The World - News from April 14, 1988

Ethiopia’s decision to shut down an international relief effort has raised the specter of a “human catastrophe” with more than 2 million people facing starvation, the State Department said. Department spokesman Charles Redman accused Ethiopia of sacrificing the interests of millions of its citizens in pursuit of military objects in Eritrea and Tigre provinces, where anti-government rebellions have been under way for years. Redman called on Ethiopia to reconsider its decision expelling relief workers and allow relief operations on an “open roads, open risk basis.” The Ethiopian decision was the result of a dramatic escalation in fighting in the two northern provinces. The United States has pledged to contribute 250,000 tons of food to Ethiopia for this fiscal year.