Ethiopia: Reports of Issa-Somali militia skirmishes in the Afar region…

“Armed militia from the Afar region of Ethiopia attacked the town of Andhufo killing 20 civilians on Sunday. This event took place on 08/14/2022 at the following location: Afar Region, Ethiopia” (Geopolitical Report – ‘Afar region militia kill 20 civilians in Andhufo’ 14.08.2022).

“Great news – the last occupied Issa Somali town, Unda Fo’o in Afar just fallen to Afar!! – the Awash Road from Samara now opens for the first time in 3 years!! At last Afar/ truck drivers can live without the terror of Issa raiding and roadside contraband is over” (Afar APDA, 12.08.2022).

This week the Issa-Somali Militia and it’s also reported from other sources that Liyu Police of the Somali (Ogaden) Region has attacked the Afar region. It is sadly not new and the Issa-Somali militia has attacked Afar before and seemingly continue to do so.

What is striking this week is that parts of the reports said the skirmishes was happening in the Sitti Zone of the Somali (Ogaden) region. While in reality these attacks was in Gabi or Zone 3 of the Afar region. It is tragic that people are selling the annexation and the planned efforts of taking territories from Afar. That’s why they are trying to distort old deals and agreements to besiege them with force.

The Issa-Somali militia got support from Djibouti and the authorities there. While we cannot today be sure of it the leadership or the leaders in Somali (Ogaden) region is also involved. We know that the Vice-President of Ogaden has previously been involved in sponsoring conflict. So, we don’t know if this is the case this time.

We can certainly be sure that the Afar Pastoralist and the Afar Regional Special Forces are behind the defence and the reason why the Issa-Somali militia didn’t get further into the territory. While it is really tragic that this is occurring and the amounts of lives lost.

There are reports that in Gawani town in Zone 3. That the forces are on high alert, as they are expecting counter attacks from the Issa Somali. This is what is reported from the area today.

This means we should sadly expect more the coming days. Most likely not yet peace, but more defensive operations for the Afar forces. Peace.

Opinion: The Afar region is a victim of the policy of the besieged Tigray

“There is good news and bad news. The good news is that humanitarian truce that was agreed in March- April is holding and has allowed us to bring in humanitarian supplies….[]The bad news is that after 20 months of War, the Amhara and Afar situation is not getting better” – WFP Country representative for Northern Ethiopia, Adrian Van Der Kaap (Yesuf Endris – ‘WFP calls on Int’l organizations to support Amhara, Afar IDPs’ 04.08.2022, Ethiopian Press Agency).

We do need more corridors, we need the humanitarian truce to continue and we expect that it will continue. But, we need to open more coroners. Of course, we need more funds as we burn our money

The humanitarian assistance and the man-made famine, which has been created over the months of blockade. A blockade of not only the most basic humanitarian assistance, which is food and basic necessities. The Tigray region has not had banking services, internet or telecommunication. Therefore, the Tigray has been put in a horrible place of starvation and lack of medicines. That sort of actions makes the international partners rally more for help and get the Federal Government to stop the blockade before it’s too late.

That is something everyone must understand. The policy of doing this to a war-torn region and a battlefront of the state. It is showing what sort of ideology and sort of retribution the state does to the ones that has fallen out of favours. The Tigray region has become a burden and a target of the state. To think otherwise is naive after the start of the conflict and launch of the “Law Enforcement Operation” in November 2020. The months of blockade and the stoppage of humanitarian assistance will hurt for years to come. The amount of damage, pain and suffering is unknown.

With that in mind… the news of people struggling, living with barely nothing and starving in Afar region. Is yet another tragedy happening in Ethiopia. The Afar region is a victim of the state sponsored conflict in the North. The Afar people is being put in between the battlefield and on the front-line of the conflict at the same time. They are middle-men who are seeing the convoys of humanitarian assistance going to Tigray. That is a necessary thing, but they could have seen this coming. The damage is already done and the humanitarian organisations struggling to meet the vast needs in Tigray alone. A sort of game of who is the hurt most and who is bleeding the most this week. Which isn’t fair to anyone and that’s why Afar feels betrayed.

The ones that betrayed Afar isn’t the World Food Programme or any United Nations organisations. No, it is the Prosperity Party that made Tigray suffer to a level, which makes it impossible for the organizations to bring enough to needy elsewhere. They don’t have the manpower, the warehouses with stocks of food or equipment in general. The time laps and the lost periods are now costing. The cash-strapped organizations will be put to a test. When the people of Afar is also feeling the pain of what the Federal Government put into play in Tigray.

No one deserves this and everyone should know that. No one should starve, no have food or shelter. That is a need every human being has. No matter what tribe, religion or creed. People need food and shelter. Afar people needs that and the people of Tigray needs it too.

This is just a proof that the WFP and anyone else who supports humanitarian assistance in Ethiopia. Needs to get more help and donations. There is need for bigger pledges and the bureaucracy of the government has to open up. The game of blocking and stifling the attempts has to be over. Unless, they want this to run rapid and get closer to capital. Because, the more you play this vicious circle. The more people are dying and the more innocent lives lost. More pain and suffering, which could have been avoided. This is a deadly game and it’s been coordinated to a T from the leaders of the Republic. That should be known and the Afar people deserves better. So, does also the people of Tigray. It is just a sinister plot, which has ramifications that we couldn’t see in advance. Because, who knew the Prime Minister and his associates would be this cold and lack of heart for his own citizens. Peace.

Ethiopia: Joint Press Release from Salsay Weyane Tigray (SaWeT), National Congress of Great Tigray (Baytona) and Tigray Independence Party (TIP) Trading-Off Genocide for Geo-Political Interests has a Far Reaching Consequence! (19.07.2022)

Ethiopia: Somali Regional Democratic Alliance (S.R.D.A) – An Open Communique to whom it may be all Concern about the actual Political Turmoil of Ethiopia (16.07.2022)

Ethiopia: Global Society of Tigray Scholars and Professionals (GSTS) – Tigray Urgently Needs Fertilizer, Improved Seeds, and Chemicals to Avert Catastrophic Famine Next Year (15.07.2022)

Ethiopia: Oromo Legacy Leadership and Advocacy Association (OLLAA) – Attack against Civilians Reported in Jile Dhumuga District, Wollo Oromia Special Zone (12.07.2022)

Ethiopia: 20 million people are facing food insecurity and 13 million of them is in the Northern Ethiopia

“Over 20 million people are estimated to be food insecure in the country, including an estimated 13 million people northern Ethiopia” (OCHA, 07.07.2022).

Things are dire in Ethiopia. Several of regions and zones are in dire need of humanitarian assistance. This being in Ogaden (Somali), Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples’ Region (SNNP), South-West, Afar, Amhara and Tigray regions. This really in nearly all corners of the Republic.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has been reporting about the situation for so long. However, now it’s not only dropping knowledge on the Northern regions where the conflict has been going on since November 2020. The state has created a man-made-famine in Tigray. As the conflict and besieged region is really hit. That’s why the 13 million people of the 20 million lacking food security is from there.

OCHA reports further:

“The drought impact has worsened and expanded over the last few months. At least 8.1 million people are estimated to be affected across Somali (3.5 million), Oromia (3.4 million), SNNP (1.1 million) and South-West (200,000 people) regions, including more than 7 million people requiring food assistance, and more than 4 million people needing water assistance. At least 334,000 drought affected people who have the means to travel have also migrated since October last year, leaving behind their elderly and the sick family members. These numbers are expected to be revised upwards once assessments of additional areas affected by the drought are completed, particularly in Afar, which will be included in the new iteration of the Drought Response Plan” (OCHA, 07.07.2022).

“Lack of funding has resulted in reduction of people targeted in some regions, distribution of an incomplete food basket, and applying rations cuts.

Lack of access has resulted in irregular food distributions in Western Oromia (East and West Wollega); Wag Hamra Zone in Amhara and Western Zone in Tigray” (OCHA, 07.07.2022).

This here is not going well for the UN organization and humanitarian organizations coming with aide. When OCHA is saying it lacks funding. As the amount of people needing food is rising. This is a negative spiral.

It isn’t the fault of the UN or the humanitarian organizations that this is happening. The Prosperity Party and the regime itself has created over time. The issues and lack of food security is out of many reasons. The drought is happening because of the climate and lack of rain, which you cannot fault the government for. However, the state is at fault for blocking humanitarian assistance and making it impossible to deliver the goods to the ones in need.

Another major factor is the insecurity and the warfare that is happening in the Republic. The use of armed forces and law enforcement is creating this. While there is a liberation forces working for their people and their regions. This is all creating the trouble and the lack of food security across the Republic.

Ethiopia is hurting. The Prime Minister and his government is clearly not up for speed. That’s because warfare matters more than helping or governing the people in need. Peace.

Ethiopia: Oromo Legacy Leadership and Advocacy Association (OLLAA) – US Senator Merkley writes to State Department regarding the Human Rights of the Oromo (08.07.2022)

Ethiopia: Oromo Legacy Leadership and Advocacy Association (OLLAA) – Attacks against civilians reported in the Kellem Wollega Zone (05.07.2022)

Ethiopia: Government of Tigray – External Affairs Office – Response to the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ False Claims (28.06.2022)