Irish charity warns of ‘catastrophic’ unrest in Ethiopia, appeals for aid

Up to 4.5 million people have been forced to flee their homes in Tigray, north Ethiopia, causing “catastrophic” destitution, according to Irish charity Mary’s Meals.

The charity has launched an appeal to support those without access to food, shelter and medicine.

The displacement is the result of conflict between the Ethiopian government and military forces representing the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which has continually escalated since prime minister Abiy Ahmed ordered Government troops into the region November 4, 2020.

Contact

Magnus MacFarlane-Barrow, CEO of Mary’s Meals, has kept in contact with the Daughters of Charity, one of whom – who will remain nameless for her own safety – described the scene on the ground as “traumatising”.

“Some of them told us that they have to walk on dead bodies because so many people were dead, they were practically walking on dead bodies to escape for themselves,” the sister said.

A communications blackout is making assessing and addressing the situation “a big challenge”, Mr MacFarlane-Barrow said.

“The UN are using numbers like 4.5 million people in need of urgent security and that’s certainly backed up by the conversations we’re having with people on the ground,” the CEO said. “This is simply catastrophic.”

The main cities are seeing an influx of thousands of people every day, Mr MacFarlane-Barrow explained, “forced to flee” their homes in the countryside.

“Those displaced people are living in crowded makeshift accommodation,” he said. “A lot of schools have overnight become centres for displaced people.”

Needs

Mary’s Meals are working to address the needs on the ground, he continued, saying they are providing aid for the Daughters of Charity to distribute on the ground.

“We’re committed to feeding many thousands of those people in those displaced centres,” Mr MacFarlane-Barrow said. “Already, it’s been just incredible to see the way the Irish public have responded. The outpouring of generosity for this Ethiopia appeal has been incredible.”