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Spring 2021 First Light Against the Evil of War

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Spring 2021 First Light Against the Evil of War A Biannual Publication of The Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture (CCVT) Accredited member of the International Rehabilitation Council for Torture Victims (IRCT) First light Spring 2021 F i r s t L i g h t First Light, which is published semi-annually, is in- tended to provide solid information to the interested readers about the scourge of torture, war, genocide, crimes against humanity and human trafficking and In This Issue their effects and what we can do in aiding survivors to overcome the after-effects of their horrible experienc- es. The CCVT views itself as part of a larger global com- munity and is committed to the struggle for human rights, peace, justice and the end of the practice of 4 Letter of an Ethiopian Refugee torture, war, genocide, crimes against humanity and Claimant to the Editor human trafficking. By Rigbe Tsige Editor: Ezat Mossallanejad, Counsellor and Policy Analyst and Researcher Layout Design: Ezat Mossallanejad 5 Feel the War Cover: Youth clients of the CC VT at the Toronto BY: Elena Solokhina Centre Island, photo by Nadia Umadat 6 War in Tigray and Crimes of In- Public Education Committee ternational Law Mulugeta Abai, Executive Director Teresa Dremetsikas, Manager Ezat Mossallanejad, Settlement Counsellor and Policy By Mulugeta Abai Analyst 27 Mbalu Lumor, Senior Manager, Program and New- The Hanging of Angélique comer Services (poem) Published By: 29 Nadia Murad The Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture 194 Jarvis St. 2nd Floor, Toronto, ON M5B 2B7 Canada Tel: 416-363-1066; Fax: 416-363-2122 The Crime of Rape and Sexual Vio- Email: [email protected] and [email protected]; 30 lence in Tigray Website: www.ccvt.org Mandate: The Canadian Centre for Victims of Tor- By Mulugeta Abai ture (CCVT) aids survivors of torture, war, genocide and crimes against humanity to overcome the lasting effects of torture and war. Working with the communi- ty, the Centre supports survivors in the process of suc- Internal Displacement: The Invisible cessful integration into Canadian society, works for 36 Cost of War their protection and integrity, and raises awareness of the continuing effects of torture and war on survivors and their families. The CCVT gives hope after By Cal Furlong the horror. Editor’s Note: The information provided in this 38 An Investigation into Uighur Geno- publication is not controlled by the CCVT and there- cide in XinJiang, and the long-term fore may not reflect the Centre's views. impact of “Re-education” camps on Uighur Children © Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture. All rights reserved. This publication may not be repro- duced without permission from the publisher. By Gabrielle Allohverdi Acknowledgement of the source is appreciated. 43 March 25/26: Global Action Days to End War in Yemen By Anne Khan 2 F i r s t L i g h t Spring 2021 In This Issue (continued) In This Issue (continued) 60 46 A Trilogy by Anthony Frolov Canada and Ukrainian Plane Crash in Iran 46 Wronged and Invaded CCVT Letter to the Right honorable Jus- tin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada 47 Feelings of a Captured Soul 62 After-effects of Armed conflict Between 47 New Life on New Soil Azerbaijan and Armenia CCVT letter to the Honourable 48 Sri Lanka – The Fight for Justice François-Philippe Champagne Minister of Foreign Affairs By Lotus Sahana Alphonsus & No- elle Alphonsus 64 Journalists at Risk CCVT Letter to the Right honorable Jus- 51 Reflections of A Youth Counsellor: tin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada Supporting Refugee Survivors of Sexual Violence by Nadia Umadat 65 Resettlement of Tigrayan Refugees CCVT Letter to the Right honorable Jus- 54 Success story tin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada By Mona Kalil 67 The Women’s International War Crimes Tribunal on Japan’s Military 56 Eduardo Galeano against War Sexual Slavery 57 A Reflection: Supporting Separat- By: Ezat Mossallanejad ed Refugee Youth By Leah MacDonald 70 CCVT Programs and Services A short explanation of ten current pro- 58 Rohingya Genocide in Myanmar grams offered by the Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture (CCVT) CCVT letter to the Canadian Minis- ter of Foreign Affairs 72 A quote From Mahmoud Darwish F i r s t L i g h t 3 First light Spring 2021 F i r s t L i g h t Letter of an Ethiopian Refugee Claimant to the Editor By Rigbe Tsige been abducted; regional leaders were execut- ed. The country has witnessed ethnic-based mass murders and internal displacements - a day-to-day observation in Oromia, Amhara, Southern and Tigray regional states. A week before, the prime minister declared war against the Tigray regional state, in the northern part of Ethiopia and home of about seven million Tigrayans. In recent days, air bombardments used against Mekelle the capi- tal city of Tigray regional state and some other parts of the region. The purpose of this attack is to Isolate the people of Tigray from the rest of the world. Mr. Ahmed has cut of the power supply, internet connection, telephone ser- vice, air, and land transport and all means of communication. In addition to this, the central government has declared state of emergency in Tigray and Oromia regional states. Be- cause of this, people have become frustrated. Due to their fear and frustration, people have November 11, 2020 been unable to run their day-to-day activities. Despite, the international community efforts in Dear Editor, encouraging both sides to come to the negoti- ation table, the federal government is putting As a woman of Ethiopian origin and an asy- pressure against its own people with a geno- lum seeker in Canada I am extremely con- cidal policy. cerned about the violence and aggression by As a result of the black out of communication the federal government of Ethiopia in collab- in Tigray, I personally could not communicate oration with the Eritrean government towards with my family (sister, brother, cousins, auntes its own people. I would like to bring it to your and uncles). I do not know where they are. attention that Ethiopia is currently on the Currently. The federal troops are engaged in verge of a catastrophic civil war. fierce fighting against the people of Tigray in Since the current prime minister took power, all fronts. They have blocked all roads pre- thousands of people have been internally venting food and humanitarian aid entering displaced; many government officials includ- Tigray. The prime minister of Ethiopia, in col- ing the chief of staff have been mysteriously laboration with the Eritrean president Isaias murdered; female university students have Afwerki, the notorious tyrant, is now attacking 4 F i r s t L i g h t Spring 2021 his own people from Eritrean side. People of Tigrayan origin residing in other parts of Ethiopia are being removed from their Feel the War jobs only because they are Tigrayans. They include civil servants, private business owners, By Elena Solokhina commercial aircraft “pilots’’. All Tigrayan mem- bers of the defense force and security guards were expelled from their duties and put under house arrest. On social media and other gov- ernment outlets, the prime minister is inciting Don't talk about war, don't talk! ethnic cleansing policy against the people of But live it through with feelings all un- Tigray living in the other parts of Ethiopia by locked! encouraging people to be vigilant of “individuals Tigrayans.” You are a baby, all alone and hungry. Furthermore, Mr. Ahmed has imposed travel You are a child whose mother nobody restrictions, particularly against individuals of can find. Tigran ethnicity. You are teenager in the world, that's Ethiopia is about to enter a dangerous ethnic- armed and angry, based civil war, and I believe that you may be Preparing to kill yourself to calm your able to expose the dangerous situation to dif- tired mind. ferent concerned bodies: You are a soldier after war returning, Demanding for the immediate cessa- Of living tired, hungry, very sick. tion of hostilities and war against Without father, daughter - no childhood, the Tigrayan people. Without son, a mother, walking with a Demanding an immediate cessation of stick. killings and ethnic based violence and displacement of people in all This is the face of war - heart wrenching parts of Ethiopia. image. Facilitating or initiating a national World leaders, headsmen and complicit peace and reconciliation dialogue folks for the establishment of an all- Don't talk about war, don't talk! inclusive transitional government in It screams before your eyes without Ethiopia. words. Pressuring the prime minister of Ethio- pia to stop the atrocities through Elena Solokhina imposing travel and other sanc- Employment Services and Skills Training CCVT tions. I am hopeful that you will make a great contri- bution to be a voice for the voiceless innocent people. Thank you Rigbie Tsige F i r s t L i g h t 5 First light Spring 2021 F i r s t L i g h t War in Tigray and Crimes of International Law By Mulugeta Abai ture in Tigray by relying on the availa- ble sources, testimonies by witnesses and official statements. Root Causes of the Conflict War should neither be judged by its spontaneous outbreak nor by propa- ganda of the parties involved in the conflict. According to the German gen- eral and military theorist, Karl von Clausewitz: “War is not an independ- ent phenomenon, but the continuation of politics by Almost all wars are intertwined with different means. Conse- cover-ups and keeping people in dark- quently, the main lines of ness by the ruling cliques and war- every major strategic plan mongering forces.
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