💭 Zambia police Sunday found the bodies of 27 men, believed to be migrants from Ethiopia, dumped in a farming area on the outskirts of the capital after they died from suspected hunger and exhaustion, authorities said.
A sole survivor was found alive in the early hours of Sunday morning and rushed to a Lusaka hospital for treatment, while the dead were transported to the mortuary for identification and postmortems to determine the exact cause of death, police said.
Preliminary police investigations showed the victims were all males aged between 20 and 38 and had been dumped along a road by unknown people.
“Police and other security wings have since instituted investigations into the matter,” Danny Mwale, police spokesman, said in a statement after police were alerted to the gruesome scene by members of the public.
Ethiopian migrants often use Zambia when traveling to countries such as South Africa, though reports of deaths in transit there are rare.
👉 Courtesy: South African Broadcasting Corporation
💭 The bodies of 27 people, believed to be migrants from Ethiopia, have been “dumped” by the roadside in Ngwerere area north of Zambia’s capital Lusaka.
They likely suffocated to death while in transit, Police Spokesperson Danny Mwale told the BBC.
One survivor found “gasping for air” has been rushed to a local hospital, he said.
Zambia is a transit point for migrants, mostly from the Horn of Africa, who want to reach South Africa.
Mr Mwale said residents of Ngwerere found the bodies on Sunday at 06:00 local time (04:00 GMT).
He said the police believe the migrants are Ethiopian nationals based on the identity documents found on them.
“Our preliminary investigations indicate that a total number of 28 persons, all males aged between 20 and 38, were dumped in Meanwood Nkhosi along Chiminuka road in Ngwerere area by unknown people,” the police said in a statement.
The bodies have been taken to Zambia University Teaching Hospital mortuary.
In neighbouring Malawi, the authorities discovered 25 bodies of Ethiopian migrants in a mass grave in October.
💭 Malawi Finds Mass Grave of Ethiopians | ማላዊ የኢትዮጵያውያን የጅምላ መቃብር አገኘች | ዋይ! ዋይ! ዋይ!
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) – Dozens of women and girls have been raped and hundreds of civilians killed during fighting in Ethiopia´s Tigray region, according to an official document seen by The Associated Press.
Roughly 40 girls and women between the ages of 13 and 80 were raped in the town of Sheraro in northwestern Tigray, according to the document prepared by Tigray´s regional Emergency Coordination Centre. The center includes regional government bureaus, U.N. agencies and nongovernmental organizations.
The document reports eight more rapes, “including gang rape,” in the district of Tselemti, also in northwestern Tigray.
Issued Oct. 14, the document did not state who was responsible for the sexual violence. Nor did it state the time frame in which it occurred.
According to diplomatic sources, Eritrean and Ethiopian forces took control of Sheraro last month. Eritrean troops have fought alongside Ethiopia´s federal military since hostilities resumed in Tigray on Aug. 24 after a lull in fighting.
Diplomats have expressed alarm over reports of civilian casualties in the region as Ethiopia´s federal military this week took control of the major town of Shire and the federal government expressed its aim to capture Tigray´s airports and federal institutions.
A humanitarian worker based in Shire told the AP the town´s airport is now manned by Eritrean forces. Ethiopian and Eritrean forces have captured warehouses belonging to NGOs there, and Eritrean forces are specifically looting vehicles, according to the aid worker, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of safety fears.
U.S. officials have called on Eritrean forces to withdraw from Tigray and urged the parties to agree to an immediate cease-fire. The administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development, Samantha Power, has described the human cost of the conflict as “staggering.”
The internal document seen by the AP said 159 individuals have been “shot dead” in the Tahtay Adiyabo, Dedebit and Tselemti areas of northwestern Tigray, adding that others were maimed by gunshots and shelling.
A further 157 people were “taken by Eritrean forces” in Tselemti, Dedebit and Sheraro, according to the document, which said there is “no information (on their) whereabouts.”
The latest fighting has halted aid deliveries to Tigray, where around 5 million people need humanitarian help. A lack of fuel and a communications blackout are hindering the distribution of aid supplies that were already in the region.
Ethiopia´s federal government said Thursday it would participate in African Union-led peace talks expected to begin in South Africa next week. Tigray’s fugitive authorities are yet to confirm their attendance but have previously committed to participating in talks mediated by the African Union.
Both the U.N. Security Council and the African Union’s Peace and Security Council were due to discuss the conflict on Friday.
A World Food Program spokesperson told the AP “an armed group” entered its warehouse in Shire on Oct. 18, a day after Ethiopia´s federal government announced the town’s capture.
“WFP is actively working to confirm if the armed individuals remain and if any humanitarian stocks or assets have been taken or damaged,” the spokesperson said.
All sides have been accused of atrocities since the conflict in northern Ethiopia began almost two years ago.
Last week a report by the Amhara Association of America advocacy group said the Tigray forces had killed at least 193 civilians and raped 143 women and girls since August in the Raya Kobo area of the Amhara region, which borders Tigray.
The conflict, which began nearly two years ago, has spread from Tigray into the neighboring regions of Afar and Amhara as Tigray´s leaders try to break the blockade of their region.
“Calling out the atrocities for what they are would at least put Ethiopia and Eritrea on notice that the world is watching, and the long arm of international justice could ultimately prevail. Offenders in Rwanda, the former Yugoslavia and Sierra Leone, to name a few, ultimately faced justice after all.”
While the world’s eyes are trained on the war in Ukraine and whether Vladimir Putin is unhinged enough to use nuclear weapons, another war rages mostly unseen some 3,000 miles away in Ethiopia.
The war is centered on the northern region of Tigray, where a long-standing political conflict between the Ethiopian government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) turned violent in 2020. The region has been under a near total blockade for most of the time since, cut off from humanitarian aid, electricity, telecommunications and banking, leaving 5.3 million civilians in dire straits. The Ethiopian government’s renewed offensive has escalated the crisis even further.
Accurately estimating the dead while war continues is difficult, but the best estimates available suggest at least half a million people have died so far from direct violence, starvation and lack of access to health care. Starvation seems to be a feature rather than a bug in the government’s battle plan. More recent estimates suggest that this number have died in combat alone, possibly bringing the overall deaths closer to a million.
To put it in perspective, the United Nations estimates about 6,000 civilians have been killed in Ukraine so far, and estimates put military deaths in the tens of thousands. Even if these estimates are low, the best available numbers suggest that the scale of death in Ethiopia exceeds that in Ukraine many times over. And yet Ethiopia has received a small fraction of attention, both from policymakers and the media.
The U.S. and others must take a more direct approach before the worst fears of the Tigrayan people are realized.
Those fears include a genocide of the people of Tigray. In response to the latest offensive, the United Nations, African Union, United States and other countries have called on all sides to cease hostilities. But generic calls for everyone to stop fighting and quiet behind-the-scenes diplomacy that has been the favored approach so far are a woefully inadequate response.
Tigrayan authorities have indicated that they would respect a cease-fire, but Ethiopian government officials have instead doubled down to lambaste the “evils” of its enemy. Meanwhile, the Ethiopian government has reportedly dropped leaflets in Tigray stating that anyone remaining behind would be considered a combatant, raising clear concerns that all Tigrayans, a distinct ethnic group, would be targets in an assault.
Sources from the area claim Ethiopian and Eritrean forces (their allies) have been instructed to kill three Tigrayans each, including elderly and children, and that victims’ limbs and skulls are on display.
These stories are unverified given the lack of humanitarian and media access to the region. But given the language and actions of Ethiopia so far, along with the death toll and atrocities already committed, there is little reason not to take them seriously.
Eritrea’s role has complicated efforts to reach a peace, too, as few countries have any leverage to influence its actions, and the TPLF is its sworn enemy. There is no guarantee that Eritrea will stop fighting even if the Ethiopian government comes to the table.
While it’s true that all sides have committed abuses, the scale is hardly comparable, with Ethiopia and Eritrea committing the lion’s share of wanton violence and harm against civilians throughout the conflict. When one side holds this level of responsibility for continuing conflict and suffering, those who hold any sway must speak out clearly and directly against it.
At this stage, peace looks like a long shot, but that does not excuse the inadequate efforts made so far.
The U.S. and the United Nations are often loath to invite criticism by directly calling out states for violent acts against their own people when those states are friends and partners, as Ethiopia is.
It won’t likely end the war, but that is a weak excuse for not trying harder. The innocent people of Tigray deserve acknowledgment, and there is a chance that such international pressure, in combination with policy choices that reduce Ethiopia’s support, through international institutions and individual countries alike, could influence the path Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed chooses.
Calling out the atrocities for what they are would at least put Ethiopia and Eritrea on notice that the world is watching, and the long arm of international justice could ultimately prevail. Offenders in Rwanda, the former Yugoslavia and Sierra Leone, to name a few, ultimately faced justice after all.
We must stop shying away from uncomfortable conversations when so many lives are at stake. If U.S. leverage is inadequate, we should press the countries who arm and support Ethiopia and Eritrea, and the international financial institutions like the World Bank which keep the country afloat as its economy falters.
The time for quiet diplomacy is over. The time for alarm has long since passed. Echoing what we’ve heard repeatedly about the plight of Ukraine: If Ethiopia stops fighting, the war ends, but if Tigray stops fighting, in the absence of international oversight and an inclusive peace process, the impoverished people of Tigray might end instead.
Just a quick, brief statement. The Security Council just met to discuss the conflict in Ethiopia, in a closed meeting. And I want to take the opportunity to thank the A3 and the African Union for leading on this process, including the statement that was issued by the African Union today, and we were briefed by the African Union.
It is disappointing that the council did not agree on issuing a statement, which is why it’s important for me to come out here today.
As the Secretary-General said this week, “The situation in Ethiopia is spiraling out of control. The social fabric is being ripped apart, and civilians are paying a horrific price.” In the past week alone, we’ve seen a serious uptick in fighting and violence. Thousands of Ethiopian, Eritrean, and TPLF forces are engaged in active combat. The scale of the fighting and deaths rival what we’re seeing in Ukraine, and innocent civilians are being caught in the crossfire. Over two years of conflict, as many as half a million – half a million – people have died, and the United States is deeply concerned about the potential for further mass atrocities. And we all should be.
We’re also horrified by the recent death of an aid worker from the International Rescue Committee and the injuries of others. We heard today that a total of 26 humanitarian workers had been killed over the course of the past two years – that’s approximately two per month. This tragedy underscores the serious dangers facing humanitarian workers in the region. And as I told the Security Council just now, it’s past time for all of the parties to lay down their weapons and return to peace. It is past time for a cessation of hostilities and for unhindered humanitarian access to all those in need. And it is past time for Eritrean Defense Forces to halt their joint military offensive and for Ethiopia to ask Eritrea to withdraw its soldiers from Northern Ethiopia.
💭 Malawi Police Exhume 25 Bodies of Ethiopians in Mass Grave. A mass grave was discovered in a government forest reserve in Mzimba district.
Following the discovery of a mass grave in which 25 bodies were found, Malawi police have arrested 72 Ethiopian men who were found hiding in a forest reserve in the northern border town of Karonga.
Ten Malawians have also been arrested on suspicion of being part of a syndicate involved in trafficking the Ethiopians.
On Wednesday, a mass grave was discovered in a government forest reserve in Mzimba district, some 300 km (185 miles) south of where the Ethiopian men were arrested on Thursday.
Young boys from the area are said to have gone into the forest reserve to harvest honey when they were first greeted by the pungent smell of rotting bodies before they discovered body parts including heads and limbs.
The boys reported the matter to village elders who in turn notified the police who went to the forest and discovered the mass grave.
On Thursday morning, a separate grave near the one found on Wednesday was also discovered, where another four bodies were unearthed.
Homeland Security Minister Jean Sendeza, who has travelled to the scene of the mass graves, says authorities plan to conduct a post-mortem to ascertain the causes of death.
Human trafficking has become a huge challenge in Malawi, where hundreds of people are regularly arrested and deported for illegally entering the country with the help of organised syndicates.
Last April, up to 140 illegal immigrants were arrested by Malawi police. They included 133 Ethiopian nationals, six from Bangladesh and one from Pakistan. They are yet to face trial.
Police say the 72 Ethiopians and 10 Malawians arrested on Thursday will soon be taken to court to answer various charges connected to human trafficking and violation of immigration laws.
💭 Venezuelan migrant family — including pregnant mother — turned away from NYC shelter
A young Venezuelan migrant family was left in limbo this week after being bussed to New York City from Texas — only to be told they were “ineligible” for shelter because they lacked proper documentation.
Dailin Rojas, who is 6 months pregnant, told The Post she was given the run-around after being told her family didn’t have the required documentation to allow them to stay at a homeless shelter in Jamaica, Queens.
Despite having stayed there for several weeks already, a distressed Rojas, her husband Johandre Merchan and their 3-year-old son were ordered to start the entire application process again.
“We were shocked. It’s not easy here,” the frustrated husband told The Post. “I was thinking a better life, better treatment, but it’s not easy.”
Rojas and her family are among a growing number of migrants forced to contend with shelter ineligibility because they can’t provide the documentation – such as past housing history or proof they are a family unit – that is usually required to be admitted to a city shelter.
Another two busloads of migrants arrived at Manhattan’s Port Authority Friday morning — adding to the hundreds that have been shipped off by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott as part of an ongoing political spat over President Biden’s border policies.
Mayor Eric Adams has previously insisted that all migrants would be welcome in the Big Apple — regardless if they have the correct documentation.
Gonzalez said the family’s plight was in direct contrast to Adams’ stance.
“What the mayor and the commissioner are saying is not true.” he told The Post.
😇 Today, according to the Ethiopian calendar it’s Saturday, August 14, 2014 – Saint Abuna Aregawi commemorated on this very Day.
💭 Ladies and gentlemen; I swear to you; If America does not stop supporting the evil fascist Oromo regime of Ethiopia – and if it does not refrain from its diabolical plot to disintegrate, weaken and destroy the historical Christian-Zionist Ethiopia – then, mark my words, the state of Texas would become the first state to secede from the National Union of the United States of America very soon.
☆ TExas
☆ TEgray (Tigray)
☆ TEdros (Tigray Native)
☆ TEsla (Besides, Elon Musk owns Ethereum (CRYPTO: ETH = Ethiopia)
👉 Elon Musk’s ranch and his SpaceX Starbase are located in Texas.
💭 Texas Border County Officially Declares ‘Invasion,’ Urges Governor to Follow
Kinney County, Texas, declared the “existence of an ‘invasion’” along the Texas border with Mexico. The declaration calls on Texas Governor Greg Abbott to also “acknowledge the existence of an invasion on our border with Mexico.” Five other counties spoke in support of Kinney County’s declaration.
💭 Tragedy in Texas: 50 Migrants Found Dead Inside A Semi-Truck | በቴክሳስ ፶/50 ስደተኞች መኪና ውስጥ ሞተው ተገኙ
💭 The bodies of at least 46 migrants were found in the back of a hot semi-truck on Monday in San Antonio, Texas. Sixteen others, INCLUDING several CHILDREN, were discovered alive.
💭 White House: Biden not to blame for 50 dead migrants found in Texas 18-wheeler
Her comments came in response to a question from reporters aboard Air Force One Tuesday morning about the dozens of dead migrants found in a tractor-trailer in South Texas late Monday night. As of Tuesday morning, nearly 50 people had been pronounced dead at the scene.
“These deaths are on Biden,” Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) tweeted Monday night. “They are a result of his deadly open border policies. They show the deadly consequences of his refusal to enforce the law.”
Jean-Pierre told reporters that the White House is “closely monitoring the absolutely horrific and heartbreaking reports out of San Antonio” and that Biden is receiving regular briefings on the tragedy.
She further pledged to continue the administration’s work to disrupt “human smuggling networks” that “exploit and endanger human lives to make a profit” before defending the administration’s decision to loosen pandemic-era border protections when asked about Abbott’s comments.
“The fact of the matter is, the border is closed, which is in part why you see people trying to make this dangerous journey using smuggling networks,” Jean-Pierre stated. “Our hearts go out to the families at this time. We are going to stay focused on the facts and making sure we hold these smugglers accountable.”
At least 23 African migrants seeking to cross into Spain died in a stampede. The incident happened after thousands of migrants tried to breach Morocco’s border fence with Spanish enclave of Melilla. During this, a violent two-hour skirmish broke out between migrants and border officers.
💭 Stranded on trains Africans making their way by car told there’s no exit for them. Many Africans are taking shelter after being left stranded. Most of them are women and children.
Similar actions and stories of blocking, detention and maltreatment filtering out from “undesired” potential African asylum-seekers are widespread in North Africa, Turkey, Yemen, and now even at the Ethiopia-Sudan border, blocking Tigrayans fleeing the #TigrayGenocide.
An estimated 500,000 people have fled Ukraine to the eastern edge of the European Union (E.U.) since Russia invaded Ukraine last Thursday, U.N. High Commissioner of Refugees (UNHCR) Filippo Grandi said on Monday.
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