Genocide in Tigray

The genocide in Tigray were the alleged genocidal acts committed during the Tigray war in Ethiopia, which began in November 2020 and formally ended in November 2022.^{[6][page needed][7][8][9]} The conflict started when the regional government of Tigray sought greater autonomy, prompting a military intervention by the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) and its allies, including the Eritrean Defence Forces (EDF) and regional militias.

Tigray Genocide
Part of the Tigray war
Playground in Mekelle destroyed by an airstrike on 26 August 2022
Location	Tigray, Ethiopia
Date	2020 – 2022
Target	Tigrayans, Kunama and Irob ethnic groups
Attack type	Genocide, Mass murder, wartime rape, summary execution, ethnic cleansing, mass shooting
Deaths	162,000–600,000 civilians (per Ghent University)[1][2][3][4]
Injured	Unknown
Victims	At least 120,000 women raped.[5][4] Over 6 million Tigrayan people affected in various ways
Perpetrators	Ethiopian Government Forces Eritrean Government Forces Amhara Special Forces Afar Special Forces

The Tigray war erupted in November 2020 following a dispute between the Ethiopian federal government and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), the ruling party of the Tigray Region, over the region's autonomy. The conflict resulted in thousands of deaths and a humanitarian crisis.^[10][11][3]

War overview

The Tigray war resulted in thousands of deaths and widespread atrocities, including massacres, rapes, and arbitrary detentions. Both Ethiopian and Tigrayan forces have been accused of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity, though both sides have denied responsibility for these abuses.

New Lines Institute report

On June 4, 2024, the United States-based New Lines Institute released a comprehensive 120-page report concluding that there is strong evidence of genocidal acts committed by Ethiopian forces and their allies during the Tigray war.^[10] The report calls for Ethiopia to be prosecuted at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Before the release of the New Lines Institute report, the Ethiopian and Eritrean governments were repeatedly accused of committing genocide in Tigray.^[12][13][14]

The New Lines Institute report provides evidence that Ethiopian and allied forces committed acts constituting genocide, which include:^[10][8][15]

• Killing Tigrayans: Systematic mass killings of Tigrayan civilians.
• Causing Serious Bodily or Mental Harm: Widespread incidents of torture, rape, and other forms of severe physical and psychological abuse.
• Deliberately Inflicting Conditions to Destroy: Imposing starvation tactics and other measures aimed at destroying Tigrayan communities.
• Preventing Births: Actions intended to prevent births within the Tigrayan population.
• Destruction and Looting of Heritage.^[16]

The report also highlights the role of social media in inciting violence, with certain individuals allegedly using online platforms to promote genocidal actions against Tigrayans.^[10]

Genocidal Rape

A 2023 study by Mengistu Welday Gebremichael of the College of Health Sciences at Mekelle University, entitled "Rape survivors’ experience in Tigray: a qualitative study", published in BMC Women's Health, explores the devastating impact of sexual violence on women and girls in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. Through in-depth interviews with ten survivors, the study reveals the widespread nature of rape and its severe psychological and physical consequences. The authors highlight the long-lasting trauma inflicted on victims, the challenges faced in escaping rape and killings, and the reliance on home remedies for survival in war-affected areas. The study underscores the urgent need for coordinated efforts to heal, support, and rehabilitate survivors, as well as to rebuild and re-equip damaged health institutions in Tigray.^[17][4]

A 2024 article, by Muauz Gidey Alemu of the Tigray Institute of Policy Studies and Mulugeta Gebrehiwet Berhe of the World Peace Foundation, Fletcher School, Tufts University, entitled "Your Womb is Our Enemy: The Rape of Tigray as Genocidal Rape", published in the Journal of BRICS Studies, provides a comprehensive analysis of the sexual violence perpetrated against Tigrayan civilians during the conflict. The authors detail the extent and nature of the abuse, highlighting the deliberate targeting of women, girls, men, and boys based on their ethnicity. They also present evidence suggesting an intent to sterilize and inflict maximum damage, citing specific testimonies and accounts from survivors and witnesses. By comparing the sexual violence in Tigray with similar cases from other conflicts, the authors conclude that it constitutes genocide.^[18]

International response

The New Lines Institute report urges the international community to exert diplomatic pressure on Ethiopia and to pursue legal action through the ICJ.^[10] This aligns with previous findings from the United Nations, which noted ongoing war crimes and crimes against humanity in Tigray nearly a year after the formal end of hostilities.^{[citation needed]}

In 2024, the Australian Greens expressed deep concern over the humanitarian crisis in Tigray, Ethiopia, citing the New Lines Institute Genocide report that details widespread human rights abuses, including killings, displacement, gender-based violence, and famine. The Greens believe the actions of Ethiopian and Eritrean forces may constitute genocide. They urge the Australian government to support accountability for perpetrators, review aid distribution, and increase media coverage of the conflict.^[19]

Ethiopian and Eritrean denials

Both the Ethiopian and Eritrean governments have consistently denied allegations of war crimes and genocide. Ethiopia has been accused of attempting to block international investigations, while Eritrea has labeled the accusations as defamatory.

See also

• War crimes in the Tigray war
• Casualties of the Tigray war
• Outline of genocide studies
• Siege of Tigray
• Reactions to the Tigray war