Another Genocide in the 21st Century: Conflict in Ethiopia

Student paper by Nasriye Birmaji

Excerpt from the paper:

“After each genocide, the international community declares “Never Again.” This promise is made often in the aftermath of new mass atrocities, but it is never honored. There have been numerous atrocities in the 21st century, and many are taking place today.

One of those atrocities is the mass humanitarian crisis in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. Since November 2020 there has been a series of human rights violations in Tigray and the neighboring areas. Abiy Ahmed, the Prime Minister of Ethiopia, announced land and air military operations in Tigray in early November 2020 after accusing the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) of plotting attacks on federal army facilities. More than 1.7 million Tigrayans have been internally displaced since the start of the violence in the region, and over 50,000 have sought asylum in Sudan. A total of 5.7 million people are expected to need humanitarian assistance as a result of the conflict.

Based on available facts, there are reasonable grounds to believe that Ethiopia is experiencing a severe humanitarian crisis. All parties to the conflict have carried out direct attacks on civilians, including men, women, and children. There are reports of killings, rapes, and severe famine in parts of Ethiopia as a result of the current conflict. There is sufficient evidence to declare this conflict a genocide, war crime, and crime against humanity.”

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