Adigrat – The bloody civil war that destroyed Tigray between 2020 and 2022 is exacerbated by internal division within the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), one of two factions currently fighting for control of the region. The fragile peace agreement signed in Pretoria in 2022 was signed in Pretoria between the Addis Ababa government and representatives of the TPLF (see Fides, 7/8/2024) appears to have succumbed to a new wave of violence and obstacles as the risk of returning Northern Ethiopia to the Civil War is increasing.
On March 11, the rebel factions ruled Adigrat, a town on the border with Eritrea, and then captured Adi-Gudem, near the regional capital of Makale, and thus escalated the internal conflict within a larger conflict. For weeks, various media outlets have reported the imminent possibility of a new outbreak of violence, this time along with Eritrea’s direct involvement.
Tesfatherassy Medin, Catholic bishop of Adigrat, confirmed this situation with Fides. “The instability in our region continues, tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea will rise, and the country can become entangled in a very bloody conflict.
“In general, Tigray’s internal politics is not good,” Medhin continues. “The division between local politicians and abrupt interruption of USAID funding has significantly punished millions of people. The impact on the programme on poverty and poverty programs run by NGOs, religious organizations and government agencies is devastating, with no exit strategies. There is no expulsion strategies. They know what these are,” explains the bishop.
“For the rest, in a context of great anguish and suffering for the people, we want to move forward as a church, give people hope and become a sign of their hope.
Epark of Adigrat concludes his conversation with the thoughts of Pope Francis. “We pray for him. We are not only united in his suffering, but also the joy that God has given us to put him in Peter’s chair as a pastor.”
