ICERAS

The Ethiopian Government and its people have a longstanding reputation for hosting and protecting refugees. The government is working hard to ensure that refugees contribute to peace and prosperity in the Horn of Africa and the world at large upon their return to their countries of origin and to the world they live in. Currently, Ethiopia is home to more than 900,000 refugees, mainly from neighbouring South Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea, and Sudan.

In contravention to these facts, reports are emerging from different directions regarding attacks on Eritrean refugees in the Tigray region. To set the record straight, the attack began back in November 2020, as the Tigray People Liberation Front (TPLF) forces targeted two of the refugee camps, namely Shimelba and Hitsats, and seriously affected the refugee operation. As a result, the two camps were out of service, and the refugees were scattered to the surroundings. Following the law enforcement operation, we resume regular service provisions to refugees in Mai-aini and Adi-harush camps, located scattered refugees across the Tigray region and in towns and cities across the country including the capital, Addis Ababa. In an effort to consolidate the refugees, the government succeeded in relocating about 9,000 to Mai-aini and Adi-harush, where they could access the required humanitarian services. As part of the protection efforts, a lot has also been done through continuous security checks in the refugee camps to help refugees develop a sense of security. More than 5,200 refugees were registered in Addis Ababa and registration has continued. Furthering the efforts, we managed to transfer several refugees to Berahle refugee camp in the Afar region. Recently, ARRA has requested UNHCR Ethiopia to transport 79 refugees for relocation from Shire to Berahle and working closely to that effect, and also assessing if there is a need for similar arrangements. readmore