News Highlights: EU-US meeting on Tigray ahead of G7, Tigrayans starving to death, Webinar highlights destruction of heritage

In this week’s news highlights: Webinar highlights the destruction of heritage and holy sites and massacres of Tigray religious leaders; In-depth report on Mai Kadra massacre published by Reuters; BBC interviewed Tigryans who said they are starving to death; UNHCR concerned about Ethiopian refugees returned from Djibouti against their will; MMC report on onward migration of refugees and migrants from East Africa; Libyan PM meets the EU Commissioner Johnsson on migration and political transition; EU and US talk about crisis in Tigray ahead of G7; People seeking asylum in Denmark could be deported according to new law; UK MPs call for parliamentary inquiry on Eritrea’s role in Tigray; Court of Auditors found “worrying” deficiencies in Frontex’s procedures; Kent threatens legal action against Home secretary over poor services for child asylum seekers; Kent council threatens to reject asylum seeker applications for speaking to the media.

News Highlights: International response to Tigray “woefully insufficient”, Eritrea documentary, 2,000 refugees died due to illegal EU pushbacks

In this week’s news highlights: Amnesty International says international community response to human rights violation in Tigray “has been woefully insufficient”; Report by International Rescue Committee shows gender based violence increasing in Tigray refugee and IDP camps; At least 5,000 children separated from parents by Tigray conflict are in danger, says Save the Children; Documentary film on Eritrea’s regime shows footage smuggled from inside; IOM warns of lack of medical assistance for South Sudan IDPs; UNHCR and Kenya will implement roadmap to close two refugee camps; IOM needs funds for health assistance in East and Horn of Africa; Migrants and refugees beaten by Libyan Coast Guard, video by Sea Watch 4; The Guardian says at least 2,000 refugee deaths have been caused due to illegal pushbacks supported by EU; 450 migrants disembarked in Sicily, at least 11 die off Libya coasts; People feel unsafe as Greece shut down refugee camp; New British refugee policy heavily criticised as a “sham” by over 200 organisations; “Serious and systematic violations of the rights of unaccompanied minors” denounced by French NGOs; IOM World Migration Report now available online.

by S. Gianesello
Posted on February 19, 2021February 19, 2021
Africa

In this week’s news highlights: Eritrean refugees detained in Addis Ababa; Fighting reported around Mekelle; Witnesses speak to AP about massacre in Aksum, Ethiopia; Sudanese refugees given go-ahead by US court for case against BNP Paribas for complicity in genocide through financing; President of Rwanda urges the UN Security Council to intervene in the Tigray conflict; UAE is dismantling Assab base, in Eritrea; Front-LEX and the Legal Centre Lesvos call Frontex to suspend its operations in the Aegean; Open Arms rescued 146 migrants in Central Mediterranean, 22 missing in other boat accident; Asylum seekers face difficulties in northern Europe welfare states; Libyans leaving for Europe on the rise; UNDP increases focus on digital projects; Young people to be involved in crisis management and humanitarian aid.

For frequent updates about the situation in the Horn, please see the EEPA Horn situation reports.