Mekelle፡Telaviv, Nairobi, Pretoria, London, (Tigray Herald)
H.E. Mr. Marco Rubio, Secretary of StateUnited States Department of State
Subject: Call for immediate de-escalation & peaceful resolution of the conflict
Your Excellency, Mr. Marco Rubio,We, members of the I Can’t Be Silent About Tigray, a coalition of various Tigrayan pro-democracy groups in the diaspora, are writing this letter to draw your attention to the deteriorating security situation in Tigray, Ethiopia & HoA and plea for swift action to stop the looming threat of another devastating war with potential to destabilize the entire Horn of Africa region.
We witnessed a coup in Tigray on March 13, 2025 when the hard-liner TPLF faction led by Dr. Debretsion,supported by renegade generals, seized control of major towns & detained local officials. Following the coup, the renegade generals & the hard-liner TPLF faction are accusing the Federal government of Ethiopia, the AU, US & EU of pushing the implementation of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement & are advocating for “collaboration” with the dictatorial regime of Eritrea.We believe the Godfather of the evil mission is the brutal Eritrean regime that’s been behind this whole chaos in HOA at large & that without holding its leaders accountable alongside their counterparts in Tigray,it is not possible to ensure sustainable peace.The people of Tigray went through one of the most brutal genocides in recent memory.
The genocidal war killed and displaced millions throughout the region. It destroyed schools, hospitals, factories, and other critical infrastructure, resulting in a catastrophic humanitarian situation. While the signing of the Pretoria CoHA in November 2022 brought some respite and hope to a region in full-blown humanitarian crisis, the suffering in Tigray continues unabated. Our people continue to face unimaginable hardship placed on them by forces inside and outside of Tigray.Inside Tigray, an illegal faction of the TPLF led by former President of Tigray Dr. Debretsion, former VicePresident Ms. Fetlework Gebregzabher, Mr. Amanuel Assefa & Mr. Getachew Assefa are total spoilers & some Army Generals allied to this illegal faction of TPLF are engaged in full-time obstruction of the political and administrative process.
These Generals ousted the President of the Tigray Interim Administration (TIRA) & members of the administration by force against the Pretoria peace agreement. The assassination plot against President Getachew Reda, Vice President Tsadkan Gebretenssie & Mr. Asefa Abraha orchestrated by the Gang of 4 & the renegade Generals, is documented.Currently, several officials of the interim administration, opposition party members, and other personalities have gone underground due to the looming threat of mass arrest and attack by armed forces loyal to the Gang of 4.Most importantly, these military leaders have become adversarial to peace and stability in the region, using the threat of war and violence to terrorize the people of Tigray into accepting the reinstatement of the defunct TPLF oligarchy that they were beneficiaries of.
They abolish the Pretoria CoHA & the Nairobi executive declaration and raise the specter of a wider conflict that will destabilize the entire Horn of Africa.The names of these military leaders are:
1. General Migbe Haile
2.General Yohannes WoldeGiorgis
3.General HaileSelassie Girmay
4.General Masho Beyene
5.General Fisha Kidanu
One of the greatest impediments to the full implementation of the Pretoria CoHA & the Nairobi executive declaration is the deliberate obstruction of it by key stakeholders. The TPLF faction led by Dr Debretsion and its guardian Generals sabotaged plans for the return of IDPs. As a result, millions remain forcibly displaced, with thousands seeking refuge in war-torn Sudan as Tigray remains trapped in a state of violence and lawlessness. By actively undermining the Pretoria CoHA from day one and paralyzing the Tigray Interim Administration, these Generals have deliberately sabotaged peace efforts, prolonging instability, exacerbating humanitarian crises, and pushing the region deeper into crisis.The TPLF faction led by Marxist Leninist ideology has had total control over everything in Tigray for the last 50 years, and it is committed to maintaining it at any cost.
Infuriated by widespread demands for political reform, these Generals and their TPLF faction have mobilized all their resources into the creation and sustenance of anarchy that has already made parts of Tigray inaccessible even to the government of Ethiopia. Using the threat of violence, they continue to allow criminal networks to flourish, dimming all prospects for peace, stability, and recovery in the war-torn region. In clear violation of the Pretoria CoHA, key figures of the TPLF oligarchy have re-established their relationship and are conspiring with Eritrean dictator Isaias Afwerki in a bid to reclaim lost power through violence. With Eritrea actively seeking to provoke another regional war, this collusion poses an imminent threat not only to Tigray but to the entire Horn of Africa, exacerbating geopolitical tensions and endangering global trade and stability.The humanitarian situation in Tigray is dire. Poverty is at record levels, and youth unemployment stands at 81%. Taking advantage of this situation, the TPLF oligarchy, its Generals, and the Eritrean government are engaged in extensive human trafficking operations stretching from Eritrea to Ethiopia, the Sahara, and beyond.
They prey upon desperate Tigrayan youth by offering false promises of safe passage to Libya and Europe. As a result, countless individuals are subjected to torture and extortion, and many thousands perish in the Sahara Desert or drown in the Mediterranean as victims of ruthless smuggling operations. It is estimated that nearly 100,000 young Tigrayans have already fled the region, an exodus that not only threatens the survival of the Tigrayan community but also worsens the global migration crisis for the international community.
Dear Mr. Secretary,The army Generals that Tigray once hailed as leaders of its resistance to genocide have turned into warlords. They have become tools of oppression and guardians of an oligarchy that is adversarial to peace and stability in Tigray & Horn of Africa at large. They are heavily involved in illicit mining, human trafficking, torture,and the creation and sustenance of anarchy. Their alliance with the Eritrean dictator can only mean more war and devastation for the restive region. It is, therefore, for this reason that we call upon your government to take swift action to stop the looming threat of violence, one that will destabilize the entire Horn of Africa region. In particular.Failure to take decisive action against these individuals will embolden further lawlessness, guarantee the making of a new war and intensify human suffering.
Most importantly, it will accelerate the total collapse of law and order in the Horn of Africa region with serious implications to global trade and security as well as US interests in the region.
Dear Mr. Secretary,
While the challenges faced by Tigray are extensive and cannot all be enumerated here, the aforementioned issues are critical and demand urgent attention. Therefore, we propose the following action:The international community must hold accountable the TPLF faction led by Dr. Debretsion and the renegade Generals who forcefully controlled the Tigray administration and worked with the Eritrean Dictator against the CoHA.Mr. Secretary,Given what is at stake, we implore you to please use the awesome power of you good office to prevent another devastating war, halt human rights abuses & restore hope for the people of Tigray & the broader HOA.
The time for action is now- inaction is not an option. The extremist political cult in Tigray, supported by the Eritrean dictator, aggression against the FDRE is an attack on international law & a crime against Peace.We believe a just peace must be long-lasting & stable, with the restoration of the principles of international law. This involves the aggressor’s defeat & full implementation of the #CoHA, but also includes measures aimed at restoring proper relations between Ethiopia, Eritrea & Tigray as well as healing the wounds caused by the war: the disclosure of truth & identification of criminal actors, political apologies & forgiveness, memorials & local reconciliation forums.
Dear Mr. Secretary,
To achieve a just peace & ensure the full implementation of the CoHA, we urge the USA to use very clear language to condemn the Eritrean regime & the extremist political cult in Tigray acts against Ethiopia & Tigray in particular, & to ensure war criminals are prosecuted. Unpunished evil continues to cause still more damage.Tigray is facing terrible challenges today.
The evil is real; we have seen the actions of the Eritrean regime troops against our people. The voices of the innocently murdered, ruthlessly tortured, brutally raped, and forcibly leaving as refugees & IDPs are calling out to the world’s conscience
Respectfully,
The “I Cannot Be Silent About Tigray” MovementEmail: cantbesilent4tigray@gmail.com
CC:• H.E. Dr. Abiy Ahmed, Prime Minister, Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia• H.E. Workneh Gebeyeh, Executive Secretary of IGAD• H.E. Getachew Reda, Minister Advisor for East African Affairs• H.E. Binalf Andualem Ashene, Ambassador of the FDRE to the USA• The UNHCR Representative in Sudan• H.E. Uhuru Kenyatta, Former President of Kenya, Envoy for the Horn of Africa • H.E. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Former Deputy President of South Africa3
