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Press Release: Joint CSOs Press Statement on the Violence in Dzaleka, involving Ethiopian and Congolese Nationals.

On March 11th, 2024, violence erupted at Dzaleka Refugee Camp between Ethiopian and Congolese nationals. The incident resulted into the vandalism of several homes belonging to Ethiopians and left several Congolese wounded from machete and knife attacks allegedly by Ethiopian assailants. These tensions date back to December 2023 when internal strife arose within the Ethiopian community, with allegations against their fellow countryman accused of engaging in theft and human trafficking of other Ethiopians through Malawi enroute to South Africa. His subsequent arrest and deportation, alongside the detention of his Congolese wife at Kamuzu Barracks, aggravated the existing tensions within the camp. The events on the material day started when relatives of the deported Ethiopian national allegedly attempted to forcibly evict his Congolese wife’s family members from their compound. This escalated into physical violence with Ethiopians attacking the Congolese who later retaliated by damaging properties owned by Ethiopians in the camp. Read more here.