We interviewed an Eritrean refugee who left Hitsats camp in November and is now living in Addis Ababa. The refugee Meron insisted that Awasa Guardian (AG) use only her first name for protection and she reveals how soldiers of the Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) committed war crimes in Hitsats camp by indiscriminately shooting at refugees. She also said some of the TPLF fighters coming to her refugee camp were injured and acted in retaliation as well as used the  refugee camp as a shield.

Her account matches the in-depth report by Ethiopian Human Right Commission of similar pattern of gruesome retaliation on civilians in Maikadra by TPLF as well as a recent AFP media description of TPLF killing Eritrean refugees.

Below is the English translation.
NOTE: she uses the word “woyane” instead of TPLF, which is common terminology locally.

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AG: when did you find out a war has officially begun?

Meron: I remember on a Monday and Tuesday a lot of Tigray soldiers came and start setting up a station. We didn’t know why…we actually thought a new war between Eritrea and Ethiopia begun. We were very scared. They were taking some refugees…i believe they wanted to recruit people to fight for them.

AG: That seems to be the day ENDF was attacked. But nothing happened days before that and what did the staff say?

Meron: Many staff working in the refugee camps are loyal to TPLF so they never complained. Hours before the soldiers arrived, I remember argument between the staff and some refugees. 

AG: What was the problem?

Meron: The staff were harassing some of my friends and others and taking away their cellphones. We did not understand the reason first but now I think they were worried that some of us will contact outside world about what woyane was doing, like preparing.

AG: did the woyane (TPLF) soldiers stayed there?

Meron: Yes for many days and we were being disconnected from everybody with no more water and food. The staff gave most of the food to the soldiers and many of us were going hungry. 

AG: so the UNHCR and NGO staff were giving food to TPLF soldiers rather than refugees?

Meron: I don’t know if all of them work directly for them (UN) but…like I said, we know the staff are woyane so they took care of their own people, I guess

AG: When did the fighting began?

Meron: I think it was almost two weeks later that more woyane fighters came. Everyday we started to hear of fighting going on far away and the area. But when more of their fighters came days later, they were angry and started shooting at refugees. It was surprising because their partners were already stationed at our camp for days and they did not target us. But when more came, they started random shooting and blamed us. Some of the Tigray soldiers coming in were already injured and they stole medical items from the camp. It was shocking…

AG: How many did they kill?

Meron: I don’t know how many but the soldiers killed many refugees….we started to run. And some of the refugees that woyane armed to fight were running away too, as people started to understand what exactly was happening. 

AG: One United Nations official said “20,000 Eritrean refugees are missing.” Is that true?

Meron: I think they are correct. I mean I don’t know about the numbers but many thousand of us have left the camps. 

AG: where do you think most refugees went? 

Meron: At that moment, we just wanted to save our lives and flee the fighting. I don’t know what people expected us to do? Stay there and die?

AG: But from what you know…

Meron: I know many refugees who could not travel more stayed in towns in Amhara region but the young have made it far down to Addis Ababa. We are everywhere in Ethiopia. 

AG: Did you encounter Eritrean soldiers?

Meron: Not in my group but some refugees went north so maybe they did. We were helped by Ethiopian soldiers and later we encountered soldiers from Amhara and Afar. 

AG: There have been allegations of sexual violence. How have you been treated?

Meron: Some Ethiopian soldiers were suspicious of us and wanted to make sure that we are real refugees but we were treated fairly… and people gave us directions for where we wanted to go. My group continued traveling so we didn’t spend long time at one place.

AG: What about allegation that Ethiopian soldiers burned down your refugee camps?

Meron: why would they do that? I mean I did not see or hear of any Ethiopian army killing Eritrean refugees or burning down our camps. But woyane used our camps to hide and fight so I am sure most of it is destroyed by now. Honestly, that place was like hell already before and none of us want to return

AG: But some Eritreans living in America and Europe accuse the Ethiopian government of…

Meron: Maybe that is politics, you know woyane helped many Eritrean refugees get asylum and maybe they want to protect that or they oppose Abiy’s closeness with Isaias…I don’t know…but nobody in my group was hurt by Ethiopian soldiers

AG: do you want to say anything more?

Meron: thank you and I hope I can get help to continue my asylum without going back.  I mean people are very welcoming here but life is very hard in Addis. There is no job, it is not easy.