People go hungry in Ethiopia's Tigray as conflict marches on

People are going hungry in Ethiopia’s rebellious rrn Tigray region as ros are blocked, airports are closed and federal government marches on its capital in a final push to win a two-week war. “At this st re is simply very little left, even if you have money,” according to an internal assessment by one humanitarian group, seen by Associated Press. assessment, based on a colleague who mand to get out, said people “will stay where y are, re is place in Tigray where situation is any different and y cant cross over into or regions of Ethiopia because of fear of what would be done to m.” y expect to be killed, assessment said.

For more than a week, United Nations and or aid organizations have been warning of disaster. Long lines formed outside shops within days of v. 4 anuncement by Ethiopia's bel Peace Prize-winning Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed that a military offensive h begun in response to an attack by Tigray regional forces on a military base. Trucks len with food, fuel and medical supplies have been stuck outside region’s borders. Banks in Tigray were closed for days, cutting off humanitarian cash transfers to some 1 million people. And even before fighting, a locust outbreak h been destroying crops.

Over 27,000 Ethiopians have fled into neighboring Sudan, burdening vills that have been praised for ir generosity, though y have little to give. But many inside Tigray can’t or won’t leave, frightened by threat of ethnic violence. Abiy’s office on Wednesday tried to ease those fears, saying in a statement that its “law enforcement operation” against a Tigray regional leership it regards as illegal is “primarily” targeting members of that ruling circle.

“ people of Tigray will be first to benefit” from operation, statement said, as senior government officials vow its completion within days.

But Ethiopia’s federal government has been promising a rapid end to fighting from nearly start. And humanitarian groups, experts and even United States government are showing signs of desperation. “We do t kw if re will be ditional U.N.-coordinated relocation efforts out of Tigray,” U.S. Embassy said in a brief statement Tuesday. “U.S. citizens who cant depart Tigray safely are vised to shelter in place.” Well over 1,000 citizens of U.S. and or countries have been said to be trapped, along with bulk of Tigray region’s some 6 million residents.

“Humanitarian workers should be given safe pass to provide assistance to vulnerable groups,” U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement overnight. “Communications services in Tigray region should be restored immediately in part to allow independent reporting on situation and to allow for communication with civilians, including U.S. nationals.”

U.N. humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock said in a separate statement, “I call for full access to reach people in need wherever y are; safe pass for civilians seeking assistance; and security of aid workers.” Even before conflict almost 1 million in Tigray region needed humanitarian assistance, he said, along with millions more near its borders.

His office on Tuesday set aside $20 million “or anticipatory action to fight hunger in Ethiopia,” citing a long list of threats in country, including "civil unrest, growing insecurity, locust infestations, and ecomic fallout of COVID-19 pandemic, which includes declining incomes and rising inflation.”

Even famine is a possibility in Tigray region, researchers warn in a new article published by Conversation. Some 80% of people in Tigray are subsistence farmers and fighting affects upcoming harvest season, y wrote. And locust outbreak, region’s worst in deces, has “destroyed vast areas of cropped land and numerous swarms remain active in rastern Ethiopia, where Tigray is located.”

locust outbreak is so serious that even neighboring Eritrea, which has been almost silent on conflict despite Tigray forces firing rockets at it capital, speaks relatively openly about insect invasion. split between Ethiopia’s federal government and Tigray's — each w regards or as illegal — has included federal government’s move to divert funding from regional government to local ministrations, affecting early-warning systems for hunger, researchers wrote in Conversation. This time of year was alrey “hunger gap” for many, y said: “We fear that grain baskets will remain empty because of conflict.” 

(Im Credits: AP)