Situation Report EEPA HORN No. 59 – 18 January 2021

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Europe External Programme with Africa is a Belgium-based Centre of Expertise with in-depth knowledge, publications, and networks, specialised in issues of peace building, refugee protection and resilience in the Horn of Africa. EEPA has published extensively on issues related to movement and/or human trafficking of refugees in the Horn of Africa and on the Central Mediterranean Route. It cooperates with a wide network of Universities, research organisations, civil society and experts from Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Djibouti, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda and across Africa. Key in-depth publications can be accessed on the website.

Reported war situation (as confirmed per 17 January)

● According to Sudan Tribune, the head of the Sudanese Sovereign Council, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, disclosed that Sudanese troops were deployed on the border as per an agreement with the Ethiopian Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, arranged prior to the beginning of the war.

● Al-Burhan told a gathering about the arrangements that were made in the planning of the military actions: “I visited Ethiopia shortly before the events, and we agreed with the Prime Minister of Ethiopia that the Sudanese armed forces would close the Sudanese borders to prevent border infiltration to and from Sudan by an armed party.”

● Al-Burhan stated: “Actually, this is what the (Sudanese) armed forces have done to secure the international borders and have stopped there.” His statement suggests that Abiy Ahmed spoke with him about the military plans before launching the military operation in Tigray.

● Ethiopia has called the operation a “domestic law and order” action to respond to domestic provocations, but the planning with neighbours in the region on the actions paint a different picture.

● Al-Burhan described as “inaccurate” statements by Ethiopian officials saying that Sudanese military are implementing the agenda of a third party. “Statements by Ethiopian officials claiming several border areas are a new development that requires to defend the integrity of the Sudanese territory.”

● Reported in the Somali Guardian that dozens of Somali soldiers were used as cannon fodder in the recent offensive in Ethiopia’s Tigray region and were killed in the conflict. The Somali soldiers were deployed after completing training in Eritrea a few months ago. The Somali government has previously denied involvement in the Tigray war.

● Report received that Amb. Seyoum Mesfin, Asmelash Weldeselassie and Abay Tsehaye were taken from their houses during the war and then brought to Senafe in Eritrea and mistreated there. They have recently been handed to the Ethiopian federal military and were executed without any charge.

● Eritrea is handing out Eritrean national ID-cards to Tigrayans living up to 8kms North of Adigrat. Eritrea is claiming 36 km into Tigray towards Adigrat belongs to Eritrea.

● Reported that 90% of the Central Zone of Tigray now controlled by Tigray regional forces and fighting was also reported in the Southern, Eastern, Western and Southern fronts.

● Tigray regional forces have captured 30 soldiers from EDF in Wajirat in Southern Tigray.

● Fighting was reported at Edaga Arbi and Tigray regional forces have destroyed one ENDF battalion and captured 8 Bren machine guns, 100 AK-47 and many soldiers. In revenge, ENDF forces killed more than 80 youths at Debre Abbay.

● An ENDF allied convoy was reportedly ambushed by Tigray defence forces at Enda Maryam near Hagereselam town in Central Zone Tigray.

● Fires were detected within Enticho town in Central Tigray, a location within an active area of conflict.

● Reported that more than 750 Tigrayan ethnic members of the federal police, who were disarmed during the Tigray war have been deployed and arrived in the Southern Tigray without arms after a short training with the purpose of restoring law and order.

● More Eritrean troops are coming to Adigrat telling citizens to stay closed at home.

● The Sudan defense minister said Ethiopia is massing military forces on the borders in locations facing the Sudanese army deployment.

● Sudan calls on Ethiopia to withdraw its forces from all positions under its control.

● The Washington Post writes that “Though Ethiopia’s prime minister declared victory in late November, its military and allied fighters remain active amid the presence of troops from neighboring Eritrea.”

Reported situation in Tigray (as confirmed per 17 January)

● A report by The Washington Post states that starvation haunts Ethiopia’s Tigray region.

● The Washington Post writes that the “first humanitarian workers to arrive after pleading with the Ethiopian government for access describe weakened children dying from diarrhea after drinking from rivers.” The Post reports that “A local official told a Jan. 1 crisis meeting of government and aid workers that hungry people had asked for ‘a single biscuit.’”

● The Washington Post reported that a doctor in Sudan where refugees arrive stated that newer arrivals show signs of starvation. It is also reported that new arrivals come as far as from Aksum and Mekelle to Sudan.

● The Washington Post reports that “More than 4.5 million people, nearly the region’s entire population, need emergency food.” It reports a meeting in which “a Tigray administrator warned that without aid, ‘hundreds of thousands might starve to death’”.

● The Washington Post reports that “In the towns of Adigrat, Adwa and Axum, ‘the level of civilian casualties is extremely high in the places we have been able to access’”

● According to the Famine Early Warning Systems Network “parts of central and eastern Tigray are likely in Emergency Phase 4, a step below famine.” states the Washington Post.

● The AP reports the head of the emergency unit of Doctors without Borders, Mari Carmen Vinoles, stating that “There is an extreme urgent need — I don’t know what more words in English to use — to rapidly scale up the humanitarian response because the population is dying every day as we speak.”

● The Telegraph reported that churches and mosques in Tigray are attacked, vandalized and their sacred treasures looted. Further, International experts warned of historical vandalism and “cultural cleansing”.

Reported International situation (as confirmed per 17 January)

● The International Tigrayan Muslims Association expressed outrage over the attack on the Al-Nejashi Mosque.

Disclaimer:

All information in this situation report is presented as a fluid update report, as to the best knowledge and understanding of the authors at the moment of publication. EEPA does not claim that the information is correct but verifies to the best of ability within the circumstances. Publication is weighed on the basis of interest to understand potential impacts of events (or perceptions of these) on the situation. Check all information against updates and other media. EEPA does not take responsibility for the use of the information or impact thereof. All information reported originates from third parties and the content of all reported and linked information remains the sole responsibility of these third parties. Report to info@eepa.be any additional information and corrections.

Links of interest

17/01/2021 News and Commentaries – Tigray War

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‘Extreme urgent need’: Starvation haunts Ethiopia’s Tigray. 

From “emaciated” refugees to crops burned on the brink of harvest, starvation threatens the survivors of more than two months of fighting in Ethiopia’s Tigray region.

The first humanitarian workers to arrive after pleading with the Ethiopian government for access describe weakened children dying from diarrhea after drinking from rivers. Shops were looted or depleted weeks ago.

A local official told a Jan. 1 crisis meeting of government and aid workers that hungry people had asked for “a single biscuit.” Washington Post

Report: “Hundreds of Somali troops used as cannon-fodder in Ethiopia’s Tigray War”

Dozens of Somali soldiers were killed in Ethiopia’s Tigray region months after crossing over the border with Eritrean troops on November last year following their graduation from military training camps in Eritrea | Somalia. Somali Guardian

Ethiopia is massing military forces on the borders in locations facing the Sudanese army deployment sites.

Sudanese troops have been deployed on the border in agreement with Ethiopia’s PM: al-Burhan

The head of the Sudanese Sovereign Council, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, disclosed Saturday that he had agreed with the Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to deploy the Sudanese troops to secure the borders between countries. Sudan Tribune

‘Major violations’ of international law at Tigray refugee camps.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said satellite imagery showed fires burning and fresh signs of destruction at the Shimelba and Hitsats camps for refugees from neighbouring Eritrea which people fled due to political persecution and compulsory military service before the conflict in Tigray.

“These are concrete indications of major violations of international law,” Filippo Grandi, commissioner of the UNHCR, said in a statement on Thursday. Al Jazeera

EU’s Borrell says ‘possible war crimes’ in Ethiopia’s Tigray.

The European Union’s foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on Friday said that “possible war crimes” have been reported in Ethiopia’s Tigray region and insisted authorities must open humanitarian access.

“The situation on the ground goes well beyond a purely internal ‘law and order’ operation. We receive consistent reports of ethnic-targeted violence, killings, massive looting, rapes, forceful returns of refugees and possible war crimes,” Borrell wrote in a blog post.

“More than two million people have been internally displaced. And while people are in dire need of aid, access to the affected region remains limited, which makes it very difficult to deliver humanitarian assistance.” AFP

Meet the people forced to flee Ethiopia’s Tigray region.

“We saw many dead bodies”, Melashu, 65 .

“I saw they were killing young men, so I fled. Here I feel safe,” Ashenafi, 19.

“I wish I didn’t have to give birth to my baby in this place,” Leilti, 30. Norwegian Refugee Council

 

Konflikten i Tigray i Etiopia: Dette har skjedd og slik er nødresponsen

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Leger Uten Grenser | Hundretusener av mennesker har blitt tvunget på flukt, og rundt 50.000 har flyktet til Sudan. Her er en gjennomgang av noe av det som har skjedd, og hva Leger Uten Grenser gjør for å hjelpe menneskene i nød.

I starten av november 2020 brøt det ut kamper i Tigray-regionen i Etiopia som tvang mennesker på flukt og har ført til store humanitære behov. Mange av de som fortsatt befinner seg i Tigray-regionen befinner seg i mindre landsbyer, avsidesliggende områder, eller de er fanget mellom lokale kamper. Leger Uten Grenser har siden midten av desember 2020 hatt medisinske team inne i Tigray, og vi har siden starten av konflikten gitt helsehjelp til dem som har flyktet til nabolandet Sudan.

En stor andel av dem som har flyktet til Sudan er barn. De har flyktet fra alt de hadde, og har nå store og umiddelbare behov for grunnleggende ting som vann, husly, helsehjelp og mat.

I de områdene vi har fått tilgang til i Tigray, bor titusener av mennesker i forlatte bygninger og på byggeplasser i Shire, Dansha og Humera. Andre har fått husly av vertsfamilier i østlige og sørlige deler av regionen. Tilgang på mat, rent vann, husly og helsehjelp i disse områdene er svært begrenset. Vi har også hørt rapporter om at folk gjemmer seg i fjellene og de mer avsidesliggende områdene i regionen.

Kritisk infrastruktur rammet

Noen steder har vi sett at kraftlinjer er kuttet, vannforsyninger ikke fungerer, telefonlinjer er nede, banker er stengt og mange er redde for å dra tilbake til hjemmene sine. Det er vanskelig for mange å kontakte slektninger og nære, og mange har ikke mulighet til å kjøpe inn det grunnleggende de trenger.

Kampene sammenfalt med innhøstingssesongen, og avlingene var i tillegg blitt angrepet av ørkengresshopper. Allerede før konflikten eskalerte, var det matmangel og rundt én million mennesker var avhengige av humanitær hjelp.

Selv om lokale myndigheter og organisasjoner nå deler ut mat i enkelte områder, når de ikke ut til alle som trenger det.

Flere hundre tusen mennesker er rammet av konflikten, og den kan også destabilisere andre deler av landet og regionen, med potensielt katastrofale humanitære konsekvenser.

Les videre >>

Hva kan man kreve av en fredsprisvinner?
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Bistandsaktuelt | Etiopias statsminister beskrev krigens vanvidd i sin nobeltale i Oslo Rådhus. «Krigen skaper barbariske menn», sa han. Beskrev Abiy Ahmed seg selv? spør Tomm Kristiansen.

Det var ingen krig, sa statsministeren. Det var en «rettshåndhevelse i eget land».

Men det settes ekstra krav til en mann med fredsprisen rundt halsen. Det er lettere å starte en krig enn å avslutte den. Tigray har egne styrker, og Eritrea har gått over grensen for å bistå Abyi, sivile er blitt drept, massakrer er gjennomført, og folk har flyktet over grensa til Sudan.

Les mer >>

Sudanese troops have been deployed on the border in agreement with Ethiopia’s PM: al-Burhan

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Source: Sudan Tribune

The head of the Sudanese Sovereign Council, Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, disclosed Saturday that he had agreed with the Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to deploy the Sudanese troops to secure the borders between countries.

On the first of November 2020, days before the attack of the Ethiopian federal army on the TPLF forces in Tigray region, al-Burhan travelled to Ethiopia together with Omer Gamar Eldin the Foreign Minister, Jamal Abdel Majeed the head of the General Intelligence Service, and Yasir Mohamed Osman the head of the Military Intelligence.

Al-Burhan told a gathering of businessmen and entrepreneurs to support the Sudanese army that his army has no intention to wage war against Ethiopia. He added that the army has been deployed within the Sudanese borders.

“I visited Ethiopia shortly before the events, and we agreed with the Prime Minister of Ethiopia that the Sudanese armed forces would close the Sudanese borders to prevent border infiltration to and from Sudan by an armed party,” he said.

“Actually, this is what the (Sudanese) armed forces have done to secure the international borders and have stopped there,” he further added.

His statements suggest that Abiy Ahmed spoke with him about these plans before to launch the military operation on the TPLF positions in Tigray few days after

He further described as “inaccurate” statements by Ethiopian officials saying that Sudanese military are implementing the agenda of a third party.

Ethiopian officials kept repeating that some people in the Sudanese government are implementing plans by a third party to harm their country without naming it.

Al-Burhan who worked in the border army during long years said he had participated four years ago in joint committees to discuss placing border markers on the ground and forming joint forces, adding nobody raised doubts on Sudan’s ownership of any border area.

“Four years ago, I was based with a military force in the Qalaa Alluban area, in which were killed six Sudanese women a few days ago. During that time, the Ethiopians argued that they had internal problems and that the situation did not allow marking the borders,” he said.

“The political leadership at the time assessed the situation and gave us instructions to withdraw, ” he added referring to the former president Omer al-Bashir who is accused of facilitating the occupation of Sudanese borderland for over 20 years.

He further said that the statements by Ethiopian officials claiming several border areas are a new development that requires to defend the integrity of the Sudanese territory.

(ST)

የኢትዮጵያ ፍጻሜ: ጉዞ ወደ ዩጎዝላቪያ?

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ኦህዴድ-ብልጽግና፣ መሬት አስመላሹ ብአዴንና ህግደፍ-ሻዕቢያ፣ ህወሓትን ለየብቻ መግጠም ስለማይችሉ፣ ተቧድነው ገጠሙት። ሁሉም የጋራ ጠላት እንጂ የሚያስተሳስራቸው የጋራ ሌላ አጀንዳ የላቸውም። ያሸነፉ በመሰላቸው ማግስት፣ እርስ በእርስ መባላት እንደሚጀምሩ ሳይታለም የተፈታ ነበር። ብዙ ዝርዝር ጽፌያለሁ ስለዚህ ጉዳይ፣ ወደዛ አልመልሳችሁም። ፈትቶ የለቀቀው የአማራ ምልሻ / ልዩ ሀይል የአብይ አሕመድ ዋነኛ ራስ ምታቱ ነው። ይህ ሀይል ለ30 ዓመታት ሲፎክርና ሲሸልል ኖረ እንጂ ተኩሶ አያውቅም። አሁን ተደራጅቶ በቆመህ ጠብቀኝ የመተኮስ እድሉን አገኝቷል። ወልቃይትና ራያን እንዲይዝ ተፈቀደሎታል። ይህ የልብ ልብ ይሰጠውና ፊቱን ወደ ሌላ መሬት የማስመለስ ዘመቻ ያዞራል አልነ። እንሆ፣ በቤንሻንጉል ጉምዝ ልዩ ሀይልና ምልሻውን አሰማርቶ፣ ሲቪሎቹን ለፖለቲካ ትርፍ እየማገደ፣ በሰው ክልል ጦርነት ከፈተ። ኦህዴድና ኦነግም ከጉምዝ ጎን ቆመው እየከተከቱት ይገኛሉ። በጅምላ ተጨፍጭፈው፣ በጭነት መኪና ሬሳቸው እየተነዳ፣ በጅምላ እየተቀበሩ ነው። ሰው ያልዘራውን አያጭድም።

አብይ አሕመድ ያለ የሌለ ጉልበቱን ትግራይ ላይ ጨርሷል። በሌላ ክልል ጸጥታ ሊያስከብር ቀርቶ፣ በትግራይ የጀመረውን መቋጨት አይችልም። ሻዕቢያም ከቁጥጥሩ ውጭ ሆኖ፣ መከላከያ ፈለገ አልፈለገ፤ የትግራይ ጊዜያዊ አስተዳደረ ፈቀደ አልፈቀደ፣ ግድ ሳይሰጠው፣ ያሻውን እያደረገ ነው። ይህ ብልጽግናን ከፈሎታል። መከላከያን ከፈሎታል። በመከላከያና በብልጽግና ቅራኔ ፈጠሯል። አሁን ትግራይ መቀበሪያቸው ብቻ ሳትሆን፣ እርስ በእርስ የሚጫረሱባት የጦርነት አውድም እየሆነች ነው።

የአገር ውስጥ ራስ ምታቱ በቤንሻንጉል ጉምዝና በትግራይ ብቻ አይደለም እየታየ ያለው። በኦሮሚያ ኦነግ ግማሹን ቦታ ተቆጣጥሮታል። የኦህዴድ ተከታዮች ሳይቀሩ፣ ወደ ኦነግ ማዘንበል መርጠዋል። ጃል መሮን የሚከተል ሰራዊት፣ በ10ሺዎች የሚቆጠሩ ሆነዋል። በሺዎች የሚቆጠሩ የኦሮሚያ ክልል ያሰለጠናቸው ምልሻዎች፣ ጃል መሮን እየተቀላቀሉ ነው። ድፍን ኦሮሞ “እስከዛሬ ለኢዮጵያ የሞትነው ይበቃል፣ ለአገሪቱ እየሞትን በአገሪቱ እየተከዳንና እየተገደልን መኖር የለብንም፣ ከእንግዲህ ትግላችን ለነጻነታችን መሆን አለበት” ብሏል። አብይ አሕመድ ለስልጣኑ ሲል፣ ኦሮሞን ክዶ፣ ከሁሉም ተነጥሎ ብቻዉን ቀርቶ፣ የነፍጠኛ ስርዓት ለመመለስና ለማንገስ እያሸረገደ ነው ብሎ የሚከሰው ድፍን ኦሮሞ ነው። ብንፈልግ እንኳን ኢዮጵያ ከእንግዲህ የመትረፍ እድል የላትም በማለት ኦሮሞ የራሱን ህልውና ወደሚያስከብርበት፣ ጥቅሙን ወደሚያስጠብቅበት ትግል አቅንቷል።

በሌላ በኩል ደግሞ ቅርቃር ውስጥ እንደገባ የተረዳው አብይ አሕመድ፣ የአማራ ልዩ ሀይልና ምልሻን በማስቀጥቀጥ፣ ነፍጠኛን ለመስበር በማሴር፣ ሱዳን ጦሯን ድንበር ላይ እንድታሰፍር ከሱዳን ጋር መስማማቱን በየሚዳው እየተነገረ ነው። ይህን ሊያደርግ እንደሚችል ከዴይ ዋን ጀምሮ ገምተን ነበር። የልብ ልብ የሰጠው ነፍጠኛ ከሱዳን ጋርም ይተናኮሳል፣ ቢተናኮስም በአብይ ትዕዛዝ ከመከላከያ ድጋፍ አያገኝም የሚል መላምት አስቀምጠን ነበር። እንደተገመተው ብቻ ሳይሆን ከገመትነው ባላይ ነው እየሆነ ያለው። ራሱ አብይ፣ ጦርነቱን የጀመሩትን የአማራ ምልሻና ልዩ ሀይል በይፋ በማህበራዊ ሚድያ ገጾቹ ኮንኗል። የኛን ሰላም የማይሹና የሁለቱ አገራት ወዳጅነት የማይረዱ ናቸው፣ ሲል በሱዳን ወታደር ክፉኛ መቀጥቀጣቸው ሳያንስ ድርጊታቸውን ኮንኗል። ከዛ ብኋላ ነው መከላከያ ለሁለት የተከፈለው። ከአብይ ትዕዛዝ ውጭና ከብርሃኑ ጁላ እውቀት ውጪ፣ በነፍጠኛው የሚመራ የመከላከያ ብራንች ከሱዳን ጋር መጠነኛ ጦርነት ከፍቶ ቆይቷል። አሁንም እንደተፋጠጠ ነው። ምልሻው ብቻዉን ስላልቻለ፣ ጦርነቱን በሁለት ሉአላዊ አገራት መካከል ለማድረግና ከሌላው ህዝብ የድረሱልኝ ጥሪ ለማሰማት ነው ትንኮሳው። በዚህ የብልጽግና መሪዎች አልተስማሙም። ለበርካታ ቀናት አብይ አሕመድ የገባበት አይታወቅም። አንዴ ተመርዟል፣ ሌላ ጊዜ ታሟል፣ ሌላ ጊዜ ታፍኗል የሚል ወሬ እንደሰማን አለን። ምንም ይሁን ምን፣ አገሪቱን አክቲቭሊ እየመራ እንዳልሆነና ለበርካታ ቀናት ከህዝብ እየታ ርቆ እንዳለ ግልጽ ነው።

ይህ ሁሉ ሔዶ ሔዶ የሚጠናቀቀው በአንድ አስቀያሚ እልቂት ነው። በተለይ በኦሮሚያና በአማራ ክልል የሰለጠኑ ልዩ ሀይሎች፣ እርስ በእርስ የሚጫረሱበት ግዜ እየመጣ ነው። ፊንፊኔ/አዲስ አበባ እየተሰማ ያለው ተኩስና ፍንዳታ፣ እየታየ ያለው የእሳት ቃጠሎ፣ የፍጻሜው መነሻ ምልክቶች ናቸው። ኢዮጵያ ከሞተችና ከተበተነች ሰነባብታለች። ክፋቱ በሰላም መለያየት ሲቻል፣ በደም አፋሳሽ መንገድ እንዲሆን፣ መንጋው መምረጡ ነው ጉዞዋን ወደ ዩጎዝላቪያ እየቃኘ ያለው።

የህወሓት መሪዎችን በማሰርና በመግደል የተወሳሰበና ለክፍለዘመናት የኖረ ችግራቸውን የሚፈቱ መስሏቸው የነበሩ ሰዎች ዛሬ፣ ትግራይ ላይ ቃታቸውን የሳቡባትን ቀን መርገም ጀምረዋል። ገና ነው፣ ጸጸቱ የምትችሉት አይሆንም።

Akutt fare for sultkatastrofe i Tigray

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iTromsø.no | Krigen i Tigray-regionen nord i Etiopia har ført til at befolkningen står i akutt fare for å sulte i hjel, advarer hjelpearbeidere og myndighetene i området.

De første hjelpearbeiderne har nå ankommet den krigsherjede regionen etter at de gjentatte ganger har bedt Etiopias regjering om å slippe inn.

De beskriver hvordan avmagrede barn dør av diaré etter å ha drukket vann fra elvene.

Nyhetsbyrået AP har fått tak i et referat fra et krisemøte 1. januar. Der står det at «hundretusener av mennesker kan komme til å sulte i hjel», og at noen allerede har gjort det.

På krisemøtet deltok hjelpearbeidere, regjeringen og lokale myndigheter. En lokal tjenestemann uttalte at mennesker ber om å få en enkelt kjeks for å stagge sulten.

Over 4,5 millioner mennesker, nesten hele Tigrays befolkning, trenger akutt mat, ifølge deltakerne.

– Det er et ekstremt akutt behov – jeg vet ikke hvilke ord jeg skal bruke – for en rask opptrapping av hjelpearbeidet fordi folk dør hver eneste dag mens vi snakker, sier Mari Carmen Vinoles, leder for kriseenheten i Leger Uten Grenser.

Under regjeringsoffensiven på slutten av fjoråret ble butikker plyndret eller tømt for varer, og avlinger ble svidd av. Offensiven var rettet mot de regionale lederne.

(©NTB)

Situation Report EEPA HORN No. 58 – 17 January 2021

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Europe External Programme with Africa is a Belgium-based Centre of Expertise with in-depth knowledge, publications, and networks, specialised in issues of peace building, refugee protection and resilience in the Horn of Africa. EEPA has published extensively on issues related to movement and/or human trafficking of refugees in the Horn of Africa and on the Central Mediterranean Route. It cooperates with a wide network of Universities, research organisations, civil society and experts from Ethiopia, Eritrea, Kenya, Djibouti, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda and across Africa. Key in-depth publications can be accessed on the website.

Reported war situation (as confirmed per 16 January)

● Fires have been detected on the outskirts of Humera. The fires are within an active combat zone.

● Minutes have leaked of the Tigray Emergency Coordination Centre (TECC) meeting of 8 January 2021. The minutes identify that 4.5 million are in need of food.

● The TECC includes the UN and Humanitarian organisations present in Tigray (MSF, Red Cross, CRS, Norwegian Church Aid) and several administrators of the transitional governments participated in the meeting.

● The minutes identify that five assessment teams have been re-established but only two of them “managed to go to the field”, while three teams have no access and no vehicles to go to West, North-west and Central zones of Tigray.

● Impediments to humanitarian assistance is the lack of vehicles and salary issues as people outside have not received salaries pending payment issues.

● Delivery of water has been difficult as water trucks and missionaries are looted.

● A flow of IDPs is observed “coming into Mekelle and other major towns” showing “how much desperate” people are to get “humanitarian access”. Their produce and household materials are vandalised or burned.

● The humanitarian administrators can not go back to regional offices without food as “people are starving” and they will be in trouble “if they go with empty hands”.

● The Central Zone interim administrator states that “the situation on the ground is dire”. It is explained that “food and non-food items or other livelihoods are either looted or destroyed.”

● The Central Zone administrator warns that “hundreds of thousands” may “starve to death”, if urgent emergency assistance is not dispatched.

● The humanitarian organisations do not have an adequate number of trucks for transportation. During the war all trucks from the region were allegedly looted and driven to Addis Ababa. To transport the required food ratios to 4.5 million people more than 2000 trucks are now urgently required.

● Pictures have emerged on the internet of the bodies of the former Minister of Foreign affairs Seyoum Mesfin, the former minister of Federal affairs Abay Tsehaye, and former chief Whip of the government Asmelash Weldeselassie.

● The pictures of the bodies would indicate that the three have been executed together. The picture of Seyoum Mesfin shows that he was shot in the forehead. Asmelash is wearing socks. There is no indication of any fighting.

● The ENDF had said previously that the retired politicians had been killed in a firefight after they had resisted arrest. Asmelash Weldeselassie was blind.

● The pictures of the retired leaders were posted on facebook by the head of the transitional government in Tigray, Mulu Nega.

● The statement by the provisional administrator of Tigray, Mulu Nega, that Ethiopia did not have the power to get Eritrean troops out of Tigray has led to fierce comments.

● Tsedale Lemma of the Addis Standard states in response to the admission of Mulu Nega: “Any reflection on the status of Ethiopia as a state at this moment should begin by recognizing the somber fact that it’s no longer a sovereign state. For a country that fiercely defended its sovereignty for generations, 76 days to lose it is like being hit with a brute force!”

● Increased presence of Eritrean military and intelligence reported in Addis Ababa.

Reported situation in Tigray (as confirmed per 16 January)

● 20.000 health workers and other government civil servants are not receiving their salary for over two months with some exceptions.

● International partners are requested to fill in the gaps as government structures are not functioning.

● Many businesses in Mekelle remain unable to operate due to a shortage of Ethiopian Birr. A withdrawal limit is still in place, hindering economic transactions.

● The interim administration has said that the majority of businesses are still unable to conduct normal activities.

● The Interim government has also said that government offices have been looted, making public services hard to distribute.

● 24 Former TPLF officials appeared in court, including Sebhat Nega. Federal police have asked for 14 days to investigate the case. The court accepted the extension and adjourned the case until the 29th of January.

Reported regional situation (as confirmed per 16 January)

● Sudan has said that it would not allow Ethiopia to accomplish a fait accompli regarding the filling of the GERD dam. Ethiopia has said that it would proceed with the second filling of the dam in July, something which both Sudan and Egypt oppose.

● Ethiopia has denied that it violated Ethiopian airspace. The chief of the Ethiopian army staff said that Sudan was trying to mislead the Sudanese and Ethiopian people into an “unwanted situation”.

● Sudanese Prime minister Hamdok has welcomed the initiative by President Kiir to mediate the Ethiopian-Sudanese dispute.

● Kenya is in talks with China to rearrange its debt. This is important because the harbour of Mombassa serves as a collateral to these debts. This has been an additional factor in heightened tensions in the region.

Reported International situation (as confirmed per 16 January)

● France will host the next Sudanese investment conference. Due to take palace in Paris in May, the conference aims to encourage investment in the country.

Disclaimer:

All information in this situation report is presented as a fluid update report, as to the best knowledge and understanding of the authors at the moment of publication. EEPA does not claim that the information is correct but verifies to the best of ability within the circumstances. Publication is weighed on the basis of interest to understand potential impacts of events (or perceptions of these) on the situation. Check all information against updates and other media. EEPA does not take responsibility for the use of the information or impact thereof. All information reported originates from third parties and the content of all reported and linked information remains the sole responsibility of these third parties. Report to info@eepa.be any additional information and corrections.

Links of interest

Uro i Etiopia – NRK

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NRK | OPPSUMMERT

I 2020 er det kamper i Tigray-regionen nord i Etiopia, der regjeringen hevder regionale myndigheter har gjort opprør. Statsminister Abiy Ahmed fikk Nobels fredspris for avtalen med Eritrea i 2019. Det er også sluttet fred mellom opposisjonsgrupper.

Mer om Uro i Etiopia 

Brookings: Internal and external conflicts compound in Ethiopia

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Source: Brookings | Chris Heitzig

In recent weeks, tensions between Ethiopia and Sudan over the disputed Al-Fashqa region have flared up, including an attack on Tuesday that left 80 civilians dead, according to Sudan’s Foreign Ministry. The latest violence comes in the wake of fatal attacks in the region last month that killed more than 220 people. The situation is complicated by a multitude of actors, including gangs, which Sudanese officials have claimed are responsible for some of the violence. On Tuesday, Ethiopia indicated that it was losing patience for Sudan’s militarization on the border of the disputed territory. Sudan has blamed Ethiopian military forces for escalating conflict in the region and reported on Wednesday that an Ethiopian military aircraft had recently entered into Sudanese territory.

A new round of negotiations to resolve the dispute over the filling of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam was short-lived, as the three countries concluded on January 10 without a resolution. In separate statements, Ethiopia and Egypt faulted Sudan for the latest impasse. The statement released by Egypt’s foreign ministry read, “Sudan insisted on the assigning of African Union experts to offer solutions to contentious issues … a proposal which Egypt and Ethiopia have reservations about.” Sudan, however, claims the stalemate stems from Ethiopia’s determination to fill the reservoir with 13.5 million cubic meters of water this year in the face of objections from other countries in the region. “We cannot continue this vicious cycle of circular talks indefinitely,” said Sudanese Irrigation Minister Yasir Abbas.

These tensions continue to mount despite the fragile situation within Ethiopia itself. Last week, a senior Ethiopian military official confirmed that Eritrean troops were indeed present in the country’s Tigray region, which has been the source of infighting for several months. Humanitarians fear that fighting in that region has rendered the local population vulnerable to displacement and food insecurity. Last week, the United Nations expressed in a report the fear that Tigray could also be a source of “massive community transmission” of COVID-19 due to the suspension of health services caused by the conflict.