A United Nations official has said that due to the war in Ethiopia, four lakh people in Tigre are facing food shortage.
People queuing up to eat at Tigre (File Photo-AFP)
Due to the recent violence in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, people are facing starvation and famine. A United Nations official said that four lakh people are affected due to this famine. In the first meeting on the matter, members of the United Nations Security Council warned that 33,000 children in Tigre were severely malnourished.
UN officials said that about 1.8 million people are on the verge of famine, the result of eight months of conflict. He said that even though a ceasefire has been announced, there could be clashes. The Ethiopian government, which is fighting local fighters in Tigre, announced a unilateral ceasefire on Monday. However, the rebels vowed that they would keep their enemies out of the area. There is also information about sporadic clashes. The international community has called for an end to the conflict.
Ethiopian government and TPLF accused of human rights violations
Thousands of people have died so far due to the ongoing fighting between the Tigre People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and government forces. Close to 20 lakh people have had to be displaced. Both sides fighting the war have been accused of mass murder and human rights violations. According to the New York Times, several thousand captured Ethiopian soldiers were paraded through the streets of Mekele, the capital of Tigre, on Friday.
52 lakh people in need of immediate humanitarian aid
On Friday, the UN’s acting humanitarian aid chief told Security Council members at a meeting in New York that Tigre’s situation had deteriorated dramatically in recent weeks. Ramesh Rajasingham said, the region is experiencing the worst famine conditions in decades. He said, about 52 lakh people still need humanitarian aid. This includes a large number of women and children. The Ethiopian government has denied allegations that it has been withholding aid since Tigray rebels took control of much of the northern region earlier this week.
What is the controversy in Tigre?
Explain that Ethiopia is divided into 10 regional states on the basis of ethnicity. These states are largely described as autonomous states, but there is also a presence of central institutions. After anti-government protests in 2018, Abiy Ahmed took over as prime minister and introduced reforms.
At the same time, Tigre leaders alleged that Abiy Ahmed was increasing federal forces in the state. Thus began the deterioration of relations. After this, the government alleged that the rebels of Tigre were attacking military bases. After this the conflict between the government and the rebels of Tigre escalated. Abiy Ahmed announced the end of the conflict in November last year. But the fight has continued.
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