Crisis in Ethiopia’s Tigray Region

Since November 2020, the Ethiopian federal government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (FLPT) have been engaged in an armed conflict. The FLPT accused Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed of having marginalized the Tigrayan people through several reforms.

This conflict leads to an instability of the population in the north of the country. UN representatives refer to numerous abuses by government forces such as the murder of civilians, sexual and gender-based violence, forced displacement and the looting of many civilians. Ethiopia is also accused by the United States of carrying out an ethnic cleansing campaign. The conflict has led to the displacement of around 950,000 people, most of whom have fled the area empty-handed.

The COVID-19 pandemic has also worsened the situation in the region. Food security is becoming a problem and malnutrition among children is increasing. Thus, on March 25, the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) and the United Nations Human Rights, on a mutual agreement, decided to conduct an investigation into human rights violations.

CD4Peace supports this initiative in North Ethiopia and urges that the conflict between government forces and the FLPT must not affect civilians.

Photo Credit; https://news.sky.com/story/ethiopias-tigray-conflict-united-states-hopeful-for-humanitarian-access-to-region-12256934