WHAT'S HAPPENING IN TIGRAY? Explained: The humanitarian crisis affecting millions of civilians as a result of a war happening in Tigray, a region in northern Ethiopia. | @omnatigray | omnatigray.org Executive Summary *Content warning: violence, rape On November 4, 2020, the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed Ali, declared a "law and order" operation to disband Tigray’s elected regional government with the help of Eritrea, a sovereign country, and Amhara militias. The ongoing war has not simply been against a political party, but has been a war against the Tigrayan people. Ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity are being committed by Ethiopian, Eritrean, and Amhara forces and militias, including weaponized rape against thousands of women and girls, weaponized starvation of millions, destruction of cultural heritage sites and extrajudicial killings and massacres of civilians. This is resulting in one of the worst humanitarian crises in modern history. We ask that you help in putting an end to the horrific tragedy an entire ethnic group is facing. | @omnatigray | omnatigray.org How did we get here? Abiy Ahmed Ali was selected by fellow coalition members to lead Ethiopia's transitional government until scheduled elections in 2020. He was quickly renowned as a reformer and even awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for normalizing relations with Eritrea. This past August, PM Ahmed postponed the 2020 elections, citing COVID-19 as a justification. TPLF called it unconstitutional and an attempt to extend his term and illegally consolidate power; and moved forward by holding their regional government elections in September and won. In response, Ahmed blocked funding for Tigray, during the worst locust infestations to hit the region. On Nov. 4th, 2020, PM Ahmed declared a “law and order” operation to disband the elected Tigray regional government claiming because the TPLF attacked a military base. We are now witnessing a war against the Tigrayan people. | @omnatigray | omnatigray.org Civilians are being starved The people of Tigray, Ethiopia, are suffering a humanitarian crisis that is entirely man-made. Food, water, electricity and humanitarian aid has been blocked or extremely limited. More than 4.5 million people including 2.3 million children need emergency food in Tigray. According to World Peace Foundation, a reasonable guess is that 100 children are dying each day due to the war. Ethiopian, Eritrean, and Amhara forces have burned crops, blocked roads, and diverted aid from the region, weaponizing hunger. “Ethiopia’s government appears to be wielding hunger as a weapon” as the Tigray region is ”being starved into submission.” - The Economist, January 2021 | @omnatigray | omnatigray.org Women and girls are being raped as a weapon of war Thousands of Tigrayan girls and women, from as young as 4 to as old as 89 years old, have experienced weaponized rape by Ethiopian and Eritrean troops and Amhara militias. There may be 10,000 or more rape survivors in Tigray since the war began ~6 months ago (EEPA). In a general hospital in Adigrat, a gynecologist reported, “out of this 200 [patients], 160 are pregnant.” -- Sky News, March 27, 2021. “The women that have been raped say that the things that they [Amhara forces] say to them when they were raping them is that they need to change their identity -- to either Amharize them or at least leave their Tigrinya status [...] and that they've come there to cleanse them [...] to cleanse the blood line...Practically this has been a genocide.” -- a doctor reported by CNN, March 22, 2021 | @omnatigray | omnatigray.org Civilians are being massacred 70,000+ Tigrayans have been reported killed through artillery strikes, extrajudicial killings, massacres, and weaponized starvation in less than five months. Many say that is a conservative figure and there are reports estimating the death toll is 150,000+. Axum Massacre: 800+ killed. “They [Eritrean forces] killed her children and locked the compound door behind them, so no one could get in at first. She was left alone with the bodies of her two dead children for a day and a half. She was numb, unresponsive by the time we saw her.” - Human Rights Watch Dengelat Massacre: 100+ killed. “The [Ethiopian and Eritrean] soldiers went door to door, dragging people [Tigrayans] from their homes. Mothers were forced to tie up their sons. A pregnant woman was shot, her husband killed. Some of the survivors hid under the bodies of the dead.” - CNN, March 22, 2021 | @omnatigray | omnatigray.org Millions of civilians are being affected by this war Over 70,000 Tigrayans have fled to Sudan as refugees; 28% of whom are children and 4% of whom are elderly. Over 1.7 million Tigrayans are internally displaced. “We are seeing a bigger influx of people, especially in Shire, Adwa and Axum. It is an extremely concerning situation because we are not seeing an adequate response from the humanitarian community to address people’s need for water, sanitation, food or medical services.” - Esperanza Santos, MSF emergency coordinator in Tigray | @omnatigray | omnatigray.org The healthcare system has almost collapsed Over 80% of Tigray is cut off from aid agencies, and people without life-saving medications are dying at home. According to MSF (Doctors Without Borders), "Before the conflict began, Tigray had one of the best health systems in Ethiopia...this health system has now almost completely collapsed.” - MSF, March 15, 2021 “Health facilities across [Tigray] have been looted, vandalized and destroyed in a deliberate and widespread attack on healthcare...nearly 70% had been looted, and more than 30% had been damaged; just 13% were functioning normally.” - MSF, March 15, 2021 | @omnatigray | omnatigray.org Cultural heritage sites have been destroyed and looted The Al-Nejashi mosque is home to one of the first mosques in the world, built in the 7th century by the companions of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) who fled from religious persecution in Mecca. The mosque was struck by heavy artillery and later looted by Ethiopian and Eritrean troops. 80 Tigrayans were killed while protecting the sacred site from invading forces. On November 28, 2020, Eritrean troops stormed the sacred church Saint Mary Tsion in Aksum and opened fire on hundreds of worshippers, killing hundreds during the rampage. Eritrean troops bombed and looted Cherkos church in Zalambesa. They also bombed Debre Damo church and Saint George church in Tigray’s capital city, Mekelle. | @omnatigray | omnatigray.org We ask for your advocacy to support 7M+ Tigrayans Find our topline demands to stop the genocide below: 1) Withdrawal of Eritrean troops, Ethiopian troops, and Amhara militias from Tigray 2) Unfettered humanitarian access 3) Unrestricted local and international media access to Tigray 4) UN-led and UN-only independent investigations 5) Deployment of peacekeeping troops *Visit omnatigray.org for more resources. Spread awareness and be an advocate: Tigrayans make up only 6% of the total population in Ethiopia. We need advocates now more than ever to protect this vulnerable group. Engage in our action-oriented social media campaigns. Follow @OmnaTigray on Instagram and Twitter to stay informed and participate in them. Use your platform to spread awareness about the Tigray genocide to your followers, friends, and family. Encourage them to be allies. Invite a Tigrayan activist onto your platform. | @omnatigray | omnatigray.org More on how you can help: Stay civically engaged: Contact your government representatives and ask them to take action using the demands shared. Sign petitions and come to protests, happening across the world Volunteer your time, skills, and network: Be a goodwill ambassador for Tigray with the UN and other humanitarian organizations Leverage your networks and influence Support and volunteer for a Tigrayan grassroots organization Donate to help alleviate the humanitarian crisis: Organizations supporting civilians in Tigray and/or refugees in Sudan include: UNHCR, ICRC, IRC, USAID, WFP, MSF, and more. Contact us to learn more about how you can make an impact: Social media: @OmnaTigray on Twitter, IG, FB, and Clubhouse More information and resources can be found at omnatigray.org. Tigray can't wait. Small and consistent actions matter. We have an opportunity to act now and protect millions of people, before it's too late. | @omnatigray | omnatigray.org Sources https://www.vox.com/22370629/ethiopia-tigray-eritrea-amhara-war-ethnic-cleansing https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/19/africa/ethiopia-tigray-rape-investigation-cmd- intl/index.html https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/4/21/a-tigrayan-womb-should-never-give-birth-rape- in-ethiopia-tigray https://www.voanews.com/africa/ethiopian-diplomat-urges-peace-talks-tigray-war https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-56198469 https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/26/africa/ethiopia-tigray-dengelat-massacre-intl/index.html https://sites.tufts.edu/wpf/starving-tigray/ https://news.sky.com/story/ethiopias-conflict-in-tigray-women-describe-how-rape-is-used-as- a-weapon-12257465 https://observers.france24.com/en/africa/20210419-video-shows-the-horror-of-rape-as- weapon-of-war-in-ethiopia-s-tigray-region https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/africa/un-tigrays-humanitarian-crisis-worsens-no- eritrean-exit/2021/04/15/17fc89f0-9e18-11eb-b2f5-7d2f0182750d_story.html https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/thousands-flee-war-torn-ethiopia-as-tigray-crisis- escalates https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-02-02/ethiopian-opposition-claims-52-000- dead-in-northern-conflict https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2021/03/26/ethiopia-sudan-tigray-refugees/