The conflict in Tigray and the broader regional post-conflict instability is an often forgotten and neglected humanitarian crisis. New reports from the New Lines Institute and the Inter-Agency Standing Committee should inspire the international community to act.
In a report released last week, issued by the United States-Based New Lines Institute, significant evidence that Ethiopian forces, alongside Amhara Special Forces (ASF), Eritrean Defence Forces (EDF), and Ethiopia’s National Defence Force (ENDF), committed genocidal acts against Tigrayans during the Tigray War (2020-2022) has been documented. The report quotes multiple credible independent reports that Ethiopian forces and their allies carried out “acts constituting the crime of genocide.” The report calls for for one of the two judicial responses: for Ethiopia to be brought before the International Court of Justice or proceedings be initiated under the concept of “Universal Jurisdiction.” In addition to the Ethiopian government, the ASF, EDF, ENDF and Tigrayan forces are accused of violating international humanitarian law and international human rights law.
The conflict in Tigray erupted in November of 2020 as a bid by regional authorities for greater autonomy. Tensions erupted when the Tigrayan leadership, represented by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front who had dominated the political and security apparatus for over two decades, defied regional authority and held elections in September of 2020. The outcome was full-out war when forces attacked a federal military command base.
This led to the Ethiopian military moving into the northern region of the country. According to the report, measured by the number of deaths, the Tigray War is the deadliest armed conflict of the 21st century and one of bloodiest since the end of the Cold War, which claimed the lives of over 400,000 soldiers and 300,000 civilians. All parties to the conflict have been alleged to have committed systematic abuses against civilian populations, including widespread sexual violence, mass killings, and torture, among other war crimes. The humanitarian situation remains bleak and has been exacerbated by climate change. The worst drought in 40 years has decimated food production, resulting in 4.5 million people requiring food aid. Meanwhile, one million still remain displaced. Read more