The joint investigation into human rights abuses in #Tigray that @UNHumanRights & @EthioHRC conducted is fraught with serious limitations; does not satisfy the minimum standards, and as such should be rejected.
Here is why: 1 /241. The involvement of a national body to investigate a situation, which is marked by gross violations of human rights & humanitarian norms; and committed in a politically polarized society as current #Ethiopia is unprecedented, including in @UNHumanRights 's experience 2/24
Jan 21, 2021 • 10 tweets • 8 min read
Commentary on the Additional Protocols to the Geneva Conventions on 𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒇 𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 (para. 4885) reads:
"The fact that consent is required does not mean that the decision is left to the discretion of the parties. If the survival of the population is ...1/10
threatened & a humanitarian organisation fulfilling the required conditions of impartiality & non-discrimination is able to remedy this situation, relief actions must take place. In fact, they are the only way of combating starvation when local resources have been exhausted. 2/10
Jan 16, 2021 • 7 tweets • 8 min read
A relative traveled from #Adwa to #Mekelle today. He told my family that many people are dying from starvation.
As banks don't work, people cannot withdraw their money and save their lives and those with some grain need to line up for up to two weeks to have it milled. 1/4
There're few mills running on diesel.
Some families are desperately trying to send food from #Mekelle and other parts with access to cash. However:
1. They're impoverished and without income themselves. 2. It costs 500 birr to transport a quintal, Ex, from #Mekelle to #Adwa
Below are 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗽𝘁𝘀 from the latest Needs Assessment Mission conducted by some Eth. ministries, @UNICEF@UNmigration@UNOCHA@WFP@UNFPA .... It covers from Alamata to #Mekelle, relatively least affected parts of #Tigray 1/20
“all people from Besober, Ulaga, Bala, Chamaro, Hawelti and May Mekden kebeles were displaced due to the conflict. #IDPs and the affected communities lost their belongings, mainly household items, food stock, jewelry, & cash. Most of those belongings were looted or destroyed 2/20
It’s almost 2 months since #WarOnTigray was waged. Since then, much of #Tigray has been under a complete blockade of all life supporting services, including medicine, food, & access to cash. 1/17
It’s also almost a month into an agreement for ‘unimpeded’ humanitarian access to #Tigray the #AbiyAhmed regime signed with the @UN. Yet, even a needs assessment is not conducted to date. 2/17
The #WarOnTigray is into its 41 days now, with military engagements taking place every single day. Involving hundreds of thousands of forces and all kinds of weaponry, it qualifies as a major war the region has seen in decades. 1/16
Heavy involvement of #Eritrea in the conflict is now confirmed. There is also a strong indication that #UAE drones are in use. The #Sudan is already feeling the hit, as desperate #Tigrians, currently standing at 61,000, are trekking to its eastern villages for safety. 2/16
Nov 13, 2020 • 13 tweets • 4 min read
On the May-Kadra civilian killings, A Thread
The reported killings of civilians is harrowing and I condemn it in the strongest terms possible. Civilians should not be deliberately attacked at all time. That said, the report by @amnesty raises many issues: 1/11
The Report manly relies on few witnesses, ‘who were providing food and other supplies to the Ethiopian Defense Forces,’ and ‘a civilian who entered the town after it was retaken by EDF.’ This is problematic when it comes to the impartiality of the sources used. 2/11
