A civil war within Ethiopia in which the Ethiopian army is advancing into the northern province of Tigray has been seriously escalated by the participation in hostilities of the neighbouring state of Eritrea, which has signed a peace agreement with Ethiopia.
In an apparent response to a constitutional crisis and independent political moves by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), the Ethiopian Army was ordered by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to take control of Tigray by force and impose a State of Emergency. The final trigger for this military invasion was a report that TPLF forces had overrun an Ethiopian army base in Tigray.
The involvement of Eritrea in the conflict in Tigray was first reported when the TPLF accused Eritrea of “shelling and bombing against it”. It is credibly reported that the Eritrean government has permitted Ethiopian army soldiers to be stationed in Eritrea. It is also reported that the Eritrean government has allowed the Ethiopian soldiers to shell and bomb the Tigray region from Eritrean territory. In response, Eritrean villages and border areas have been shelled and bombed by the Tigrayan forces. Eritreans in towns and villages bordering Tigray have been instructed by the Eritrean authorities to feed the Ethiopian soldiers – an impossible demand, since the people of Eritrea have been in lockdown since March 2020, and do not even have enough food for themselves. Wounded Ethiopian soldiers have been treated in different parts of Eritrea. Radio Erena reports that “Senafe Hospital is full of wounded Ethiopian soldiers” from war in Tigray.
In addition, eyewitness accounts from Eritrea report that young Eritreans continue to be rounded up and loaded into military tracks. Some of those rounded up informed their families by telephone that they were heading to the Eritrea-Tigray border, and it is strongly suspected that they will be forced to fight with the Ethiopians against the Tigrayan armed forces.
The situation for Eritrean refugees in Tigray is incredibly dangerous. There are over 100,000 refugees in Tigray, almost half of them are living largely in four refugee camps, and a significant number are unaccompanied minors. These camps can easily be targeted or bombed. Refugees are rapidly running out of food rations. Since road and air transportation are in total lockdown in Tigray region, the UNHCR and other aid groups are unable to provide food or health care. Unless the UNHCR is given access to distribute food, these refugees could die of starvation.
The conflict in Tigray has produced a flood of refugees – 30,000 according to one report – into Sudan. It is also reported that some Eritrean conscripts and soldiers who were forced to join the war have also managed to flee to Sudan.
Human Rights Concern-Eritrea (HRCE) issued an early warning of the possible involvement of Eritrea in the conflict in Tigray and of the potentially lethal consequences for Eritrean refugees there. HRCE regards any involvement of Eritrea in the conflict in Tigray is an illegal action.
Elizabeth Chyrum, Director of HRCE, is requesting all UN member nations to take immediate action to persuade the governments of Ethiopia and Eritrea to agree to the following recommendations: –
- In response to appeals by the UN Secretary General and the Nobel Peace Prize Committee, it is essential that the government of Ethiopia cease military action and negotiate an immediate ceasefire with the TPLF.
- It is urgent and essential that the state of Eritrea withdraws any of its forces that are in Ethiopia, ceases all involvement in the conflict, and ensures that all Ethiopian military personnel and armaments are removed from Eritrea.
- It is vital that the Federal Government and the Tigray Regional Government of Ethiopia allow unfettered access to refugee camps in Tigray for the UNHCR and other aid organizations to supply food and medical assistance to refugees. Military forces must guarantee the safety of all refugees and allow the delivery of all necessary supplies to them.
Human Rights Concern – Eritrea (HRCE)
