Image: All Africa

Faizel Patel – 17/08/2021

A humanitarian affairs specialist says the control of humanitarian supplies and access is a weapon of war in modern conflicts.

Mukesh Kapila was speaking to Radio Islam about the Ethiopian government’s decision to suspend the activities of three foreign humanitarian organizations working in the Tigray region.

Ethiopia two weeks ago halted the activities of MSF Holland (Doctors Without Borders), the Norwegian Refugee Council and Al Maktoume Foundation for three months for breach of rules.

Kapila says modern conflicts like the one in Ethiopia between the Tigray Defense Forces and Central Federal Ethiopian government are asymmetrical.

“A war without a clear frontline as was traditional decades ago, the regulation of humanitarian access is a means for both waging war and winning control over your adversaries. That of course means that the belligerents in this case, particularly the Ethiopian government is seeking to starve the people of Tigray and stopping aid to get through to them.”

Kapila says international law and the Geneva Convention makes it clear that in the event of civil or international war, humanitarian assistance, health workers, hospital, and food supplies must not be targeted.

“Because there is no mechanism to hold perpetrators to account, often these laws are not obeyed by anyone concerned. That’s why we see in country after country not just in Tigray at the present time but in other conflicts around Africa and the world abuse of International Humanitarian law.”

Kapila says there is no food in Tigray and the latest estimates indicate more than five million out of the six million people living in the region are dependent on external food aid.

(Twitter: @FaizelPatel143)

Listen to the interview with Mukesh Kapila