Mekelle፡Telaviv, Nairobi, Pretoria, London,April 7፡2025 (Tigray Herald)
Unarmed but Unbroken: A President Betrayed by Guns, Honored by the People”
The Man They Fear Most: President Getachew Reda and the TPLF’s War Against Integrity in
Post-Genocide Tigray
Prepared by: Horn of Africa Geopolitical Review
Contributors: Regional and International Experts in Politics, Security, and Diplomacy
Executive Summary
In the aftermath of the Tigray Genocide—marked by societal collapse, political disillusionment,and economic devastation—President Getachew Reda emerged as a principled reformer and moral leader. Appointed to head the Tigray Interim Regional Government, Mr. Reda championed
dignity, justice, and institutional renewal.
His administration represented the people’s desire for post-genocide reconstruction rooted in transparency and accountability.
That vision, however, has been violently interrupted. A coordinated coup d’état by remnants of the TPLF’s corrupt political and military elite, including their militias, aimed to eliminate Reda—both politically and physically.
This document offers a detailed analysis of Getachew Reda’s leadership, the politically motivated assassination attempts against him, and the broader implications of the coup for Tigray’s future and the Horn of Africa’s fragile peace.
I. A Profile in Integrity: President Getachew Reda’s Reformist Leadership
President Getachew Reda is a statesman defined not by force of arms but by clarity of vision and commitment to democratic values. Amid institutional decay and political manipulation, he advocated for:
Separation of powers
An independent judiciary
Professional and accountable security forces
A neutral, transitional administration free of party militarization.
These positions sharply contrasted with the TPLF’s entrenched model of authoritarian
governance—where state, party, and military were indistinguishable tools of power preservation and elite enrichment. Reda’s leadership marked a critical pivot toward post-genocide transformation, anchored in legality and ethical governance II.
The Assassination Attempts:
Silencing a Voice of Reform
The attempted assassination of President Reda en route to Mekelle Airport, following a prior attempt within the same year, exposes a violent campaign to neutralize reformist forces. These attacks, orchestrated by militias aligned with the Debretsion Gebremichael-led TPLF splinter group, are not isolated incidents—they reflect an organized purge against those threatening the status quo of corruption and impunity. While Reda stands as a leader untouched by illicit wealth or militia alliances, his adversaries command unregulated militias, exploit war economies, and fuel division through propaganda.
The attempt on his life is not only an act of desperation but a declaration of war against the future Tigray deserves.
III. Why the TPLF Splinter Group Fears Getachew Reda
The TPLF’s splinter leadership fears Reda for reasons deeply rooted in moral, ideological, and political insecurity:
- Moral Clarity:
Reda remains untainted by corruption, nepotism, or war profiteering—traits endemic to the TPLF old guard.
- Intellectual Authority: His eloquence and analytical clarity challenge the crude, populist
narratives of TPLF militia leaders. - Institutional Reform:
He opposed the illegitimate occupation of state structures by party loyalists, instead championing transparent governance.
- Public Trust:
Reda’s legitimacy stems from the people, not from party militias or foreign alliances.
This fear of Reda is not based on power but on principle—he represents what they cannot
replicate: credibility, intellect, and conscience.
IV. The Coup: A Political Crime Against Tigray
The coup against President Reda’s administration is more than a betrayal—it is an act of treason against the ideals of justice, accountability, and recovery.
Led by disgruntled commanders and profiteers of war, the coup’s goal is clear: to reinstate a shadow regime built
on theft, violence, and intimidation.
This is not merely a domestic conflict—it is part of a wider trend of military authoritarianism attempting to crush transitional movements across the Horn of Africa. Tigray’s fragile path to peace and reconstruction now hangs in the balance.
V. The Man Without Guns:
A Symbol of Courageous Resistance
President Getachew Reda commands no militia. He owns no foreign villas. He holds no offshore accounts. His only weapons are truth, justice, and the will of a people longing for real change.And that is why they fear him.
In contrast, the TPLF’s armed remnants wear the garments of soldiers but act as agents of
chaos. They shout of patriotism while selling Tigray’s resources and future to foreign powers and private interests.
VI. Key Messages to Tigray and the International Community
Tigray must not surrender its future to criminal networks masquerading as liberation
movements. The international community must condemn and isolate the TPLF-aligned coup plotters.
President Getachew Reda’s vision must be defended as the moral and political foundation for a democratic transition.
The attempted assassinations must be the subject of urgent international inquiry and diplomatic action.
VII. Strategic Recommendations
- International Protection for President Reda:
Immediate diplomatic coordination is required to safeguard his life and liberty. - Establish an Independent Investigative Commission:
Composed of legal professionals, civil society actors, and international observers to investigate the attempted assassinations and related human rights violations.
- Impose Sanctions on Coup Leaders:
Sanctions and travel bans should be enacted against those responsible for political violence,corruption, and war economy crimes. - Mobilize Domestic Support:
Tigrayan intellectuals, youth, civil society, and religious leaders must rally behind Reda’s call for accountability and reform.
VIII. Final Reflections: A Legacy of Unarmed Defiance
History will not remember those who used guns to preserve a dying regime. It will remember those who stood unarmed, unafraid, and uncorrupted. President Getachew Reda’s name will be etched not only in the history of Tigray but in the broader moral narrative of post-genocide recovery and democratic resistance in Africa.
The ideological wall of the TPLF—constructed over 50 years through authoritarianism,
corruption, and violence—has crumbled beyond repair. The era of reform has begun, and President Getachew Reda stands at its helm, not as a man of war, but as a leader of
unshakable purpose.
The TPLF’s War against the people of Tigray was Tragic, but Peace and stability, democracy in Tigray’s will Prevail .
