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Genocide in Tigray

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2020–present violence against Tigrayans, Kunuma, and Irobs in Ethiopia
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Tigray Genocide
Part of the Tigray war
Playground in Mekelle destroyed by an airstrike on 26 August 2022
LocationTigray, Ethiopia
Date23 February 2003 – present
TargetTigrayans, Kunama and Irob ethnic groups
Attack typeGenocide, Mass murder, wartime rape, summary execution, ethnic cleansing, mass shooting
Deaths162,000–600,000 civilians (per Ghent University)
InjuredUnknown
VictimsAt least 120,000 women raped. Over 6 million Tigrayan people affected in various ways
PerpetratorsEthiopian Government Forces
Eritrean Government Forces
Amhara Special Forces
Afar Special Forces
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The genocide in Tigray was alleged genocidal acts committed during the Tigray war in Ethiopia, which began in November 2020 and formally ended in November 2022. The conflict started when the regional government of Tigray sought greater autonomy, prompting a military intervention by the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) and its allies, including the Eritrean Defence Forces (EDF) and regional militias.

The Tigray war erupted in November 2020 following a dispute between the Ethiopian federal government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), the ruling party of the Tigray Region, over the region's autonomy. The conflict resulted in thousands of deaths and a humanitarian crisis.

War overview

The Tigray war resulted in thousands of deaths and widespread atrocities, including massacres, rapes, and arbitrary detentions. Both Ethiopian and Tigrayan forces have been accused of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity, though both sides have denied responsibility for these abuses.

New Lines Institute report

On June 4, 2024, the United States-based New Lines Institute released a comprehensive 120-page report concluding that there is strong evidence of genocidal acts committed by Ethiopian forces and their allies during the Tigray war. The report calls for Ethiopia to be prosecuted at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Before the release of the New Lines Institute report, the Ethiopian and Eritrean governments were repeatedly accused of committing genocide in Tigray.

Key findings

The New Lines Institute report provides evidence that Ethiopian and allied forces committed acts constituting genocide, which include:

  • Killing Tigrayans: Systematic mass killings of Tigrayan civilians.
  • Causing Serious Bodily or Mental Harm: Widespread incidents of torture, rape, and other forms of severe physical and psychological abuse.
  • Deliberately Inflicting Conditions to Destroy: Imposing starvation tactics and other measures aimed at destroying Tigrayan communities.
  • Preventing Births: Actions intended to prevent births within the Tigrayan population.
  • Destruction and Looting of Heritage.

The report also highlights the role of social media in inciting violence, with certain individuals allegedly using online platforms to promote genocidal actions against Tigrayans.

Genocidal Rape

A study titled "Rape survivors’ experience in Tigray: a qualitative study" explores the devastating impact of sexual violence on women and girls in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. Through in-depth interviews with ten survivors, the study reveals the widespread nature of rape and its severe psychological and physical consequences. The authors highlight the long-lasting trauma inflicted on victims, the challenges faced in escaping rape and killings, and the reliance on home remedies for survival in war-affected areas. The study underscores the urgent need for coordinated efforts to heal, support, and rehabilitate survivors, as well as to rebuild and re-equip damaged health institutions in Tigray.

Another recent article titled "Your Womb is Our Enemy: The Rape of Tigray as Genocidal Rape", published in the Journal of BRICS Studies, provides a comprehensive analysis of the sexual violence perpetrated against Tigrayan civilians during the conflict. The authors detail the extent and nature of the abuse, highlighting the deliberate targeting of women, girls, men, and boys based on their ethnicity. They also present evidence suggesting an intent to sterilize and inflict maximum damage, citing specific testimonies and accounts from survivors and witnesses. By comparing the sexual violence in Tigray with similar cases from other conflicts, the authors conclude that it constitutes genocide.

International response

The report urges the international community to exert diplomatic pressure on Ethiopia and to pursue legal action through the ICJ. This aligns with previous findings from the United Nations, which noted ongoing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Tigray nearly a year after the formal end of hostilities.

The Australian Greens express deep concern over the humanitarian crisis in Tigray, Ethiopia, citing the New Lines Institute Genocide in Tigray report that details widespread human rights abuses, including killings, displacement, gender-based violence, and famine. The Greens believe the actions of Ethiopian and Eritrean forces may constitute genocide. They urge the Australian government to support accountability for perpetrators, review aid distribution, and increase media coverage of the conflict.

Ethiopian and Eritrean denials

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Both the Ethiopian and Eritrean governments have consistently denied allegations of war crimes and genocide. Ethiopia has been accused of attempting to block international investigations, while Eritrea has labeled the accusations as defamatory.

See also

References

  1. York, Geoffrey (21 October 2022). "Surge of dehumanizing hate speech points to mounting risk of mass atrocities in northern Ethiopia, experts say". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on 22 October 2022. Independent scholars, based at Ghent University in Belgium, suggest that the death toll in Tigray is now between 385,000 and 600,000.
  2. Negash, Emnet (24 May 2023). "Updated assessment of civilian starvation deaths during the Tigray war". Archived from the original on 4 July 2023. Retrieved 4 July 2023. As our estimate of the civilian deaths in the Tigray war is regularly mentioned in the media, it seems important to share our evolving understanding and updated (lower) number of civilian deaths as a result of the Tigray war and blockade. We concluded that the IPC/FEWS categorization, on which our Tigray statistics are mainly based, overestimates hunger mortality. Along with developing information on the ground, this would point to a total number of civilian deaths ranging from 162,000 to 378,000.
  3. ^ "Ethiopia's forgotten war is the deadliest of the 21st century, with around 600,000 civilian deaths", El País, 27 January 2023, retrieved 5 June 2024
  4. ^ Mistiaen & Kahsay 2024.
  5. "In Tigray, Ethiopian women face horrific choice: 'To die or to be raped", Le Monde, 16 March 2024, retrieved June 5, 2024
  6. Gebrewahid, G.M. (2023). PRIMED FOR DEATH: Tigray Genocide: A Survivor's Story (first ed.). Independently published. ISBN 979-8372857001.
  8. ^ "Strong evidence that Ethiopia committed genocide in Tigray war: Report". Al Jazeera. 5 June 2024. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  9. Asgedom, Desta (2024). The Tigray Genocide: A Call for International Accountability (first ed.). Author's Point. ISBN 978-1836632023.
  10. ^ "Genocide in Tigray: Serious breaches of international law in the Tigray conflict, Ethiopia, and paths to accountability", newlinesinstitute.org, 5 June 2024, retrieved 5 June 2024
  11. York 2024.
  12. "US congressman Michael McCaul raises spectre of 'genocide' in Tigray", thenationalnews.com, 17 June 2021, retrieved 5 June 2024
  13. "Ethiopian patriarch pleads for international help to stop rape and genocide by government troop". The Guardian. 8 May 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  14. "Ethiopia Tigray crisis: Warnings of genocide and famine". BBC News. 29 May 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
  16. Touati, Charlotte; de Waal, Matthew Chandler (25 September 2024). "The Destruction and Looting of Heritage in the Tigray War". African Aruments. Retrieved 28 September 2024.
  17. Gebremichael et al. 2024, p. 372.
  18. Alemu & Berhe 2024.
  19. "Statement on Crimes Against Humanity, War Crimes and Genocide in Tigray", greens.org.au, 6 September 2024, retrieved 10 September 2024

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