I want to bring awareness to a grave situation happening in the African country of Ethiopia. In November a war broke out in the northern state of Tigray. Millions of people's lives are at stake. About 60,000 people have fled to Sudan where they are in refugee camps. Others are trapped and have been subjected to horrible violence, including rape. It is likely that thousands of people have been killed.
How can you help? Right now, a few things can be very impactful - 1) gaining awareness and sharing information and 2) contacting your politicians to ask for things like sanctions and the opening of a humanitarian corridor.
See the links below for a collection of news stories that will help understand the history of the conflict and its likely devasting effects. In addition, you can look up your US Senators and Representatives if you would like to use your voice to support the efforts to stop the violence and war crimes happening in Tigray and Ethiopia.
Thank you for considering this post. I traveled to Ethiopia in the spring of 2019 with a group from Denver who has family members in Tigray. We spent time with them - shared meals and experiences. It was one of the most impactful journeys of my life and I am devastated knowing that their lives and millions of others are in danger.
Read Here:
- Overview of conflict: https://www.npr.org/2020/11/13/934241830/what-to-know-about-ethiopias-tigray-conflict
- Explained by Denver local Millete Birhanemaskel who has family in Tigray: https://www.facebook.com/jeff.fard/videos/5422605261090571/
- Millete's Story: https://jeffcotranscript.com/stories/with-family-missing-in-war-her-mind-is-the-hardest-place-to-be,371334?
- Conflict explained in 500 words (with a map): https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/11/10/ethiopias-tigray-conflict-explained-in-500-words
- Story about the violence: https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-ethiopia-conflict-rape-idUSKBN29U0JE
- A collection of stories from nytimes.com: https://www.nytimes.com/search?query=Ethiopia
Contact Your Politicians:
US Senate: https://www.senate.gov/index.htm
US House of Representatives: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative
