Blinken: Acts of ‘ethnic cleansing’ committed in the Western Tigray

Blinken: Acts of ‘ethnic cleansing’ committed in the Western Tigray

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“The challenge in Ethiopia is very important. And that is what we are very, very focused on, especially the situation in Tigray where we are seeing a lot of credible reports about human rights violations and atrocities going on,” he said during a home. Foreign Affairs Committee hears Wednesday

Asked by Democratic Rep. Karen Bass whether he intended peacekeepers to be sent to the region, Blinken said the first forces of Eritrea and Amhara should leave and be replaced by “a force that does not violate the human rights of the inhabitants of Tigray will not abuse or commit to him. acts of ethnic cleansing, which we have seen in Western Tigray. ‘

The top U.S. diplomat called for unrestricted humanitarian access to the region and an independent investigation into the reported human rights violation, which a State Department spokesman had earlier noted, including reports of “murders, sexual assault, looting,” deliberate displacement of civilians and forced return of Eritrean refugees. ‘

A CNN report documented a massacre at a religious festival in November last November, in which a group of Eritrean soldiers opened fire on Maryam Dengelat Church, while hundreds of congregations celebrated the mass, according to eyewitnesses. The report, based on interviews with 12 eyewitnesses, more than 20 relatives of the survivors and photographic evidence, set out a three-day campaign of violence, with soldiers killing locals, displaced people and pilgrims.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet also called for days after CNN’s report for an independent inquiry into human rights violations that could lead to war crimes in the Tigray region of Ethiopia.

Blinken said on Wednesday that there must be a “process, a process of reconciliation, so that the country can continue politically.”

Blinken has spoken to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed several times about the crisis. On Wednesday, the top US diplomat told lawmakers that “Abiy was an inspiring leader who won the Nobel Peace Prize. And now he must act and make sure his own people in Tigray get the protection they need and deserve. “

“I understand very well the concern the Prime Minister had about the (Tigray People’s Liberation Front) and his actions, but the situation in Tigray today is unacceptable and needs to change,” he said. “And that means a few things. It means making sure we get into the region, Tigray and other humanitarian aid workers to make sure the people are cared for, provided for and protected. And it’s very important that the government is fulfilling its obligations. ‘

The U.S. International Development Agency announced in early March that it was deploying a disaster relief team “to respond to growing humanitarian needs due to conflict in the Tigray region of Ethiopia.”

“After nearly four months of fighting between armed groups, hundreds of thousands have been forced to flee their homes and more than four million people are in need of food aid,” the agency said in a statement. “USAID’s DART will lead the US Government’s humanitarian response. The team includes disaster experts who assess the situation, identify the priority needs to increase assistance and work with partners to provide much needed assistance to communities affected by the conflict. word. “

The US Embassy in Addis Ababa said Wednesday that U.S. Ambassador to Ethiopia Geeta Pasi and members of the embassy team would travel to Tigray that day.

“This is her first official trip and it highlights America’s partnership with the people of Ethiopia,” the embassy said in a tweet. “The United States is committed to providing life-saving assistance to vulnerable populations in Ethiopia.”

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