Ethiopia's Tigray region calls for renewed peace and reintegration

Ethiopia's Tigray region must revive the disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration (DDR) process to return former fighters to civilian life, Brigadier General Gebre Egziabher Beyene, responsible for security and peace affairs within the region's interim administration, said. He called on residents to prioritise peace and development over another conflict, according to Fanamc.

The official said the lack of progress on reintegration was depriving young people of access to education, employment and other civilian activities. He attributed the situation to preparations to resume the war that he blamed on the TPLF, the Tigray People's Liberation Front, and said the Pretoria peace agreement was not being fully implemented. Past fighting had caused economic disruption, displacement, injuries and interruptions to schooling in the region, he added.

Gebre Egziabher Beyene also accused the TPLF of pursuing its political interests, co-operating with Eritrea and exploiting Tigray's resources at the expense of the population. He said the group had fled to Eritrea with more than 800 vehicles and other property, an accusation reported by Fanamc. He called for political disputes and public grievances to be resolved through dialogue.

The statement comes after Ethiopia's appeal on 7 October to Tigrayan fighters to lay down their arms and reintegrate into civilian life as part of the implementation of the Pretoria peace agreement. It also comes on 22 October, as the Ethiopian government retained the six-month interim administration in Tigray.