Page 37 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 13

MY AFRIKA

The London based Guardian on extremely large number of Ethio- on the Ethiopia’s NDF in Mekele.
January 24, printed an opinion pians who require assistance, which This should extend to denouncing
column by Simon Tisdal, entitled, should not be ignored, it is much unfounded inciting accusations that
Ethiopia’s leader must answer for the high less than 4.5 million. the government is using food as a
cost of hidden war in Tigray. He wrote: weapon against the Tigrayan people.
Information provided by the United
“After humanitarian workers finally Nations Office for the Coordi- The U.S. should immediately utilize
gained limited access this month, it was nation of Humanitarian Affairs its unique military-logistical capa-
estimated that 4.5 million of Tigray’s 6 (OCHA), which coordinates global bility to deliver assistance to the
million people need emergency food aid. emergency response, is closer to Tigray region. This should include
Hundreds of thousands are said to face the figures offered by the Ethiopian all Ethiopians and refugees who are
starvation.” government. OCHA’s January 26, suffering as a result of the TPLF’s
Tigray Region Humanitarian Update reckless treasonous actions.
BBC News published the follow- reports 950,000 people in need
ing headline on February 1, Tigray of aid prior to November 4, and President Biden should immediately
crisis: ‘Genocidal war’ waged in projects 1.3 million more Tigrayans reverse Donald Trump’s awful deci-
Ethiopia region, says ex-leader, will need assistance resulting from sion to withhold $130 million in aid
quoting Debretsion Gebremichael, the conflict, for a total of almost 2.3 to Ethiopia. The failure to restore
who is leading the TPLF military million. In the same update, OCHA this aid at this critical juncture could
campaign against Ethiopia. reports: “Movements of humanitar- result in increased suffering.
ian cargo inside Tigray is improving
Truth or Propaganda? substantially. Last week, four of the Contrary to Trump’s interference in
The estimated population living in submitted cargo requests have been the tripartite talks between Sudan,
the Tigray region is probably from cleared to be dispatched.” Egypt and Ethiopia, the U.S. should
5 to 5.5 million. Thus, according to allow African nations in partnership
the media, 4.5 million or 82-90% Clearly, living conditions on the with the African Union to resolve
of the Tigrayan population need ground for millions of Tigrayans is the remaining concerns regarding
emergency assistance. These figures deplorable. Food, non-food, medical the operation of the GERD.
are too implausible to be considered and related assistance is urgently
accurate. UNICEF on November needed to prevent further loss of Most importantly, recognizing that
19, 2020, asserted that there are 2.3 life. However, there is no evidence the Tigray region, like other sections
million children in the Tigray region of mass starvation, and no evi- of Ethiopia are in need of vital
in need of humanitarian assistance. dence that Prime Minister Abiy is categories of infrastructure, the U.S.
If that were true, it would mean using food as a weapon against the should invest in the construction of
between 40-45% of the Tigrayan Tigrayan people. roads, railroads, energy generation,
population are children, which is and water management. A nation
improbable. that provides it citizens with the
President Biden’s Message to the physical goods and services essential
These exaggerated hysterical claims 34th Summit of African Union. for a rising standard of living is best
are designed to inflame public courtesy of Namibia Embassy equipped to mitigate ethnic tensions
opinion against the government of na.usembassy.gov) that often arise from economic mar-
Ethiopia. What the U.S. Should Do ginalization. Let this crisis in Tigray
become an opportunity to usher
Representatives of the Ethiopian President Biden has an opportunity in a new paradigm of U.S.-Africa
government report, that due to to create a new U.S.-Africa policy, strategy by President Biden, who
poor infrastructure and underde- and contribute to the well-being of should be guided by the wise words
veloped land there were 1.8 million Ethiopia, and the Horn of Africa. of Pope Paul VI: development is the
Tigrayans in need of aid prior to the new name for peace.
military outbreak. TPLF controlled The Biden administration should
Tigray during this period. As a result support the sovereign obligation of
of this TPLF instigated conflict, an the Ethiopian government to deploy
additional 700,000 are in need, for a its military in defense of the nation
total of 2.5 million. While this is an following the attack by the TPLF

WWW.MSINGIAFRIKAMAGAZINE.COM ISSUE 13 | JULY 2021 37