The Human Cost of Ethiopia's Fighting in Tigray Grows
2020-12-29
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1People who fled fighting in Ethiopia's Tigray area continue to tell stories of suffering as they gather in refugee camps.
2At a simple medical center in Sudan, a doctor who is also a refugee cares for the hurt and sick.
3Tewodros Tefera sees many injuries: children hurt in explosions, wounds from axes and knives, and broken bones from beatings.
4Recently, he treated the broken legs of refugee Guesh Tesla, a woodworker who just arrived at the camp.
5He came with information about 250 young men taken from one village into neighboring Eritrea by Eritrean forces.
6Ethiopia denies Eritrean forces are involved in the fighting.
7In late November, Guesh said he saw many bodies on the streets in his hometown of Rawyan.
8There, he said, Ethiopian soldiers beat him and took him to the border town of Humera.
9The Humera courthouse, he said, had been turned into a center for killing by militias from the neighboring Amhara area.
10He heard the screams of men being killed, and quietly escaped during the night.
11"I would never go back," he said.
12It is impossible to know if these stories are true as Tigray remains almost completely cut off from the world.
13It has been more than 50 days since fighting began between Ethiopian forces and groups in Tigray.
14The Tigray people led the country's government for nearly 30 years, but are now marginalized.
15Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed continues to refuse international requests to bring humanitarian assistance to the area.
16He also refuses requests from those pressing for investigations of Ethiopian forces.
17Last year, Abiy won the Nobel Peace Prize for political reforms.
18But this conflict threatens to end his peace-making activities.
19"I know the conflict has caused unimaginable suffering," Abiy wrote last week.
20He argued, however, that "the heavy cost we incurred as a nation was necessary" to hold the country together.
21No one knows how many thousands of people have been killed in Tigray since the fighting began on November 4.
22The United Nations has said there are reports of artillery strikes on populated areas, civilians being targeted and looting.
23Now, refugees are arriving from areas deeper inside Tigray.
24They have more severe trauma, Tewodros said.
25He said there are signs of starvation and dehydration and some gunshot wounds among the refugees.
26In the future, the stories of refugees, like Tewodros and Guesh, and the people who are still in Tigray, will show how much abuse was carried out against people for ethnic reasons.
27"Everyone looks at you and points out the part of you that doesn't belong to them," said Tewodros.
28He is both an ethnic Tigrayan and Amhara.
29"So, if I go to Tigray, they would pick up that I'm Amhara because Amhara is not a part of them. When I go to Amhara, they would pick up the part of Tigray because Tigray is not a part of them."
30Such differences have become deadly.
31Many ethnic Tigrayan refugees have accused ethnic Amhara fighters of targeting them.
32The Amhara militias are fighting with Ethiopian government forces.
33Abrahaley Minasbo is a 22-year-old dancer.
34He said Amhara militia members pulled him from his home in Mai-Kadra on November 9.
35They beat him in the street with an axe and other tools, and they left him to die.
36He survived and made it to Sudan.
37His face is covered with scars.
38For Tewodros, the conflict has been about the wounded civilians.
39In November, he worked at a hospital in Humera that came under fire.
40He insisted some of the shelling came from the direction of Eritrea.
41Fifteen bodies arrived at the hospital that first day, and eight the next, he said.
42The shelling continued.
43He and his colleagues fled, after moving wounded patients to a nearby village.
44Tewodros and colleagues hid for two days in the forest, hearing gunfire.
45They later walked for more than 12 hours, crossing a river into Sudan, where he started treating wounded refugees for the Sudanese Red Crescent Society.
46"Where we are now is extremely unsafe," he said of the refugee center near the border.
47He said the Amhara fighters threaten the refugees from the other side of the river.
48The militias "are more dangerous than the Ethiopian national forces," he said.
49I'm Susan Shand.
1People who fled fighting in Ethiopia's Tigray area continue to tell stories of suffering as they gather in refugee camps. 2At a simple medical center in Sudan, a doctor who is also a refugee cares for the hurt and sick. Tewodros Tefera sees many injuries: children hurt in explosions, wounds from axes and knives, and broken bones from beatings. 3Recently, he treated the broken legs of refugee Guesh Tesla, a woodworker who just arrived at the camp. 4He came with information about 250 young men taken from one village into neighboring Eritrea by Eritrean forces. Ethiopia denies Eritrean forces are involved in the fighting. 5In late November, Guesh said he saw many bodies on the streets in his hometown of Rawyan. There, he said, Ethiopian soldiers beat him and took him to the border town of Humera. The Humera courthouse, he said, had been turned into a center for killing by militias from the neighboring Amhara area. He heard the screams of men being killed, and quietly escaped during the night. 6"I would never go back," he said. 7It is impossible to know if these stories are true as Tigray remains almost completely cut off from the world. It has been more than 50 days since fighting began between Ethiopian forces and groups in Tigray. The Tigray people led the country's government for nearly 30 years, but are now marginalized. 8Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed continues to refuse international requests to bring humanitarian assistance to the area. He also refuses requests from those pressing for investigations of Ethiopian forces. 9Last year, Abiy won the Nobel Peace Prize for political reforms. But this conflict threatens to end his peace-making activities. 10"I know the conflict has caused unimaginable suffering," Abiy wrote last week. He argued, however, that "the heavy cost we incurred as a nation was necessary" to hold the country together. 11No one knows how many thousands of people have been killed in Tigray since the fighting began on November 4. The United Nations has said there are reports of artillery strikes on populated areas, civilians being targeted and looting. 12Now, refugees are arriving from areas deeper inside Tigray. They have more severe trauma, Tewodros said. He said there are signs of starvation and dehydration and some gunshot wounds among the refugees. 13In the future, the stories of refugees, like Tewodros and Guesh, and the people who are still in Tigray, will show how much abuse was carried out against people for ethnic reasons. 14"Everyone looks at you and points out the part of you that doesn't belong to them," said Tewodros. He is both an ethnic Tigrayan and Amhara. "So, if I go to Tigray, they would pick up that I'm Amhara because Amhara is not a part of them. When I go to Amhara, they would pick up the part of Tigray because Tigray is not a part of them." 15Such differences have become deadly. Many ethnic Tigrayan refugees have accused ethnic Amhara fighters of targeting them. The Amhara militias are fighting with Ethiopian government forces. 16Abrahaley Minasbo is a 22-year-old dancer. He said Amhara militia members pulled him from his home in Mai-Kadra on November 9. They beat him in the street with an axe and other tools, and they left him to die. He survived and made it to Sudan. His face is covered with scars. 17For Tewodros, the conflict has been about the wounded civilians. 18In November, he worked at a hospital in Humera that came under fire. He insisted some of the shelling came from the direction of Eritrea. 19Fifteen bodies arrived at the hospital that first day, and eight the next, he said. The shelling continued. He and his colleagues fled, after moving wounded patients to a nearby village. 20Tewodros and colleagues hid for two days in the forest, hearing gunfire. They later walked for more than 12 hours, crossing a river into Sudan, where he started treating wounded refugees for the Sudanese Red Crescent Society. 21"Where we are now is extremely unsafe," he said of the refugee center near the border. He said the Amhara fighters threaten the refugees from the other side of the river. 22The militias "are more dangerous than the Ethiopian national forces," he said. 23I'm Susan Shand. 24Nariman El-Mofty and Haleluya Hadero reported this story for the Associated Press. Susan Shand adapted it for Learning English. Mario Ritter, Jr. was the editor. 25________________________________________________ 26ax - n. a heavy tool used to chop wood 27marginalize - v. to put or keep someone in a powerless or unimportant position within a society or group 28incur - v. to cause yourself to have or experience something unpleasant or unwanted 29loot - v. to steal from a place such as a store during a crisis of some kind 30trauma - n. a very difficult experience, or a serious injury to the body or mind 31dehydration - n. to lose too much water