partners revealed that more than half of the boreholes are non-functional.  These were advanced systems – with generators and electrical circuitry – and most have been damaged and looted.

“I saw an example of this destruction in a health clinic 100km from Mekelle. This had an entire new operation ward devoted to emergency c-sections for mothers and emergency surgery – that opened in 2020, with the support of Rotary in Belgium. Everything – X-ray machines, oxygen, and mattresses for patients – are gone. Operating beds and incubators for babies have been broken and turned upside down. A doctor there told me “It had all the services a mother and baby needed. It was a life-saving place. There was no reason for forces to come here. They came here for vandalizing and looting.”

“According to assessments, violence and looting have left a majority of health care facilities in the region not functioning.

“The sanitation situation is another matter of grave concern. Conditions in many of the displacement sites are poor. They are overcrowded, unsanitary and unsafe .. as such they magnify risks of exploitation of children, and make it impossible for people to practice COVID-19 prevention measures.

“From a health perspective, the presence of large numbers of displaced people is a ticking time bomb, especially as the rainy season approaches – that’s next month – when there will be a grave risk of cholera and other water-borne diseases.

Protection and gender-based violence

“The personal statements I received from children who had been raped or testimonies of women who were victims of sexual violence were harrowing.

“You will all be aware that the President of Ethiopia, the Minister of Women, Children and Youth, the IASC Principals and the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) have spoken against multiple cases of rape and sexual violence

“I heard traumatic stories from survivors, one as young as 14. I heard reports of gang rapes. The level of cruelty described in these attacks was bewildering.

“This year, from the 1st January to 16 April, just one centre that UNICEF supports has received an average of three reports of cases of gender-based violence per day.

Nutrition

“Fighting broke out just as people should have been harvesting.

“That’s their income for a year. Many also had cattle stolen. They have lost access to fertilisers and vaccines for their livestock.

“And now they should be planting. But more than 1 million people are displaced and as such cannot access their land.

“As such, we are seeing a spike in malnutrition in a region that had already seen steep year-on-year increases in malnourished children requiring life-saving treatment prior to this crisis.

“In response, since November last year, UNICEF has provided emergency supplies including drug kits, nutrition supplies, school-in-a-carton kits and early childhood development kits.

“In WASH, UNICEF is leading on efforts to rehabilitate damaged water schemes, supply of water through trucking, and the provision of hygiene supplies. Through these efforts, more than 640,000 people have received safe water for personal use.

“Our priority in the education sector is the reopening of schools while simultaneously working with implementing partners to establish temporary learning spaces for refugees, IDPs and host communities.

“We have supported partners to kick-start 22 mobile health and nutrition teams which are reaching tens of thousands of children and women in ten of the areas with the highest need. They distribute drug kits and support emergency health care and nutrition. They operate six days a week and use the seventh day to restock supplies.

“But again, even for these brave and frontline mobile health and nutrition teams, security remains an issue. I spoke with one team leader who explained how his team had their ambulance stolen, and had to walk three days back to their health clinic.

“And as of right before this briefing, UNICEF has received credible reports of at least 16 incidents that impacted the activities of these mobile health and nutrition teams … in just the last two weeks.

“Nine were reported in the Eastern Region where the health workers had to leave the location due to fighting and direct threat from armed forces.

“The staff members were denied access to the programme locations and in some cases were threatened with death. In three locations the teams were forcibly relocated to other locations.

“Survivors of sexual assault have been provided with medical assistance, psychosocial support and dignity kits at a centre that has been supported by UNICEF. We are also supporting partners to deploy more than 160 social workers to provide child protection case management for vulnerable children including unaccompanied and separated children; and psychosocial support in IDP and refugee camps in Tigray and affected neighbouring woredas in Afar and Amhara.

“UNICEF Ethiopia’s appeal for Tigray stands at US$47.6 million. More than half is unfunded.”

Ethiopia: Open letter from Tigray National Political Parties Forum [Salsay Weyane Tigray (SaWeT), National Congress of Great Tigray (Baytona) and Tigray Independence Party (TIP)] – Call for an internationally monitored immediate withdrawal of Eritrean invading forces from Tigray (19.04.2021)

Your Excellency,
The people of Tigray have been appealing to the international community to live up to its commitments and uphold international laws. Tigrayan national political parties forum has been asking the international community to make sure the invading Eritrean forces withdraw and hold them accountable for the war crimes and human rights abuses they committed over the past six months in Tigray. While the evidence of Eritrean army’s active involvement in the genocidal war against the people of Tigray, alongside the Ethiopian Federal forces, Amhara militia and other foreign forces was abundant, to the dismay of many the international community’s response was not strong enough to persuade the invaders to abide by the long standing covenants of the UN.
The war has already claimed hundreds of thousands of lives, left millions of civilians displaced; over 6.5 million Tigrayans requiring immediate humanitarian assistance, tens of thousands of women are subjected to sexual abuses on the continuing genocidal war.
Excellency,
Beyond upholding international laws, the presence of Eritrean invading forces in Tigray is an obstacle for any international, bilateral or multilateral peace initiatives in the region. Furthermore; it has been demonstrated that it is unrealistic to deliver humanitarian aid to the millions of internally displaced and the general population in need of immediate sustenance support in the presence of the aggressors. The reconstruction of Tigray is also impossible while occupational forces are on the ground and continuing to deliberately inflict maximum damage to public and private institutions. Therefore, we believe, the unconditional and immediate withdrawal of Eritrean army from Tigray should be the beginning of any peace process, successful delivery of humanitarian aid and commencement of rehabilitation activities.
In a blatant disregard and disdain to the international community’s call for the immediate withdrawal of Eritrean forces from Tigray, the Ethiopian and Eritrean governments had been persistently denying the involvement and presence of Eritrean forces. We have now learned, the Eritrean government has officially admitted its rouge troops had had crossed the Ethio-Eritrean international boarder; and now the Eritrean government has declared it has agreed with Ethiopia at the highest levels to embark on the
Although we have been demanding as such; unfortunately, it’s very difficult for us to accept the gesture made by the Eritrean government. A similar promise was made by Ethiopian prime minister on March 26/2021; only for Eritrean troops to flood Tigray in tens of thousands and continue their systematic killings after the announcement. The recent shootings in the town of Adwa and its vicinity are good cases in this point.
A classified document of the Eritrean government about the performance of Eritrean troops in the war, leaked by Eritrean opposition forces, also show that the Eritrean government is determined to boost its presence and its genocidal acts in Tigray rather than contemplating to withdraw its forces. As we write this letter, heavy fighting is underway across Tigray, amid land transport blockade and communication blackout in most parts of the region. In addition, it has become a common scene to watch Eritrean troops in Ethiopian military uniforms. Given the recent developments, past records of broken promises and general behavior of the Eritrean and Ethiopian government, we strongly believe that it will be naivety to take their words for granted.
We, therefore, call upon the international community, particularly the UNSC to
1. Ensure the Eritrean government stops the theatre and comply with the international community’s demands to immediately withdraw its forces from Tigray
2. Ensure all Eritrean troops make an internationally monitored immediate withdrawal; and
3. Ensure a deep, independent and international investigation of the egregious war crimes and crimes against humanity committed and make sure the perpetrators are not allowed to go with impunity.
Finally, now that we all got our proof of Eritrean army’s heavy presence in Tigray; allowing the ill oriented Eritrean troops to stay more days will be a permit for more war crimes to be committed, more women and girls to be sexually abused and more people to die of starvation. It is our best hope, that the international community specifically the UNSC will take all the appropriate actions necessary to avert a looming human disaster in Tigray and firmly stand to defend humanity.
Regards,
CC /
United Nations
UN Web TV
Council of the European Union
U.S. Department of State
U.S. Department of State: Consular Affairs
European Commission
Permanent and non-permanent representatives of UNSC member states