Mekelle፡Telaviv, Nairobi, Pretoria, London, (Tigray Herald)
Who is Behind Tigray’s National Reconciliation?
The political chaos created by the TPLF splinter group, led by Dr Debretsion, amounts to national reconciliation or a ploy to camouflage the party’s political failures and heinous human rights abuses that is designed to revive the lost public support in Tigray. The TIRA president, Lieutenant General Tadesse Werede, and the Public Diplomacy have expressed that their efforts are aimed at fostering unity and healing the divisions within Tigray. They both seemed to give a false impression and ultimately they were deadly wrong in their assumptions.
The national reconciliation is deployed to legitimise the TPLF power grab by force and escape from accountability using the unsuspecting Tigray Public Diplomacy. There needs instead a new approach to organise a national conference for all political parties, civil society, intellectuals, and business and community leaders to participate and devise a common strategy in the interest of Tigray. Tigray’s national interest should not be decided by one party alone, the TPLF.
However, critics contend, where was the Tigray Public Diplomacy when the TPLF splinter group took power in a coup? During the coup, the Tigray Public Diplomacy was silent about the TPLF splinter group and the TDF generals loyal to Debretsion, who committed and are still committing heinous human rights abuses against the TIRA employees and supporters. Where was the Tigray Public Diplomacy when the TIRA employees and supporters were killed, tortured, kidnapped, and arrested by the TPLF splinter group, led by Dr Debretsion?
The TIRA President’s and Tigray Public Diplomacy’s moves on national reconciliation are merely a façade, designed to obscure the TPLF’s missteps, human rights abuses, and criminal activities, and maintain their grip on power amidst growing youth discontent. The national reconciliation raises many questions about the sincerity of the Tigray Public Diplomacy’s intentions, which seem to undermine the potential for genuine progress in democracy and political reform in Tigray.
The TIRA President, Lieutenant General Tadesse Werede, led the coup against his former TIRA president, Getachew Reda. Lieutenant General Tadesse played a key role in undermining the TIRA’s functioning, the TDF fragmentation, and the political mess in Tigray. Lieutenant General Tadesse was the key obstacle to TIRA dysfunction in the implementation of the Pretoria peace agreement, who turned a blind eye when the TPLF splinter group, led by Dr Debretsion, publicly engaged in dismantling the TIRA, and commit human rights abuses. These acts are treasonous outside the norms of democracy, and above all, the Debretsion splinter group has committed treason against the country’s and Tigray’s constitutions. Debretsion and his cliques are above the rule of law and unaccountable to the people.
Lieutenant General Tadesse has turned democracy and accountability upside down by appointing those involved in the coup and human rights violations. He has broken his promise of an all-inclusive and democratic interim administration and openly lied to the people of Tigray. Lieutenant General Tadesse has put an end to democracy in Tigray. The TPLF’s dictatorial and repressive rule has now returned to power again after two years of freedom of speech. The struggle for democracy will carry on until fundamental political and economic reforms are realised in Tigray. Consequently, Lieutenant General Tadesse will find it challenging to lead Tigray out of the political chaos he has been part of and may not succeed in reuniting Tigray and implementing the Pretoria peace agreement. The TDF has already divided into two camps. One camp supports the Debretsion TPLF splinter group, and the other camp opposes the TPLF and wants to remove it from power for good by force to free Tigray from the repressive political ideology.
Many Tegaru have questioned the motive of national reconciliation and remain fraught with challenges, leaving many to wonder whether true healing can ever be achieved. The people of Tigray are not in conflict. The TPLF conflicts with itself, and it is against the interests of Tigrayan people. The TPLF conflict within the party can’t be defined as national reconciliation. Instead, it highlights the deep divisions within the TPLF itself, complicating efforts to foster unity and understanding. Without addressing these internal rifts, any attempt at reconciliation may merely mask underlying tensions rather than resolve them.
Moreover, the broader societal implications of these divisions cannot be overlooked, as they influence the political landscape and the prospects for lasting peace and unity in the region. Only through genuine political dialogue and all-inclusive strategies can the people of Tigray hope to move beyond the tumultuous past and present under the TPLF’s repressive rule and the genocidal war and build a more cohesive future. Future efforts must prioritise healing and understanding, fostering an environment where diverse voices are heard and respected. Only then can the people of Tigray begin to rebuild trust and collectively address the myriad challenges that lie ahead. This will require the commitment of all political parties and stakeholders, including local leaders, civil society, and international partners, to ensure that political reconciliation efforts in the interests of Tigray are sustainable and effective.
Focusing on shared goals and aspirations, Tigray can emerge as a beacon of hope and resilience in a region often marked by conflict and division. This collaborative approach will foster a sense of unity and empower the marginalised voices of the TPLF to participate actively in their own development. Emphasising an all-inclusive political dialogue and cooperation will create unity, a foundation for lasting peace and prosperity in Tigray.
To build a genuine trust in Tigray, the TPLF must apologise to the people of Tigray for its past and present human rights abuses, corruption, and maladministration. This may create an environment of forgiveness and reconciliation and move forward to rebuild the ravaged Tigray from the genocidal war that addresses both the immediate needs and long-term aspirations of the people. Tension and conflict have marked TPLF’s political history. The best we can hope for is to reconcile and compromise our conflicting personal differences to allow us to continue living in peace and harmony if we work together on the issues of peace, Tigray’s territorial integrity and the safe return of the IDPs to their homes in North-Western, Eastern and Western Tigray.
All Tegaru must agree on the country’s key problems by putting aside the differences in their ideology and the division sown by the TPLF’s Awerajaism (ከባባዊነት). We must look deeply at the complex challenges to achieve national consensus by agreeing on the three important things (Tigray’s territorial integrity, the return of IDPs, and an all-inclusive council that scrutinises the TIRA). The three key issues can unite us to work together and depart us from the threats of disunity and irreconcilable conflict.
The spirit of unity proved during the genocidal war must be repeated, where Awerajaism and the political differences were forgotten, which enabled us to work together against the genocidal regimes of Ethiopia and Eritrea and their allied Amhara forces. Our response and commitment to the unity will determine the very future of our Tigray. The kindness of spirit that Tegaru can show in times of crisis and the sense of compromise will finally prevail. This is truly a time of testing for Tigray’s democracy that can end the genocidal war, rebuild Tigray’s destroyed economy and rehabilitate the people’s trauma of the Tigray genocide and repressive rule of the TPLF.
By fostering a sense of ownership, an all-inclusive political dynamic can help cultivate a resilient society capable of overcoming past and present grievances and working collaboratively towards a brighter future. Such an approach empowers political parties and individuals and encourages unity among the people of Tigray, allowing for a collective effort in healing and development.
This journey towards political dialogue and reconciliation will require commitment, patience, and a genuine willingness to listen to and learn from one another. One of the key elements in this process will be the establishment of all-inclusive open political dialogue platforms, where diverse voices can be heard and respected and come to a common strategy that Tigray needs to come out of this genocidal war.
By actively engaging in these conversations, the political parties can begin to bridge divides and foster mutual understanding, paving the way for national unity, lasting peace, and cooperation in the national interests of Tigray.
Source፡Tigray liberty Media
