Mekelle፡Telaviv, Nairobi, Pretoria, London,March 21፡2025 (Tigray Herald)
The Systematic Land Grabbing in Mekelle-Enderta: A Crime Against Humanity and an Urgent Call for Justice
A Policy Document by the Horn of Africa Geopolitical Review (HAGR)
Prepared by Leading Regional and International Political and Security Experts
I. Executive SummarySummary
The illegal and systematic land grabbing in Mekelle and the historical Enderta Awraja represents one of the most egregious crimes committed by the corrupt TPLF leadership over the past three decades. Under the guise of governance, the TPLF exploited Tigray’s land and resources for its political and economic interests, with the most devastating impact felt in Mekelle and the
surrounding Enderta districts.
The failed Debretsion Gebremichael-led TPLF splinter group, backed by its militia forces, is now attempting to illegally consolidate power in Mekelle by seizing control of the mayor’s office and municipal administration. This is not merely a political maneuver but a continuation of economic exploitation, designed to secure illegally acquired wealth and land holdings while suppressing
opposition and independent governance.
This document exposes the historical corruption, systematic land dispossession, and political repression imposed on the people of Tigray—particularly the Enderta farming communities—by
the TPLF elites.
It presents concrete policy recommendations for the immediate review,
suspension, and reversal of illegal land policies, ensuring justice for the victims and the establishment of a transparent, people-driven governance structure in Mekelle and across all districts of Tigray.
II. The Historical and Systematic Land Grabbing in Mekelle and Enderta
- The TPLF’s Communist Land Policy: A Tool for Corruption and Oppression
Under Ethiopia’s constitution, land is legally owned by the state and the people, prohibiting private ownership. However, in practice, the TPLF treated land as its private property, using it as
a tool for political control and economic enrichment.
The lack of separation between government structures and TPLF’s political interests allowed for unregulated land exploitation.
Over 100,000 Enderta farmers were forcibly displaced to make way for politically connected elites, real estate developments, and military-controlled industries.
- Mekelle: The Economic Fiefdom of TPLF Elites
As the historical capital of Enderta Awraja, Mekelle was transformed into a hub of TPLF
corruption. Prime urban land was seized and sold at highly subsidized prices to TPLF-affiliated businessmen, party officials, and military generals.
The TPLF splinter group’s militias manipulated land ownership records by illegally collecting and forging government-owned land stamps.
- Enderta Farmers: The Primary Victims of TPLF’s Land Grabbing Policy
Rural farmers in Enderta were systematically dispossessed without compensation, forcing them into extreme poverty TPLF cadres amassed billions through illegal land sales while thousands of displaced farmers
suffered.
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Land grabbing was justified under false pretenses, such as “urban expansion” and “development projects,” which primarily served the corrupt elite.
- Post-Tigray Genocide: The Continuation of Corrupt Practices
Despite the Pretoria Peace Agreement, the Debretsion-led TPLF splinter group continues its illegal land activities, using armed militias to maintain control over municipal governance.
The ongoing power struggle over Mekelle’s mayoral office is directly linked to illegal land trade,as controlling municipal administration ensures continued exploitation.
Political repression, including targeted assassinations of reformists, has intensified to silence those exposing corruption.
III. The TPLF’s Pattern of Political and Economic Corruption
- A Party-State Structure That Enabled Corruption
The TPLF systematically eliminated independent institutions, ensuring government structures
served the party’s political and economic interests. No independent judiciary or oversight mechanisms existed to challenge illegal land seizures.
Journalists, activists, and opposition figures who exposed land corruption were imprisoned,exiled, or assassinated.
- Exploiting National and International Aid for Land Control
Foreign investment in construction, real estate, and mining was manipulated by TPLF elites to monopolize land.
International donor funds allocated for urban development were diverted to fund land grabbing
schemes.
- Mekelle’s Role in the TPLF’s Economic Empire
Mekelle became a financial stronghold for the TPLF, with real estate monopolies,
military-controlled industries, and illicit financial networks operating under its control.
Illegal gold mining and foreign exchange schemes were closely tied to land seizures, ensuring that only TPLF insiders benefited.
IV. Policy Recommendations:
Restoring Justice and Ending Illegal Land Grabbing
- Immediate Suspension and Reversal of TPLF’s Land Grabbing Policies
Establish an independent land commission under the Tigray Interim Government, composed of
trusted intellectuals, legal experts, and community leaders.
Review all land transactions over the past decade and reverse illegal land seizures.
- Implementing Directly Elected Mayors and Independent Municipal Governance
The people of Mekelle and all districts of Tigray must have the right to elect their own mayors
and district leaders through direct democratic elections.
Municipal administrations must be independent of political party influence, with anti-corruption laws preventing further land exploitation.
- Compensation and Land Restitution for Displaced Enderta Farmers
All displaced farmers must receive compensation or land restitution through transparent legal
processes.
Criminal proceedings should be initiated against those responsible for forced displacement and
illegal land sales.
- Dismantling TPLF’s Corrupt Network The Debretsion-led TPLF splinter group and its militia must be disarmed and politically
neutralized to prevent further illegal activities.
An international human rights investigation should be launched into TPLF’s land crimes, with legal actions against those implicated.
- National Land Policy Reform Under the Tigray Interim Assembly
A new land policy must be drafted through broad public consultation, ensuring transparency,
fairness, and public accountability.
International legal experts and independent monitors should oversee the reform process to prevent future corruption.
V. Conclusion:
A Call to Action for All Tigrayans
The systematic land grabbing in Mekelle and Enderta constitutes a crime against humanity, and its perpetrators must be held accountable. The ongoing struggle over Mekelle’s mayoral office is
not about governance—it is about protecting corruption and economic exploitation.
To the People of Tigray and the Global Tigrayan Community:
Unite against the corrupt TPLF splinter group seeking to control Tigray’s cities for personal gain. Demand direct democratic elections for mayors and district leaders to ensure independent governance.
Support independent investigations and legal action against those responsible for illegal land seizures and human rights violations.
Advocate for international recognition of TPLF’s land crimes and demand justice for the victims.
The future of Mekelle, Enderta, and all of Tigray must be built on justice, accountability, and the restoration of people’s rights—not on the corruption of a failed political faction
