Source: Addis Standard
Interim leader imparts grave political, security crisis in Tigray amid mounting tension over disallowed protest rally
September 7, 2023
Addis Abeba – Interim president of the Tigray regional state, Getachew Reda, has revealed grave political and security crises in the region in the aftermath of the two-year war that ended in November last year.
In a presser on Wednesday, the president said the security situation in the region has become perilous and that going out has become a luxury. “There is no security situation that warrants safety for us, officials under protection, let alone the ordinary people,” he said.
The president’s remark came amidst rising tension in the region’s capital Mekelle over a disallowed protest rally that was jointly planned for today by three opposition political groups, Tigray Independent Party, Salsay Weyane, and National Congress of Great Tigray (Baytona).
The police in the region detained at least 20 leaders and members of the three opposition parties since 05 September, according to a source from Mekelle. Dejen Mezgebe (PhD), chairperson of the Tigray Independent Party, Hayalu Godifay, chairperson of Salsay Weyane; and Kibrom Berehe, top leader of Baytona were re-arrested yesterday according to Alemseged Aregay, deputy chairperson and head of foreign affairs for the Tigray Independent Party.
The three leaders were initially released from prison after three hours of detention. Eight more opposition party leaders and supporters who were enroute to the Romanat square, where the rally was set to happen, were also arrested, according to Alemseged.
Commenting on the disallowed protest rally, president Getachew stated that the current security situation in the region doesn’t allow such demonstrations to happen. “There is a high security threat in the region and explosives are also found in abundance,” he noted.
He further conveyed that “there are forces that are planning to use this opportunity to incite violence and bring Tigray back into chaos,” said Getachew. He said that “for the sake of public safety, we will talk to the leaders of the protest rally to change the time and venue”.
Getachew stated that efforts have been commenced to re-enlist former security personnel and mobilize the wider community to mitigate the security threats in the region. “We are working to make the courts, police, and other democratic institutions work independently” he noted.
The president asserted that underlying the current security crisis in the region lies political problems. The interim regional government’s attempts to separate government and party lines, according to Getachew, has been perceived as an “anti-TPLF” approach, posing challenges to his administration.
He explained that there are zones and districts that are not willing to be governed under the interim administration and as a result obstructing the administration’s activities.
“There is an organized movement to prevent the interim administration from creating its structures in the zones and districts. This mainly affects the people. What is important is to conclude the work of the interim administration and raise our trust with the federal government to a higher level despite our differences and create a situation where the government elected by the people takes power,” Getachew highlighted.
He went on and said without giving further details that there are entities that allocate budgets and work to obstruct the work of the interim administration. He said that “there are prisons that the government does not know about”.
“We have started taking measures against those who are behind and who committed human rights violations. We will continue to arrest them in the next few days in a campaign. There are people kidnapping people for ransom money, they kidnap Eritreans. Not only Eritreans, but also natives of the region who hail from rich families are being kidnapped,” he revealed.
According to the president, the perpetrators of these crimes have been operating under the guise of different government structures, posing as intelligence officers and workers of various organizations. “It took us a long time to investigate, but starting today, and in the coming days, we will work to bring them to justice,” the president emphasized.
Furthermore, he stated that works are underway, in agreement with the federal government, to restore the Tigray regional state to the pre-war state and return displaced persons to their homes in accordance with the Pretoria agreement and the country’s constitution.
With regard to the embezzlement of food aid in the region leading to the suspension of food aid distribution, Getachew said more than 480 people who were suspected of coordinating the theft of food aid have been arrested.
These are the demands of the opposition parties
Slogans of the Covenant for radical Change peaceful demonstration (they are simple and non-alarming)
1. The struggle for the restoration and securing of the territories of the fatherland
2. Tigrayans who got displaced should return to their homes
3. Those who gamble with the territorial and popular unity of Tigrayans should be discarded
4. Humanitarian aid to the beneficiaries now
5. No one who steals humanitarian aid will escape accountability
6. An administration that does not protect the security of Tigrayans should be discarded
7. Salaries for employees and pensioners
8. Stop the killing of Tigrayans
9. Sexual violence against women in Tigray is violence against Tigray
10. Justice for all Zewdes of Tigray [Zewdu – a woman who was recently killed by unknown assailants]
11. Let a popular and democratic government be established
12. Credible and acceptable political system now
13. Enough with a one-party system
14. Murderers and robbers should be brought to justice
15. Let us set out for radical change
16. The TPLF regime should be removed
17. Tigrayan Nationalism [is] Tigray’s way out
18. Let the voices of our fighters be heard
19. Adequate funds shall be provided for the wounded and disabled
20. The martyrdom [death] of our heroes should be announced honorably
21. The Tigrayan mother waits for the whereabouts of her heroic sons
22. Stop the land grabbing. Let the [land] grabbers be brought to justice.
23. EFFORT [should be transferred] from men of special interest to the public
24. Struggle against the instigators of the genocide; [they should be] held accountable!
25. Let dictatorship be hated and democracy reign
26. Freedom for the people of Tigray
27. Peace, security and safety of the people should be preserved!
28. Input supplies to the farmer now
29. Stop ignoring the basic demands of the people for political reasons
30. International attention to our people who are suffering at the hands of the enemy
31. One Tigray to all of us who are the children of Tigray!
32. It is the natural right of our people to administer themselves!
33. Secret prisons should be closed
34. The rights of those under the custody of the law shall be protected
35. Stop human trafficking
36. The peace and security of our people should be respected
37. We find smuggling contemptible; smugglers should be held accountable
38. Bread for our people
Covenant for radical Change
Martin Plaut 
The interim president of the regional state said that “there are prisons that the government does not know about”. The current criminal gang in Tigray copied all these crimes from the TPLF, which was detaining and torturing Tigrayans who opposed a few members of the then-TPLF leaders during the 17-year-long struggle and after those periods. It is a horrendous tradition handed down to the current riffraff (bad apples) in Tigray. They are committing all kinds of horrible crimes, just like the Eritrean and Amhara invaders. Tigrayan youth have been playing a key role in boosting the rate of sexual assaults committed against Tigrayan women of all ages and all social statuses in Tigray. All these criminals must be locked up, and justice must be served. Such crimes have not been committed in other regions against one’s own community, while one ethnic group is facing genocide and unspeakable atrocities by intruders. Fannos do not harm or attack fannos, and the same is true with OLA, as they adhere to a common principle similar to Ape Shall Not Kill Ape, portrayed in the movie entitled Planet of the Apes. Why are Tigrayans doing these atrocities to Tigrayans and killing Tigrayan women in broad daylight?