By Abdirezak Sahane Elmi
Political Analyst and Former Government Official
The most devastating political development emerging from Ethiopia’s north today is the shocking revelation that the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), under the leadership of Dr. Debretsion Gebremichael, is exploring an alliance with Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki, the very man accused of committing genocide and mass atrocities against the Tigrayan people. For those who have followed the tragic trajectory of the Tigray conflict, this move represents the height of political recklessness and moral bankruptcy. It exposes the TPLF leadership not as defenders of Tigray’s dignity or sovereignty, but as political opportunists willing to trade justice, truth, and memory for their own survival.
The Historical Irony: Embracing the Architect of Tigray’s Suffering:
It was not long ago that the TPLF’s own media, diplomats, and diaspora activists cried out to the world about the horrors inflicted on Tigray by Isaias Afwerki’s forces. They spoke passionately, and rightfully, about Eritrean troops massacring civilians, looting property, destroying churches, and committing heinous acts of sexual violence across the region.
Isaias Afwerki was denounced as a genocider and a war criminal, a leader who used the chaos of war to settle old scores against Tigray. His personal hatred toward the TPLF leadership, dating back to the Eritrea–Ethiopia border war (1998–2000), was seen as a driving force behind his participation in the Tigray war. Now, the same TPLF that declared Isaias an enemy of Tigray’s existence is seeking his friendship. Such hypocrisy defies all logic and human decency. It insults the memory of tens of thousands of Tigrayan civilians who died under Eritrean bullets and bombs.
From Liberation Front to Political Desperation:
After the Pretoria Peace Agreement between the Federal Government of Ethiopia and the TPLF, the people of Tigray had a fragile but real hope, a hope for reconstruction, healing, and reintegration into Ethiopia’s federal framework.
However, instead of dedicating their energy to peacebuilding and the reconstruction of Tigray’s devastated economy, the TPLF leadership descended into internal discord and political rivalry. When the federal government appointed Getachew Reda, one of their own prominent members, to lead the interim administration, the faction turned against him. This act laid bare a troubling truth, that their struggle is no longer driven by the interests of the Tigrayan people, but by personal ambition, power preservation, and political ego. Having lost their influence both in Addis Ababa and Mekelle, the Debretsion-led faction now seeks survival through one of the most cynical moves in recent Ethiopian politics, reaching out to Isaias Afwerki, the sworn enemy of Tigray’s people and the embodiment of their trauma.
A Dangerous Path for Tigray and the Horn:
This reckless flirtation with Asmara is not just a betrayal of Tigray’s moral compass, it is a strategic blunder that threatens to destabilize the entire Horn of Africa.
Isaias Afwerki has never believed in peace or cooperation. His foreign policy is built on division, manipulation, and perpetual conflict. Aligning with him will not bring Tigray security or prosperity , it will drag the region back into war, suspicion, and chaos.
The international community must recognize this dangerous shift. Any attempt by the TPLF to rearm or reengage in military confrontation, whether directly or through alliances with Eritrea, would be a violation of the peace accord and a disaster for the civilian population that has already endured unimaginable suffering.
The Moral Question: Who Speaks for Tigray’s People?
The Tigrayan people deserve leaders who honor their pain, not those who exploit it. The youth, intellectuals, and community elders of Tigray must now ask a difficult but necessary question: Who truly represents us?
If the answer is a political class that chooses to embrace the man who oversaw their community’s destruction, then Tigray’s wounds will never heal. True leadership should be measured by moral integrity, not political convenience. The Tigray youth, who have lost family, homes, and futures, must reject any return to war or foreign manipulation. They must rise to say:
“No to another conflict. No to alliances built on betrayal. No to leaders who disrespect our pain.”
A Call for Wisdom and Reconciliation:
Peace remains the only path forward. The TPLF faction must abandon this reckless pursuit of alliances with Isaias Afwerki and return to dialogue with the Federal Government of Ethiopia. Only through cooperation, development, and federal partnership can Tigray rebuild its society and protect its people. It is time for the honorable people of Tigray to support leaders who seek peace and justice, not revenge and political gamesmanship. The true future of Tigray , and Ethiopia 🇪🇹 lies in moral courage, not opportunistic alliances.
Conclusion
The idea of the TPLF aligning with Isaias Afwerki is not just a strategic mistake , it is a betrayal of history, morality, and the collective memory of the Tigrayan people.
It signals a movement that has lost its direction, its values, and its connection to the very people it once claimed to defend. The world, the federal government, and the people of Tigray must see this for what it is: a desperate gamble by a broken political elite, one that must be rejected before it drags an already suffering region into yet another dark chapter.
Author: Abdirezak Sahane Elmi
Political Analyst and Former Government Official
