Falls Church, Virginia (08/25/2022) – On August 24, 2022, it was reported that fighting had resumed between Ethiopian government forces and the TPLF at the border of the Tigray region. This clash marks the end of the humanitarian truce both parties agreed to in March 2022, following reports of atrocities committed by all parties to the conflict that began in November 2020. Although it is unclear which group launched this latest attack, we share the concerns of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, that, “This will only exacerbate the suffering of civilians already in desperate need.” Therefore, OLLAA expresses its grave concern for the welfare of Tigrayan civilians, condemns this renewal of violence, and calls on both parties to halt hostilities and to lay the groundwork for lasting peace.
At the same time, OLLAA must note that the situation in northern Ethiopia, including Tigray, is not the only ongoing crisis inside Ethiopia. The southern regions of Ethiopia are currently experiencing a severe drought, and the latest reports suggest that at least 8 million people have been affected by the drought, and that at least 3.3 million people inside Oromia are experiencing food insecurity. In addition, the human rights situation for Oromos has continued to deteriorate over the past year as the Ethiopian government intensified violence against Oromos. As recently reported by Human Rights Watch, there is a culture of impunity for abuses committed by Ethiopian security forces inside Oromia, including extrajudicial executions and arbitrary arrests and detentions of Oromo civilians. Oromo civilians who are detained frequently face further abuses, including denial of their due process rights and denial of access to medical care.
Therefore, while OLLAA supports the public outcry calling for the deescalation of the latest round of conflict in Tigray, we also call on the international community to pay equal attention to the other crises occurring throughout Ethiopia, particularly those affecting the Oromo. We appreciate the most recent statement by the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, regarding the recent attack in Tigray, in which he called for the cessation of hostilities and noted that Ethiopian civilians, including “Tigrayans, Amharas, Oromos, and Afars, have already suffered too much.” We encourage all international actors to adopt similarly inclusive language when they discuss the interrelated crises occurring throughout Ethiopia.
OLLAA is an umbrella organization that works in collaboration with dozens of Oromo communities around the world.