On November 4th, 2020 the Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali began to wage a genocidal war against the people of Tigray, a northern regional state. Since then the allied forces of The Ethiopian National Defence Force, Eritrean Defence Forces and the Amhara regional militia have conducted civilian massacres, extra judicial executions, indiscriminate shelling and acts of horrific sexual violence. Since the start of the war over:

• 150,000 people have been killed
•  200,000 girls and women brutally raped, in many cases gang raped
•  2 million people internally displaced
• 60,000 people fled to Sudan
• 90% of Tigrayans are now in desperate need of urgent food assistance as a direct result of the weaponization of food

Whilst the $3 million Australia has pledged to provide the World Food Programme is much appreciated, there is more that needs to be done. According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, 91 percent of Tigrayans are in need of urgent food assistance as a direct result of the weaponization of food. The Ethiopian government is committing crimes against humanity and war crimes. Despite repeated calls by the UN, the EU and the US, the Ethiopian government refused to cease hostilities and engage in dialogue for a peaceful resolution of the conflict.

Petition Request
As a concerned citizen, I am aware that the war on Tigray has affected millions of Tigrayans profoundly. Therefore, I plead the Australian government to:

Publicly condemn and denounce the war on Tigray and the mass atrocities (war crimes, crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing, genocide, weaponised rape and starvation) that have been (and continue to be) committed by Ethiopian, Eritrean and
Amhara forces.

Release a press statement, opinion piece or tweet publicly condemning the atrocities committed by the Ethiopian, Eritrean and Amhara forces in Tigray, specifically:

1. An immediate withdrawal of Eritrean Defence forces
2. Unfettered access to humanitarian aid

Speak at your caucus or party room meetings about a party stance on the atrocities committed by the Ethiopian, Eritrean and Amhara forces.

Send a letter to the foreign minister asking her to release a clear government
statement on Australia’s condemnation of the atrocities of the Ethiopian, Amhara,
and Eritrean forces.

Sponsor a House or Senate Resolution condemning the war on Tigray and
immediate withdrawal of Eritrean Defence forces.

Take the same actions as our allies the United States, The European Union and G7 have taken against the Ethiopian and Eritrean governments, including:

• Lobbying members of the UN Security Council to discuss and act on Tigray. Specifically, call on the Security Council to uphold Resolution 1325 on women, peace, and security, as well as Resolution 2417 against using starvation as a method of warfare.
• Withdrawing all non-emergency assistance to the Ethiopian and Eritrean governments, impose economic and diplomatic sanctions on key political and military leaders and impose visa-restrictions on Ethiopian, Eritrean and regional Amhara officials.
• Increasing Australia’s aid commitment to Tigray.

Together, let's act to stop the genocide and save lives.