News Highlights: EU-US meeting on Tigray ahead of G7, Tigrayans starving to death, Webinar highlights destruction of heritage
11 Jun 2021

News Highlights: EU-US meeting on Tigray ahead of G7, Tigrayans starving to death, Webinar highlights destruction of heritage

by | posted in: Africa, Asylum Seekers, Denmark, Deportation, EEPA news and activities, Eritrea, Ethiopia, European Commission, European Parliament, European Politics, European Union, Frontex, Horn of Africa region, Human Trafficking, Libya, Malnutrition, Migration, Refugee Camps, Starvation, UNHCR, United Nations, United States, US | 0

In this week’s news highlights: Webinar highlights the destruction of heritage and holy sites and massacres of Tigray religious leaders; In-depth report on Mai Kadra massacre published by Reuters; BBC interviewed Tigryans who said they are starving to death; UNHCR concerned about Ethiopian refugees returned from Djibouti against their will; MMC report on onward migration of refugees and migrants from East Africa; Libyan PM meets the EU Commissioner Johnsson on migration and political transition; EU and US talk about crisis in Tigray ahead of G7; People seeking asylum in Denmark could be deported according to new law; UK MPs call for parliamentary inquiry on Eritrea’s role in Tigray; Court of Auditors found “worrying” deficiencies in Frontex’s procedures; Kent threatens legal action against Home secretary over poor services for child asylum seekers; Kent council threatens to reject asylum seeker applications for speaking to the media.

Webinar Voices from Tigray: Brutalities against Religious leaders, Holy Places and Heritage in Tigray
10 Jun 2021

Webinar Voices from Tigray: Brutalities against Religious leaders, Holy Places and Heritage in Tigray

by | posted in: EEPA news and activities, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Horn of Africa region | 0

On 8 June 2021, the webinar “Brutalities against Religious leaders, Holy Places and Heritage in Tigray Confirmation” took place in the framework of the webinar series “Voices from Tigray”. The aim of this online meeting was to give a platform to testimonies of witnesses, describing the large-scale destruction and looting of cultural and religious heritage that occurred during the conflict in the Tigray region. Furthermore, religious leaders and local priests reported brutalities, atrocities and massacres against civilians, including religious leaders, that took place in holy sites, such as in the Maryam Tsion Church, in the Al-Nejash Mosque and in the Debre Damo monastery. After having listened to various witness testimonies, speakers called on the international community to put pressure on the Ethiopian government to push for the withdrawal of external troops from Tigray, by imposing sanctions; as well as support the reconstruction and recovery of the religious, cultural and historic heritage destroyed and looted during the conflict. Finally, experts reiterated the need for free access of humanitarian aid to the Tigray region.

Webinar proceedings (including all testimonies) can be found here: webinar proceedings.

News Highlights: UNSC pressured to take action on sexual violence, Refugees expelled from Algeria, Greece plans far-reaching security measures
28 May 2021

News Highlights: UNSC pressured to take action on sexual violence, Refugees expelled from Algeria, Greece plans far-reaching security measures

by | posted in: Africa, Ethiopia, European Union, Horn of Africa region, Libya, Migration, Refugees in the EU, Weekly news highlights | 0

News Highlights: UNSC pressured to take action on sexual violence in Tigray, refugees expelled from Algeria, Greece plans far-reaching security measures

In this week’s news highlights: Former Liberian minister and MEP call for international pressure and sanctions in EEPA webinar: Conflict-Related Sexual Violence in Tigray; UK government asked to table a UNSC resolution over Tigray sexual violence; Sir Lowcock reports to UNSC that humanitarian aid is prevented from reaching people in Tigray; Alex de Waal discusses sexual violence as war weapon in Tigray conflict; IDPs displaced in overcrowded areas in Tigray, IOM reports; Migrants face additional hardships due to COVID-19 restrictions in the Horn of Africa; Africa ExPress: Algerian Government expels migrants and refugees and leaves them in the desert; Photos of drowned children on Zuwara beach from unknown shipwreck; EU FRA agency report shows discrimination among public authorities towards migrants; Refugees subjected to extreme security measures in Greek camps; Hundreds of Moroccan children live in squalid conditions in Ceuta; IOM hosts international dialogue discussing the impact of environmental disasters on migration.

For frequent updates about the situation in the Horn, please see the EEPA Horn situation reports.