On Wednesday, the World Health Organization sounded the alarm about the humanitarian situation in Tigray, accusing the leaders of developed countries of neglecting the crisis in this region of Ethiopia, which has seen bloody clashes between the government and rebels.
The organization’s director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, condemned the “unimaginable brutality” against the six million people who live in the region in northern Ethiopia, where rebels and the federal government are at loggerheads.
The conflict began in November 2020, when Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed launched a military operation in the region to topple Tigray officials from the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, accused of attacking federal army camps.
Since the beginning of the conflict, the region has suffered from a lack of food and access to basic services such as electricity, telecommunications and banking.
“The result: the people of Tigray are facing multiple epidemics of malaria, anthrax, cholera, diarrhea and other diseases,” Tedros, who is from Tigray, told a press conference in Geneva.
He stressed that this “terrible and unimaginable situation must end. The only solution is peace” and called on the Ethiopian government to resolve the conflict “in a peaceful manner”.
Fighting has stopped since a humanitarian ceasefire was declared at the end of March, which allowed international aid convoys to resume in Tigray.
But according to Tedros, little food and medicine reaches the region. He said that basic services must be restored to restore confidence in preparations for peace talks.
He also explained that discrimination and racism explain the continuation of the situation in Tigray in this way, even though what is happening is “the worst humanitarian crisis in the world”.
“Perhaps the reason is the skin color of the people of Tigray. In the past months, I have not heard any head of state talking about the situation of Tigray, especially in developed countries. Why? I think we know the reason.” He said.
He emphasized: At the time I am talking to you, this is the worst disaster in the world (..) This is the whole truth.
He added: The drought that has hit the Horn of Africa is intensifying this crisis.
Source: Lebanon Debate
