Dr. Saba Kidane Heritage will present on the current situation in the Tigray region in Ethiopia. Dr. Abraham Adhanom will be the discussant.

Monday, May 10, 2021
12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
Zoom webinar


Click here to register

Register at https://ucla.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_CmhsOoBoTZCJ7fuffRiAEQ

The Ethiopian government’s dispute with the Tigray Regional State escalated into a military engagement when the Federal Government responded to a pre-emptive attack by the troops of the regional government of Tigray, run by the TPLF (the Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front).  On November 4, 2020, Prime Minister Abiy ordered troops into Tigray region after accusing the TPLF of attacking a military base in order to seize weapons.  Ethiopian troops aided by Amhara Special Forces and Eritrean troops, responded with ground and air bombardments as well as drone attacks in various locations in Tigray. There are reports of human rights abuses throughout Tigray by Ethiopian and Eritrean troops. The humanitarian crisis was declared one of the worst in the world by UN agencies and regional NGOs.  Tens of thousands of Tigrayans are internally displaced while many crossed over the borders to Sudan escaping the war that claimed thousands of lives already.  Tigray was also home for 100, 000 Eritrean refugees located in four camps. Two of these camps were destroyed, and the Eritrean refugees dispersed.

In my seminar, I will discuss the implications of the current situation in Tigray for the people of Ethiopia (Tigray) and Eritrea, the fate of Eritrean refugees in Ethiopia, the implication of Eritrean troops involvement in the Ethiopian civil war and its implication for stability in the Horn of Africa.

Saba Kidane Heritage received her PhD from George Mason’s School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution (aka Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution) in 2020. She has a Master’s Degree from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) in African Area Studies with Political Science emphasis and prior to that, she also graduated with another MA Degree from the University of San Diego (USD) in Peace and Justice Studies. Her research interests include peace and conflict resolution with mediation and restorative justice emphasis; issues of ethnic/racial conflicts; human rights and democracy; social justice issues and post conflict political transitions in Africa. Dr. Kidane Heritage completed her undergraduate studies in Political Science and International Relations in Eritrea and Ethiopia. She is also active in a pioneer media organization, ERISAT-Eritrean Satellite Television that has been broadcasting into Eritrea since late 2018 in various Eritrean languages. Dr. Kidane Heritage came to the United States in 2002 to pursue graduate studies and currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband, Tim and daughter, Madison.

Cost : free Zoom webinar; register at https://ucla.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_CmhsOoBoTZCJ7fuffRiAEQ

www.international.ucla.edu/africa

Sponsor(s): African Studies Center