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The director-general of the World Health Organization says he cannot send money to relatives who are “starving” in Ethiopia’s Tigray region under the blockade of government forces.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus made some of his most personal comments about the renewed violence in the area on Wednesday after months of calm, lamenting his inability to help loved ones among the 6 million people trapped in Tigray.
“I have a lot of relatives there. I want to send money. I can’t send money. They’re starving. I know I can’t help them,” he said, referring to Tigre at regular WHO news briefings The latest in a series of requests.
“I can’t help them. I can’t help them. I can share what I have. I can’t because they are completely closed,” Dr Tedros added.
“I can’t talk to them. I don’t even know who’s dead and who’s alive.”
The doctor, a Tigray native, has insisted he is not partial to Tigray and has spoken out about humanitarian crises in many places, including Yemen, Syria, Ukraine and Congo.
But he is trying to overcome perceived inaction and inattention in a world full of other troubles and concerns, having previously said he believes his people are being ignored because of the colour of their skin.
He said the Tigray crisis was special because government forces in Ethiopia and neighboring Eritrea were virtually cut off from the world, including most of the humanitarian aid their people needed.
“Can you tell me about any place in the world that is in the same situation?” he said. “We’re talking about six million people who are being punished collectively.”
On Wednesday, Tigray authorities accused the Ethiopian military of launching a “massive” offensive in the region for the first time in a year.
Government officials countered that Tigray forces launched the attack in the first place.
The conflict began in November 2020, killing thousands in Africa’s second most populous country.
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