Mekelle፡Telaviv, Nairobi, Pretoria, London, (Tigray Herald).
“Enough is Enough”: Addis Ababa Forum Calls for Democratic Exit from Tigray’s Crisis
A high-level forum convened in Addis Ababa today under the banner “Peace, Democracy, and Development in Tigray: Opportunities and Challenges”, bringing together political leaders, civil society actors, and federal officials to confront the deepening crisis in Tigray.
Organized by the Center for Responsible and Peaceful Politics, the gathering focused on what many described as a multi-layered emergency gripping the northern region encompassing security breakdowns, political disillusionment, and societal fragmentation.
“A Clear and Courageous Stand Is Needed”
Opening the forum, speakers stressed that Tigray’s ongoing instability can no longer be ignored or deferred. “Tigray is trapped in a security, political, and social crisis,” one organizer said. “To emerge from this, there must be a **clear and courageous declaration that says: ‘Enough is enough.’”
The event brought together a diverse range of voices: representatives from federal institutions, opposition party leaders, scholars, youth activists, media professionals, and civil society groups many of whom urged for urgent de-escalation and democratic reform.
Getachew Reda Warns Against TPLF-Driven Conflict
Among the most notable voices was Mr. Getachew Reda, Ethiopia’s Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for East African Affairs and former head of the Tigray Interim Administration. In a pointed address, Getachew warned that Tigrayan youth are being manipulated into a new war by a small group of TPLF elites.
“This is not the war of the people,” he said. “It is a war being orchestrated by five individuals, and our youth must not be sacrificed again for a conflict that serves no democratic cause.”
Shewit Gebreegzabher from Mekele University criticized the TPLF’s emerging cooperation with the Eritrean government, calling it “a dark and dangerous partnership” that betrays not only Tigray’s sovereignty, but undermines Eritrea’s as well. He urged the federal government to take decisive action to address the issue before it spirals into a wider regional crisis.
Scholars and Civil Society Echo the Alarm
Mr. Getachew’s comments were reinforced by voices from academia and grassroots movements. Shewit Gebregiher, a lecturer at Mekelle University, warned that Tigray’s post-war trajectory is veering off course and becoming dangerously volatile.
“If there is no democratic legitimacy, no elections, no inclusion, and no peaceful dialogue, then we are walking into another abyss,” Shewit said, urging both the regional and federal governments to take meaningful steps toward stabilization.
Civil society participants called for inclusive governance, transitional justice, and the reactivation of independent civic institutions that have been weakened since the war. Many demanded that the youth, women, and displaced persons be given a seat at the table in any political resolution process.
Hope Through Dialogue But Time Is Running Out
While today’s forum was hailed as a constructive step, several speakers noted that time is running out to prevent Tigray’s internal political tensions from erupting into open conflict.
“Tigray cannot afford another war not externally imposed, and certainly not internally driven,” said one civil society leader from the diaspora. “This crisis must be solved through dialogue, not gunfire. Through ballots, not bullets.”
As the region continues to face humanitarian challenges and delays in reconstruction, today’s event was a rare moment of open dialogue on a national platform. Whether that dialogue will lead to action remains uncertain but for many in attendance, the message was clear:
“Tigray must choose peace. And it must choose it now.”
