The High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, and the European Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič, called on Thursday 12 November for immediate calm and respect for human rights and international humanitarian law in Ethiopia.
Describing ethnically targeted measures, hate speech and allegations of atrocities as “deeply worrying”, the High Representative and the Commissioner stressed that the demonisation of ethnic groups was a vicious and lethal cycle from which Ethiopia should be spared.
The UN has called for an independent investigation into the many civilians reportedly killed in the Tigray region, where the federal government has launched a military operation.
Mr Borrell and Mr Lenarčič considered that the danger of a major humanitarian crisis was imminent and therefore felt that immediate de-escalation was needed. “All parties should show restraint and reinforce their calls to avoid incitement to hatred and violence”, they warned.
They also stressed the need to ensure the safe and free movement of civilians as well as a timely, independent, unimpeded and unconditional access of humanitarian workers to most vulnerable. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)