There is no gainsaying the fact that following the attack on the Northern command of the Ethiopian National Defense Force that has been situated in the Tigray region, some international media have been engaging themselves in smear campaign, and disseminating disinformation all over the globe. In a similar vein, they have been working with quite a lot of paid activists and TPLF cliques with a view to dismantling the country and fulfilling the interest of third party.
Even though international media know the fact that the government of Ethiopia has been pulling out all the stops with the intention of ensuring the smooth progress of the humanitarian assistance all over the region, the former endeavors to pour cold water on the government’s effort over and over again. But no matter how hard they try, their efforts cannot bear fruit except temporarily perplexing the international community and wasting their precise time.
Nowadays, the incumbent has been providing humanitarian assistance to various people affected in the Tigray Region. As far as this, on account of the unwavering stance of the federal government, Ethiopia has been covering 70 percent of the humanitarian aid in the Tigray Region. Unfortunately, some international media outlets have been spreading cooked up stories giving the cold shoulder to the existing reality on the ground.
According to information obtained from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, State Minister Redwan Hussien briefed Ambassadors of Members of UN Security Council and SouthAmerican countries on pivotal issues in Ethiopia said that the government has made significant strides in addressing many of the concerns of the international community. The issue of access to humanitarian support has been adequately addressed with the notification system that is now in place. Some of the pocket areas that were inaccessible are now being reached out through military escort.
By the same token, issues related to visa extension and permits to communication equipment have also been addressed by the government. Against this background, those who contribute significant humanitarian support on the ground, such as the USAID are being granted visa extension permits, and a guideline has also been introduced to respond to requests for permits to use communication equipment.
Reiterating that the government is still covering 70% of the relief support in Tigray, Ambassador Redwan called on the international community to scale up support to people in need in the region. While noting the UN-EHRC joint investigation on alleged human rights abuses, he informed Council members that the Attorney General has been conducting a separate investigation and a briefing will be given to the media to announce the outcome of its investigations.
On the Ethiopia-Sudan border dispute, Ambassador Redwan explained how Sudan took unfair advantage of the situation in the Tigray Region to invade Ethiopian territories.
Recalling the OAU decision to respect colonial borders, he expressed serious disappointment over Sudan’s claim of the Benishangul Gumuz Regional State. He explained that Sudan is serving the interests of a third party and said that the international community should have called out Sudan for its aggressive behavior.
As learnt from the Ethiopian News Agency, Ethiopia has always taken its international humanitarian and human rights obligations with utmost seriousness, Ethiopia’s Ambassador to USA Fitsum Arega wrote in a letter addressing the concerns raised by five U.S senators recently. Addressing the concerns raised by the U.S senators dated April 29, 2021, Ambassador Fitsum said Ethiopia has always taken its international humanitarian and human rights obligations with utmost seriousness.
He stated that the Ethiopian government has provided unfettered access to international relief organizations to all parts of the Tigray region. The major obstacle to deliver relief aid has not been access but the belligerent acts of isolated bands of TPLF combatants that have attacked relief workers seeking to deliver supplies to remote locations with the aim of leveraging the situation for their political ends.
According to him, the Ethiopian government has taken actions to ensure greater mobility, safety and security for aid workers. In this connection, the Government of Ethiopia expresses its appreciation for the generous humanitarian support the U.S. has provided. The ambassador revealed that the Ethiopian government continues to provide 70 percent of the humanitarian aid in Tigray while the international community has contributed 30 percent.
Be that as it may, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Demeke Mekonnen met with the President of the Republic of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa this week and had a very fruitful discussion on both bilateral and regional issues. During the meeting, Demeke Mekonnen informed the President on current issues in Ethiopia. He updated the President on the ongoing humanitarian assistance in the Tigray Region.
He further expressed the work that has been done and the commitment of the government to investigate alleged human rights allegations and bring the perpetrators to justice. MoFA also lately highlighted that the United Nations is disbursing $65 million for humanitarian needs in Ethiopia, $40 million of which will go to the aid operation in the northern Tigray region. More than 16 million people need assistance across Ethiopia, including an estimated 4.5 million in the Tigray region. The U.N. is allocating $40 million to emergency needs in Tigray, including shelter and clean water.
The U.N. says the remaining $25 million will fund humanitarian operations in the rest of Ethiopia, including in response to drought in the Somali and Oromia regions. Despite the additional funds, the U.N. warns that the current humanitarian response across Ethiopia, including in Tigray, is not sufficient. Both additional funding and safer and unhindered access are needed to meet the growing needs.
BY ADDISALEM MULAT
The Ethiopian Herald May 9/2021
