Motion on ceasefire in Tigray tabled in UK parliament

LONDON - A Member of Parliament in the United Kingdom [UK] has tabled a motion calling for the cessation of hostilities in the Tigray region, with the conflict getting into the third year without agreement from warring parties that are engaged in talks in South Africa.

Angela Eagle asked the House to deplore the widespread use of rape and use of violence against women and girls by all the belligerent parties, noting that Tigrayan women have been recognized by the UN to have been subjected to particular violence leaving an estimated 26,000 in need of services.

The MP regretted the loss of life of 500,000 civilians in Tigray, killed from violence and famine, the displacement of more than 1.6 million by this conflict, and the mass detention of many thousands. The conflict started in November 2020, leading to a war between Ethiopian National Defense Forces [ENDF] and Tigray People's Liberation Front [TPLF].

In her motion which is yet to be discussed, the MP asks the UK government to press for an immediate ceasefire in Tigray, Ethiopia, without preconditions, and for the establishment of an internationally recognized ceasefire monitoring mechanism besides calling for an immediate lifting of the 17-month humanitarian blockade on Tigray with unrestricted access and restoration of services.

Further, she calls for the imposition of sanctions in line with those proposed by the US Administration and the withdrawal of bilateral and multilateral financial support for Ethiopia until it ceases its bombardment of civilians in Tigray and guarantees humanitarian access.

Of importance, she noted unscrupulous activities by the Eritrean troops who have been fighting in Tigray, with proof from the United Nations Human Rights Council. Eritrea has remained mum despite mounting allegations which could lead to sanctions from the international community.

"We call for immediate and total withdrawal of Eritrean forces from Tigray," she said, adding that "full access to all parties and areas for the UN Human Rights Council’s Commission Of International Experts on Ethiopia; notes the Government is hosting an important global conference on the use of sexual violence in conflict and calls on the Government to give an urgent priority to ending the use of such violence in Ethiopia."

The Ethiopian government has persistently accused TPLF of targeting the human population with the group also blaming ENDF and Eritrean troops for killing innocent civilians.

Despite the ongoing talks in South Africa, there are claims that Ethiopian soldiers are closing into Mekelle, the regional administrative capital of the Tigray region.

GAROWE ONLINE