Selective Solidarity While Tigray is Starving
Mother with malnourished child, Ayder Hospital, Me’kelle, Tigray. Photo by Leul Kinfu/Unicef via The Guardian UK.
For 16 months now, there has been a brutal war in Ethiopia, specifically in Tigray, but also in Amhara and Afar (as well as fighting in parts of Oromia as well). The people of Tigray, which include Tigrayans, Irob, Kunama and Eritrean refugees, are starving to death due to an ongoing humanitarian aid blockade imposed by the federal government.
The situation in Tigray has been called one of the worst (if not the worst), humanitarian crisis of 2021. It is the combination of massacres, man-made famine, widespread and systemic rape used as weapon of war and the destruction of hospitals and medical centres that make it so dire. People have been displaced from their land, forced to flee the fighting, while others have been forcefully removed or been occupied by invading forces. While aid has trickled in here and there to major cities, it’s nowhere near what’s needed to keep people alive.
What’s most worrisome about the war is is the deliberate intent to destroy a people and their cultural and religious heritage - it is genocidal in nature (which is why I’ve been intent on raising awareness about Tigray).
Limited Media Coverage
We’re now three months into 2022, yet Tigray continues to receive very limited media coverage in Canada or elsewhere.
While Tigray is under a telecom blackout, there have been some journalists allowed entry who were able to speak with Tigrayans.
In some of the interviews, Tigrayans bravely came forward to share their stories - of horrific rape, of their children dying of starvation, of their children being killed in front of them. Some of them risked their lives (and that of their families) by exposing their faces and sharing their names. They did so because they wanted the world to know what’s been happening to them.
In an article by Al-Jazeera, a displaced woman told a journalist, “Tell the world, we are dying”.
But the death toll keeps rising. Last Friday, the Globe and Mail reported that up to 500,000 people in Tigray have died and millions more could perish due to the blockade.
Selective Solidarity
I know that many people haven’t heard about Tigray or have no idea where it is located on a map. I also know that economic and geopolitic interests always come before human life, but it also depends on whose lives are at stake.
Various governments have toothlessly condemned atrocities and released many messages of “grave concern”, but have not taken firm action against individuals and states involved in committing atrocities.
Everywhere I look, I’m seeing everyone from government, regular people, organizations, major companies from luxury goods to employment platforms come together to support Ukrainians and call for the withdrawal of Russian forces. Even my Apple Music created an easy shortcut to “Donate” to the Unicef.
It is not controversial to say “I stand with Ukraine” and it shouldn’t be - what they are experiencing is awful and they deserve support and solidarity. But the truth is, most conflicts have not received similar collective outrage and tend to be met with more skepticism - displaying your “stand with” could cost you your job or employment opportunities, cause you to receive death threats, lose friends and membership in your community. All this, simply for opposing the killing of innocent civilians and advocating for the rights of Indigenous peoples (instead of “ethnic” and “tribal” groups”) to live peacefully on their land, free of harm.
For many months now, the Tigrayan diaspora has been advocating tirelessly for their families, calling for an end to the war. It is truly disheartening and downright infuriating Tigray continues to be overlooked.
To be clear, there are other conflicts and crisis that deserves attention as well - even just in the Horn of Africa region alone. What is particular about Tigray is the scale of the atrocities, the destruction of critical infrastructure and most importantly, the famine. Starvation isn’t something that people can live with—urgent action is required.
Actions Matter
I’ve seen some parents on Facebook groups get attacked for “lacking empathy” by pointing out the selective solidarity that we’ve been witnessing. My hope is that some people make time for critical conversations about this issue, educate themselves and show solidarity.
Here are some actions you can take for Tigray and Eritrean refugees:
-If live in the U.S, please encourage your elected official to support H.R. 6600 on Ethiopia by texting to PASWJF 50409
-Help get humanitarian kits to Tigray via Health Partners International Canada and United Tegaru Canada
-Support Eritrean refugees via Da’aro Youth Project
To learn more, follow these accounts on Twitter or Instagram:
- Health Professionals For Tigray: HPN4Tigray
- Asmlash-Grant Fondation (Tigrayan refugees in Sudan)
- One Day Seyoum (Eritrean refugees)
