Arena Tigray for Democracy and Sovereignty, an opposition party operating in Tigray, has called for accountability over crimes committed during the region’s two-year war, warning that the “lack of accountability” has led to a renewed “desire for war.”
In a press briefing held on 04 September 2024, Amdom Gebreselassie, the party’s chairman, emphasized that the absence of justice for those responsible is contributing to the potential for future hostilities.
“We are seeing the paths leading to war once again,” Amdeom noted, adding that “the sounding of the drums of war stems from the lack of accountability for the war of the past two years.”
The chairman further stated that “whether from TPLF, Eritrean forces, or the Prosperity Party side, the responsible parties for the war have not been held accountable,” contributing to a continued “desire for war.”
The statement from the opposition party comes against the backdrop of internal tensions within the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), where a rift has developed between TPLF Chairman Debretsion Gebremichael and Getachew Reda, President of the Tigray interim administration.
Previously, three opposition parties in Tigray—Salsay Weyane Tigray, Tigray Independence Party, and National Congress of Great Tigray—criticized the TPLF, describing it as “clearly in a state of decay” and accused the party of attempting “to maintain its grip on power through force.”
They also called for the formation of an inclusive regional government.
In its statement, Arena Tigray described the division as “a reckless approach that poses a danger to Tigray.”
The party attributed the division to “personal and factional interests” and warned that deliberate attempts to escalate the division risk drawing the public into further conflict.
Amdom alleged that the two factions within the TPLF are “engaging in mutual accusations,” with “one faction aligning with Addis Abeba and the other with Asmara.”
He added that Arena Tigray is aware that “one of these factions has ties with Eritrea.”
During a briefing on 21 August, 2024, Lieutenant General Tadesse Werede, Deputy President of Tigray’s interim administration and Head of the Cabinet Secretariat for Peace and Security, emphasized that “only indigenous Tigrayans participate in local political affairs” and firmly rejected any external interference.
“We are steadfastly committed to resolving political differences through constructive dialogue and turning them into opportunities for progress,” Lieutenant General Tadesse stated.
He further assured the public that significant efforts are underway to prevent political disagreements from escalating into security threats within the Tigray region.
Tadesse declared, urging leaders to approach disagreements with “an open-minded perspective and pursue political solutions.”