Press Release
The government of Ethiopia resumed a large-scale invasion of Tigray on August 24, 2022, through the south of Tigray. The people of Tigray have been under humanitarian blockade for nearly 2 years which resulted in the loss of thousands of lives due to man-made famine. There has been hoping recently of potential peace talks between the Ethiopian government and the Tigray government.
The government of Tigray released a statement on August 17, 2022, warning the international community about a risk of renewed conflict after the Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF) bombarded Tigray Defence Forces (TDF) stationed in Dedebit for an hour. Just like pre-November 2020, the government of Tigray reminded the international community of its responsibility for the resolution of the conflict through peace talks.
It is well documented that the ENDF allied with Amhara Forces and Eritrean Defence Forces have inflicted genocide on the people of Tigray after they invaded Tigray on November 4, 2020. The genocidal forces were defeated and driven out of the majority of Tigray by TDF in June 2021 to which the Ethiopian government announced, in Orwellian fashion ‘unilateral ceasefire’. Despite this absurd announcement, the Ethiopian government continued the genocidal crime by blockading 7 million people of Tigray. Repeated pleas by the government of Tigray have been ignored for the lifting of the humanitarian blockade and resumption of basic services. It is to be recalled that TDF was on the verge of entering Addis Ababa in November 2021. Ironically, the international community was outraged at the prospect of TDF entering Addis Ababa despite its utter failure at its obligation to hold the Ethiopian government to respect international law.
The people of Tigray have suffered a lot. They have waited patiently with hope for a peaceful resolution for many months under a humanitarian blockade with a limited supply of food and medicine entering Tigray. Unfortunately, it is now perfectly clear that the Ethiopian government never had any genuine intention for peace, rather the plan was to weaken the people of Tigray through starvation and then resume the invasion as transpired now.
The renewed conflict will have devastating effects on the people of Tigray, the Horn of Africa and its impact on the wider world can’t be underestimated. It will lead to catastrophic state collapse which will create a mass humanitarian crisis. The conflict already involves Eritrea as Eritrean troops are still stationed in some parts of northern and Western Tigray. This will likely spill over to other countries in the horn. The refugee crisis due to the state collapse will overwhelm the neighboring countries and Europe. This already volatile horn of Africa region will be a breading space for terrorist organizations.
We, The Resurrection of Tigrayan and Eritrean People, urge the African Union, Kenya, Rwanda, United Nations, US, EU, UK, Germany, Italy, France, and Canada to call on the Ethiopian government to:
- Immediately stop the invasion of Tigray
- Lift the humanitarian blockade
- Resume basic services
- Return Western Tigray to Tigray Government to allow the return of millions of displaced Tigrayans
- Call on Eritrean Troops to leave all Tigray territories
We have already seen the devastating effects of the first round of war. Let’s give peace a chance.
Resurrection of Tigrayan and Eritrean People