On Wednesday, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said that the situation in Ethiopia is worrying and volatile amid reports of ethnic profiling of Tigrayans in the African country.
In a press conference in Geneva, Bachelet said “We have reports that fighting is still ongoing between federal forces and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), and affiliated militias on both sides in areas surrounding towns like Mekelle, Sherero, Axum, Abiy Addi, and the borders between the Amhara and Tigray regions.
“There is an urgent need for independent monitoring of the human rights situation in the Tigray region, all necessary measures to protect civilians, and accountability for violations," the UN official added.
The fighting in Tigray has forced thousands to seek safety in neighbouring Sudan.
Experts noted that around 45 per cent of those crossing borders are children, according to estimates from the UN refugee agency, UNHCR.
Protection and the provision of emergency support to these children must be a priority for all responding to the crisis, they said, while also welcoming an agreement between the UN and the Ethiopian authorities on humanitarian access.
Fighting between the national army and regional forces began a month ago, and since then, many people have been living with no electricity, running water, banking or communications.
Yesterday, the UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric voiced his concerns regarding the lack of essential medical supplies, which is hampering healthcare workers’ ability to support the population and disrupt critical services, including for women who are pregnant or giving birth in Ethiopia.
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