




Ethiopia: Seb-Hidri Civil Society of Tigrai – A letter to Your Excellency Ms Michelle Bachelet, United Nation Higher commissioner for Human Rights (25.03.2021)











This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR spokesperson Boris Cheshirkov – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at today’s press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.
UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has gained access to the Shimelba and Hitsats refugee camps in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region for the first time since November 2020, amid ongoing security concerns.
During a joint mission to the area with the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, OCHA, we found both camps completely destroyed, and all the humanitarian facilities looted and vandalized.
In Hitsats, most of the shelters in an area known as zone A, as well as UNHCR’s offices and staff guest house, were found burnt to the ground. The mission confirmed what satellite imagery and accounts from refugees had indicated at the beginning of this year.
UNHCR is deeply concerned for the well-being of the Eritrean refugees who had been residing there, all of whom have fled the camps.
The joint mission was also able to visit Shiraro town; refugees are understood to be scattered in the area and in urgent need of safety and support. A subsequent mission will seek to identify the numbers living there and assess the possibility for UNHCR and Ethiopia’s Agency for Refugees and Returnee Affairs, ARRA, to deliver assistance and plan for voluntary relocation.
Of some 20,000 refugees that lived in the two northern camps of Hitsats and Shimelba prior the crisis, more than 7,000 have either made their own way or were assisted by Ethiopian authorities to reach the other two Eritrean refugee camps, Mai Aini and Adi Harush. In addition, we have so far been in contact with more than 2,000 refugees from Hitsats and Shimelba in Shire, Mekelle, Afar, and Addis Ababa.
In Mai Aini and Adi Harush camps, food and core relief supplies have been provided to the relocated refugees. They are currently living with relatives, in schools or other communal buildings in the camps which are already over-capacity, as well in some 500 newly-built emergency shelters. While another 100 shelters are under construction, they will not be sufficient. Urgent identification of alternative locations to accommodate more refugee arrivals is a priority, especially with the coming rainy season.
UNHCR’s individual reception, counselling and registration services have reopened in both camps. UNHCR and its partners are scaling up child protection and gender-based violence support services.
Local authorities have reported the presence of some 95,000 Ethiopians who are internally displaced within Shiraro’s administrative area. About 47,000 people were registered by authorities last month while the rest are estimated to have arrived since. To date, the vast majority of internally displaced people (IDPs) are living within the host community, and some 30,000 are living in five settlements. In Shimelba camp, the humanitarian team found over 2,000 IDPs and vulnerable host community members who had sought sanctuary in the camp.
All of the displaced people in Shiraro and Shimelba are in dire need of urgent life-saving assistance, including food, shelter, health care, water and sanitation. UNHCR reiterates the joint UN call for all parties to urgently enable the free and safe movement of affected people in search of safety and assistance, including across international and within national borders, regardless of their ethnic identification. We call for the right to seek asylum to be fully respected.













At this point of time there is nothing that surprises me nor shocks me about the ways the Prosperity Party behaves and manoeuvrers. Why do I say that? Well, this week the Parliament have accepted the postponement of the August 2020 elections. As the transition period of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali would be over. However, that is squashed now because of the convenient crisis of COVID-19 or the Coronavirus.
That is just how things goes. Just like the convenient ways of “State of Emergency”, the easy way out of a “Amhara Coup” to install his puppets and so fourth. Everything just falls in line and works out well for the man on the top. He can easily send in forces without a mandate into Somalia. This man can return asylum seekers (political refugees) to Djibouti without any concern. That is just what the PP does.
With this in mind, the postponement of the elections isn’t surprising either. It would be a paradigm shift if there was elections made without any violence, intimidation and rigging. Nevertheless, the supposed reformist has only consolidated the power within the PP. He lost also an ally by doing this. That was the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) the party who ran the old coalition. The Woyane are now trying to flex themselves and are righteous in their motives here. That they are running elections on schedule shows finesse in their region. As a stark contrast to the PP who intend to rule on borrowed time.
As well as joint statement from Oromo parties shows their dissent to the idea of a postponed elections as well. It is not like the PP are winning favours by doing this. We cannot expect a harsh statement from Amhara, as they are already muffled and have loyal men to the PP in power there. Just as the house of Ogaden or the Somali Region has been cleared to secure more friendly foes there too. The PP has taken slowly steps to get the right people in order.
That is why the only questions from the region where the PP should have the most support, as the PM and comrades come from the old OPDO. That is why the strong statement, the resentment and the continues violence in that region is a warning itself. As the state have changed it head, but the actions are the same. The Prime Minister haven’t done anything significant with this. He came in with lots of promises, but they have been shattered with time.
Now its all in the open. There is no surprises anymore and his not even trying. The Prime Minister is only showing his true side to the world. As all parties involved are working for him and ensuring his ways. That is why the Parliament accepted the postponement. Though there are some questionable concerns in doing it. Unless, he wants all his enemies to sprint up and show their facade. Some has and maybe he await more than the three parties mentioned: TPLF, OFC and OLF. He was maybe hoping for more.
What is clear that Prime Minster Abiy isn’t a true reformer. His not a what he meant to be. He did some PR stunts and some speeches, but his true character is out. There is no denying in that now. The Prime Minister has had the time to what he felt was right, but has squandered it or haven’t even cared.
He is playing with fire. A man like Abiy should know this. The PM has already seen the bloodshed in Oromia before. That is still happening with arbitrary arrests and other violent actions done to the population. Therefore, the PM could have acted upon this, but instead turns a blind eye. As he is busy finding new schemes to earn fortunes in office.
This last postponement only shows he uses the pandemic as an opportunity to buy time and see who jumps up from the trenches. The PP will navigate this and figure out what to do. They will have the time to set-up shop and secure the game before its set. The elections isn’t about creating change, but to validate the PP and the Prime Minister. That is why he needs more time to secure all bases. So, that he can rule supreme and have the legitimacy he needs. Because right now, his the “interim” who wants to permanent. Peace.

