News Highlights: TDF advances towards Djibouti-Addis Ababa road, IOM appeals for 40 million USD in Tigray, Refugees end hunger strike in Brussels

In this week’s highlights: 54,000 flee homes in Afar as Tigray conflict develops; WFP suspends operations via Semera into Tigray; IOM appeals for 40 million USD to assist 2 million people in Northern Ethiopia; Gender based violence increasing in Sudan; 17 refugees dead and 380 rescued in shipwreck off Tunisian coast; 476 migrants and refugees end mass hunger strike in Brussels; France and Britain agree to crackdown on migrants and refugees attempting to cross the Channel; NGOs demand Europe cease deportations to Afghanistan; Italy/Slovenia border patrols to resume; Three refugees die in a fire in France.

News Highlights: Independent reports on chemical weapons entering Tigray, Mass starvation occurring in Tigray, Illegal pushbacks to Libya 

In this week’s news highlights: EEPA webinar discusses the widespread abuse of refugees happening in Tigray; Reports of chemical weapons entering Tigray; International community condemns widespread starvation in Tigray and warn of potential famine in Ethiopia; Ethiopia’s UN envoy stated that Eritrean soldiers will ‘leave soon’; BBC docu-film on the perilous journey of migrants from Ethiopia to Yemen; Human trafficker Tewelde Goitom (Welid) sentenced to 18 years in prison; Alarm Phone reports illegal pushbacks in Libya; Scotland’s Council extends ban on acceptance of refugees; Refugees sentenced to 10 years over Moria fire; Police bust human smuggling ring in North Macedonia; IOM project aims to make migration data more accessible.

Webinar Voices from Tigray: Brutalities against Religious leaders, Holy Places and Heritage in Tigray

On 8 June 2021, the webinar “Brutalities against Religious leaders, Holy Places and Heritage in Tigray Confirmation” took place in the framework of the webinar series “Voices from Tigray”. The aim of this online meeting was to give a platform to testimonies of witnesses, describing the large-scale destruction and looting of cultural and religious heritage that occurred during the conflict in the Tigray region. Furthermore, religious leaders and local priests reported brutalities, atrocities and massacres against civilians, including religious leaders, that took place in holy sites, such as in the Maryam Tsion Church, in the Al-Nejash Mosque and in the Debre Damo monastery. After having listened to various witness testimonies, speakers called on the international community to put pressure on the Ethiopian government to push for the withdrawal of external troops from Tigray, by imposing sanctions; as well as support the reconstruction and recovery of the religious, cultural and historic heritage destroyed and looted during the conflict. Finally, experts reiterated the need for free access of humanitarian aid to the Tigray region.

Webinar proceedings (including all testimonies) can be found here: webinar proceedings.