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11/16/2020 Ethiopia (International Christian Concern) – As Ethiopia approaches two weeks of armed conflict in its northern region of Tigray, the international community is increasing its demands for peace talks between the federal government and regional leaders of Tigray.
The TPLF, a political party from Tigray, ruled Ethiopia for decades before being ousted by current Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and his Prosperity Party in 2018. The people of Tigray make up about 5% of the ethnically divided population of the country. Ethiopia.
The TPLF was scrutinized by the federal government in September when it held regional elections, despite Ahmed’s orders to delay all elections until 2021, presumably due to concerns over COVID. The delay in the elections extended Ahmed’s rule as Prime Minister far beyond his elected term, leading to criticism from national opposition parties and some in the international community.
Tensions turned violent in early November as federal troops massed near the Tigray border and Tigray troops stormed a federal military facility in the region. Since then, the fighting has continued with hundreds of deaths reported. The conflict extended beyond international borders over the weekend after the TPLF accused Eritrea of joining the fight against Tigray. The TPLF hit the Eritrean capital Asmara with missiles, targeting the city’s airport and other government facilities.
Human rights groups such as Amnesty International have condemned the attacks on civilians, while the United Nations warned of a humanitarian crisis that would affect millions if the fighting continued. The Ecumenical Council of Churches condemned the violence committed against civilians and called for peace talks rather than keep fighting.
Both sides seem opposed to the idea of starting peace talks. Ahmed portrays the TPLF as a disgruntled junta that will soon be closed. Ahmed’s office insists the fighting “will be a short-lived operation”. The TPLF accuses the federal government of invading its territory and with reports of up to 250,000 Tigrinya soldiers they may be able to support that request for some time.
Meanwhile, tens of thousands of Ethiopian refugees have fled to neighboring Sudan and hundreds of thousands more face severe food shortages or being caught between warring sides as the conflict rages. Refugees tell of ethnic killings, with Tigray forces targeting Ahmara in the region and federal troops apparently targeting Tigray people.
Regardless of the merit of either side’s arguments, both must pay attention to the cost in innocent life of continuing to fight. The political tensions at stake can be discussed and peace can be achieved if the parties are willing to sit down and discuss their grievances. And they must, or many other innocent Ethiopians will die senselessly.
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