Tigray on the brink of a humanitarian disaster

IT HAS been 14 months since clashes started between federal government troops and the forces of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which has left Tigray on the brink of a humanitarian crisis.

The conflict over who should rightfully lead the region has left thousands dead and impacted millions of people across the country to what could become a “humanitarian disaster”.

And while the UN World Food Programme (WFP) have stepped in to assist, operations in northern Ethiopia came to a halt due to fighting and blocking of routes.

At the same time, the WFP reported that the lack of food and fuel has also played a major role in the distribution as supplies run out, leaving more than 90% of the population in urgent need of assistance. “We’re on the edge of a humanitarian disaster,” the WFP said.

The WFP said that some categories of food supplies are already depleted, leaving a situation where it needs to “choose who goes hungry to prevent another from starving”.

According to the BBC, no aid convoys have been able to get into Tigray through the Afar region since December 14 due to insecurity, renewed fighting and bureaucratic delays.

Last week, the WFP distributed the

last of its cereal, pulses and oil supplies to Tigray where more than five million people wait. And with the urgency to feed the millions of starving women and malnourished children, the UN says it requires at least 100 trucks to cross into Tigray per day.

However, the organisation also raised the issue that delivery trucks, about 900, into Tigray are not returning. The challenges have been endless with the US international development agency (USAID) calling the

conflict “one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world”.

On Wednesday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in a statement following a meeting with former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo, that while ongoing military operations in some parts of Ethiopia remained a challenge to the peace process, there had been a “demonstrable effort to make peace”.

“Let me reiterate my call on all parties to move rapidly towards cessation of hostilities as a critical step in the right direction for peace-making,” Guterres said. “The UN stands ready to support an all-inclusive and nationally owned dialogue, peace, security, and reconciliation process in Ethiopia.”

Guterres called on the international community to continue to emphasise the need for all parties to demonstrate sincerity and commitment to the peace process, and urged all actors in the conflict to support and facilitate the local as well as international efforts done to provide humanitarian aid.

He has said while there is “great hope” for the peace process, they remain concerned about the humanitarian situation in various parts of Ethiopia which has been affected by the war.

In the midst of the humanitarian crisis, allegations of widespread human rights abuses have also come to the forefront following months of killings, looting and destruction of health centres and farming infrastructure.

According to the UN’s official website, two children were killed in an air strike on a Tigray refugee camp earlier this month.

Following reports of the air strike, UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi said refugees were not and should never be a target and urged all parties to “respect the rights of all civilians, including refugees”.

Grandi said refugee settlements should always be protected, in line with international legal obligations.

As the humanitarian situation continues to deteriorate with restriction of movement of supplies, Dujarric says several UN and non-governmental organisations will be forced to cease operations if humanitarian supplies, fuel and cash are not being delivered into Tigray. The UN humanitarian staff reported that thousands of people continue to be displaced from areas such as Afar, Amhara and the Western Zone of Tigray, with some people also returning in need of food, water, sanitation and shelter.

“Our partners continue to work with authorities to ensure that the returns are well planned, voluntary and dignified and that returnees have adequate support,” Dujarric said.

Meanwhile, resistance singer Nuho Gobana died last Tuesday at the age of 74. Gobana was well known for his songs to empower people and urging the Oromo people to unite to demand change.

Despite the Oromo people being the largest ethnic group in Ethiopia, they were marginalised by successive rulers before the rule of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

After being ill for some time, Gobana moved to Adama, east of the capital, Addis Ababa, where he lived his final days.