Addis Abeba — A new study by the Commission of Inquiry on Tigray Genocide (CITG), titled "Research Report on the Protection and Security Conditions of Internally Displaced Persons in Tigray", paints a stark picture of insecurity, deprivation, and continuing injustice confronting hundreds of thousands of displaced communities across the region.
The 110-pages detailed report particularly on protection and security concerns reveals that despite the signing of the Pretoria Cessation of Hostilities Agreement, internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Tigray remain vulnerable to forceful evictions, direct attacks, and harassment.
The survey, which gathered responses from 3,380 participants, revealed alarming patterns of human rights abuses among displaced populations. The Commission said it has recorded 1,748 deaths, 915 cases of enforced disappearance, and 1,656 instances of physical injury. These figures highlight the acute vulnerability of IDPs, with killings identified as the most prevalent form of harm.
"These figures reflect the extreme vulnerability of IDPs to grave human rights violations, with killings emerging as the most widespread form of victimization. The high number of disappearances is particularly alarming, as it not only signifies the loss of life and liberty but also leaves families in a state of uncertainty and trauma, compounding the humanitarian crisis" the Commission said.
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Stories of the victims
"We ran to the school compound for safety, but the bullets followed us there," a respondent in Shire recounted, describing how IDPs caught in active fighting became targets despite seeking refuge.
Incidents of IDPs being "chased within displacement sites" in Mekelle and other towns are also recorded. In some cases, armed actors entered schools and shelters hosting IDPs and forcibly removed families, stripping them of the little security they had left.
We walk for hours to find wood, but attackers wait for us. Many women never return without being harmed An IDP from Adwa
Shelter and energy-related risks compound the crisis. The Commission notes that overcrowded schools and unfinished buildings continue to serve as homes for thousands, with conditions described as "dire" in Adigrat, Abi Adi, and Axum.
A displaced woman in Adwa explained the dangers of collecting firewood: "We walk for hours to find wood, but attackers wait for us. Many women never return without being harmed."
The study identifies vulnerable groups, including women, children, the elderly, people with disabilities, and those with chronic diseases, as facing the most acute risks. Women and girls report sexual violence and harassment both during displacement and within camps. Children are vulnerable to trafficking, forced labor, and interrupted education. Persons with disabilities are often excluded from food distributions, while the elderly and chronically ill struggle to access medicine.
The Commission also links protection gaps to illegal migration. Many displaced youth, unable to find safety or livelihood opportunities, attempt irregular crossings toward Sudan and beyond, exposing themselves to trafficking networks and deadly routes.
An elder displaced from Western Tigray told researchers: "Return is not possible without security guarantees and accountability for past abuses."
The report emphasizes that prospects for voluntary return remain blocked in areas still under occupation, particularly in Western Tigray. The lack of restitution, justice, and redress for mass atrocities deepens what the Commission describes as "enduring injustice under displacement."
"The invisibility of vulnerable groups in aid delivery magnifies their suffering. The absence of justice and accountability entrenches despair among IDP communities," The Commission said.
This report underscores not only the humanitarian crisis but also the political and moral dimensions of displacement in Tigray, adding urgency to long-standing calls for protection, safe return, and justice for survivors.
Last week, Lt. Gen. Tadesse Werede, President of Tigray's Interim Administration, has cautioned that facilitating the return of ethnically cleansed IDPs to Western Tigray without resolving constitutional and administrative issues risks reigniting conflict. He accused "some of our brothers" of pushing a unilateral return process that ignores the Interim Administration, warning it could undermine Tigray's territorial integrity and plunge the region back into war.
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His remarks reflect broader concerns raised by civil society groups, including Tsilal, which have criticized the current return process for lacking transparency, consultation with displaced communities, and safeguards to ensure their rights and safety.
Echoing these concerns, TPLF chairman Debretsion Gebremichael warned that returns without addressing root causes, including the "withdrawal of occupying forces, accountability for atrocities, and local governance reforms", could create instability.
Despite some early returns in Tselemti district in 2024, progress has stalled amid reports of destroyed homes, devastated livelihoods, and ongoing insecurity, highlighting the broader failure of the Pretoria Peace Agreement to ensure the safe return of thousands of Tigrayan IDPs displaced during the two-year devastating war.
