Eight months of Ethiopia’s Tigray Conflict

BY OMNIYA ALI

Violence has erupted within Ethiopia. Ethiopia consists of ten semi-autonomous federal states organised along ethnic lines. A struggle over land, power, and resources has been presented recently although existing for some time. Much like the surrounding counties, Ethiopia has not seen rest in a while. It all started in early November 2020 when Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent federal troops into the Tigray region for a military campaign against the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), the dominant political party in the region. Although Abiy promised the air and ground operation would be targeted and speedy, eight months later violence, rape, massacres, and widespread hunger continue to ensue.

This violence, however, did not stem out of nothing, tensions have been rising for months, due to the regional elections in Tigray that took place in September 2020. These elections were held in spite of the federal government postponing nationwide polls due to the coronavirus pandemic. Results indicated that the TPLF won by a landslide, irritating Abiy. This in return was labelled as illegal by PM Abiy’s government which led to them withholding funds meant for social welfare programs in Tigray, a region that houses 6 million+ people.

More air raids are carried out on November 9^th in Tigray, with Abiy saying operations will be over “soon”. Later on, November 14^th, TPLF forces fire rockets at the capital of Eritrea, Asmara, which happens to have a longstanding, deep-seated hatred for TPLF leadership. While Eritrea proceeds to fight TPLF on several fronts, civilians flee and seek refuge in Sudan due to the horrific fighting and killing taking place. With refugees increasing in Sudan, tensions rise with Ethiopia. After ten days of fighting, the United Nations warns of possible war crimes in Tigray.

After attacking the capital of Tigray, Mekelle, with heavy shelling, Abiy announces on November 28^th that military operations in Tigray are “completed”, however, the fighting proceeds in parts of Tigray. As reported by Amnesty International in February 2021, Eritrean soldiers killed “hundreds of civilians” in November in the holy city of Axum in Tigray. As well as Eritrean forces carrying out massacres and systematic rape. In March, the violence in western Tigray is labeled “ethnic cleansing” by US secretary of State Antony Blinken. Finally admitting that Eritrean troops had crossed the border into Tigray on March 23^rd, Abiy suggests they were involved in atrocities against civilians.

Although upon meeting with the Eritrean president, Abiy stated that Eritrean troops had started evacuating Tigray on April 15^th, yet the UN’s top humanitarian official says there is no evidence of withdrawal. “The conflict is not over, and things are not improving, reports of systematic rape, gang rape and sexual violence … especially disturbing and alarmingly widespread”, reported Mark Lowcock.

On April 16^th, Eritrea denies rape allegations and other crimes asserting them “outrageous”, but finally acknowledges that its forces are taking part in the conflict and promises to pull them out of Tigray. As of April 27^th, the UN’s latest humanitarian update from Tigray reports that tens of thousands of people are estimated to have been killed in the conflict, with nearly two million displaced and nearly 4-5 million in need of food assistance.

As of this month, June 2021, systematic rape, gang rape, and sexual violence are still taking place at alarmingly high numbers. Hundreds of women have suffered, medics have reported removing nails, rocks and pieces of plastic from inside the bodies of rape victims. In another account, militiamen have used hot metal rods to burn the uterus of a civilian because according to them “A Tigrayan womb should never give birth.”

“Overall, 829 women have reported sexual assault to major hospitals of Tigray. The figure was 518 on April 1,” said Hayelom Kebede, chief executive director of Ayder Referral Hospital.

Once again women are caught in the crossfires of conflict. Their bodies perceived as simply dispensable, not understanding the long-lasting effects of their violations.