Tigray People’s Liberation Front set out conditions it says must be fulfilled before hundreds of thousands of internally displaced Tigrayans can return to Western Tigray, accusing the Federal government of failing to fully implement key provisions of the Pretoria agreement.
Speaking at a press briefing in Mekelle on Wednesday, TPLF’s spokesperson, Michaele Asgedom, said the party demands the withdrawal of Amhara forces, dismantling of the administration established by the Amhara government and for the removal of settlers who arrived during thewar. The party also demanded that administration and security in Western Tigray be overseen by the Interim administration and Tigrayan security forces.
The party said it will not accept any repatriation efforts that are carried out unilaterally or without ensuring oversight by the Tigray Interim Administration and the Tigray security forces.
“IDPs will not return while those who committed genocide yesterday remain in the area,” the TPLF spokesperson said. The TPLF criticized what it described as the federal government’s attempts to initiate a limited airlift of Tigrayans into Western Tigray to portray wrong image and claim the starting of IDP repatriation.
During the press briefing the party spokesperson also addressed TPLF’s disputed legal status which the party says was revoked illegally by the national election board, asserting that it was part of a broader effort by the Abiy Ahmed led federal government to marginalize the TPLF politically.
According to the spokesperson, this revocation undermines the spirit and letter of the Pretoria Agreement, which was signed between the TPLF and the Federal government. The party accused Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s administration of seeking to sideline the party ahead of upcoming elections. It warned that it will reject attempts by the federal government to hold elections unilaterally or to replace TPLF with allied groups.
“An election in Tigray that does not involve the TPLF will not happen,” The spokesperson said reiterating that restoring TPLF’s legal status is non-negotiable.
Commenting on the recently growing accusations of ties with the Eritrean government, the TPLF denied the accusations that it has been conducting secret negotiations with the Eritrean government to prepare for military action against the federal government. The party called the claims “fabricated lies.”
“There are no official relations or discussions with the Eritrean government,” the spokesperson said. “Any suggestion otherwise is baseless and cannot be proven.”
The party said it merely supports people-to-people relations between communities in Tigray and neighboring Afar, Amhara, Eritrea and Sudan for peaceful coexistence, but stressed this does not amount to political or military coordination. The TPLF also expressed concern over rising tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea, warning that any renewed conflict could make Tigray a “center of destruction.” The party called for a peaceful resolution to avoid further destabilization in the already volatile region.