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Ethiopia: East and West Wellega, Benishangul-Gumuz Access Snapshot As of 15 May 2019

Countries
Ethiopia
Sources
OCHA
Publication date

The operating environment in West Wellega (Oromia region) is highly volatile due to active clashes between the Ethiopian Defense Forces (EDF) and Unidentified Armed Groups (UAGs) that continue to create time-bound restrictions to aid operations. Clashes are reported in Begi, Bogi Dirmegi, Kiltu Kara, Lalo Asabi, Leta Sibu, Mana Sibu, and Nejoworedas. As a result, partners’ movements and operations are limited.

Access to Kamashi zone (Benishangul Gumuz region, BGR) remains heavily restricted, given that the main road goes through West Wellega (Nejo road). The UN has not been able to access Kamashi zone for the last eight months. Currently, partners are working to use alternative roads through East Wellega. Against this backdrop, the Government continues to support the return of thousands of IDPs from East and West Wellega to different woredas in Kamashi and Assosa zones (BGR), including to boundary areas. According to the latest Government data (unverified by humanitarian partners) some 72,593 IDPs have been returned to BGR, to Kamashi zone (Agelo Meti, Belo Jeganfoye, Kemashi, Sedal, and Yaso woredas) and Assosa zone (Oda Bildigilu woreda), and some 109,374 to boundary areas within Oromia region.

Partners report that a number of IDPs have chosen to abandon the sites by their own means in order to avoid being returned, mainly citing safety and security concerns. From an access perspective, this is a concern given that delivering assistance to these IDPs will become more difficult from now on as they are scattered among local communities. Further, there have been reports of IDP families returning back to areas of displacement by their own means after being returned to areas of origin by the Government. The situation of these IDPs is very concerning in terms of their extreme vulnerability and their seamless access to assistance, as the Government is reportedly dismantling the sites where they had been hosted.

Most IDPs had not been able to return to their areas of origin, either due to the destruction of their former homes or due to security concerns. Currently, after being returned to areas of origin, many IDPs are being hosted in collective sites rather than going to their homes. The multiplicity of displacements is likely to have induced very high levels of vulnerability. Lastly, from a “do no harm” perspective, the re-displacement of large number of IDPs to areas that are only partially accessible is a major concern. First and foremost, for the safety and security of IDPs, and secondly, in terms of partners’ ability to operate in such areas.

UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs: To learn more about OCHA's activities, please visit https://www.unocha.org/.