The war between rebels in Tigray, a region in northern Ethiopia, and Ethiopian government forces resumed on August 24, after a five-month truce. Ethiopian forces, supported by Eritrean troops, reportedly took some towns in Tigray (Shire in the north and Alamata as well as Korem in the south).
As usual, the actors of the international community unanimously condemned the violence and called for a cessation of hostilities.
On Wednesday, October 19, Human Rights Watch (HRW) called in a statement for targeted sanctions and an arms embargo in the face of “the suffering of civilians in Ethiopia” which “must stop being tolerated by political opportunism”.
The human rights NGO called on the United States, the European Union and the UN to take “appropriate measures, including targeted sanctions and an arms embargo”, saying that their statements ” discouraged abuses little, and the belligerents suffered few consequences”.
HRW calls for a different view of the situation, especially since “the information coming out in dribs and drabs from a region that has been largely cut off from the world for more than a year is terrifying. The attacks caused an incalculable number of civilian victims, including members of the humanitarian personnel”, not to mention hundreds of thousands of displaced inhabitants and on the “edge of famine”. The NGO also points the finger at the Ethiopian forces as well as the Tigrayan rebels.
On October 24, peace talks will be held in South Africa under the auspices of the African Union on the conflict in Tigray. According to the AU Commission, these talks “will aim to lay the foundations for a structured and lasting mediation” between the different parties with a view to a “lasting resolution of the conflict”. The Ethiopian government has already confirmed that it will attend this major meeting.
By OMA Newsletter N° 906 of 21/10/2022
Article published under the direction of Dr. Najib Kettani
The OMA, NGO with an Intercontinental vocation
For the development of cultural exchanges
Valuing human potential
The promotion and consolidation of Africa’s development, and
Inter-African integration
