Several NGOs fear that humanitarian aid will be blocked in Tigray since the province was taken over by Tigray’s defense force on Tuesday (June 29). Since then, aid operations to the population have almost frozen due to the fighting. On Thursday, July 1, an important supply bridge that threatened humanitarian aid in the region was destroyed.
With our correspondent Addis Ababa, Noé Rochet-Bodin
With the destruction of the bridge over the river Tekeze, it is a symbol that crumbles. First, there is a natural boundary, Tekeze, which today separates the military positions of Tigrayan and Amhara.
Then the bridge is one of the main axes for the delivery of humanitarian aid, even more important when all air connections are cut with Tigray.
In a region where 9 out of 10 residents need food aid, the destruction of this bridge makes many NGOs think. The US Development Agency fears disaster when all access to Tigray is closed. The UN assures that a convoy of 29 trucks is currently still prevented from entering Tigray’s territory.
Nevertheless, the Ethiopian government declared a unilateral ceasefire on Monday, promising free access for NGOs. But according to an aid worker who wants to remain anonymous, it is rather a blockade that we are witnessing.
The UN nevertheless clarified that its bodies had been able to resume certain evaluation missions north of Mekele.
Obstacles to leaving the crisis
After the rebels of part of Tigray, how can the crisis be resolved? For William Davison, an International Crisis Group researcher and specialist in Ethiopia, a number of obstacles currently make it impossible for dialogue between the parties.
“The government must show its willingness to carry out a humanitarian ceasefire, that it has a will to work with the TPLF, the international community and humanitarian workers to do everything possible to resolve the humanitarian crisis. Failure to do so will only exacerbate tensions between Addis Ababa and international powers, including the United States, as well as the TPLF. The Amhara problem needs to be addressed because the administration has taken partial control of Tigray, which TPLF also claims. It is a great obstacle to reconciliation. ”
The researcher also believes that “the requirements of the TPLF regarding autonomy must be taken into account” because he does not think “that the Tigrayan leaders want to cooperate within a federation where he is affiliated with the federal power, especially it is led by Abiy Ahmed. ”
“Another major obstacle is the classification of the TPLF as a terrorist organization in May by Parliament,” William Davison continues. If the government wants to take an important step towards peace, this decision must be reversed. So there are many decisions to be made and unfortunately still a large list of obstacles before peace. ”
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