Thank you, Mr. Chair.
My name is Alemash. I want to thank you for the opportunity of speaking to you about the situation in Tigray.
My colleagues touched on almost everything. For my part, I'm going to talk about the children of Tigray, the ones who are still alive, who have not died. They haven't had a chance to go to school for almost two years. It's really sad.
Children have been denied the right to go to school in Tigray.
I also want to talk a bit about the Tigrayans in Ethiopia. Because they are Tigrayans, those who live in the capital, Addis Ababa, have no access to banks. They cannot work. Some have lost their homes, their jobs and their lives. The situation is not only due to the closures in Tigray. Indeed, there are some elsewhere as well.
This is especially in western Tigray.
The atrocities continue, as these places are occupied by the Eritrean military. The Eritreans are still there. Their presence goes back to November 2020. We don't know why Canada is ignoring this situation. We are happy to see what Canada is doing for Ukraine, but why is it not also doing it for Tigray, for Africa? The lives of Africans are just as important. This is in line with Canada's values.
Many Tigrayans are displaced, forced to move by the Eritrean army and Amhara militias. The Fanos who did not die, in Sudan or in the camps, are losing their lives and their homes.
Also, we call on Canada to open its doors to immigration.
Thank you.