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world news Diamars 29 Juni 2021

Ethiopia declares immediate, unilateral cease-fire in Tigray

(AP) — Ethiopia’s govern- the federal government, fled mer ruling Tigray People’s
ment on Monday declared the regional capital, Mekele, Liberation Front before the
an immediate, unilateral and called for a cease-fire on war, say they have been tar-
cease-fire in its Tigray humanitarian grounds so that geted harshly for suspected
region after nearly eight desperately needed aid can be links with the Tigray fighters.
months of deadly con- delivered. Ethiopia has denied it.
flict as Tigray forces oc-
cupied the regional capi- U.N. Secretary-General An- But Abiy in an interview aired
tal, soldiers retreated and tonio Guterres said in a state- last week alarmed observers
hundreds of thousands of ment that he had spoken with by recalling that aid to Tigray
people continue to face the prime minister and “I am during Ethiopia’s devastating
the world’s worst famine hopeful that an effective ces- 1980s famine had bolstered
crisis in a decade. sation of hostilities will take the Tigray fighters who even-
place.” tually overthrew the ruling
The cease-fire could calm a regime. Such a thing will
war that has destabilized Af- Meanwhile, Mekele residents “never happen” now, he said.
rica’s second most populous cheered the return of Tigray
country and threatened to do forces for the first time since Monday’s cease-fire declara- sponsibility to find a political the Eritrean soldiers to leave,
the same in the wider Horn Ethiopian forces took the city tion signaled a new approach, solution to the problem,” the he said.
of Africa, where Ethiopia has in late November and Abiy at least for a while. head of the interim adminis-
been seen as a key security declared victory. The Tigray tration, Abraham Belay, said Tigray in recent days has seen
ally for the West. It comes fighters, loyal to the former The cease-fire “will enable in calling for the cease-fire, some of the fiercest fight-
as the country awaits the re- regional ruling party that for farmers to till their land, adding that some elements ing of the conflict. Interna-
sults of national elections that years dominated Ethiopia’s aid groups to operate with- within Tigray’s former ruling tional pressure on Ethiopia
Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed government before being out any military movement party are willing to engage spiked again last week after
promoted as the centerpiece sidelined by the new prime around and engage with rem- with the federal government. a military airstrike on a busy
of reforms that won him the minister, undermined the nants (of Tigray’s former rul- market killed more than 60
2019 Nobel Peace Prize. declaration by waging a guer- ing party) who seek peace,” There was no immediate people, and after Doctors
rilla war in the region’s rough Ethiopia’s statement said, comment from the Tigray Without Borders said three
Abiy’s transformation from terrain. adding that efforts to bring fighters, with whom Ethiopia staffers had been murdered
making peace to waging war Tigray’s former leaders “to had rejected talks. And there in a separate incident.
has appalled many observers As Tigray forces occupied the justice” continue. was no immediate comment
since the fighting in Tigray airport and other key posi- from neighboring Eritrea, Amid the upheaval on Mon-
erupted in November. Since tions in Mekele and broad- Ethiopia said the cease-fire whose soldiers have been ac- day, the United Nations chil-
then, the world has struggled cast a message telling resi- will last until the end of the cused by Tigray residents of dren’s agency said Ethiopian
to access much of the region dents to stop celebrating and crucial planting season in Ti- some of the worst atrocities soldiers entered its office in
and investigate growing alle- go home, retreating Ethio- gray. The season’s end comes in the war. Mekele and dismantled satel-
gations of atrocities including pian soldiers shot at students in September. The govern- lite communications equip-
gang rapes and forced starva- at Mekele University, killing ment ordered all federal and “If Abiy has a genuine desire ment, an act it said violated
tion. Thousands of people in two and wounding three, regional authorities to respect to find a political solution, the world body’s immunity.
the region of 6 million have said a nurse at Ayder hospi- the cease-fire — crucial as first he has to undo the ter- UNICEF last week warned
been killed. tal, who spoke on condition authorities and fighters from rorist label against the elected that at least 33,000 severely
of anonymity out of fear of the neighboring Amhara re- government of Tigray,” said malnourished children face
Ethiopia’s statement was car- retaliation. gion have been accused of Desta Haileselassie Hagos, “imminent risk of death”
ried by state media shortly atrocities in western Tigray. who leads efforts to compile without more aid reaching
after the Tigray interim ad- Ethnic Tigrayans, even those a list of those killed in the Tigray’s people.
ministration, appointed by who didn’t support the for- “The government has the re- war. Abiy also needs to order

Hong Kong to ban passenger flights from UK to curb virus

(AP) — Hong Kong says including restaurants, cin- point of view. their populations immunized A suspension of passenger
it will ban all passenger emas and gyms to reopen. to stop the spread of the delta flights is imposed if five or
flights from the U.K. start- Scientists say the delta variant “The U.K. has never been variant. more passengers arriving
ing Thursday as it seeks is much more transmissible good at controlling the virus from one place test positive
to curb the spread of new than previous versions of the and overconfidence in the The ban comes amid height- on arrival for a particular
variants of the coronavi- coronavirus, although it is vaccine is likely now spur- ened tensions between the coronavirus variant, or a rel-
rus. uncertain if it is more deadly. ring this (latest) wave,” he U.K. and China over semi- evant virus mutation within a
said, adding it makes “perfect autonomous Hong Kong, seven-day period.
It said in a statement Mon- Under the classification, sense” for Hong Kong to ban which was a British colony
day that the U.K. has been people who have stayed in travel from Britain. until it was handed over to A ban is is also triggered if
classified as “extremely high the U.K. for more than two China in 1997. 10 or more passengers from
risk“ because of the “recent hours will be restricted from He said previous surges of one place are confirmed to
rebound of the epidemic boarding passenger flights to COVID-19 in Hong Kong The U.K. has criticized Chi- be infected with the corona-
situation in the U.K. and the Hong Kong. have been tiny and that ex- na for imposing a national virus via any tests, including
widespread delta variant virus ported cases in a largely un- security law on Hong Kong tests conducted during quar-
strain there.” It is the second time that vaccinated population would and tightening control over antine, within a seven-day
the Hong Kong government be worrying. its media, saying Beijing is period.
More than 95% of COV- has banned flights from the undermining the city’s au-
ID-19 cases in the U.K. are U.K., following a restriction “They want to keep that Chi- tonomy. The U.K. reported more than
of the delta variant, which imposed last December. nese territory as pristine as 22,000 new cases of the coro-
was first identified in India. possible until they can per- The flight ban was triggered navirus on Monday, while
Cases have spiked in recent Dr. Julian Tang, a virologist suade people to get vacci- by a policy put in place by the more than 66% of the popu-
weeks as British authorities at the University of Leices- nated,” Tang said. “And that’s government to prevent coro- lation has received at least one
have relaxed coronavirus re- ter who previously worked going to take a long time.” navirus variants from spread- dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
strictions, allowing indoor in Hong Kong, said the ban He estimated that countries ing in Hong Kong.
gatherings and businesses makes sense from a scientific need to have at least 80% of