#getachew reda

[ausetkmt]

Summary

The announcement follows a similar one by the US Agency for International Development.

USAID said on Wednesday it had discovered that food intended for millions of needy people in Tigray was being diverted and sold.

Neither organisation gave details of the source of the reports.

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) has paused food distribution in Ethiopia's war-ravaged Tigray region in response to reports that significant amounts of aid were being diverted, the agency said.

The announcement follows a similar one by the US Agency for International Development, which said on Wednesday it had discovered that food intended for millions of needy people in Tigray was being diverted and sold.

Neither organisation gave details of the source of the reports and the WFP did not say who was responsible for the diversions or when they had taken place.

But it said late on Wednesday it was strongly reiterating to our cooperating partners that they monitor and report any illicit activities, and that they are enforcing the agreed controls.

Calls to reconsider suspension

Tigray's interim regional government head Getachew Reda urged humanitarian agencies to reconsider suspending aid, saying in a statement that the moves would hurt their people who are facing grave challenges. Advertisement

He said he had set up a task force to investigate, calling the reported theft a crime against children, the elderly and the disabled.

A spokesperson for Ethiopia's federal government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A two-year war that erupted in November 2020 between the federal government and forces led by the Tigray People's Liberation Front, which dominates the northern region, killed tens of thousands of people, created famine-like conditions for hundreds of thousands and displaced millions.

Ethiopia’s government and Tigray forces agreed to end hostilities in November, which has allowed additional aid to reach the region and for some services to be restored.

[mariacallous]

Ethiopia’s warring sides have formally agreed to a permanent cessation of hostilities, an African Union special envoy said on Wednesday, bringing hope of an imminent end to a two-year war that has displaced millions and threatened to destabilise a swath of the continent.

Nigeria’s former president Olusegun Obasanjo, in the first briefing on the peace talks in Pretoria, South Africa’s administrative capital, also said Ethiopia’s government and Tigray authorities have agreed on “orderly, smooth and coordinated disarmament.”

Representatives of the Ethiopian government and a team sent by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), a political organisation that has ruled the northern region for decades, have spent almost 10 days together in South Africa in the most serious effort yet to find a negotiated solution to the war.

An earlier truce broke down in August and violence has intensified as both sides sought success on the battlefield to strengthen their negotiating position.

Other key points in the new agreement included “restoration of law and order”, Obasanjo said, as well as “restoration of services” and “unhindered access to humanitarian supplies”.

The removal of all obstacles to the transport of food and medicine into Tigray would be seen as a breakthrough by many observers. Tigray’s six million inhabitants have suffered under a blockade since the beginning of the war, with limited humanitarian aid.

The UN said this month that the conflict was inflicting an “utterly staggering” toll on civilians while António Guterres, the UN secretary general, has described the conflict’s “devastating impact on civilians in what is already a dire humanitarian situation”.

“It is now for all of us to honour this agreement,” said the lead negotiator for Ethiopia’s government, Redwan Hussein. His Tigrayan counterpart, Getachew Reda, agreed, and noted that “painful concessions” have been made.

The war has seen a series of advances and retreats by both sides, bloody battles, drone strikes, alleged ethnic cleansing and a series of atrocities committed by all combatants.

“The level of destruction is immense,” Redwan said.

A critical question is how soon aid can return to Tigray, whose communications and transport links have been largely severed since the conflict began. Doctors have described running out of basic medicines like vaccines, insulin and therapeutic food while people die of easily preventable diseases and starvation. UN human rights investigators have said the Ethiopian government was using “starvation of civilians” as a weapon of war.

“We’re back to 18th-century surgery,” a surgeon at the region’s main hospital, Fasika Amdeslasie, told health experts at an online event Wednesday. “It’s like an open-air prison.”

The true death toll in the conflict is unknown but could be approaching levels that make the conflict one of the most lethal anywhere in the world. With no access for independent journalists and a limited presence of international humanitarians, reliable data is scarce.

Some estimate that hundreds of thousands may have died as a result of fighting and the blockade. Others put the number in the tens of thousands, including combatants.

The Ethiopian government accuses the TPLF, which played a leading role in the country’s ruling coalition until Abiy came to power in 2018, of trying to reassert Tigrayan dominance over the entire country. Tigrayan leaders accuse Abiy of repressive government and discrimination. Both deny each other’s accusations.

Eritrea, which has fought alongside neighbouring Ethiopia, was not part of the peace talks – an omission that analysts have said could seriously undermine prospects for a permanent end to hostilities. The authoritarian regime in power in Eritrea has long considered Tigray authorities a threat and has not yet reacted formally to the agreement.

Eritrean forces have been blamed for some of the conflict’s worst abuses, including gang-rapes, and witnesses have described killings and lootings by Eritrean forces even during the peace talks.

Forces from Ethiopia’s neighbouring Amhara region also have been fighting Tigray ones, but are not represented at the peace talks either. “Amharas cannot be expected to abide by any outcome of a negotiations process from which they think they are excluded,” said Tewodrose Tirfe, chair of the Amhara Association of America.

[mapera]

Autour de Getachew Reda, le nouveau chef du Tigré, un carré de fidèles

http://dlvr.it/Sp1lML

[berberanews]

Ethiopia: Ciidammada Tigrai oo hubkoodii ku wareejiyay dowladda

Ethiopia: Ciidammada Tigrai oo hubkoodii ku wareejiyay dowladda

Ethiopia-(Berberanews)-Afhayeen u hadlay ciidamada fallaagada Tigray ee waqooyiga Itoobiya ayaa sheegay in ay wareejiyeen hubkoodii cuslaa, arrintaas oo qeyb ka ah heshiiskii xabbad-joojinta ahaa ee ay labada dhinac bishii November ku saxiixdeen dalka Koonfur Afrika. Getachew Reda boggiisa Twitter-ka ku qoray in kala gudbinta hubka ay xaqiijiyeen kormeerayaal ka socday ururka Midowga Afrika iyo…

[recentlyheardcom]

A historic truce in Ethiopia could one day end the war, but there are reasons for caution: NPR

A historic truce in Ethiopia could one day end the war, but there are reasons for caution: NPR

Ethiopian government representative Redwan Hussein (seated left) and Tigray People’s Liberation Front representative Getachew Reda (seated right) sign a peace accord between the two sides in Pretoria, South Africa on Wednesday. Phil Magokoe/AFP via Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Phil Magokoe/AFP via Getty Images Ethiopian government representative Redwan Hussein (seated left) and…

[irvinenewshq]

Events to struggle in Ethiopias Tigray area conform to cease combating

The Ethiopian authorities and regional forces from Tigray agreed on Wednesday to stop hostilities, a dramatic diplomatic breakthrough two years right into a struggle that has killed 1000’s, displaced hundreds of thousands and left lots of of 1000’s going through famine, Development stories citing Al Arabiya. Simply over per week after formal peace talks mediated by the African Union (AU) started within the South African capital Pretoria, delegates from each side signed an settlement described by an AU official as a “everlasting cessation of hostilities”. “The 2 events within the Ethiopian battle have formally agreed to the cessation of hostilities in addition to to systematic, orderly, clean and coordinated disarmament,” stated Olusegun Obasanjo, head of the AU mediation group, at a ceremony. Obasanjo, a former Nigerian president, stated the settlement additionally included “restoration of legislation and order, restoration of providers, unhindered entry to humanitarian provides, safety of civilians”. An settlement had not been anticipated so quickly. Earlier on Wednesday, the AU had invited media to what it described as a briefing by Obasanjo. It was solely when the occasion started, about three hours delayed, that it grew to become clear a truce was about to be signed. “This second just isn’t the top of the peace course of. Implementation of the peace settlement signed at present is vital for its success,” stated Obasanjo, including that this might be supervised and monitored by a high-level AU panel. He praised the method as an African resolution to an African drawback. Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed expressed gratitude to Obasanjo and different mediators on the conclusion of the peace talks, saying in an announcement the federal government’s dedication to the implementation of the settlement was robust. “Our dedication to peace stays steadfast. And our dedication to collaborating for the implementation of the settlement is equally robust,” the assertion on Twitter stated. Ethiopian authorities consultant Redwan Hussien, who’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s Nationwide Safety Adviser, stated all events must be true to the letter and spirit of the settlement. In response, Tigray delegate Getachew Reda, a spokesman for the regional authorities, spoke of the vast scale loss of life and destruction within the area and stated it was his hope and expectation that each events would honour their commitments. In Washington, White Home spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre stated the USA remained dedicated to supporting an African-led peace course of for Ethiopia. UN Secretary-Normal Antonio Guterres welcomed the truce, in line with UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric. “It is vitally a lot a welcome first step, which we hope can begin to deliver some solace to the hundreds of thousands of Ethiopian civilians that have actually suffered throughout this battle,” Dujarric informed reporters. Originally published at Irvine News HQ

[zvaigzdelasas]

Ex-UN Peacekeepers Battle for Control of Key Ethiopian Town - Bloomberg

Hundreds of ethnic Tigrayans from Ethiopia who served in a United Nations peacekeeping force have joined a battle for a strategic town in the northwest of the country, according to people familiar with the matter, the latest twist in an internal conflict that erupted in late 2020.[...]

The capture of the town of Humera, which lies at an intersection between Ethiopia, Eritrea and Sudan, by the Tigrayans would be a significant development because it would enable the TPLF to open up weapons-supply corridors and potentially launch an attack on Eritrea, a long-standing foe.

The ex-peacekeepers refused to return to Ethiopia earlier this year after completing a mission in Abyei, a border region contested by Sudan and South Sudan. They’ve since found refuge in Sudan, where they applied for asylum and prepared to join the war, according to five people with knowledge of the situation who asked not to be identified because they aren’t authorized to speak to the media. [...]

Eritrea has backed [Abiy's government in the war] while Sudan’s government has been at odds with [Abiy's] administration over the construction of a massive hydropower dam on the Nile River that originates in Ethiopia and traverses Sudan.     

Getachew Reda, a member of the TPLF’s executive committee, confirmed that the former peacekeepers had entered western Tigray. [...]

Brigadier Nabil Abdullah, a spokesman for the Sudanese Armed Forces, denied that any unit of the Tigrayan armed forces or the ex-UN peacekeepers were present in his country. A spokesperson for the UN Refugee Agency and the peacekeepers in Sudan didn’t reply to questions. 

The unit has been joined by a number of people who fled fighting during the war and some residents of western Tigray, according to two of the people. Access to the region has been restricted and most communications have been cut off, making it difficult to verify what the unit has been doing or how effective it has been. 

2 Sep 22

[janotubeblog]

LTV Interview with Getachew reda

[jenbncom]

Ethiopia’s Tigray hit by fresh air strike: rebels, hospital

Ethiopia’s Tigray hit by fresh air strike: rebels, hospital

Ethiopia’s war-torn Tigray was hit by an air strike on Wednesday, local officials said, it’s second bombing in as many days which came shortly after authorities in the rebel-held region said they were ready for a ceasefire. The attack struck a residential neighbourhood in the regional capital Mekele, “killing and wounding innocent civilians”, tweeted Getachew Reda, spokesman for the Tigray…

[bcapnews]

TPLF Etiyopya Hükümeti ve Eritre Kuvvetleri Tarafından 'Büyük' ​​Saldırı Bildirdi

TPLF Etiyopya Hükümeti ve Eritre Kuvvetleri Tarafından ‘Büyük’ ​​Saldırı Bildirdi

HAWASSA, ETİYOPYA — Etiyopya’daki Tigrayan isyancıları, bölgedeki çatışmalar yoğunlaşırken hükümet güçlerinin ve komşu Eritre’den birliklerin koordineli bir saldırı başlattığını söyledi. Perşembe günü, Tigrayan Halk Kurtuluş Cephesi sözcüsü Twitter’da Eritre güçlerinin TPLF’ye karşı mücadelede Etiyopya federal güçlerine katıldığını söyledi. Getachew Reda, kuvvetlerin Perşembe günü erken saatlerde…

[mariacallous]

In what was widely regarded as a diplomatic breakthrough, the Ethiopian government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) reached a surprising cessation of hostilities. The truce was signed in South Africa earlier this month after intensive talks amid pressure from the African Union and the United States.

If implemented, the deal will expedite humanitarian aid and the restoration of services in the Tigray region. The TPLF will fully disarm within 30 days of the deal. The federal government will deploy the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) as well as federal security and law enforcement agencies in Tigray, and the ENDF will be deployed along international borders—which includes Ethiopia’s border with Eritrea.

The prospect of silencing the guns in Tigray is commendable. But many articles in the deal will be difficult to implement or may take months or even years to carry out. That is largely because one of the main actors, Eritrea, was neither represented nor mentioned by name in the agreement, although some indirect references were made to it.

At the signing ceremony, the TPLF’s chief negotiator, Getachew Reda, stated, “I know there are spoilers from nearby, from inside our ranks and from the neighborhood, and we also know they will … stop at nothing to sabotage our peace-making efforts.”

Indeed, ever since the start of the war in November 2020, Eritrea’s reclusive regime has played a crucial role. The border war between Eritrea and Ethiopia from 1998 to 2000 was more a war between Eritrea’s regime and the TPLF rather than between the two countries. Although Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sees an armed TPLF as a threat to his rule, Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki harbors a personal grudge against the organization. The animosity toward the TPLF is the only common denominator that holds them together.

Eritrea may regard the disarmament of the TPLF as a positive development—but even so, it has not yet accomplished its mission, which is destroying the TPLF once and for all by capturing or killing its leaders, causing massive displacement, and degrading its infrastructure and military capabilities so Tigray cannot be a threat to Eritrea for at least the next 50 years or more. If Isaias continues to pursue his ultimate goal, the truce could easily fall apart.

Neither Ethiopia nor Eritrea mentions the participation of the Eritrean Army openly. Eritrea is tight-lipped on all of its military operations; only one Facebook page believed to be run by Eritrean intelligence has been providing updates on the war. During the war, it was predicting the fall of Mekelle, the capital of Tigray, at any time. In its latest posts, it describes the peace deal as “terms of surrender” and says Ethiopia was pressured by the United States to sign the deal to save the TPLF.

There is also very little information on the size of the Eritrean Army and extent of its deployment in Tigray, but an estimate this year puts its size in the range of 150,000 to 200,000 soldiers. Sources close to the TPLF estimate that half of that force is in Tigray. But the military situation remains fluid, and there could be troop repositioning following the deal. Meanwhile, special regional forces and militias from Ethiopia’s Amhara region still occupy western and southern Tigray.

The international community and peace mediators have also underestimated Eritrea’s role in the war. Calling on Eritrea to withdraw its forces will not deliver the desired results. Sanctions have had little impact on the regime in recent years; indeed, Eritrea’s regime has survived United Nations and U.S. sanctions through a network of clandestine operations on illicit trade across Africa, Europe, and the Persian Gulf.

One of the articles in the agreement indicates that “permanent cessation” of all forms of hostilities includes “subversion or use of proxies to destabilize the other party or collusion with any external force hostile to either party.” This may mean that Ethiopia cannot continue cooperating with Eritrea in undermining the TPLF.

It will be difficult for Abiy to honor this part of the deal, as he doesn’t control the presence or conduct of Eritrean troops in Ethiopia. Even small acts of sabotage could derail the peace process. Abiy doesn’t have complete control over battlefield developments, as Eritrea’s generals operate outside the Ethiopian command structure and appear to be spearheading the war effort in the north.

Asmara’s generals have been leading the fight on the northern front. They have also made Eritrean territory a launching pad for Ethiopia’s army and a logistics and command center, mobilizing its population and military. Current and former generals confirm this fact.

Having lost much of its operational capabilities and command structure—and many of its military assets—after the TPLF’s takeover of Northern Command headquarters in November 2020, the Ethiopian army was not in a position to enter Mekelle without Eritrean support. Still, the ENDF has not yet completely reconstituted to be capable of carrying out the most recent round of fighting without Eritrea’s active participation.

Since Aug. 24, when the new round of hostilities began, Eritrea’s regime has carried out continuous and indiscriminate ground bombardments assisted by Ethiopian aerial and drone attacks on towns and villages, causing large-scale casualties and displacing Tigrayans. Those attacks continued 72 hours after the deal. Eritrea’s army is deep in Tigray. The Eritrean military, accused of committing grave atrocities, has invested a lot in this war and, according to Tigrayan sources, has suffered heavy losses. Eritrea’s army will not pull back willingly.

Eritrea’s president views this conflict as a zero-sum game. His aim is to finish off the TPLF once and for all. Therefore, Eritrea’s regime has taken unprecedented measures to mobilize its remaining population. Eyewitnesses in Eritrea confirm that families whose sons or daughters did not report to duty were evicted from their homes. Some underage civilians and some older adults, all with little training, were forced to join the army.

Abiy was jubilant after the peace agreement, stating it achieved all that Ethiopia wanted. Various reports indicate both Abiy and Isaias aimed to enter Mekelle before the negotiations were completed and declare the war had ended. But stiff resistance from the Tigray Defense Forces hindered them from achieving their goals.

The problem for Ethiopia’s government is that Abiy’s truce with the TPLF could be seen by Isaias as a threat to Eritrea’s interests.

Isaias is a survival strategist, and feeling threatened could make him more aggressive in destabilizing Ethiopia—hosting and supporting proxy forces opposed to the regime in Ethiopia, as he has done in the past 30 years. Isaias has repeatedly shown he is not afraid to act brazenly when backed into a corner. Indeed, the United Nations has previously sanctioned Eritrea for its destabilizing role in the Horn of Africa—from Somalia to Sudan and South Sudan.

Isaias already hosts a Tigrayan armed group opposed to the TPLF. He could also support the Oromo Liberation Army and an insurgent group in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, where the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam is situated. He could realign with Egypt and Sudan against Ethiopia when it comes to the controversial dam—which Cairo and Khartoum see as an existential threat to their water supplies—as he has historically reshuffled friends and foes as necessary. Russia may even reward Eritrea for its support in the United Nations regarding the war in Ukraine with weapons and military training to help the regime withstand Western threats.

Eritrea currently hosts a Tigrayan armed insurgency group, known as Demhit, that is opposed to the TPLF. It also considers the Amhara nationalists, particularly the so-called Fano armed wing, as its allies. According to the Amhara Association of America and a parliamentarian from the National Movement of Amhara, the agreement failed to recognize the disputed areas with Tigray as Amhara territory.

The Fano—which committed atrocities, particularly in western Tigray, and has displaced tens of thousands of Tigrayans—sees the agreement as a positive step but is disappointed that the agreement upheld the current Ethiopian Constitution, which it considers against Amhara interests. Eritrea has been training the Fano, and Eritrea’s president could use the group to sabotage the peace process from within. He has emphasized several times that he is opposed to the federal arrangement in Ethiopia, as he would prefer a centralized Ethiopia that is friendly to his regime.

The TPLF has undermined Eritrea’s president for a long time and has paid an enormous price for it. But this war has significantly weakened not only the Ethiopian army and the TPLF but Eritrea’s army too. Ironically, Isaias may have to depend on Abiy and the Ethiopian military—his sometimes ally but more often rival—to protect his regime in the future if the deal with the TPLF fails.

If this or any other peace agreement in the Horn of Africa is to succeed in the long term, the threat Isaias poses to peace and stability in the region must be addressed first. Much more robust and aggressive deterrence polices, such as personally sanctioning Isaias and his closest accomplices, are needed. Such polices should also sanction any groups or individuals, including Abiy and his allies, who aim to sabotage this nascent peace agreement, which has the potential to transform the region.

All parties interested in seeing this peace agreement succeed must be cognizant of the spoiler role Isaias has played in the past in the Horn of Africa—and the risk that he could do it again.

[rivaltimes]

The TPLF denounces new military operations by Eritrea and Ethiopia in northwestern Tigray

The TPLF denounces new military operations by Eritrea and Ethiopia in northwestern Tigray

File – Abiy Ahmed, Prime Minister of Ethiopia – MICHAEL TEWELDE / XINHUA NEWS / CONTACTOPHOTO The spokesman for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Tigray (TPLF), Getachew Reda, denounced this Thursday a new military operation by the armies of Ethiopia and Eritrea in Adiyabo, in northwestern Tigray. “The enemy forces are attacking from Fiqya Gebre to Ademeyti; from Selamo to Sheraro; from…

[berberanews]

Afhayeenka TPLF oo sheegay inay ka baxeen Kombolcha, Dessie iyo Shawa

Afhayeenka TPLF oo sheegay inay ka baxeen Kombolcha, Dessie iyo Shawa

Ethiopia-(Berberanews)-Afhayeenka Jabhadda TPLF Getachew Reda, ayaa sheegay inay ka baxaan magaooyinka Komolcha, Dessie iyo waqooyiga Shoa, taasoo uu ku sheegay inay qayb ka tahay qorshahooda dagaal. Getachew Reda, ayaa goor dhawayd ku baahiyay bartiisa twitterka.“Waxaan ka tagnay #Woqooyiga Shoa, #Kombolcha & #Dessie, taasoo qayb ka ah qorshahayaga.  Ma jirin unug abaabulan oo magaalooyinkaas…

[quotidiantimes]

Tigrayan forces say they are withdrawing from Ethiopia's Afar region

Tigrayan forces say they are withdrawing from Ethiopia’s Afar region

The conflict in northern Ethiopia broke out in Tigray between the TPLF and the forces of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed‘s central government in November 2020, and spilled over into neighboring regions. The TPFL expanded into Afar last year. The spokesperson, Getachew Reda, said that the Ethiopian government and regional authorities were using the TPLF’s presence in Afar as an excuse to block…

[snbc]

Tigrayan forces say they are withdrawing from Ethiopia's Afar region

Tigrayan forces say they are withdrawing from Ethiopia’s Afar region

The conflict in northern Ethiopia broke out in Tigray between the TPLF and the forces of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s central government in November 2020, and spilled over into neighboring regions. The TPFL expanded into Afar last year. The spokesperson, Getachew Reda, said that the Ethiopian government and regional authorities were using the TPLF’s presence in Afar as an excuse to block…

[zvaigzdelasas]

Mohamed, 66, who governed Somalia from 2012 to 2017, beat incumbent Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed, known locally as Farmajo, in a final round of voting to reclaim the post on May 15. While Farmajo forged close relations with Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki, Mohamud has long-standing ties with the rulers of Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region, who fought a war with Abiy’s forces and its Eritrean allies from late 2020 until a truce was agreed in March.

The power shift has emboldened the Tigrayans, who are [allegedly] considering attacking the Eritrean capital of Asmara, according to three diplomats in the region who spoke on condition of anonymity because they aren’t authorized to comment. That would open a new chapter in the Ethiopian conflict, which has already claimed thousands of lives.

Tigray President Debretsion Gebremichael wrote to Mohamud on Monday congratulating him on his victory and expressing his “readiness to cooperate in the overall stability of the region, building upon excellent pre-existing relations.” And Getachew Reda, a senior Tigrayan leader, said in a Twitter posting on the Somali elections that Isaias’s “pharaonic ambition in the Horn of Africa is decidedly unraveling.” [...]

Farmajo’s defeat has been welcomed in Kenya, which clashed with his administration over the rights to oil blocks and its approach toward tackling al-Shabaab. [...]

Mohamud’s fight against al-Shabaab will be bolstered by a decision by US President Joe Biden to send Special Operations troops back to Somalia to revive a counterterrorism mission that was ended by Donald Trump’s administration.

17 May 22