The Ethiopian federal government is severely restricting humanitarian aid, including food, medicine and fuel, from entering Tigray, in violation of international law. The lack of food entering the region has led to starvation – with over 5 million people in need of emergency food assistance.
According to the United Nations, “People have been eating roots and flowers and plants instead of a normal steady meal”. The lack of medicine has led to an alarming deterioration of the health situation. Humanitarian operations cannot continue without fuel and humanitarian organizations have been forced to significantly reduce or suspend their activities.
The restricted access is a part of what the United Nations has called a “de facto humanitarian aid blockade” that the government has imposed on Tigray since June. This illegal blockade also includes the shutdown of telecommunications, electricity and banking services in the region and severe access restrictions for aid workers to the region – all of which is hampering the humanitarian response and exacerbating the crisis.
We need to do everything we can to stop preventable deaths and end this man-made humanitarian crisis. Take action now and call on Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to allow full and unfettered humanitarian access to Tigray.