By Kielce Gussie
Four years ago, three aid workers were killed while traveling in central Tigray—the northernmost regional state in Ethiopia—on a mission to scout the region’s medical needs.
The medical charity Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) or Doctors Without Borders launched an investigation into the “execution” of its three workers: thirty-five-year-old Spaniard María Hernández Matas, 32-year-old Yohannes Halefom Reda, and 31-year-old Tedros Gebremariam.
The investigation found evidence that Tigray’s army was responsible for the deaths of the three. MSF Spain’s General Director Raquel Ayora said the three were executed, adding “they were facing their attackers were shot at very close range…several times.”
Doctors without Borders announced it was releasing its findings because Tigray’s government failed to provide a “credible account” of the deaths, despite having 20 in person meetings over the last four years.
General Director Ayora described the three workers as “very professional and passionate.” She also highlighted that they were all wearing their MSF vests and the vehicle hailed the charity’s flag and logos on both sides.
Violence in Tigray
Violence in Tigray erupted in 2020 after a significant rift between the regional and federal governments with its neighbor Eritrea joining the war supporting the Ethiopian National Defence Force.
In 2022, the conflict ended with a peace deal brokered by the African Union. Its envoy, former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, said the number of deaths from the conflict reached around 600,000 people, caused by fighting, starvation, and lack of healthcare.
Evidence found?
The three MSF aid workers were killed as the conflict was intensifying and both Ethiopian and Eritrean troops had become more hostile towards aid workers. The Doctors without Borders report claims evidence that a convoy from the Ethiopian army was present at the spot where the three were killed, which it argues can be corroborated by satellite images.
According to the report, civilian and military eyewitnesses came forward to accuse Ethiopian soldiers of involvement in the killings—including one who allegedly heard a commander instruct troops to attack the MSF vehicle.
Yet, Doctors without Borders states the “level and nature” of the army’s role in the attack remains to be clarified”. – Vatican News
