Ethiopia: Salsay Weyane Tigray Says Dispute Over ‘Technicalities’ of TPLF Legal Status Undermining Coha – Warns of Renewed Conflict
Addis Abeba– Salsay Weyane Tigray, an opposition party in the Tigray region, said an emerging dispute over “the technicalities” of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF)’s legal status is “being used to completely undermine” the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CoHA), warning that this could increase the risk of renewed war in the region.
In a statement issued on May 5, the party said “the core demand of the people of Tigray”–which it listed as the restoration of constitutional order and the return of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees–“remains ignored” by both the federal government and the facilitators and observers of the Pretoria deal. It further cited “the arming of criminal elements involved in serious ethnic cleansing” in Western Tigray as a factor that continues to “obstruct the return of IDPs,” leaving thousands “trapped in dire camp conditions.”
Describing the situation as “dangerous,” Salsay Weyane called on the international community, particularly the African Union, to give the issue “immediate attention.” It urged external actors to pressure the federal government to meet what it described as obligations under the CoHA, including “the return of IDPs and refugees, the restoration of the territorial status quo ante,” and the prevention of actions that could “lead to renewed conflict.”
The statement from the opposition comes days after the TPLF warned that the failure to reinstate its legal recognition could pose a “serious threat” to the Pretoria peace agreement, with less than two weeks remaining before the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) is expected to revoke its status. The move follows a three-month suspension imposed by NEBE, citing the party’s “failure to fulfill legal obligations, including holding a general assembly.” The Board warned that if “corrective actions” were not taken, the party’s legal status would be “fully revoked.”
NEBE had initially revoked the TPLF’s registration in January 2021, citing its “involvement in armed conflict.” In May 2023, the party requested the reversal of that decision, referencing the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement signed in November 2022.
However, NEBE later responded that the legal framework provided “no basis to reinstate the party’s original legal status.” The House of People’s Representatives subsequently ratified an amended ‘Electoral, Political Parties Registration, and Electoral Ethics Proclamation,’ allowing outlawed political groups to regain legal status if they “renounce violence and agree to operate peacefully.” TPLF rejected the framework, stating that while “it may work for other groups like Fano, who are not established as a party before,” it would “never register as a new party.”
More recently, in a communiqué issued on May 3 following a three-day consultative conference of senior and mid-level leadership, TPLF reiterated that it “rejects” the direction given by the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) to register as a new political entity. TPLF argued that such a move contradicts the Pretoria Agreement by reducing a political question to a “mere technical issue.”
In its statement, the party said that “its recognition is determined by the people of Tigray,” and called for its legal personality to be restored in accordance with the terms of the Pretoria deal.
It further stated that the failure to fully implement the CoHA stems from “the mishandling of the interim administration by a faction that controlled it,” a “lack of political commitment from the federal government,” and what it described as the mediators’ limited willingness “to implement the agreement as a package beyond demobilization.”
Despite acknowledging that the agreement brought relative calm, the party said its incomplete implementation has meant that “our people in exile, in shelters, and under occupation continue to suffer from hunger, disease, and death.” It warned that civilians in areas controlled by what it called “invading forces” are not only being deprived of their rights but are also facing “a systematic effort to eliminate them.”
Crédito: Link de origem