Mekelle, February 23፡, 2025 (Tigray Herald)
URGENT ALERT AND APPEAL TO THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS
19 February 2025Tigrayan Advocacy for Human Rights and Justice International
We issue this urgent condemnation and appeal to the international community, human rights organizations, and diplomatic missions regarding the heinous and illegal actions committed by TPLF militias under the direct orders of General John Medide Yohanes and executed by Hagose Gebre, head of the Army’s 26th division. These actions constitute grave violations of international humanitarian law and fundamental human rights, targeting innocent civilians in the South Eastern Tigray Zone, specifically in Samre District.
Indiscriminate Violence and Terrorism Against Civilians
Armed militia members, operating under the TPLF splinter faction, have engaged in widespread and indiscriminate shooting, terrorizing the defenseless population of Samre District. This calculated and systematic attack is part of a broader campaign of military repression and state-sponsored terror aimed at destabilizing and inflicting collective punishment upon the people of Tigray.
This act of aggression is not an isolated event; rather, it represents a homegrown genocidal war against the people of Tigray in a post-genocide era. It is a flagrant violation of international human rights law, the Geneva Conventions, and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which strictly prohibit war crimes, crimes against humanity, and the persecution of civilian populations.
Our Call for Immediate International Action
We, the Tigrayan Advocacy for Human Rights and Justice International, demand urgent intervention from the international community to:
Unequivocally condemn the TPLF’s illegal and criminal actions against the people of Tigray.
Hold the perpetrators accountable for their crimes under international human rights law and humanitarian law.
Call upon the United Nations (UN), the United States (US), the United Kingdom (UK), the European Union (EU), and all relevant human rights organizations to take decisive action against TPLF’s militarized repression.
Urge the Tigray Interim Government to take all necessary legal measures against those responsible for these violent acts.
Demand that TDF military leadership—General Tadesse Worede, General Fisseha Kidanu, and General Yohannes Woldegiorgis—take immediate and unequivocal action to prevent further atrocities and ensure the protection of civilians. They bear direct responsibility for failing to halt these grave human rights violations.
Accountability for Heinous Crimes
We hereby warn all individuals involved in these heinous crimes: Your names have been documented and reported to international genocide tracking organizations and war crimes investigators. The perpetrators of these atrocities will not escape justice—whether through international prosecution or legal mechanisms within Tigray’s evolving judicial framework.
Solidarity With the People of Samre
To the courageous people of Samre District, we stand with you in these difficult times. You are not alone. Your suffering will not be ignored, and justice will prevail. We urge all Tigrayan worldwide diaspora communities and civic organizations to unite in condemnation of TPLF’s illegal actions and advocate for justice and accountability.
This is a defining moment in the fight for the survival, dignity, and sovereignty of the Tigrayan people. The world must not remain silent while genocide and war crimes continue under new pretexts.
Justice for Tigray! Justice for Samre! Justice for all victims of military repression!
Tigrayan Advocacy for Human Rights and Justice International
