Ebola Outbreak in DR Congo Kills One Person Every 30 Minutes

Getachew Reda has accused the leadership of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front of moving away from a peaceful resolution of its dispute with Ethiopia’s federal government and toward renewed armed confrontation. In a lengthy article published on X, he argued that the TPLF leadership has now openly embraced a position it had previously denied, including cooperation with internal and external forces opposed to the federal government.

Getachew said the dispute was no longer centered only on unresolved issues under the Pretoria Agreement, including the restoration of territories claimed by Tigray. According to him, the political objective has expanded toward removing the Prosperity Party-led federal government from power.

He cited remarks attributed to the head of the TPLF secretariat that “the security of the people of Tigray can only be assured on the grave of the Prosperity Party led regime,” a statement Getachew strongly condemned. He argued that linking the security of Tigray’s population to the downfall of the federal government was incompatible with the responsibility of political leaders to protect their own people.

Getachew said the rhetoric suggested that the TPLF leadership was prepared to expose Tigray to another conflict in pursuit of a wider political objective. He described the position as dangerous for a population that has already suffered heavily from years of war, displacement and instability.

He also accused the TPLF leadership of developing an alliance with the government of Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki and other forces opposed to Addis Ababa. According to Getachew, the alleged cooperation shows that the political goal has moved beyond seeking full implementation of the Pretoria peace agreement.

“The goal posts have shifted and the ultimate goal is the overthrow of the federal government, consequences be damned,” he wrote.

Getachew said he did not believe such an objective could succeed, but warned that an attempt to pursue it militarily could have devastating consequences for both Tigray and Ethiopia. He argued that another conflict could threaten the survival and security of Tigray’s population while destabilizing the wider Horn of Africa.

He was particularly critical of any cooperation between the TPLF leadership and Eritrea, given Eritrea’s role in the previous war in Tigray. Getachew described such an alliance as a serious danger and accused President Isaias of seeking to use Tigray as a buffer against perceived threats from the Ethiopian federal government.

Getachew also pointed to the recent clash in Shererina as evidence of what he described as escalating military preparations. He claimed that weapons and ammunition captured during the confrontation showed that broader military objectives were involved, rather than efforts focused solely on unresolved issues affecting the people of Tigray.

He further alleged that covert movements of heavy military equipment into Tigray or other parts of Ethiopia posed a serious threat to peace and stability. According to Getachew, the lives lost during the brief confrontation should serve as a warning of the scale of destruction that could follow if the current tensions develop into a wider war.

In one of the strongest parts of his message, Getachew directly appealed to members of Tigray’s armed forces to reject another conflict. He argued that their priority should be the survival and peace of the people of Tigray rather than the political survival of individual leaders.

“To the rank and file: tell those who are frittering your lives away that enough is enough,” he wrote.

Getachew said the only viable option for Tigray was to use every remaining opportunity to resolve its political and security challenges peacefully. He stressed that the survival of the people should come before political ambitions.

“The only path that can save us is to use whatever capacity and opportunities remain to resolve peacefully the existential question confronting our people. We must first survive as a people,” he said.

Getachew also addressed Ethiopia’s federal government, calling on it to remain committed to the full implementation of the Pretoria Agreement, exercise restraint and keep all possible channels for a peaceful resolution open.

At the same time, he urged the international community to increase monitoring of military activity in the region, including cross-border movements, and called for political and military actors to be held accountable for actions that could provoke renewed conflict. He also called for greater military transparency and stronger protection of civilians.

Getachew concluded his article with a direct warning to the international community: “Silence in the face of preparations for war is complicity.”