UMD Media, December 11, 2024
Amid intensifying internal divisions within the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), the faction led by Debretsion Gebremichael has released a detailed three-page statement in Tigrigna, accusing the faction led by Getachew Reda of “national treason.” The statement comes just days after members of both factions and the Tigray Interim Regional Administration met with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in Addis Ababa. This public condemnation underscores the widening rift within the party as it navigates the challenges of leadership, governance, and national interest.
In early August, the TPLF convened its 14th party congress to assess Tigray’s political situation and chart a course out of the ongoing crisis. The congress highlighted the need for leadership adjustments to effectively oversee the missions of the interim administration while safeguarding the national interests of Tigray. During this process, the central committee identified political weaknesses among certain leaders representing the TPLF in the interim administration. These leaders were accused of corruption, treason, and failure to fulfill their responsibilities, leading to the decision to revoke their representation.
Efforts to implement these decisions in line with the Pretoria Agreement are ongoing. On November 19, 2024, TPLF representatives met with the Ethiopian government to discuss replacing the interim administration’s president. However, the Ethiopian government deferred the matter, proposing its review alongside the performance evaluation of the interim administration. On December 5, 2024, representatives from the TPLF and the interim administration held further discussions with the Ethiopian Prime Minister and senior officials.
Despite initial agreements to focus on the performance of the interim administration under the Pretoria Agreement, the discussions reportedly veered off course, targeting the TPLF itself. The TPLF representatives resisted this shift and emphasized the need to adhere to the original agenda. As part of its leadership adjustments, the central committee proposed a neutral candidate from the defense forces to serve as the interim administration’s president, considering the region’s volatile political climate. However, this proposal remains unresolved due to the Ethiopian government’s request for further review.
In its statement, the TPLF Central Committee, led by Debretsion, accused a faction within the interim administration of engaging in activities that jeopardize Tigray’s national interests. This faction, allegedly acting in alignment with self-serving agendas, has been described as betraying the region to the Ethiopian government—a move the central committee labeled “unforgivable treason.”
The accusations include claims that the faction defamed the Tigray army by alleging crimes and pushing for its immediate disarmament under the guise of DDR (Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration). The committee argued that such actions ignored Tigray’s precarious security situation. Additionally, the faction proposed integrating the Tigray army into the Ethiopian National Defense Forces without sufficient safeguards, a move viewed as compromising Tigray’s autonomy.
The faction is also accused of undermining the Tigray army’s autonomy by advocating for its control under the interim administration until the DDR process is completed. It reportedly shifted blame for unresolved issues, such as disputes over mining operations in the northwest, onto the TPLF leadership and the army, claiming a lack of control. Moreover, the statement accuses the faction of using these issues and obstructing rapprochement with Eritrea as pretexts to repeatedly call for Ethiopian federal forces to enter Tigray.
Further allegations include efforts to weaken Tigray’s representation under the Pretoria Agreement by asking the Ethiopian government to determine the rightful representatives for the region. The faction also called for the dissolution of local councils in woredas, cities, and stations, undermining the people’s right to self-governance. Lastly, the faction refrained from demanding the return of EFFORT’s seized assets, focusing instead on the return of personnel and vehicles under the Tigray army’s control.
The Debretsion-led TPLF Central Committee declared these actions a historic betrayal of Tigray’s national interests. It accused the faction of working to dismantle the TPLF and the Tigray army, institutions that have long safeguarded the region’s sovereignty and security. The statement asserts that these actions have disrupted governance, deepened internal divisions, and exacerbated the suffering of Tigray’s people.
In response, the TPLF Central Committee announced plans to counter these actions. It called on party members, the people of Tigray, and resistance forces at home and abroad to unite in defending the region’s national interests. The central committee urged collective efforts to combat the faction’s agenda and safeguard the security and prosperity of Tigray.
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