Mekelle፡Telaviv, Nairobi, Pretoria, London, (Tigray Herald)
Raya Diaspora Group Issues Urgent Appeal Over “Unconstitutional Interference” by Tigray Interim Administration
Canadian-based humanitarian organization representing the Tigrean Raya diaspora has issued a public appeal to national and international stakeholders, alleging unlawful interference in local governance by the Tigray Interim Administration and senior leaders of the TPLF.
In a letter addressed to the Office of the Prime Minister, the House of Federation, the Ministry of Justice, and international bodies including the African Union and diplomatic missions in Ethiopia, the Raya Development Foundation (RDF) condemned what it described as the “illegal replacement” of locally elected leaders in Southern Tigray.
The group warned that recent actions by the TPLF and Interim President Lieutenant General Tadesse Werede amount to a “politically motivated usurpation” of Raya’s autonomous governance and a violation of the Pretoria Peace Agreement signed in November 2022.
“These actions are occurring without legal basis, community consent, or constitutional process,” the letter stated, adding that the military-backed imposition of new leadership has sparked widespread fear and unrest among civilians in the Raya area.
Claims of Peace Agreement Violation
The group outlined key provisions of the Pretoria deal, including the restoration of constitutional order, cessation of hostilities, and the resolution of disputed areas through legal channels not military force.
“At no point does the agreement permit the removal of local authority in the Raya area by force,” RDF wrote.
Self-Determination Narrative Under Scrutiny
The letter also criticized Interim President Tadesse Werede, a former senior TPLF commander, for what the group called a “betrayal” of his previous advocacy for regional self-determination.
“He once championed the right to self-determination but now actively undermines it by attempting to install centrally appointed agents over community-elected representatives,” the group alleged.
Raya, which straddles the Tigray-Amhara regional boundary, has long been home to complex political and ethnic dynamics. RDF’s statement referenced historical grievances, warning that the latest developments risk “inflaming tensions the peace process was meant to resolve.”
RDF’s Five-Point Demand
In its appeal, the Raya Development Foundation urged the Ethiopian federal government and international stakeholders to:
Publicly reject attempts to replace elected leaders in Raya;
Launch a federal investigation into the Interim Administration’s conduct;
Deploy monitors to protect civilians from political coercion;
Uphold Raya’s constitutional right to self-governance;
Reaffirm the legitimacy and limits of the Pretoria Agreement.
“Peace Must Be Built on Justice”
The group concluded by warning that any attempt to impose political control under the guise of peace risks triggering renewed violence.
“The misuse of the Pretoria Agreement to impose political dominance over Raya is not peace it is the prelude to renewed conflict,” the letter reads.
The Ethiopian government has not issued a formal response to the appeal. Calls and emails to the Office of the Prime Minister and the House of Federation requesting comment were not immediately returned.
The African Union High-Level Panel overseeing the implementation of the Pretoria Agreement has also not responded to the allegations.
Meanwhile, reports from local sources in Raya confirm a growing climate of tension, following the recent replacement of zonal leadership structures by individuals perceived as TPLF loyalists.
The situation remains fluid.
