Ethiopia’s Abiy Says Government Open to Talks With Tigray Rebels
Abiy Ahmed
Photographer: Jemal Countess/Getty Images
Source: Bloomberg
Fasika Tadesse
Ethiopia’s government is open to talks with the rebel Tigray People’s Liberation Front to end a 15-month conflict in the country, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said.
While the government has yet to negotiate with the TPLF, “this does not rule out the possibility of discussions,” Abiy’s office said in a statement on Twitter on Tuesday.
Abiy’s comments come days after United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said there was progress in efforts to end a civil war that’s left thousands of people dead, displaced millions and damaged investor confidence. The African Union and neighboring Kenya have been encouraging both sides to negotiate.
On Monday, Ethiopia’s parliament announced the formation of an 11-member National Dialogue Commission. The panel has been tasked with presenting proposals aimed at ending simmering tensions between the nation’s ethnic and political groups and conflict that has destabilized one of Africa’s most-populous nations.
Once ready, the commission’s proposals will be put to the Ethiopian people, Abiy said.
If the Ethiopian regime is honest and needs to bring peace in the country, the negotiation and dialogue must be facilitated by independent third party and must be inclusive including all armed groups, OLA-OLF ,TPLF and others who raised arms against injustice carried out by pro-Amhara Nationalist government of Abyi Ahmed.Erterian military must be withdraw from Ethiopia, Amhara forces must be out of Tigray, Oromia, Beneshangul Gumuz, all government forces back to their camp.This is the only solution for the country .
I can’t believe when Abiy is keep talking about betrayal. He has no shame at all. He himself is a witness as he was a spy to Eseyas of Eritrea & betrayed his country while he was under EPRDF/TPLF. He fooled the Noble award organization. He fooled the world & make to believe him at first when he said the operation was the order of law. However, in practice, it was gross violation & humanitarian crisis. Now, when he accepts the negotiation, it due to two major external forces: 1) His soldiers are badly defeated. The evidence can be found at Mekelle Stadium where the detention are stored. 2) Externally imposed .
If he has any possibility, he wouldn’t stop from killing civilians. It’s obvious from the drone attacks of civilians that has no any connection with the battlefield.