“Eritrean troops continue to occupy parts of Tigray, especially the border areas such as the Irob region and this is a responsibility of the Ethiopian federal government because the Pretoria agreement provides for the withdrawal of foreign soldiers from the territory. However, we also want to make peace with the Eritreans, we must no longer talk about war.” Getachew Reda
Source: Avveniee
Paolo Lambruschi Saturday 16 November 2024
Two years after the Pretoria agreements, Getachew Reda, president of the war-torn northern Ethiopian region, speaks. The Tigrayan leader attended the Cuamm meeting in Turin
“Italy is one of the few countries that is helping the wounded Tigrai to recover. But now the help of the entire international community is needed to rebuild the system and find the difficult balance between justice and peace.”
Two years after the Pretoria agreement – fragile but resilient – between the regional state of northern Ethiopia and the central government and four years after the civil war that caused 800 thousand deaths and brought destruction everywhere, Getachew Reda , 49, president of Tigrai , arrived in Italy, at the Lingotto in Turin, to participate in the annual meeting of Cuamm doctors with Africa. The Tigray leader, popular among his people for his choice to negotiate with the Ethiopian federal government of Abiy Ahmed to put an end to the fighting, became president of the interim administration 24 months ago that is trying to rebuild the devastated region.
Has the humanitarian situation in Tigrai improved today?
There has been progress in these two years, but several areas are still not controlled by the interim administration and are occupied by forces from other nations (Eritrea, ed.). Over a million displaced people are therefore living in extremely difficult conditions, they cannot return to their homes and take back their lands especially in western Tigrai. The main problems are health, education and food security. The civil war has greatly damaged agriculture and other economic activities, putting a large part of the Tigrayan population in difficulty, who depends on humanitarian aid. Hospitals, schools and public facilities have been targeted and damaged or destroyed and there is a long way to go to rebuild and ensure services. At least there is no fighting in most of the territories and the Pretoria agreements hold and the guns are silent. This is an important result given the many pressures to continue the war.
How does the population react?
With anger and frustration because the peace agreement cannot be implemented and the displaced are forced to live in schools and camps. We are a resilient people, but this great suffering could have been avoided. Sick people, mothers, children are dying for lack of food and medicine and the anger is growing. After the Pretoria agreements, relations with Addis Ababa were restored. We work together with the federal ministers, there are areas where we could do better, but we cooperate.
Is a peaceful solution to the issue of Western Tigray disputed between Tigrayans and Amhara possible?
There are no alternatives, the goal is for peace to be respected by all and to become lasting. We must create a platform to re-establish personal relationships between people, we must make the population talk to the displaced who must be able to return home. We continue to work knowing that you can’t always get the best.
How are relations between Ethiopia and Eritrea?
Eritrean troops continue to occupy parts of Tigray, especially the border areas such as the Irob region and this is a responsibility of the Ethiopian federal government because the Pretoria agreement provides for the withdrawal of foreign soldiers from the territory. However, we also want to make peace with the Eritreans, we must no longer talk about war. However, we believe that an international mechanism to dispense justice is imperative, we cannot negotiate without acknowledging responsibility. We must find those who have been accused of violence against civilians and women. Alongside the Ethiopian federal army in Tigray there were external forces from other countries, so an international commission must be created.
And how is Italy helping you?
It is one of the few countries that is exemplarily ensuring, through cooperation, resources for projects for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of hospitals and health centers, the supply of medicines and medical supplies. In particular, what Cuamm is doing in Tigrai is exemplary and encouraging. Italian cooperation is doing a lot to safeguard our cultural heritage.
Are Tigray’s deep political divisions threatening peace?
There are divisions, it is true, but we need unity to move forward. Our people ask only for peace.
Martin Plaut 
Short and interesting interview with Getachew Reda , 49, president of Tigray. From the interview, we learn about the socio-political situation from the point of view of his ruling administration, the failure to move foreign troops out – Eritrea, the devastation of the region’s economy, the situation in health and education, displaced people, food insecurity, attempts to establish peace talks with Eritrea and the endless humanitarian crisis. They gave a perfunctory response to the political split within the TPLF. And what is interesting here is Italy’s involvement in these processes. The diplomatic posture of this country, which has its interests at heart because of its former imperial and historical motives, can give an attitude to create a broader coalition to normalize the situation in the region but also put pressure on TPLF politicians, who autocratically ruled Ethiopia for 27 years and have ruled Tigray for 33 years, to leave he monopoly system of power, exercised full military control and controlled the security services of the region, used against the constitutional freedoms of citizens and repression of the opposition, controlled the media indoctrinating the public and not giving access to them to a constructive opposition. This seems to me to be a legacy of the misguided policies towards Ethiopia by the responsible US and EU departments. This needs to stop and the policy needs to be tuned to new realities, social expectations, which are diametrically opposed to those created by Ethiopia’s politicized media and the world media. If we begin to see this more broadly and include the opposition, local civil society representatives and NGOs, there is a chance for peace not only in this region but all of Ethiopia. Pressure must be brought to bear on those whose policies have led to the current situation and are leading to escalating internal conflicts, economic collapse, international isolation and a dictatorial model of governance based on the imperialist inclinations of countries such as Russia, China, Iran, Turkey, the UAE, Qatar and Egypt. We have a chance to change this I am optimistic about it.