An Urgent Appeal to the International Community to resolve the Ethiopia's Tigray Conflict
The Need To Avert Another Regional And International Crisis
History And International Affairs
Tigray is a Region in the Northern Part of Ethiopia. Ethiopia shares border with Eritrea. Tigray has about 7 Million People. Tigrayans account for about 6% of Ethiopia’s 1I7,122,896 million population according to the World Data Lab. See worldpoverty.io for the information.
About a year ago, the Regional Government, controlled by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, a leftist Political Party launched a full-scale attack on a military base at Sero.
Abiy Ahmed, Ethiopia’s Prime Minister described the attack as a ‘treason that will never be forgotten.’ He ordered a Federal offensive against the region. That was the beginning of the conflict.
The humanitarian community says they could not reach people who need help.
A local Official told Reuters that over 2 million people have been displaced. Many people have also died.
Those who fled Ethiopia had to seek refuge in Sudan, a neighboring country. According to reports, many villages were damaged or completely erased.
The TPLF was formed in the 1970s to push for the Tigrayan self-determination. It later join the nation's political landscape and became a coalition of ethnic political parties known as the EPRDF-Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front.
Abiy came to power in 2018 as the head of EPRDF. He later dissloved it. Abiy wants to form a new political party from EPRDF. The TPLF opposed this.
After Abiy reportedly sidelined TPLF, the TPLF accused him of seeking to destabilize Ethiopia by causing ethnic tension.
Abiy promised to organize election. He postponed it. The TPLF opposed this decision. The TPLF later organized its own election which Abiy disregarded.
The two sides see each other as illegitimate governments.
Abiy’s government launched attack through the Ethiopian National Defense Forces.
According to reports, the Ethiopian Government is supported by Eritrean forces.
Photo: Abiy Ahmed, Ethiopia’s Prime Minister (Right) with Isaias Afwerki, President of Eritrea (Left) during Afwerki’s visit to Ethiopia in November 2018.
President Joe Biden of the United States of America described the crisis as “a deepening humanitarian crisis.” He wants Ethiopia to take concrete steps to address the situation.
Source: www.npr.com
There has been so much loss of lives, properties and displacements due to this avoidable dispute. It pains me to see the suffering.
I appeal to the African Union (AU) and others in the International Community to help resolve the conflict so as to prevent further losses and an avoidable refuge crisis.