Select committee: International Development Committee
Conclusion 51
Tenth Report - The humanitarian situation in Tigray
Published 30 Apr 2021
Addressed to Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
International Development Committee Humanitarian crises monitoring: Ethiopia’s Tigray region All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
The multiagency rapid needs assessment published in January 2021 noted there were no health services in the areas of Southern Tigray affected by the conflict, meaning that regular health service activities such as Maternal and Child Health, treatment of endemic diseases, and the supply of essential drugs for chronic illnesses had stopped.117 Many health facilities have few or no remaining staff. Some have fled in fear having been threatened by soldiers and militias; while others no longer come to work because they have not been paid in months.118 Furthermore, ongoing looting of health facilities 115 Médecins Sans Frontières, People left with few healthcare options in Tigray as facilities looted destroyed, 15 March 2021 116 Médecins Sans Frontières, People left with few healthcare options in Tigray as facilities looted destroyed, 15 March 2021 117 CARE, Oxfam, ActionAid, Multiagency and Multisectoral Rapid Need Assessment in Raya Kobo, Raya Alamata, Raya Azebo, Chercher, Wajirat and Ofla Woredas of North Wollo and South Tigray Zones, 30 January 2021, page 26 118 Médecins Sans Frontières, People left with few healthcare options in Tigray as facilities looted destroyed, 15 March 2021 22 The humanitarian situation in Tigray discourages aid organisations from providing medical supplies.119 Women with no access to reproductive health services are concerned that they are at risk of getting pregnant and having additional children to care for because of lack of family planning services. CARE International found there was no pre- and post-natal treatment for the pregnant women or access to reproductive health services. Some women were reported to have given birth in the bush, others at home without professional support. Women who were raped or attacked have no access to trauma and rape services.120
From: International Development Committee, Tenth Report - The humanitarian situation in Tigray, 30 April 2021
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 16 July 2021.
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The Government states that it agrees with the Committee's four core areas for future action, while saying all four are "predicated on an end to fighting", and it responds to the individual recommendations with a mix of continuing action and some stated disagreement.
- On genocide, it says its "longstanding position is that any determination of genocide is an issue for competent courts, rather than governments", and that its focus is on ending violence and protecting civilians.
- It does not accept the call for a separate atrocity prevention strategy, saying it does "not assess that a separate atrocity prevention strategy is necessary" as the work is already in existing work streams.
- It says it does "not share" the assessment that the WFP head's visit improved access, pointing to continuing problems with communications equipment and travel approvals.
- On reconstruction, it says it is "too early for detailed reconstruction planning" but that some initial consideration of recovery planning "will commence at an early stage". On funding, it cites £47.7m to the Tigray response and says it keeps support under review.