News Experts, opposition figures say internally displaced used as ‘pawns’ in TPLF feud
December 7, 2024
“The party cannot save itself, let alone IDPs.”
Nearly one million internally displaced persons (IDPs) find themselves caught in the middle of a political schism at the highest echelons of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF). The displaced are languishing in camps as the dispute between the party’s two factions continues to escalate and experts, opposition parties, and government officials are left speculating about what lies ahead.
The peace deal that ended the two-year war in Tigray stipulated the return of IDPs to their homes when it was signed in late 2022, however, two years later, the fate of close to a million people remains unaddressed.
Adding to the complexity, the TPLF has split into two factions, with reports indicating the political rift has deepened divisions within the party and stoked fears of further instability in the war-torn region.
Amid these disagreements, the plight of the IDPs remains dire. Some experts claim that the displaced are being used as “hostages” in a political power struggle between party leaders, leaving them trapped in uncertainty and vulnerable to exploitation.
Assefa Leake (PhD), a political scientist and assistant professor at Mekelle University’s Department of Political Science and Strategic Studies, said that the internal divisions within the TPLF have fueled political strife and disagreements, particularly among leaders.
He said that the divisions, characterized by “distrust, ethnic favoritism, and misuse of power,” have further undermined the region’s temporary administration.
“If the ongoing political tensions within the region persist, the issue may escalate beyond the region, posing a significant threat to the stability of Ethiopia as a whole,” he told The Reporter, adding the developments also exacerbate the plight of IDPs.
Assefa argues the faction led by Debretsion has discredited the Tigray Interim Administration (TIA) and used the plight of IDPs as a political tool.
“The temporary administration’s failure to function effectively stems from the internal power struggles within the TPLF, coupled with its attempts to exploit the displaced population for political gain,” he said.
Assefa noted the internal conflict creates additional hurdles for IDPs and the region as a whole.
He described current efforts to help IDPs as largely symbolic, with no tangible measures in place to support the reintegration of the displaced. Consequently, the IDPs remain trapped as “hostages of political manoeuvring.”
In its recent press releases, the Salsay Weyane Tigray (SaWeT) opposition party has claimed that “the government is exploiting the political divisions within the Tigray region for its own benefit”.
The party accused the federal government of remaining silent instead of working to resolve the political conflict in the region.
“This silence has created an obstruction, preventing the peace agreement reached between the two opposing forces from being implemented effectively,” reads the press release.
The party says escalating political tensions in the region have undermined post-peace agreement recovery efforts, including initiatives to provide essential services to the population, the return of IDPs, and restoring the region to its pre-conflict state.
“The government is failing to take responsibility for these obligations,” reads a SaWeT statement.
The party called for the withdrawal of forces to facilitate the salvation of millions of IDPs who remain ignored by the relevant stakeholders.
Kibrom Berhe, president of the Baytona Political Party, which is also a member of the TIA coalition, said that the TPLF faction has no involvement in the return of IDPs.
“Since the Pretoria agreement is an international agreement involving the federal government, the AU, and the international community, its implementation should not be undermined by internal divisions within the party. It is normal for a party to split or even disappear from the political landscape,” Kibrom told The Reporter.
He does not see the political dispute ending with an agreement.
“The party cannot save itself, let alone save the lives of the IDPs,” said Kibrom.
Echoing Assefa’s assertion that IDPs are being used as pawns, Kibrom added that the fate of the IDPs depends on the implementation of the international agreement, not the will of the party.
“If TPLF splits or ceases to exist, does that mean the IDPs face the same outcome? This is unfair unless there is a hidden agenda at play,” he said.
Kibrom urged all domestic and international stakeholders to work diligently toward ensuring the return of IDPs to their homes.
According to the latest Ethiopian National Displacement Report, the Tigray region hosts the largest number of reported returning IDPs, with an estimated 970,265 individuals, accounting for 37.5 percent of the national caseload.
The Amhara and Afar regions follow.