Mekelle፡Telaviv, Nairobi, Pretoria, London, (Tigray Herald)
To: The Esteemed Members of the Diplomatic Community in Ethiopia
Addis Ababa
Subject: Appeal for Support and Democratic Inclusion of Marginalized Youth in Eastern Zone of Tigray
Your Excellences,
We, the youth of the Eastern Zone of Tigray, humbly extend our greetings and express our deep appreciation for your continued engagement in supporting peace, stability, human rights and democratic governance in Ethiopia.
We write to you with a profound sense of urgency and hope. For decades, successive generations in our region—our grandfathers, fathers, and now ourselves—have experienced marginalization and systemic exclusion.
The ruling group, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which has long positioned itself as a dominant political actor, has unfortunately contributed to the suppression of democratic voices and human rights within Tigray.
Our lived experience confirms that we are often only mobilized in times of war, while our rights to participate in governance and development remain neglected. As youth, we face severe challenges—among them, a lack of meaningful opportunities and representation in local government and administrative structures.
In search of a better future, many of our peers are forced to embark on perilous journeys to countries like Saudi Arabia. This migration has resulted in the loss of countless lives, and those who survive often face exploitation and abuse abroad.
During the period of the previous interim administration under Mr. Getachew Reda, we took significant steps to organize ourselves peacefully. We formed a civil society association dedicated to promoting peace, justice, and human rights. However, with the establishment of the new interim government, we face uncertainty as to whether the enabling environment for civic engagement and youth participation will be sustained.
In this regard, we respectfully call upon the esteemed diplomatic community in Ethiopia to:
1) Encourage and monitor the current interim administration to ensure the continuation and protection of democratic spaces that were opened under the previous leadership.
2) Support our peaceful civic movement through capacity-building programs, training, and mentoring in areas of human rights, peace building, and democratic governance.
3) Provide material and financial support to empower our civil society association so we may continue our nonviolent struggle for justice, inclusivity, and long-term peace.
Your attention to our cause would not only give voice to the marginalized youth of Tigray, but also serve as a powerful symbol of international solidarity with grassroots democratic efforts.
We remain committed to peace and dialogue, and we sincerely hope that with your support, we can build a future where every young person in our region can thrive with dignity and hope.
Respectfully yours,
Eastern Zone Civil Society Alliance for Peace and Justice
April 23, 2025
U.S. Embassy Addis Ababa
British Embassy, Addis Ababa – UK in Ethiopia
African Union
United Nations Human Rights
