“This is a story of enormous human tragedy that this is what the international community needs to focus on—putting pressure on all those who are involved at a minimum to allow for humanitarian access to people who are so desperately in need…Civilians who don’t have a direct hand in the conflict are very much the cost of the conflict,”  Associate Professor of Political Science, Betcy Jose, told 9News Denver. An estimated 400,000 people in the area face what aid agencies call “catastrophic hunger” due to a restrictive blockade by government forces after fighting broke out in the northern region of Tigray about a year ago.

Ethiopia's humanitarian crisis impacting Colorado communities
9News Denver, October 18