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Brussels is withholding nearly 90 million euros ($ 109 million) in budget support payments to Ethiopia due to the conflict in the northern region of Tigray.
The decision aims to highlight the EU’s desire for a cessation of hostilities and a “resolution by political means”, and its concerns about restrictions on humanitarian and media access, according to an internal document seen by AFP.
The EU has called for a “follow-up of allegations of human rights abuses” during the conflict, which began in early November.
There is little information about the situation in Shire, a city in the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia.
Telecommunications are closed. The organizations can only speculate on the extent of the casualties and material damage following the clashes between the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and federal forces.
Read more: Ethiopia: UN calls for independent monitors in Tigray conflict
Ethiopian refugees who fled to Sudan from Tigray wait in line for food aid
But when Semira’s * relative was able to escape the city thanks to his Saudi Arabian ID, he brought bad news with him. Five of his relatives died after being shot.
“It had been a long time since I last saw my father cry,” said Semira, who is half Tigrayan, half Eritrean.
“The people I know hate the TPLF. But now they want the TPLF to win. They want them to take power. Even the people who had hope in [Ethiopia’s prime minister, Abiy Ahmed]. For now, we only hear from five people, we do not know about the others. There are young people of whom we do not know where they are, they are fighting ”.
Read more: DW Fact Check: Tigray Conflict Is Also A Battle For The Truth
Deployment of the humanitarian crisis
The fight between the federal government and the TPLF began in early November.
Ethiopia’s Tigray region has been almost completely isolated from the rest of the world since fighting broke out. Communications were partially restored in the western part of the region a few weeks ago, and in and around Mekele, the capital of Tigray, on Sunday.
This was a relief for the families who were able to reconnect after nearly six weeks of silence and uncertainty.
But for the rest, the northern and central areas, the questions persist.
Help access
The UN Security Council held an informal meeting on Monday on the humanitarian situation in Ethiopia’s Tigray region, where most humanitarian organizations are not allowed to enter.
A humanitarian crisis is unfolding on such a scale that organizations fear what they will find once they are allowed entry. Reports of civilian casualties are becoming more frequent, contradicting claims by both the TPLF and the government that no harm has been caused to civilians.
The UN humanitarian agency is preparing for approximately 1.1 million people in need of humanitarian assistance, in addition to the 600,000 people already dependent on food aid. Hundreds of thousands are believed to be internally displaced and food rations have been depleted.
So far, almost no humanitarian access has been granted despite a November agreement between the Ethiopian government and UN agencies allowing aid in areas controlled by the Tigray government.
Wounded and sick
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) was one of the only humanitarian organizations that was finally able to enter the region’s capital, where the prime minister paid a visit on Sunday.
“We have sent seven trucks to Mekele to transport medical supplies and relief supplies,” explained Zewdu Ayalew, head of communications for the ICRC delegation in Ethiopia.
“The wounded and sick were in no condition to receive adequate medication and the hospital was forced to suspend services in its intensive care unit and other routine medical services.”
Now power has been restored and the Mekele health facilities can slowly resume their services.
But the ICRC has been an exception so far.
Read more: Ethiopian forces in Tigray admit to firing on UN personnel
A convoy brings relief and medical supplies to Tigray state capital, Mekelle
Complex environment
Ethiopia “does not need a babysitter,” Redwan Hussein, spokesman for the emergency task force, told a news conference regarding humanitarian access. He accused the UN of not cooperating after the agreement was signed on November 29.
In early December, federal forces fired at four UN personnel during an assessment visit. The government said this occurred after staff passed through two checkpoints leading to a refugee camp.
This incident “highlights the complex situation we now have in Tigray and the need for us to have safe, unconditional and free access to the area to ensure that we can help people there,” according to Saviano Abreu, spokesman for the humanitarian organization. from the ONU. coordination office (OCHA).
Read more: Ethiopia and the UN reach an agreement for access to aid from Tigray
An Ethiopian woman carries her child near the Setit River on the Sudan-Ethiopia border
Reaching out to all people in need
Negotiations are still ongoing between the UN, the government and other humanitarian actors, but it is unlikely that unlimited access will be granted in the near future.
“This agreement says that the UN and other organizations dealing with refugees have unlimited access to this region,” explained Chris Melzer, UNHCR spokesman in Ethiopia.
“We probably had different definitions of unlimited access.”
In reality, the agreement granted access in areas controlled by the federal army, and “only when the government allows it at every step. Ethiopia is a host country, here we are invited and of course we will respect Ethiopian law.” But we really hope that the Ethiopian government also sees the need to help these people in the Tigray region, “emphasized Chris Melzer.
An Ethiopian crosses the River Setit on the border between Sudan and Ethiopia in the village of Hamdayet
Internally displaced people need help
Impatience is growing among humanitarian organizations, which are increasingly frustrated at the inability to carry out their missions.
Internally displaced persons are of particular concern. They are likely to be scattered in rural areas after fleeing the fighting and therefore could be very difficult to reach.
Some NGOs fear that food supplies will be stranded in major cities, such as Mekele or Shire, with no access far from main roads.
“People affected by the conflict must be cared for without distinction of any kind, regardless of the urgency of their needs,” insisted Saviano Abreu of OCHA.
Read more: Ethiopia: ‘The people of Tigray are terrified’
The case of the Eritrean refugees
Concern for refugee populations in Tigray is also growing. The region is home to some 96,000 Eritrean refugees, who are heavily dependent on aid and could be a target in the conflict, where, according to various sources, Eritrean troops have been involved in hostilities. The Ethiopian government has repeatedly denied these claims.
So far, UNHCR has been unable to provide assistance to the four refugee camps in the region. The delivery of food and other items, which generally takes place every four weeks, stopped in early November. The camps have been without supplies for more than a week.
Hundreds of Eritrean refugees have fled the camps in the region and have been able to escape to Addis Ababa or Gondar. But on Friday, the government said it is “returning the refugees safely to their respective camps,” and said food aid was on the way.
A donkey jumps out of a boat after crossing a river from Ethiopia to Sudan
Humanitarian worker safety
“We are talking about families, older people, children who were born just a few weeks ago, months ago. We are concerned that the situation is not really suitable for the refugees there. The refugees fled this region for good reasons,” said Chris Melzer .
“On the other hand, as soon as the government believes that the situation is safe for the refugees, we think that it should also be safe enough for the refugee helpers, and so we think that very soon we will be able to return to the refugee camps.” “
Ensuring the safety of humanitarian personnel will not be an easy task. It is unclear under what circumstances employees of the Danish Refugee Council and the International Rescue Committee died in November, and clashes are still reported in some areas.
There is also fear of ethnic profiling discrimination (Tigray humanitarian workers have received repeated threats), but non-Tigraya people could be exposed to other risks.
Nonetheless, the organizations are determined to do everything possible to provide assistance to thousands of desperately waiting.
“My family is lucky, they had a place to go, they had someone to be with. But what about those who have nothing?” Semira asked.
Despite her fear, she decided to speak up, especially on social media. He is concerned about the fate of the region, especially Shire, his father’s birthplace.
“Because they can not [humanitarians] Go there? This is the question. I feel like they burned this city to the ground, “she whispered through tears.
* DW has changed the name of the interviewee for your safety.
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