Tigray Herald፡November 25,2024 (Mekele)
Prepared by Tigray media watch digital intelligence monitoring group
TMW group
Chasing the Ghosts of Northwest Tigray: Unmasking the Illicit Mining Syndicate
Introduction
Northwest Tigray has become the epicenter of one of Africa’s most destructive criminal enterprises: an illegal gold rush fueling corruption, environmental devastation, and human suffering. Known as “Zartey” (ghosts) by locals, these criminal syndicates are deeply entrenched within political and military structures. They have turned Tigray’s rich gold deposits into a source of immense suffering, exacerbating economic collapse and contributing to the ongoing genocide against the Tigrayan people.
Unlike South Africa’s regulated Mponeng Mine—a model of socio-economic benefits and environmental accountability—Tigray’s illegal mining operations reveal a grim reality. Orchestrated by corrupt leaders and international criminal networks, this crisis demands urgent global intervention. This document exposes the “Zartey” syndicate, highlights the complicity of TPLF and military leaders, and calls for decisive international action to end these atrocities.
The “Zartey” Network: Who Are the Ghosts?
The “Zartey” network is a clandestine and highly organized syndicate controlling illegal mining operations in northwest Tigray. Comprising corrupt officials and military leaders, the network exploits Tigray’s resources at the expense of its people and environment.
Key Figures in the Syndicate
Tekelay Gebremedhen: As head of the Northwest Tigray Zone Administration, Tekelay is a central figure in the operation. His corrupt leadership channels millions into TPLF elites’ pockets while local communities are left destitute.
General Megebe Haile: Operating on the Western Tigray frontier, General Megebe militarizes mining zones, employing forced labor and violent suppression.
General Hensa Woldegiorgis: As head of the 60th Army Division, General Hensa oversees security operations to protect illegal mining activities.
Local Officials and Security Personnel: A network of colonels, administrators, and security officials facilitate daily operations, ensuring profits flow to the syndicate’s leadership.
A Stark Comparison: Mponeng Mine vs. Northwest Tigray
Economic Impact
Mponeng Mine: Generates legitimate revenue, creates jobs, and drives infrastructure development.
Northwest Tigray: Wealth is siphoned by criminals while local communities suffer extreme poverty. Artisanal miners work in exploitative and dangerous conditions.
Environmental Cost
Mponeng Mine: Operates under stringent environmental regulations to mitigate ecological harm.
Northwest Tigray: Unregulated mining has caused deforestation, water contamination, and irreversible land degradation, threatening biodiversity and food security.
Human Rights
Mponeng Mine: Ensures safe working conditions and adheres to international labor laws.
Northwest Tigray: Miners, including women and children, endure hazardous conditions. Fatal accidents and human rights abuses are rampant, with the recent deaths of 12 women underscoring the crisis.
The Human and Environmental Cost of “Zartey” Crimes
Human Cost
Thousands of lives are lost or destroyed due to unsafe mining practices, forced labor, and violent suppression by security forces.
Women and children, driven by poverty, are coerced into hazardous work with devastating consequences.
Environmental Impact
Rivers and farmland are poisoned with mercury and cyanide, devastating agricultural livelihoods.
Rampant deforestation and land degradation threaten ecosystems, compounding the region’s vulnerability to famine.
The Role of TPLF Leaders and International Criminal Actors
The complicity of TPLF leaders and military officials in these atrocities cannot be overstated. Instead of safeguarding Tigray’s resources for its people, they exploit these assets to amass personal wealth. Their alliances with international criminal networks exacerbate the crisis, fueling regional instability and prolonging the genocide against the Tigrayan people.
Global Implications and the Call for Action
Security Threats
Tigray’s illegal mining operations jeopardize not only the region but also the entire Horn of Africa, fueling conflict, organized crime, and economic instability.
Call for International Intervention
Targeted Sanctions: Freeze assets and impose travel bans on TPLF and military leaders involved in illegal mining, as well as their associates and international collaborators.
Global Monitoring: Establish an international task force to monitor and dismantle the “Zartey” network.
Legal Accountability: Prosecute those responsible for crimes against humanity in international courts.
Environmental Restoration: Launch initiatives to rehabilitate Tigray’s damaged ecosystems.
Powerful Messages for the “Zartey” Criminals
“You can run, but you cannot hide.” Impunity is ending. The international community will hold you accountable for your crimes.
“The gold you steal is soaked in blood.” Every ounce mined represents suffering and destruction.
“Justice is coming.” The world is watching, and your actions will not go unanswered.
Conclusion
The illegal gold rush in Tigray is not just an environmental and humanitarian crisis—it is an international crime against humanity. The “Zartey” syndicate has weaponized Tigray’s natural wealth to deepen the suffering of its people. Immediate action is needed to dismantle these networks, hold perpetrators accountable, and restore justice and dignity to Tigray.
The time to act is now. The Tigrayan people cannot afford further delay. Let us save Tigray before it is too late.
