Agaezi National Union- ANU PRESS RELEASE
Man-Made Political Famine in Geezland, Northern Ethiopia:
Systematic Weaponization of Hunger as a Crime Under International Law
For Immediate Release
Geneva, Europe – 22 December 2025
Political famine constitutes one of the most severe, deliberate, and preventable crimes against civilian populations in the modern era. Unlike food insecurity caused by natural disasters, political famine is the intentional creation, prolongation, or exploitation of hunger through state or non-state policy, armed conflict, and the obstruction or manipulation of humanitarian assistance.
In Geezland (Northern Ethiopia), political famine has been repeatedly and systematically employed as a weapon of war. Credible historical evidence demonstrates that in 1985 the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) deliberately obstructed humanitarian aid deliveries, diverted international relief assistance, and weaponized starvation to advance military and political objectives. These actions resulted in mass civilian suffering and loss of life.
The weaponization of hunger did not occur in isolation. Public assets—including gold and other precious natural resources—were extracted and monopolized through party-controlled corporate structures such as EFFORT PLC. This consolidation of economic power enriched a political elite while civilian populations endured extreme deprivation, displacement, and structural poverty. Such conduct reflects a pattern of predatory governance consistent with crimes against humanity.
Across affected regions, civilians continue to suffer not due to the absence of food, but due to the deliberate denial of access. Siege warfare, forced displacement, discriminatory governance, destruction of livelihoods, and the politicization of humanitarian aid have transformed starvation into an instrument of coercion, collective punishment, and population control.
International humanitarian law is unequivocal. The starvation of civilians as a method of warfare is prohibited under the Geneva Conventions, Additional Protocols, and customary international law. When carried out deliberately and systematically, such acts may constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity. Despite this, political famine persists due to entrenched impunity, weak enforcement mechanisms, and the manipulation of ethnic, political, and regional divisions for power consolidation.
The consequences are catastrophic and long-lasting:
- Widespread civilian suffering and preventable mass mortality
- Irreversible physical and cognitive harm to children
- Deep social fragmentation and intergenerational political grievances
- Collapse of public trust in state institutions and international governance systems
History demonstrates that political famine leaves enduring scars long after food supplies are restored. It destroys social cohesion, undermines national unity, destabilizes entire regions, and perpetuates cycles of violence and resentment across generations.
Addressing political famine requires far more than emergency food aid. It requires structural, legal, and political action, including:
- Unconditional and unhindered humanitarian access under international monitoring
- Legal accountability for political and military leaders who weaponize hunger
- Transparent governance and equitable, non-discriminatory resource distribution
- Sustained international pressure to enforce humanitarian and criminal law
Hunger must never be used as a tool of governance or warfare. The deliberate infliction of famine is not a policy failure—it is a crime. Ending political famine is not optional; it is a moral duty, a legal obligation, and a political necessity for peace, justice, and human dignity.
Hidden Starvation Deaths at Hitsats IDP Camp:
Alleged Crimes of the TPLF Against the People of Tigray
The deaths caused by starvation at the Hitsats Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp must be recognized for what they represent: the result of deliberate political decisions, not unavoidable humanitarian failure. The concealed starvation of displaced civilians constitutes a grave violation of human rights and may amount to crimes under international humanitarian and criminal law.
Evidence and survivor testimonies indicate that the suffering and deaths of IDPs in Hitsats were not accidental. Rather, they reflect the conduct of an illegal power structure led by Debretsion Gebremichael and affiliated TPLF/TIRA networks, which exercised control while systematically neglecting, suppressing, and concealing the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in the camp.
History offers painful parallels. The deliberate political decisions that contributed to mass starvation during the 1974 and 1985 famines under the Haile Selassie and Derg regimes are now widely recognized as crimes of governance. Tragically, history appears to have repeated itself—this time through armed factions claiming to represent Tigray, yet condemning their own people to starvation for the sake of political power and control.
The lives and dignity of the people of Tigray have been exploited as political instruments. The deaths caused by starvation in Hitsats were hidden, unacknowledged, and denied, compounding the crime and deepening the suffering of victims and their families. This concealment itself constitutes a serious violation of international norms and humanitarian obligations.
These crimes must be documented, exposed, and presented to:
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International human-rights mechanisms
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United Nations bodies and Special Rapporteurs
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Humanitarian organizations and accountability institutions
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The people of Tigray themselves, who are the primary victims
Informing the population of Tigray about the actions and failures of those who claim leadership is essential for accountability, justice, and meaningful change. No political authority that allows its own people to starve—while concealing their deaths—can claim legitimacy.
The tragedy of Hitsats must become a catalyst for lawful, organized, and principled action. Through systematic documentation, credible reporting, and coordinated advocacy, this crime can and must be brought to international attention. Mobilizing civil society, institutions, and global partners around truth and accountability is not only necessary—it is a moral obligation.
The deliberate starvation of civilians is not politics. It is a crime. The concealment of starvation deaths is not leadership. It is criminal negligence at best, and atrocity at worst. Justice for the victims of Hitsats is essential to saving lives, restoring dignity, and preventing further crimes against the people of Tigray.
About ANU
The Agaezi National Union (ANU) is a global civilizational political framework committed to defending a people facing protracted genocide, war crimes, forced displacement, and systematic repression in the Horn of Africa and across the global diaspora as a result of TPLF-led tyranny.