BY SOLOMON DIBABA
The UN recently reported that areas where 80% of the region’s populations live remain cut off from assistance. If the UN also complains about lack of access to the needy population in Tigray, how did they manage to arrive to such highly exaggerated figure?
The truth is so different from what is speculatively professed. In this interview with the Amharic daily Addis Zemen, Commissioner Mitiku Kassa, Commissioner of FDRE Disaster Mitigation and Management Commission three days back reported that the Commission is already engaged in distributing multiple kinds of relief supplies to 3 million 650,000 needy citizens in Tigray.
This is more than half of the population of the region and clearly shows the level of vulnerability that the population has faced even when TPLF was in power in the region. Why are some international aid organizations fail to swallow this fact?
In yet another development, Mr. David Bislay, WFP Executive Director has confirmed that the relief program in Tigray has exhibited improvements that that his organization needs more funds to continue with the relief supply.
Furthermore, Mitiku has noted that 10 NGOs are also participating in providing relief food and other materials for the needy citizens in Tigray. He added that at startup of the program his office had faced number
The UN recently reported that areas where 80% of the region’s populations live remain cut off from assistance. If the UN also complains about lack of access to the needy population in Tigray, how did they manage to arrive to such highly exaggerated figure?
The truth is so different from what is speculatively professed. In this interview with the Amharic daily Addis Zemen, Commissioner Mitiku Kassa, Commissioner of FDRE Disaster Mitigation and Management Commission three days back reported that the Commission is already engaged in distributing multiple kinds of relief supplies to 3 million 650,000 needy citizens in Tigray.
This is more than half of the population of the region and clearly shows the level of vulnerability that the population has faced even when TPLF was in power in the region. Why are some international aid organizations fail to swallow this fact?
In yet another development, Mr. David Bislay, WFP Executive Director has confirmed that the relief program in Tigray has exhibited improvements that that his organization needs more funds to continue with the relief supply.
Furthermore, Mitiku has noted that 10 NGOs are also participating in providing relief food and other materials for the needy citizens in Tigray. He added that at startup of the program his office had faced number
of challenges connected to provide logistics support to the supply chain. He said the WFP has deployed 30 heavy duty trucks which had helped to augment the supply of relief food by trucks deployed by the Commission.
He added that the Ministry of Commerce and Industry is taking measures to ensure price stabilization on basic commodities consumed by the population in the region. Besides, Federal Cooperatives Agency is also providing supplies needed by consumers in the region. In areas where security is still not effectively assured the government have already organized convoys to escort relief food supply to the remote areas of the region.
Mitiku assured the public that the relief supply will continue to be delivered up to the time when the population in the region get into the little rains season from February to May and further into the meher season and if necessary beyond these seasons until the population would be able to generate their own food resources.
On yet another development regarding the alleged atrocities and gender violence committed in the environs of Axum, the government has time and again expressed its readiness to rectify any violation of the law and bring the perpetrators to the courts of law after thorough investigation through a commission composed of of concerned federal bodies including the federal police, Ethiopian Human Rights Commission and the Office of the Attorney General.
Ethiopia is currently conducting a number of measures that would help to effectively restore order and stability in not only Tigray but also in Metekel Zone o Benishanguuel Gumuz Region. This includes enforcing the rule of law, rehabilitation of infrastructural facilities, reestablishing local government structures in Tigray and providing support for IDPs in both regions.
Despite the falsehood and allegations that TPLF is fanning through Digital Woyane and other media outlets abroad, the government of Ethiopia is exerting coordinated efforts to restore peace and stability in the entire country. The OLF/ Shene conspiracy is also being shattered by the practical solidarity that the peoples of Ethiopia are showing to their fellow citizens in Tigray.
This home grown and traditional solidarity has been going on in the country whenever a crisis flares up in any part of the country. The relief supports that civil society organizations are providing to the needy in Tigray is also a practical answer to the propaganda of hatred and war mongering campaign on the sovereignty of the country.
The enemies of the unity and peace in Ethiopia could have learned a lesson from the shining victory that Ethiopians have registered at the Battle of Adwa 125 years ago.
The futile attempt to balkanize this country into ethic based principalities is being foiled at every stage of the conspiracy on the country and it is obvious that the multi-faceted reforms underway in the country will succeed in the face of the orchestra of conspiracies at all levels.
Again, obstructing the peaceful development in the country, TPLF was hoping that it would revive its repressive rule on the peoples of Ethiopia by combining false propaganda with futile attempt at armed sabotage in Tigray and in different parts of the country.
Regrettably enough, instead of condemning the atrocities perpetrated on the peoples of Tigray by TPLF, a number of international media outlets and the leadership of some countries are trying to shift the blame on Ethiopia by branding the law enforcement steps taken and are being taken in Tigray as a civil war while still others shamelessly call it Abiy’s war in Tigray with no respect to the leadership in this country.
Ethiopia can never afford to be peace less while it is keeping peace in Africa through the flesh and blood of its heroic sons and daughters and peace will prevail in Ethiopia as the country is striving to become the bulwark of development in Africa for all to witness.
The Ethiopian Herald March 3/2021
