Ethiopia: Agew Liberation Front – Request for emergency humanitarian support (20.02.2023)

For the office of the United Nations

Ethiopian country office

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Topic:- Request for emergency humanitarian support.

Wag Humra and some of the northern wollo zone woredas (Gidan, Lasta, Bugina and Lalibela) in Amhara region northeast with Tigray region.

Following the fighting going on in the north, these areas are under the control of the Agew army and Tigray defense force since six months ago.

Unfortunately, some of the Wag Hamra Zone and Northern Wollo Woredas mentioned above are found in Tekeze Corridor. They are areas with a food security problem, a severe lack of balanced nutrition and a high environmental degradation between 1973 and 1983 E.C. S. M. It is the people after the drought and the worst famine that happened.

These areas are being supported by PSNP and JOEP programs.

The armed conflict that has been going on in these areas for the past ten months has exposed the local communities to worsened food security problems, lack of health services, hygiene and environmental hygiene and personal hygiene problems.

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Opinion: Afwerki wants it both ways…

“I have no intention of interfering in this matter despite the disinformation campaign going on trying to disrupt the process of peace in Ethiopia” (…) “You talk about withdrawal or no withdrawal (of Eritrean forces), and we say this is nonsense. Why are we bothered if Eritrean troops were there or not there?” (…) “Everybody talking about human rights violations (by Eritrean forces), rape, looting, this is a fantasy in the minds of those who own this factory that I call a factory of fabricating misinformation” – President Isaias Afwerki (09.02.2022).

A President for Life without elections, political opposition or any sort of accountability. He is the man to talk about responsibility and disinformation. When he himself controls every word about himself and whatever that is reported in the State of Eritrea. Shabait will only write favourably about him and his reign. Even where there is no proof of positive vibes or reforms. However, that doesn’t matter… as long as President Isaias Afwerki is crowned King.

No one should be surprised that Afwerki is blaming others for his own gains. That is what he does and he has tried to settle old grudges by going to war. The PIA or the President of Eritrea have tried to end the nemesis and old enemies of Tigray to no avail. He has retaliated and he has done what he could to avenge the past. However, as part of the Tripartite Alliance to tear Tigray apart isn’t over.

That’s why he has talked in Kenya and in a separate interview on Eri-TV where he has called it the proxy war of the United States of America. Like the TPLF wasn’t attacking Asmara in self-defence, as the borders of the region was filled with armies prepared to invade in November 2020. We are just supposed to forget that and not know the initial preparation, as a part of the peace-agreement, which is kept secret. That is why for some of us… the agreement made between Abiy and Afwerki seems like a war-pact. When you see what happened after the 2018 “peace” agreement.

It isn’t hard to believe that Afwerki wants to distort and downplay the role his armies and allies played in Tigray. That’s what his doing in the retorts in Kenya and in the interview on Eri-TV. He wants to be righteous and be a reasonable man. Even when his totally wrong and knows the acts of his armies within Ethiopia. They are there on accord with the ruling regime and the sovereign allowed it.

Still, the Eritrean Defence Force (EDF) didn’t come in peace, and it wasn’t intended to be this way. It was a war that was to be fought in darkness and create shallow graves of the ones who defied Addis Ababa and Asmara. That was the gist of this, the manner of which Afwerki got to retaliate and revenge Mekelle for past transgressions. That’s why this is personal to him, and he got to loot the ones who fought against him.

President Afwerki is willing to lie about it all and disregard anyone else. That’s why his like this and speaks about in this manner. It is all to create an alternative perception and make it seems differently. However, the reports and the proof of their actions in Tigray is there. Anyone would be naïve to think otherwise. That the men and the people who participated, ordered and sanctioned the atrocities would say it openly. Afwerki wants a clean-slate and act like the EDF wasn’t part of it. Alas, make it seem like they only participated in it in self-defence, which isn’t true. The Tripartite Alliance prepared, planned and enforced this war. That’s why he wants the spot-light on the victims and blame for their demise. Peace.

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Ethiopia: Northern aid access improving but some areas still hard to reach (03.02.2023)

According to the latest Situation Report from UN aid coordination office OCHA, between 12 and 18 January, around 400,000 people received food assistance in Tigray.

NEW YORK, United States of America, February 3, 2023 – UN humanitarians on Thursday reported that aid access in the north is continuing to improve with aid operations expanding following last November’s ceasefire agreement, but some civilians in the battle-scarred region “remain hard to reach.”

Associate Spokesperson Florencia Soto Niño​ told correspondents at the regular noon briefing in New York that aid distribution had expanded in the Afar, Amhara and Tigray regions, but some pockets remained that have not yet been accessed.

Relief for 3.8 million people

“Since the Cessation of Hostilities agreement in mid-November, more than 127,000 tons of food have been brought into Tigray, reaching more than 3.8 million people”, she said.

According to the latest Situation Report from UN aid coordination office OCHA, between 12 and 18 January, around 400,000 people received food assistance in Tigray.

Fighting continues in Amhara

Humanitarians say that fighting in parts of southern Amhara and neighbouring areas of Oromia region, have led to “significant displacement” in the zones of North Shewa, South Wello and West Gojam, in Amhara.

OCHA reports that in those regions of Amhara, “a significant number of houses and private properties have allegedly been burned down and destroyed. Partners are mobilizing food and non-food items such as emergency shelter, amidst road closure and ongoing hostilities.”

Away from the former battlefields of the north, where more than two years of conflict between Government forces and Tigray rebels left thousands dead, and millions displaced, an “historic drought” continues to ravage southern and eastern regions of Ethiopia, she said.

Aid plan to reach 17 million

“We and our partners aim to reach 17 million people with food, water, health and agriculture support, among other assistance.”

And in part of Oromia and Somali region, in central and southern Ethiopia, there have been more than 1,000 cases of cholera reported so far, with more than a million people considered to be “at high risk”, said the Associate Spokesperson.

“An oral cholera vaccination campaign has been launched, and 33 per cent of the people they intend to assist, have been reached so far”, she added, noting that extra funding for widescale vaccination was critical, given the scale of need.

Malaria compounds health challenges

In a worrying sign, some 19 districts in Afar, during January have exceeded the malaria monthly average threshold of the previous five years.

And an estimated 106,000 students are being affected by a lack of water supply in schools in Shebelle Zone, in Somali, due to the drought.

Financial requirements for lifesaving humanitarian support is still being finalized and expected to remain high, she said, pointing out that last year, the humanitarian appeal for Africa’s second most populous country, received less than half the $3.3 billion needed.

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