United Nations – UN humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock warned on Thursday that “an extermination campaign” is underway The disputed province of Tigray in Ethiopia, saying that at least 4.5 million people need assistance and demand that troops from neighboring Eritrea accused of perpetrating atrocities in Tigray leave Ethiopia.
As the Tigray crisis enters its fourth month, Lowcock says, the humanitarian crisis worsens and “ multiple credible and widely confirmed reports from Tigray … speak of widespread atrocities, including mass killings, rape and kidnapping of civilians, and ongoing fighting throughout the country. region. “as well as the destruction of crops and important agricultural machines.
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Lowcock’s comments at a private UN Security Council meeting obtained by CBS News first mentioned the Eritrean armed forces fighting alongside the Ethiopian government, warning of possible famine “if food does not get through and there is no resurgence. agriculture. “
Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said the US had sent a “Disaster Assistance Response Team to Ethiopia,” reports Pamela Falk of CBS News. The US ambassador called on the Ethiopian government to support an immediate halt to fighting in Tigray and backed Lowcock’s call for “the immediate withdrawal of Eritrean and Amhara regional forces”.
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres also backed Lowcock’s claim.
A Security Council press statement on Tigray prepared by Ireland is still under discussion, said council diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity since the meeting had closed.
As fierce fighting is said to continue between Ethiopian and Allied forces and those supporting the now fugitive Tigray leaders who once dominated Ethiopia’s government, alarm is growing over the fate of Tigray’s 6 million people. Nobody knows how many thousands of civilians have died.
Reports of atrocities against Tigray residents were detailed in reports by The Associated Press and by Amnesty International. The federal government and regional officials in Tigray both believe each other’s governments are illegal after elections disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Lowcock demanded that the Eritreans leave, saying, “It is now abundantly clear to everyone, and is openly acknowledged by officials of the government administration in Tigray, that the Eritrean armed forces are active all over Tigray.”
“Numerous well-researched reports suggest they are to blame for atrocities,” he said. “Eritrean forces must leave Ethiopia, and they must not be able or allowed to continue their campaign of destruction until they do so.”
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Lowcock also stressed that all armed forces – “and here I include the Ethiopian armed forces, the Eritrean armed forces, the Tigrayan armed forces, and ethnic militias from parts of Ethiopia beyond Tigray” – must allow access to those in need of assistance under international humanitarian law, “anywhere maybe.”
He said many rural people, who accounted for about 80% of the Tigray population before the conflict began, remain inaccessible and their situation is “almost certainly worse” than those that aid agencies have been able to reach.
“We have identified at least 600,000 people who we know are in need of assistance but have not yet received any humanitarian assistance,” Lowcock said. “But we suspect that the actual number of people in need who have not received help so far is significantly higher.”
With crops and markets disrupted by the conflict, he said “food insecurity is on the rise,” citing “anecdotal reports of starvation,” but said “the worst is still to be avoided.”
Lowcock said aid agencies are scaling up their response, urging donors to contribute to a $ 400 million call for Tigray, set to be released next week.
INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS / Reuters
The UN humanitarian chief said Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed told Secretary General Guterres a few days ago – and World Food Program Director David Beasley once again Thursday – that he is committed to ensuring that aid reaches those who need it.
“This commitment should now translate into more action on the ground,” Lowcock said, stressing the urgent need to get communications equipment into Tigray so that aid agencies can communicate with each other.
Lowcock said Tigray may not be the only hot spot in Ethiopia.
“We see warning signs in other regions of Ethiopia, including a military build-up on the Ethiopia-Sudan border and a worsening ethnic conflict in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, from which refugees are fleeing to Sudan,” he said.