'We will just die in silence': #US aid cuts hit #Ethiopia's fragile #Tigray region Aid cuts by the U.S. have left millions in Ethiopia’s Tigray region without food and essential services, worsening an already fragile humanitarian situation. Haile Tsege, a 76-year-old displaced person, said, “We will just die in silence,” as food deliveries stopped at a camp near #Mekelle, where over 20,000 people depend on aid. The suspension follows previous disruptions in 2023, when U.S. and U.N. food distributions halted due to a corruption scandal. The cuts stem from the Trump administration’s decision to suspend foreign aid spending, including USAID’s payments system, forcing aid groups to stop distributions. “Everything boils down to the payment system,” said Teklewoini Assefa, head of the Relief Society of Tigray. He warned that “this will create malnutrition, disease. If this situation continues, what follows? Death.” A consortium of aid agencies in Tigray has suspended food distributions for over a million people, unable to cover costs for transportation and staff. “This is just one warehouse. There are several others across the region,” Assefa added, referring to 5,000 metric tons of sorghum stuck in Mekelle. Beyond food, the aid suspension has affected healthcare, education, and support for survivors of war. “The impact has been huge,” said Ashenafi Asmelash, whose organization, Mums for Mums, lost funding for programs supporting farmers and children’s nutrition. Assistance for survivors of sexual violence has also been disrupted. “This sudden disruption is having a huge impact on the healing of traumatized people,” said Yohannes Fisseha, a manager at the Center for Victims of Torture, which has halted counseling and physiotherapy sessions. “Our picture of America was as a protector of rights, a positive force in the world,” said Yirga Gebregziabher, who managed USAID-funded programs in Tigray. “That image has now been broken.” independent.co.uk/news/ethio…