Mekelle: 8 March 2024 (Tigray Herald)
A Call to Urgently Implement the CoHA to Save Lives and Foster Peace in Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa
The Global Society of Tigray Scholars and Professionals (GSTS) has been closely following the efforts put towards the implementation of the Pretoria Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (COHA) and the subsequent Nairobi Executive Declaration as well as their effects on the peace, security, and humanitarian situation in Tigray. The GSTS recognizes and appreciates the encouraging steps taken both by the Ethiopian Federal and Tigray Governments to silence the guns and the efforts to build trust and further consolidate the peace process.
GSTS fully appreciates the ongoing African Union-hosted strategic review of the implementation of the CoHA, and we are writing at this time to address grave shortcomings threatening the positive gains made through this process at this crucial juncture.
GSTS is a 501(C) and 33/2011 legally registered non-partisan, not-for-profit network knowledge network operating all over the world. With
over 5,000 members, (approximately 1/5 of whom are PhD holders), GSTS is the largest and most active academic and professional
association in Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. Since the onset of the war on Tigray on 4 November 2020, GSTS has been engaged in
research-based fact finding: data collection and documentation, legal analysis and interpretation, and humanitarian advocacy surrounding
human rights violations, amounting to war of aggression, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide perpetrated against the Tigrayan
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Sixteen months after the signing of the CoHA and the subsequent Nairobi Declaration, and at a time when the implementation process should have been completed; the suffering of the Tigray people who have yet to recover from the world’s deadliest war in recent history, remains largely unchanged. Unfortunately, some of the humanitarian and security crises facing Tigray and its people have even worsened. Internally Displaced People (IDPs) and refugees continue to languish in makeshift camps and schools starving from inadequate provisions with no clear plan and hope of returning to their habitual homes, and properties. Millions of displaced people and other victims of the war and ethnic cleansing are losing hope as they face severe hunger and disease outbreaks. This is in turn is leading to an increasing number of young people falling victim to human traffickers claiming to facilitate irregular migration to Europe and other destinations via dangerous routes.
Amhara and Eritrean forces continue to illegally occupy large swathes of Tigray committing atrocities against Tigrayans and actively changing the demography of the occupied territories. This clearly contravenes stipulations of the CoHA (Articles 2 (b), 4, and 5.3) and Nairobi Declaration (Article 2.1(d)) of senior commanders which states that “Disarmament of heavy weapons will be done concurrently with the withdrawal of foreign [Eritrean] and non-ENDF [Amhara] forces from the region [Tigray]”. However, this has never been materialized, and the invading forces still continue to commit large-scale atrocity crimes including ethnic cleansing, forced displacement and disappearance, arbitrary detention, forced demographic changes etc. Concerningly, the Federal Government has variously indicated that the future of the occupied territories will be determined by referendum, which was not only stipulated in the CoHA but, if it materializes, will sanction, and legitimize the forceful and unconstitutional occupation of territories derailing the peace process and encouraging similar violent action in other parts of the country.
It is, therefore, extremely urgent at this time for all stakeholders to implement the Pretoria Agreement and the Nairobi Declaration in full to prevent further death and atrocities as well as prevent mass migration of the youth to Europe and elsewhere including the middle east along dangerous routes being vulnerable to human trafficking and other forms of exploitation. Not fully implementing the Peace Agreement has also started to significantly erode the confidence built initially and has led to concerning rhetoric and engagements exacerbating the already precarious security situation in the Horn of Africa and undermining the AU-led initiative to promote African Solutions to African Problems.
Given these alarming circumstances, we call upon the:
1.
African Union, Regional and International Mediators to:
a. Carry out an urgent and rigorous assessment of the progress of the implementation of the
CoHA and deploy all means and tools for its full implementation;
b. Swiftly facilitate the dignified and voluntary return, and resettlement of the millions of IDPs and refugees to their homes, land and properties with appropriate support and reparation as stipulated under Article 5 (3) of the CoHA;
c. Deploy all necessary instruments available to enforce the complete and verifiable withdrawal of all foreign and non-ENDF forces from Tigrayan territories and restore Tigray’s territorial and administrative mandate to the pre-November 3, 2020, status, as stipulated in
the Nairobi Declaration of Modalities Article 2.1 (d) in a publicly declared time frame; d. Expedite the full and unfettered resumption of humanitarian aid as per the stipulations of the CoHA (Article 5.1) and the Nairobi Declaration (Article 4) and a complete resumption of unhindered services and commerce to and from Tigray;
e. Immediately intervene to end the large-scale atrocity crimes being committed by the Amhara and Eritrean forces on Tigrayan inhabitants in the illegally occupied territories
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contravening Article 4 of the CoHA to protect civilians and uphold applicable international human rights and humanitarian laws;
f. Put all instruments available to immediately launch a comprehensive political dialogue between the Parties to the CoHA to find lasting solutions to underlying root causes of the challenges and political differences; and
g. Mandate an independent and impartial UN-led investigation of all atrocity crimes committed on Tigray, and other places in Ethiopia, and deliver justice and accountability to victims and survivors that has not been ensured so far.
2. Federal Government of Ethiopia to:
a. Respect the Ethiopian and Tigray regional constitutions and Tigray’s territorial integrity and thus:
i. enforce the unconditional, immediate, and complete removal of Amhara and Eritrean forces from the constitutional and historical territories of Tigray;
ii. swiftly expedite the dignified and voluntary return, reintegration, resettlement, rehabilitation and recovery of IDPs and refugees to their homes, land and properties
with appropriate support and reparation as stipulated under Article 5(3) of the CoHA; Restore Tigray’s territorial and administrative integrity to the pre-November 3, 2020, status quo ante, as stipulated in the Nairobi Declaration of Modalities Article 2.1 (d) in a publicly declared time frame. There are no disputed areas as all the occupied areas are historically and legally constituted under the administration of Tigray, and
iv. Revoke the decision to conduct a referendum while the occupied territories are ethnically cleansed and occupying forces have illegally settled in a political move to change the demography of the territories.
b. Ensure effective representation of Tigray in the Federal civil service institutions and offices including in the House of Federation, House of Peoples’ Representatives etc., as per the agreement under Article 9 (1 and 2) of CoHA, and the Ethiopian constitution; and thus the voice of the Tigray people and their interest are heard and they are involved in decisions, and
c. Cooperate with internationally mediated political dialogue and allow unfettered access to UN-mandated investigation of all atrocity crimes committed in Tigray.
3. Tigray Interim Administration (TIA) to: a. Give due priority to victims of the war primarily to IDPs and refugees, Tigrayans in the
occupied territories, address the humanitarian crisis and restore Tigray’s territories; work hand
in hand with the Ethiopian Government, AU, and international mediators to facilitate the dignified and voluntary return and reintegration of IDPs and the restoration of all Tigrayan territories to its administration;
b . Ensure humanitarian aid is delivered to the needy people and that systems are in place to facilitate effective and transparent distribution of aid; and
c. Cooperate with internationally mediated political dialogue and allow unfettered access to UN-mandated investigation of all atrocity crimes committed in Tigray.
We call upon all parties – the Africa Union, AU’s High-Level Panel, the Intergovernmental Authority
on Development (IGAD), the Ethiopian Government, Tigray Interim Administration, the United
States of America (US), the European Union (EU), the UK and the international community at
large to remain committed to the expedited and full implementation of the articles stipulated under
the COHA and Nairobi Executive Declaration and prevent the ongoing horrific humanitarian
misery and security crisis in Tigray, Ethiopia and beyond.
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GSTS reiterates its support to the peace process launched through CoHA and Nairobi Executive Declarations and fully commits to working closely with all parties towards the full implementation of CoHA and mitigate the existing humanitarian and security crises and thus bring durable peace in Tigray, Ethiopia, and the Horn of Africa.
The Global Society of Tigray Scholars and Professionals (GSTS)
