The killing of a staff member of the Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS) is a violation of acceptable norms and demands the Ethiopian government’s investigation.
Development Diaries reports that the recent tragic killing of Weldu Aregawi, an ambulance driver stationed in the Central Zone of the Tigray region, highlights the need for security agencies in Ethiopia to step up security intelligence.
Aregawi lost his life in the line of duty when unknown assailants shot him. His killing and those of others in conflict situations question Ethiopia’s commitment to the Geneva Conventions, to which the country is a signatory.
The Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition (SHCC) identified 55 incidents of violence against or obstruction of health care in Ethiopia in 2021 alone. At least eight health workers were killed in these incidents, 13 were sexually assaulted, and 42 health facilities were attacked.
Under the Geneva Convention, the government of Ethiopia is expected to protect civilians in and around a war zone.
Development Diaries calls on the Ethiopian government, through the Federal Police Commission, to thoroughly investigate Aregawi’s killing and bring the perpetrators to book.
Photo source: Ethiopian Red Cross Society
