Commentary on the Additional Protocols to the Geneva Conventions on 𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒇 𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 (para. 4885) reads:

"The fact that consent is required does not mean that the decision is left to the discretion of the parties. If the survival of the population is ...1/10

threatened & a humanitarian organisation fulfilling the required conditions of impartiality & non-discrimination is able to remedy this situation, relief actions must take place. In fact, they are the only way of combating starvation when local resources have been exhausted. 2/10

The authorities responsible for safeguarding the population in the whole of the territory of the State 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝘂𝘀𝗲 such relief without good grounds. Such a refusal would be equivalent to a violation of the rule prohibiting the use of starvation as a method ... 3/10

of combat, as the population would be left deliberately to die of hunger without any measures being taken. Consequently this would be a 𝙫𝙞𝙤𝙡𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 of Article 14 of the Protocol ‘(Protection of objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population)." 4/10

In #Tigray, people are dying from starvation & lack of basic medicine. Those who made it to #Mekelle speak of unimageable horror they witness.

The #AbiyAhmed regime has not only imposed a total, cruel humanitarian blockade, including the freezing of banking services 5/10

but also gave the #EritreanArmy & #Amharamilitia a freehand to wantonly kill, destruct and loot public and civilian assets, including food items.

Despite the fact that almost the entire population in #Tigray is badly needing immediate food aid, as per @UN assessments, 6/10

the regime won't allow @UN & other humanitarian organs into #Tigray to save lives.

An agreement it signed with the @UN on Nov. 29 for unfettered access and repeated diplomatic pleas and pressures meant nothing.

Independent media is also barred from all of #Tigray. 7/10

As if these were not enough, the amount of media campaign by the authorities to downplay the catastrophe and give a dangerous pretense of ability to provide is disturbing.

I wish the regime and its supporters understood that there is no political victory... 8/10

to gain from this and that no amount of propaganda will cover a mass murder.

If the ongoing starvation & resultant death is to be minimized, the regime should, at least:

Immediately open banks & phone lines in all #Tigrayan towns, so that people can help each other; 9/10

Immediately remove #EritreanArmy from #Tigray, and
Immediately open #Tigray for all humanitarian relief organs and the media. 10/10

#TigrayCantWait

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