Tigray: Mass Rape, Forced Pregnancy as Crimes Against Humanity
A devastating report unveils the horrifying scale of sexual violence in Tigray, Ethiopia, perpetrated by Ethiopian and Eritrean forces during the conflict. The report details mass rape, forced pregnancy, and sexual torture, painting a grim picture of the atrocities committed.
Systematic Attacks Documented
Physicians for Human Rights and the Organization for Justice and Accountability in the Horn of Africa (OJAH) meticulously compiled the report. They analyzed medical records of over 500 patients, surveyed 600 health workers, and conducted in-depth interviews with doctors, nurses, psychiatrists, and community leaders to gather comprehensive evidence.
The findings point to systematic attacks specifically designed to destroy the fertility of Tigrayan women. Health workers have documented hundreds of cases, including brutal assaults on children. Survivors recounted harrowing experiences, with soldiers openly expressing their intent to exterminate the Tigrayan ethnicity either through forced sterilization or by forcing them to bear children of the rapists.
Crimes Against Humanity
A legal analysis of the collected medical data and health worker testimony provides conclusive evidence of crimes against humanity, including mass rape, forced pregnancy, and enforced sterilization. The report highlights instances where women were publicly assaulted, subjected to horrific acts that violated Tigrayan taboos, and then ostracized by their communities.
Long-Term Consequences
The violence has inflicted severe trauma, social exclusion, and long-term health issues on the survivors. Some victims have even been intentionally infected with HIV. The report emphasizes that these attacks are intended to cause deep-seated trauma, fracture communities, and have generational consequences.
Call for Investigation
The report urgently calls upon international bodies to investigate potential genocide and to address the ongoing atrocities. The situation is further complicated by the closure of USAID-supported clinics, leaving many survivors without access to vital medical and psychological assistance. The report underlines the need for immediate action to bring perpetrators to justice and provide comprehensive support to the victims.