Mekelle፡Telaviv, Nairobi, Pretoria, London, (Tigray Herald)
GSTS Stands Against Political Meddling in Civil Society Organizations, NGOs and Private Institutions
The Global Society of Tigray Scholars and Professionals (GSTS) has received credible reports of the partisan institutional capture of the Tigrai Development Association (TDA), an all-Tigrayan-owned and led development organisation, by a faction of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). GSTS denounces this takeover and demands necessary corrective measures in the form of an assembly of all stakeholders be swiftly convened.
Since its founding in Washington, D.C., USA in 1989 by visionary Tigrayans in diaspora, TDA has stood as a beacon of hope for Tigray, working tirelessly to extricate the people of Tigray from poverty, diseases, and illiteracy.
Though formed as a non-partisan organisation, TDA’s promising progress faced political interference emanating from the 2001 TPLF factional, internal schism that set TDA’s institutional leadership in turmoil. Political interference steadily intensified, ultimately leading institutional capture of TDA overshadowing its core mission.
The political interference has now reached a new level of institutional capture in the recent 12th TDA congress held on 26-27 April 2025 in the capital city of Tigray, Mekelle. During the Congress, there was massive opposition and walkouts by representatives from Tigray’s South and Southeast Zones, independent observers from all political parties, and alumni. Those who opposed and walked out cited a politically motivated conspiracy to seize control of the Board of Governance of the association.
Furthermore, it has been reported that the Authority for Civil Society Organizations (ACSO) cited serious misconduct and advised against the continuation of the assembly, but the rest of the participants, ignoring the walkout and legal advice, pushed through for the continuation of the congress and got their representatives elected to the TDA Board. Prior to the Congress, GSTS learned that a list of names of eleven (11) individuals residing in Tigray – including high-profile current leaders of the political Party, allegedly hand-picked by the TPLF head office, had been circulated among their loyal delegates. Ultimately, all of these individuals were installed: nine (9) to the Board of Directors and the remaining two (2) to the Monitoring Commission of TDA.
This action is part of TPLF’s broader ongoing strategy for hegemonic control over economic resources, and all civic and business institutions with political constituencies in violation of universally accepted principles of non-partisan public and civic institutions.
GSTS condemns the political manipulation over TDA in the strongest possible terms and calls for an end to partisan interference in the internal governance of civic societies, NGOs, and private institutions. As a corrective, and to ensure the survival of a vibrant TDA and deter similar partisan institutional capture, GSTS calls for a new and inclusive assembly of all stakeholders conducted by independent Tigrayan personalities who will not take any leadership position in TDA.
The Global Society of Tigray Scholars and
Professionals (GSTS)
30 April, 2025
