ADDIS ABABA – A body representing over 5,000 Tigrayan academics has welcomed the ceasefire agreement signed between the Ethiopian government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), but expressed strong opposition to article six of the deal which provides for disarmament of the TPLF’s military wing, the Tigray Defense Force (TDF), within 30 days saying it leaves the Tigray people vulnerable.
The federal government and the rebellious TPLF signed the agreement on November 2nd in Pretoria, South Africa, in a talk mediated by the African Union. The parties, during the talks, agreed in article six of the agreement “to finalize the overall disarmament of the TPLF combatants, including light weapons within 30 days from the signing of this agreement” and “that the demobilization and reintegration plan will be consider the Tigray region’s law-and-order needs.”
In a statement extended to Sudans Post on Saturday, the Global Society of Tigray Scholars and Professionals (GSTS) welcomed the agreement between the two foes, but said it is opposed to the planned disarmament exercise of the TPLF’s military provided for in article six of the agreement, arguing that such exercises will leave the Tigray people vulnerable to the federal army which has been accused of killing innocent Tigrayans by international rights organizations.
“GSTS [Global Society of Tigray Scholars and Professionals] welcomes the Peace Talks and strongly believes that there is no military solution to politically driven problems and a negotiated settlement presents the only viable solution to the world’s deadliest crisis, the war on Tigray, in the 21st century,” the body said in the strong-worded statement.
“GSTS believes Article 6 of CoHA is most illogical in terms of sequencing and a uniquely self-defeating provision where the Agreement stipulates TPLF accepted Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) as a single provider of defense and security of the people of Tigray. By accepting a single armed force, it agreed to the disarmament and termination of Tigray Defense Forces (TDF), leaving the people of Tigray in the hands of forces accused of horrendous atrocity crimes,” it stated.
The statement said that the recognition of the agreement to only the Ethiopian defense force “means the delegitimization of the TDF as a sole provider of defense and security in Tigray” and that the “security of Tigrayans cannot be guaranteed without the Eritrean Defense Force (EDF) and Amhara forces being removed from all constitutional territories of Tigray.”
“TDF should not disarm and should instead be strengthened. ENDF and EDF are accused of genocide against Tigrayans and, therefore, cannot provide security to the same population. Genocidaires cannot offer protection to their victims. They should rather be held accountable,” the statement further added.
The statement went on to state to the international community that “GSTS believes, unless the above-mentioned unacceptable and unenforceable provisions of the CoHA are addressed, the Agreement could undermine the peace and stability it promises, and sows seeds for future conflicts in the region. In the interest of sustainable peace CoHA aims to bring, it is simply imperative to make these fundamental corrections at this early stage.”