Coalition For Tigray

Tigray Genocide

Path towards justice

The genocide against the Tigrayan people was a deliberate effort to destroy a population through killing, starvation, displacement, and cultural erasure. It was not a tragedy that unfolded by accident. It was an orchestrated campaign to break a people who had already endured generations of marginalization.

What happened:

The Tigray genocide was marked by targeted violence on every level. Civilians were executed in their homes and villages. Women and girls were subjected to sexual violence used as a weapon of domination and humiliation. Food systems and hospitals were destroyed, and humanitarian access was cut off, forcing millions into famine. Communications were severed, leaving Tigray in silence while entire communities vanished.

These were not acts of war between two armed forces they were acts of destruction directed at a group of people because of their identity. The siege that isolated Tigray was designed to starve its population into submission. Cultural and religious sites were looted or desecrated to erase memory and belonging. The campaign targeted every aspect of Tigrayan life body, spirit, and identity.

Recognition

Recognition begins with honesty. Governments and international institutions must name what took place in Tigray for what it is: genocide. This acknowledgment cannot be delayed or diluted by politics. Recognition affirms the dignity of survivors and ensures that the crimes committed against them are recorded truthfully in history.

Parliaments around the world can pass resolutions recognizing the genocide and calling for justice. Governments can issue formal determinations, impose sanctions on perpetrators, and condition partnerships on accountability. The United Nations, African Union, and other regional bodies can open independent inquiries and establish fact-finding missions. Recognition is the first step toward justice, but it must be followed by action.

Justice and Accountability

Justice for Tigray requires more than statements of sympathy, it demands legal accountability. Those who ordered and carried out crimes must face prosecution. Domestic courts in Ethiopia must meet international standards or allow hybrid structures that include independent judges and prosecutors. Where this is not possible, other countries with universal jurisdiction should open cases against perpetrators present on their territory. Evidence, testimonies, medical records, satellite imagery, must be preserved according to international legal standards so that no perpetrator escapes through time or technicality.

In order to preserve and compile documentation and evidence supporting the Tigray genocide, you can support the Tigray Data Repository. Supporting the Tigray Data Repository means helping to preserve the truth of what happened to the Tigrayan people. Each record, photograph, and testimony strengthens efforts to document the genocide with accuracy and dignity. By supporting this work, you help ensure that the suffering and resilience of Tigrayans are never erased, and that future generations have the evidence needed to seek justice and understanding. Tigray data repository

The international community also has a role. Sanctions must target individuals and institutions responsible for atrocities. Travel bans, asset freezes, and arms restrictions can prevent further abuse. The International Criminal Court remains an avenue if jurisdiction becomes available through referral or cooperation with neighboring states.

Support for Survivors

Justice also means healing. Survivors need long-term medical and psychological care. Women and girls who endured sexual violence must have access to trauma-informed health services and legal aid. Families separated by war need tracing systems to locate missing loved ones. Displaced people require housing, education, and support to rebuild their lives.

Reparations should address more than material loss. They must restore dignity. This includes compensation, the rebuilding of destroyed communities, and official apologies from those responsible. Memorials and education programs should ensure that future generations, in Tigray and beyond, understand what happened and why it must never happen again.

Preventing Recurrence

Prevention begins with truth. Documentation of crimes must be safeguarded, and survivors must be empowered to tell their stories in their own voices. Schools should teach the history of Tigray honestly, not as a regional dispute but as a warning about how prejudice and unchecked power lead to destruction.

Institutions must be reformed so that the same structures that enabled the genocide cannot repeat it. Security forces should undergo vetting and reform. Courts and media must operate independently. Early-warning systems should monitor hate speech and prevent future campaigns of dehumanization.

The Responsibility of the World

The genocide in Tigray was an assault not only on one people but on the principles of humanity itself. To remain silent or neutral in its aftermath is to allow the logic of extermination to stand unchallenged. Recognition, justice, and prevention are not separate goals—they are one continuous obligation.

The world must stand with the Tigrayan people through consistent advocacy, protection of survivors, and the relentless pursuit of justice. Every action, whether a government resolution, a courtroom case, or a memorial stone, asserts the same truth: that Tigrayan lives matter, that their suffering is not forgotten, and that accountability is the only path toward lasting peace and human dignity.

What You Can Do to Support Recognition and Reparations

  • Contact your elected representatives.
    Call, email, or meet with your local and national representatives. Ask them to recognize the genocide in Tigray, support investigations, and push for humanitarian aid and accountability measures.
  • Sign and share petitions.
    Add your name to verified campaigns calling for recognition, sanctions against perpetrators, and justice for survivors. Share these petitions with your community and on social media.
  • Support survivor-led organizations.
    Donate to or partner with verified Tigrayan-led nonprofits that document evidence, provide medical and mental-health care, or help displaced families rebuild their lives.
  • Raise awareness in your community.
    Host discussions, film screenings, or community talks. Use credible sources to educate others about what happened in Tigray and why global recognition matters.
  • Engage the media.
    Write letters to editors, share survivor stories responsibly, and encourage local journalists to cover Tigrayan issues with accuracy and sensitivity.
  • Use your social platforms.
    Amplify factual information from trusted Tigrayan voices and advocacy groups. Use hashtags that bring attention to the genocide and ongoing humanitarian needs.
  • Support evidence preservation.
    Contribute to projects like the Tigray Data Repository, which collect and safeguard records, testimonies, and data for future legal accountability and historical truth.
  • Advocate within institutions.
    Encourage schools, universities, faith organizations, and professional networks to issue statements, hold events, or adopt resolutions recognizing the genocide.
  • Call for sanctions and accountability.
    Urge your government to impose targeted sanctions on individuals and groups responsible for atrocities and to support international justice mechanisms.
  • Donate strategically.
    Even small financial contributions to Tigrayan humanitarian, documentation, and advocacy initiatives directly sustain survivors and strengthen the global justice effort.
  • Support memorialization and education.
    Advocate for the creation of memorials, archives, and educational programs that honor victims and preserve memory for future generations.
  • Vote with conscience.
    Support candidates and policies that uphold human rights, humanitarian principles, and international accountability.
  • Join advocacy networks.
    Become part of regional or international coalitions working for Tigray. Collective pressure magnifies impact and ensures governments act on their moral and legal obligations.
  • Stay informed and consistent.
    Follow developments in Tigray through reputable sources. Consistent attention and advocacy help prevent denial and silence.
  • Stand with survivors.
    Listen to and uplift the voices of Tigrayan survivors. Their testimony is the foundation of both recognition and reparations.

Sources to learn more:

Legal analyses and accountability roadmaps

Documentation of atrocity patterns (sexual violence, starvation, ethnic cleansing)

News and explanatory pieces (clear, victim-centered framing)

UN findings and human-rights institution reports