[ad_1]
Amid “disturbing reports” from Ethiopians fleeing to Sudan, the UN refugee agency on Friday called for “unrestricted access to Tigray to reach people in need.”
Babar Baloch, spokesman for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), reiterated the UN joint call for all parties to “allow freedom of movement to affected civilians seeking assistance, security and protection. within the Tigray region or outside the affected areas. ” ”.
“This includes respecting and defending the right to cross international borders to seek asylum,” he told reporters in Geneva.
A government offensive began on 4 November after forces loyal to the ruling Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) reportedly attacked a federal military base.
‘Heartbreaking accounts’
While those fleeing the northern region are trending down to less than 500 a day, the newer groups coming from deeper areas within Tigray are sharing “heartbreaking tales of being detained by armed groups and stripped of their possessions, “according to the UNHCR spokesperson. .
He relayed reports that, arriving weak and exhausted, some refugees had spent “two weeks fleeing inside Ethiopia as they made their way to the border.”
In addition, many had hidden “in fields and bushes to avoid being seen.”
“Without access in Ethiopia we cannot verify these disturbing reports,” the UNHCR spokesman said.
Eritreans in Tigray
Mr. Baloch expressed the deep concern of the UN refugee agency for the safety and condition of Eritrean refugees in Tigray who have been caught up in the conflict and left without access to services and supplies for more than a year. month.
At a press conference on Monday, Secretary General António Guterres had said that Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed “guaranteed me that they have not entered Tigrayan territory, that the only area where they are is the one that corresponds to the territory in dispute between the two countries ”that, in the peace agreement, it was decided, would be returned to Eritrea.
However, according to news reports, while the Ethiopian government said that its completed military offensive against the leaders of the Tigray regional government did not threaten Eritrean refugees, international aid groups said that four of its employees had been killed, as least one in a refugee camp there.
Within Sudan
Since December 6, the UN refugee agency has registered 50,000 Ethiopian refugees crossing into Sudan and continues to work with local authorities and partners, expanding its humanitarian response to assist them.
“We have seen an increase in requests to search for relatives, as many separated at the beginning of the conflict or during the flight and have not been able to contact since then,” said the UNHCR spokesman.
“More drugs are needed, especially for those who were taking chronic medication for diabetes, HIV and other diseases,” he added.
UNHCR and its partners also need support to prevent Covid-19 outbreaks among refugees living in crowded conditions, including more hand washing stations, PPE kits and information campaigns.
Starting Wednesday, the first of five additional chartered flights began bringing more urgently needed humanitarian supplies to Sudan.
“In total, the Dubai and Nairobi air bridges will bring some 3,225 tents, 75,000 blankets, 45,000 mats, 20,000 solar lamps, 17,000 mosquito nets and 8,250 plastic sheets,” explained Baloch. “With these flights, we have transported 440 metric tons of humanitarian aid since November 27.”
And UNHCR also continues to push refugees away from the border with some 14,000 resettled in the Um Rakuba refugee settlement so far.
Together with its partners, the UN refugee agency has requested $ 147 million to meet needs and support the government of Sudan, which continues to host and host refugees.
Food assistance
At the same time, the World Food Program (WFP) is providing food and logistical support to those crossing from Tigray, including helping to establish camps far from the border.
As the refugees move into camps, the UN agency has established six supply centers for the storage of food and other vital aid, transported first responders and provided two fuel tankers for humanitarian use.
Faced with the influx of newcomers, testing WFP’s ability to respond to the ongoing crises in Sudan, he appealed to the international community to step up its generous donations to save lives.
False accusations
In parallel coverage, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) vigorously refuted allegations that it is holding a group of Eritrean refugees in the capital for forced return, along with allegations that its buses have been used to transport Eritrean refugees. refugees to an unknown destination.
On December 3, the Ethiopian Government’s Agency for Refugee and Returned Affairs (ARRA) took over one of the three IOM centers in Addis Ababa.
IOM has not had the authority to manage, supervise or participate in any activities carried out by the authorities at the center since then nor has it under any circumstances. Carry out the forced return of migrants and refugees.
The Organization’s approach to assisting the return of migrants is based on the pillars of protection, human rights and voluntariness and on full respect for international law.
IOM is extremely concerned by these reports and calls on States to guarantee the protection of all civilians, including migrants and refugees, while respecting international law and its conventions, including the principle of non-refoulement.
