“While Ethiopia was trying to recover from the effects of drought, Covid-19 and other issues, in November 2020 a full-scale war started between the Federal Government of Ethiopia and the Tigray Region. The prolonged war also reached parts of the Amhara and Afar Regions. How many people have died – soldiers who were directly involved in the war as well as civilians who were killed directly by soldiers - we still do not have the figures. How many people have been wounded? How many people have been displaced? It is sad and really a big concern to have this situation in the twenty-first century,” the Salesian Superior began.
“From the moment the Federal Government left Tigray in June 2021, there were no basic services: communications (telephone or internet), transportation (by land or air), electricity, banks... Supplies were scarce and if found the price was unaffordable due to the unavailability of cash.”
“Humanitarian organizations made limited movements to reach the people in need but on the ground, it was only about 15% of needed aid that reached…”
“With a limited open window of dialogue and collaboration with humanitarian organizations, the Salesians at the Vice-Provincial center, from Addis Ababa, tried to reach out to communities in Tigray (in Makalle, Adigrat, Adwa and Shire) and through them to help support humanitarian needs there.”
“We approached the World Food Program (WFP) and they facilitated the necessary paperwork for us, offering us free transportation for food and non-food items to Makalle,” the statement continues. “Through their assistance, we manage to send food and non-food items, as well as sanitary materials in five rounds. Once it arrived in Makalle, the internal distribution has been a challenge (fuel, cash for unloading and loading, transportation), but thanks to the collaboration of people of goodwill people and organizations on the ground (WFP, CRS, Catholic Diocesan Office, Sisters of Daughters of Charity, Mother Thresa Sisters, Ursoline Sisters, etc.), the aid has reached the destinations for the people in need.”
“We are grateful to all of you for your support. This would not be possible if it was not for your support. All the funds are coming from your generosity. We are grateful also to our Provincial Development Office staff and other collaborators who go the extra mile to reach out to the needy people," adds the AET Superior again, who does not fail to specifically mention among the benefactors organizations and individuals from the Don Bosco Network.
"So far we have reached over 100,000 people with aid," declares Fr. Medhin Tesfay.
The situation is slowly improving now: electricity and telephone communications have returned; the sounds of cannons, military planes and drones, and long-distance artillery fire are no longer heard. Flights from Addis Ababa to Makalle and Addis Ababa to Shire have resumed, with restrictions, and banks have been opened, but so far people have not had access to their accounts.
Since the signing of the permanent cessation of hostilities agreement in the Tigray Region last November in Pretoria, therefore, there has undoubtedly been progress in the Region's return to normalcy, but much remains to be done, including general security and protection of civilians, unimpeded access for humanitarian aid, facilitation of the return and reintegration of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees, restoration of essential services, and the introduction of a monitoring mechanism to report any violations.
“Currently it is easy to access the possibility of sending humanitarian aid to Tigray, and as Salesians, we are ready to continue to assist the population. The war has ceased, but the people are still in need of basic necessities, especially food and medical supplies," concludes the AET Superior, who at the end of his message quotes Matthew 25:40: In truth I tell you, in so far as you did this to one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it to me.”
