United Nations Warns Eritrean Troops in Tigray: A Call for Human Rights Accountability

NEW YORK – In a recent statement, the United Nations has reiterated its concerns about the ongoing engagement of Eritrean troops in Tigray. The UN has highlighted the need for accountability, urging disciplinary measures to ensure transparency in addressing human rights violations. These challenges remind us of a significant aspect of international diplomacy: how do we collectively uphold the dignity of humanity?

Ilze Brands-Kehris, the Assistant Secretary-General at the UN Human Rights Office, voiced her concerns: “The Eritrean Defense Forces, despite the clear directives from the 2022 Cessation of Hostilities Agreement, remain a critical presence in Tigray.” This agreement, initially facilitated in the peaceful terrains of South Africa, was designed with a straightforward expectation—to withdraw foreign military forces from the Tigray region.

The UN recently underscored findings unveiled by the joint OHCHR–Ethiopia Human Rights Investigations Team in 2023. Their investigations revealed troubling evidence of severe human rights violations, implicating Eritrean troops in northern Ethiopia, specifically within Tigray State. Brands-Kehris poignantly remarked, “This impunity serves only to embolden those who violate human rights.”

Reflecting on the impasse, one might ponder: what sustains such defiance amidst clear international mandates? It’s been two years since the signing of an agreement meant to restore peace, but the Eritrean Defense Forces have yet to exit Tigray. Such defiance raises deeper questions about international mechanisms and their efficacy in conflict resolution.

“Our Office possesses credible intelligence confirming the Eritrean Defense Forces’ ongoing presence in Tigray,” she affirmed. These troops stand accused of numerous atrocities: “abductions, rape, looting of property, and arbitrary arrests.” Brands-Kehris’s earnest appeal for “their immediate withdrawal” echoes in the halls of justice, demanding heed.

In words attributed to a noteworthy observer, “Justice delayed is not just justice denied, but it becomes an unwitting accomplice to tyranny.”

Insight from independent human rights organizations further validates these affairs. Groups such as Human Rights Watch, in their 2024 annual discourse, documented “persistent abuses by Eritrean forces.” Among the most disturbing revelations were widespread instances of sexual violence against women and girls, along with rampant civilian property looting.

In the town of Zalambessa, a particularly harrowing anecdote unfolds. The Addis Standard shared narratives from local residents who, gripped by fear, confessed to altering their daily lives—avoiding outdoor activities post-sunset due to the palpable threat of Eritrean troops.

Such stories flesh out statistics into lived realities. They remind us of the real human cost tethered to geopolitical and military maneuvers. As analysts like to ask, “What is the human cost of strategic patience? And at what point does waiting become a means of complicity?”

As these questions linger, there remains an overarching hope that international solidarity and concerted pressure could pave a way forward. Perhaps there’s a line echoed by many: “A collective stand today might just be the promise of a brighter tomorrow.”

This scenario from Tigray is a testament to the enduring struggles for justice and human dignity, a narrative that resonates far beyond just policy documents and agreements. As we absorb these reports, one must wonder: what role can each of us play in advocating for a just and peaceful world?

AXADLETM