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Toronto – There does not seem to be an end in sight to conflict in Ethiopia. The Amhara region has already been at war for more than eight months now. The war between Fano forces and the Federal government officially started in August 2023 before the region recovers from the two years’ devastating war against TPLF forces.
Earlier this week, Tigray region’s interim administration, under Getachew Reda, released a statement to oppose what it calls an incorrect map of Amhara region used in students’ textbooks. It contended the areas Wolkait Tegede, Setit Humera, Raya Alamata and Wofla ( areas that the TPLF has been referring to as West and South Tigray after it incorporated these areas as part of Tigray following seizure of Federal government power in 1991) should not have been included in the curriculum portrayed as as part of Amhara region. And then tit reported ventured for military move in the Raya area – where its forces took control of some kebeles. There are reports that it killed and abused residents in the region.
The Amhara region is responding to it. In a statement it released on Thursday, it said “The interim administration statement which cited the Amhara Region Education system making claims of incorrect maps is one that denies historical fact, concrete evidence and reality on the ground. It is misleading and loaded with provocative interest. And yesterday Megabit 18, 2016 E.C. [March 27, 2024] it moved from its area to Raya Alamata district, took control of Kebeles, detained residents, killed and abused,” said the statement. The Amhara region emphasized that there has been identity question in those areas at least for thirty years after the TPLF included the area to Tigray using the existing constitution – which was drafted under TPLF dominance in the Federal government after it took power in 1991.
Furthermore, it said the statement from the Tigray region and its military move in the Raya Alamata area are provocations.
The exchanges from both sides are raising a concern about another possible war. Although the TPLF was supposed to disarm its forces, as part of the Pretoria agreement which ended the conflict in November 2022, it has recently unveiled that it has more than 270,000 armed combatants.
During a recent “discussion” with “representative from Tigray region,” Ethiopian PM Abiy Ahmed said that there are still elements who are preparing for war in the Tigray region but he was not explicit about it. Many seem to presume that he was talking about racial elements within the TPLF.
Getachew Reda, President of the Interim Administration, seems to rule out the possibility of another war in the region. He told CGTN, a Chinese news source, “…as far as we are concerned, there is no room for resuming the conflict… war is never in the best interest of our people.” He also highlighted that “…the war in Tigray and other parts of northern Ethiopia was claiming the lives of hundreds of thousands of people.”
The TPLF has allegedly enjoyed tacit diplomatic, political and logistical support from western powers during the two years war.
