Ethiopian Diaspora for Research and Education Advancement through Parternship (ED-REAP): ED-REAP calls for an Immediate Restoration of Peace and Stopping of Atrocities to the People of Tigray in Ethiopia (20.03.2021)

Ethiopia: Global Society of Tigrai Scholars (GSTS) letter to United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guteres – Subject: A Call for Action Regarding the UNDP’s Note to Your Excellency on the War in Tigray (11.03.2021)

Ethiopia: UNICEF – Continuing crisis for children in Tigray, Ethiopia, amid reports of atrocities (19.03.2021)

Statement by UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore

NEW YORK, 19 March 2021 – “UNICEF remains deeply concerned about the continuing crisis in Tigray, Ethiopia, and its worrying implications for children and their access to basic social services.

“Five months since the start of the conflict, a clearer picture is emerging of killings and sexual violence against women and children in Tigray. The reported murder of at least 20 children at Maryam Dengelat Church last November will continue to haunt families and communities.

“Schools and health centers have been looted, vandalized and occupied by armed forces and groups. Organizations on the ground have reported deliberate attacks on health facilities and warned that the limited health services that are functional are unable to cope with the needs.

“According to assessments conducted at the end of February 2021, violence and looting have left nearly 60 per cent of health care facilities not operational. Some 57 per cent of boreholes in 13 towns surveyed are not functional and a quarter of the region’s schools have sustained damage from the conflict.

“Families continue to flee for their lives.

“We are working with our partners to ensure that critical supplies continue to reach those most in need and that populations can safely access essential services. We are also stepping up our staff presence in the region to respond to the scale of the challenge.

“However, humanitarian aid alone is not enough.

“Monitoring, reporting and protection services for those affected must be urgently expanded to meet the growing needs of survivors.

“Parties to the conflict must ensure that children are protected from harm at all times. Basic service outlets, such as health centers and schools, must be protected and the safety and security of everyone working in and accessing those services guaranteed.”

Opinion: Abiy gives a “final notice” today after starting the “final phase” in the end of November 2020

Today’s statement by the Federal Police Commission was issued as Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed announced the start of final phase of law enforcement operation and called on “the people of Mekelle and its environs to disarm, stay at home and stay away from military targets and take all necessary precautions.”” (Addis Standard, 26.11.2020).

Today is a weird day. As the prolonged conflict between the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Eritrea and Amhara Paramilitary Group ‘Fano’ against the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) that started early in November 2020. In the end of the month… about the 25th or 26th November 2020 the Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali that the Law Enforcement Operation was going its final phase.

However, we are now in the middle of March 2021 and the Final Phase isn’t over. Even when the Ethiopian, Eritrean and Amhara armed personnel is fighting one enemy. This mechanical and conventional war is continuing. Where the devastation reports are coming out. Where hospital are looted and used as bases. Woman have been raped and civilians killed in massacres. Villages burned down and so fourth. The state are leaving no stone unturned to seal the victory.

Every time there is a report or an article in the Foreign Press. It is dismissed and debunked by the state. While the state is willing to lie about the current state of affairs. Therefore, the state never takes any responsibility for the efforts of the little reporting that is happening. While they are only accepting their narrative. The state are not accepting the ills of the wars and only points at the TPLF.

Yes, the TPLF have been an bad actor in the past. However, currently the baddest actor is the Prosperity Party and Federal Government who is killing its own, starving its own and getting many either internally displaced or seeking refuge abroad. That is the mere reality of this. The giant elephant in the room is the war-crimes and the crimes against humanity. That we know the state wants to blame on the TPLF. While not proving anything.

Already on the 18th December 2020 the state started to offer bounty on the TPLF leaders. However, that is not working or people are not co-operating with the interim government in the region. Neither is the state done with its final phase. That is why they got to send a final notice to the TPLF. This is happening after the warnings of late November 2020. The state is clearly not winning or having the control its speaking off. When they have to do this yet again.

Prime Minister Abiy is clearly not winning this war. Even when he has three armies against one. By share amount of numbers and abilities of the state. He should win, but they are clearly not able to outsmart or outplay the TPLF. If they was able to do so…

The Office of the Prime Minister wouldn’t say this:

The government is calling on senior TPLF military and political leaders, who are suspected to have played a key role in the crime, to surrender peacefully to law enforcement agencies. The government calls on these leaders to do their part by learning from the devastation and damage so far, presenting themselves to justice, preventing further national loss and not shedding the blood of citizens in vain” (Abiy, 19.03.2021).

This is the same government that said they had them in the end of November 2020 and put bounties on their head in the middle of December 2020. They are now in March 2021 thinking they would cease the battle and leave their swords. Knowing that they will never be accepted and be seen as “treasonous” by this government. The state will also ensure their demise and stop them from being a viable part of politics. Therefore, why would the TPLF do that?

Especially, when they had constitutional grievances, which the state used as reasons. The state had already for months retaliated and stopped the business between the leadership in Mekelle and Addis Ababa. Therefore, the state knows they played apart of this too and they we’re already prepared with mechanical brigades and soldiers on two fronts before the Northern Command was hit. This is why the state knew what they we’re doing and it was well planned.

We know the state will use all means to discredit and go after the TPLF. While never taking any responsibility or being accountable. Still, they will blame the aid agencies, media houses and all reporting happening, which isn’t directly copied from the state.

This is all known now. There is two types of truths in Ethiopia. The actual truth and what the state publishes as truth. The state could at one point say the Tigray region was accessible for aid agencies, but at that point …. most of the region was out of their reach. Which is still an issue and the state will still claim they are covering everything. That they are saying without proving it, but expecting us to eat out of their hands.

Prime Minister Abiy is again coming with a harsh warning. Like that will be “final”. If it would be final. The Final Phase would already be done, but the PM opened a can of worms and he cannot put them back in the can. He has already unleashed a monster he cannot control and his now a war-lord. That is who the Prime Minister is now.

Abiy is a warlord and acts like one now. That is why his continuing this and thinks he can end it all with statements like these. They look good with headlines, but they will not resolve the war. The war he has started will not end with words like these. No, he cannot bully the enemy like this and thinking he can overcome them this way. That will not happen.

Prime Minister Abiy might says otherwise… but we know the deal. The bullets will fly until the end of the enemies. He will ensure their end at all costs. With the knowledge of this and his will to get total control. The PM will let this region burn and its citizens suffer, because the TPLF hurt his pride and he cannot put that aside. Peace.

Ethiopia-Sudan Tensions: Ethiopia arming the SPLM-N in the Blue Nile State

Sudanese military sources said that the Ethiopian government provided logistical support to Joseph Touka’s forces in Blue Nile, including weapons, ammunition and combat equipment. The sources indicated that the support arrived in the Yabous region on February 27, 2021 AD, and the support was received by Commander Joseph Touka and some of his forces’ commanders” (…) “The sources emphasized that the Ethiopian government aims to use Commander Joseph Touka to occupy the city of Kurmuk with the support of Ethiopian artillery, with the aim of dispersing the efforts of the Sudanese army on the eastern front” (Sudan Plus, 07.03.2021)

Who is Commander Touka? Well, his Commander Joseph Touka Ali, First Deputy Chairman of the SPLM and Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army – North. So, his not a nobody and a high ranking commander in the SPLM-N. 

The SPLM-N killed Sudanese soldiers in early January 2021 in Malkan, Blue Nile State. So, these rebels are still active and it is suspicious that the Ethiopian government is supporting and supplying them with arms. That is a deliberate act to destabilize and strengthening one rebel outfit or militia. I am sure the Ethiopian government would be happy, if the Sudanese suddenly begun to give Samri or the TPLF abundantly arms as well. They would be crying out loud and call it interference in their “internal affairs”.

This is a devious act of Addis Ababa to weaken Khartoum leadership in one of their states. Not only have the skirmishes and battles in the Al-Fashaqa region. They want to intervene and use other proxies in the Blue Nile State.

Since December 2020 … the Ethiopian army have entered into Sudan. They have gone together with the Amhara Para-Military Group “Fano” and tried to take control of border posts there. They have later been beaten back and the Sudanese have taken control of the region again. Therefore, they would maybe prefer having battles on various of fronts. This to weaken the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). However, they were able to intercept the ploy, but this is worrying.

The worry is that the Ethiopian counterparts are willing to do this. As the Sudanese was doing the opposite when the conflict in Tigray started in November 2020. At that point, the Sudanese intercepted weapons going for the TPLF. They stopped it and confiscated it. While the Ethiopians are doing the opposite. That says it all of their objectives.

This isn’t a sign of brotherhood, but using optional proxy to weaken an enemy. As the Ethiopian army and Fano has already been attacking the Sudanese … so now they are trying to find other ways too.

The Ethiopian government supporting SPLM-N just says it all. They are not coming in peace, but seeking for more bloodshed. Their motivation is maybe revenge of the humiliation at the border in Al-Fashaqa region. They want to annex more land and the Prime Minister Abiy wants to be biggest warlord on the Horn of Africa, apparently. Peace.

Sudan: Thousands of Ethiopians seek asylum in Sudan’s Blue Nile State (23.02.2021)

This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR spokesperson Babar Baloch – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at today’s press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

23 February 2021

Several thousand people fleeing escalating violence in Ethiopia’s Benishangul Gumuz region have sought safety in Sudan’s Blue Nile State over the last month.

Tensions have been high in the Metekel Zone since 2019 with several reports of inter-communal attacks in the region. The situation has rapidly escalated in the past three months. The federal Government of Ethiopia declared a state of emergency in the area on 21 January 2021.

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is working closely with Sudanese authorities and partners to assess the situation and respond to the humanitarian needs of the newly arrived, many of whom have arrived in hard-to-reach locations along the border.

Benishangul Gumuz is in western Ethiopia. The current displacement is not directly related to conflict in the country’s northern Tigray region which have pushed more than 61,000 to seek safety in Sudan in recent months.

Out of the 7,000 people estimated to have arrived in Blue Nile State, nearly 3,000 have been registered. This number is expected to increase as the verification exercise continues in all the locations where refugees are being hosted.

In the past weeks, UNHCR and partners have already provided humanitarian assistance to nearly 1,000 refugees in Yabatcher, on Sudan-Ethiopia border. Refugees have received food, access to health, water and sanitation facilities, and aid supplies.

The majority of these asylum-seekers are living among the Sudanese host community who continue to welcome people seeking safety. UNHCR and partners will continue to ramp up the response to support the government in its response.

Ethiopia: Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Press Statement on Ethiopia-Sudan Border (18.02.2021)

Ethiopia-Sudan Tensions: Continued clashes on Sudanese territory

It started with new skirmishes in December 2020. When there was two times skirmishes between the Sudanese and Ethiopian troops. There was even Amhara Para-Military (Fano) involved in attacks on Sudanese soil. Therefore, it seemed deliberate from the Ethiopian side to attack border-points and venture into the Al-Fashaqa region.

Now, the last 48 hours there been reported of two more incidents. First yesterday on the 9th February 2021 one more Ethiopian Soldier died inside Sudanese territory. Today on the 10th February 2021 there been reports of 5 Ethiopian Soldiers killed and one Sudanese Soldiers on Sudanese territory. It seems more like a steady planned attacks from the Ethiopian side. As the Sudanese has re-established and sent brigades to control this border towards the Tigray Region.

They have now been doing this since the 13th December 2020. It isn’t one rare incident where one soldier went astray and got lost on a adventure close to the Sudanese border. No, this has happened on a steady occurrence since then. That should strike a warning. It should also make you wonder why they are trespassing and using violent means across the borders. If the Ethiopian state have plan or even a military operation to be extended from the Law Enforcement Operation, which it started on the 4th November 2020. Since they already moved several of forces to the Northern Ethiopia for that reason alone.

That is why you can start to imagine that the leaders, the commanders-in-chief had the idea of taking more land to be greater and more powerful by doing it to someone who wasn’t prepared for the invasion. The Sudanese in transition after Al-Bashir and having erratic protests would be a fitting target for a foreign invasion. That is maybe why Prime Minister Abiy saw a reason to get back the Al-Fashaqa Region from Sudan. So, that he could access and annex a valuable farmland.

We should wonder why they are doing this and ordering such skirmishes. You can also ask yourself what it is to gain to do this. The Ethiopian government already asked to calm down and stop their operation in Tigray. While they are escalating here, which is creating a bigger international crisis. As they making enemies of their neighbours, which they are so supposed to be negotiating agreements in concern of the Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). Yes, Ethiopia is a sovereign, but needs allies to get best deal as possible in concern to share the Nile water. Therefore, making neighbours in combat-mode. They are most likely not friendly or sharing of things with mutual interests. As they are remembering who shot at them last and it just happened to Ethiopian army.

If Abiy and his Prosperity Party thinks this is the way to get more friends. I hate to say, but you make more enemies. As you attack and try to invade other people’s land. That will end hostile and will be fatal. Just like the recent two days has proven. This sort of play will end up in no good and there is no positive silver lining. There is only death. Just like all wars, but that is what a war-lord is promoting.

A warlord that is happy to create more havoc and political crisis. Maybe he will invite Prime Minister Hamdok for another short meeting in Addis Ababa before sending him packing without any solution. Also, order a new group to attack Sudan after that meeting. Because that happened in December and could easily happened again.

It seems like this will not be over soon. The Republic’s have already started and the war-drums are hit. However, we still have to hope that peace will conquer this. Nevertheless, the warlord of Addis seems to be striking the drums, again and again. Peace.

Ethiopia: Statement of the Tigray government (15.01.2021)

It’s been 73 days since Abiy and Isayas’ clique have utilized foreign and internal armies with the explicit aim of subjugating the people of Tigray and if possible, destroy its very existence. But our people, aware of the sinister intentions of the enemy and under the guidance of our party, is inflicting huge losses upon them. Till now hundreds of thousands of invading armies of Prosperity and Eritrea have been swallowed up in the land of Tigray. Their fighter planes and heavy equipment have been turned to dust.

But the enemy, terrified by the heavy losses on the four battlefronts and all areas of Tigray, has resorted to massacring and harassing innocent children, women, the elderly and youth. Unable to contain the lightning attacks of the heroic Tigrayan defence forces, it’s now deafening us with its claim of capturing and killing veteran fighters and leaders of the people of Tigray who were unable to go to battlefronts due to bad health and age.

This week veteran fighters and leaders comrade Seyoum Mesfin, comrade Abay Tsehaye and comrade Asmelash Weldeselassie have been killed by the hands of the enemy. The martyrdom of our elite veteran leaders is part of the effort to cleanse and destroy the people of Tigray and as such it will only make us even more determined and upgrade our struggle to higher levels. Our people understand that this action of killing our veteran heroes has two aims. On one hand, its aim is to cover up the heavy losses and defeats that it’s facing on the battlefronts and exert psychological pressure on the Tigrayan people. On the other hand, in accordance with the desire of the leader of Sha’ibia (PFDJ), who had stated that Ethiopia ought to go through political laundry, it aims to completely destroy those leaders of the Tigray people who possess the ability to bring about concrete change in the Horn of Africa and who had inflicted deserved hammering of Sha’ibia (PFDJ). What our enemies fail to understand is that they cannot kill Tigrayan spirit and way of thinking by killing individuals. It is because of this that the youth of Tigray, possessing the determination of its ancestors and keeping fidelity to the words of its forefathers, is demonstrating amazing feats of heroism by pursuing the whereabouts of the enemy.

Our veteran leaders have embraced martyrdom choosing to confront death rather than abandon promises to their comrades and the people of Tigray and unwilling to bow down to the enemy. Honourable people of Tigray, your veteran leaders, by sacrificing their irreplaceable lives twice, have shown you their unyielding commitment. Be proud because your children will not forsake their promises to you. Honourable youth of Tigray, your fathers, even when burdened by agedness and health issues, have passed away honourably by defiantly refusing to yield to the enemy which has come to subdue Tigray. And we are certain that, cherishing this legacy of your forefathers, which is symbol of their amazing commitment, you will follow invading enemy forces, who are killers of your elders and your people and who have engaged in destroying your land, wherever they go and inflict vengeance upon them and show that Tigray remains to be the cemetery of invaders, not their playground.

Members of militia and fighters, who, holding strategic spots, are engaged in bloody battles with the enemy, know that thousands of Tigrayan youth, who felt proud of your astonishing determination, are joining the struggle. Tigray Defence Forces along with militia and fighters as well as newly joining youth members are on the verge of shortening the lifespan of the enemy. The reconnaissance mission the enemy has engaged anew is a sign that the sun is setting on it. Therefore, we call upon you to engage in your characteristic heroism, deprive the enemy of any outlet and hammer them. Let us strive towards decisive victory aware that the sacrifices of the heroes that have fallen on battlefronts is paving the way towards creating a secure future for Tigray.

Eternal honour and glory to the martyrs!

We shall be victorious!

The Government of Tigray

15 January, 2021

Ethiopia: Statement on the situation of Eritrean refugees in Ethiopia’s Tigray region (14.01.2021)

By Filippo Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees

I remain extremely troubled by the humanitarian situation in the Tigray region of Ethiopia and its impact on civilians, in particular Eritrean refugees hosted in the region.

We have recently seen some positive developments, working with the government to access and assist vulnerable populations, including the transport and distribution of food to some 25,000 Eritrean refugees in the Mai Aini and Adi Harush camps in Tigray. Last week UNHCR and partners carried out a rapid assessment mission at the two camps with the Ethiopian Agency for Refugee and Returnee Affairs and have been able to start restoring the water supply and limited health services. We hope that soon we will be able to re-establish full protection and other humanitarian activities.

However, in spite of repeated requests, UNHCR and partners have not yet had any access to the Shimelba and Hitsats refugee camps since the start of the law and order operation two months ago.

I am very worried for the safety and well-being of Eritrean refugees in those camps. They have been without any aid for many weeks. Furthermore, and of utmost concern, I continue to receive many reliable reports and first-hand accounts of ongoing insecurity and allegations of grave and distressing human rights abuses, including killings, targeted abductions and forced return of refugees to Eritrea. Reports of additional military incursions over the last 10 days are consistent with open source satellite imagery showing new fires burning and other fresh signs of destruction at the two camps. These are concrete indications of major violations of international law.

Ethiopia has long given refuge to people fleeing conflict and persecution. The Federal Government has provided assurances that measures are being taken to minimize the impact of the conflict on civilians. I have impressed upon the Ethiopian leadership the urgency of ensuring the protection of refugees, preventing forced return, and keeping refugee camps safe from attacks and other threats from armed actors.

Equally distressing to UNHCR teams on the ground has been our inability to assist thousands of Eritrean refugees who continue to flee the camps in search of safety and support. Refugees arriving on foot to Shire town in Tigray are emaciated, begging for aid that is not available. Refugees who reached Addis Ababa are being returned to Tigray, some against their will. While access to Mai Aini and Adi Harush camps is a good start, I must reiterate the UN-wide call for full and unimpeded access – exploring all options to safely provide desperately needed assistance.

UNHCR remains committed to work with the Ethiopian government to carry out our mandate to protect and assist those forced to flee in line with the humanitarian principles of impartiality and neutrality. We remain available to seek solutions – together – to the current humanitarian problems in a spirit of collaboration and constructive partnership. Safe access and swift action are needed now to save thousands of lives at risk.