The TPLF has rejected allegations of secret talks with Eritrea, calling them false and conspiratorial. Following a report suggesting increasing contacts between Tigray Defence Forces and Eritrean officials, TPLF stressed its commitment to the Pretoria Agreement while highlighting internal divisions within its ranks and external efforts to destabilize its peace process.
The Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) has categorically denied allegations of engaging in secret negotiations with the Eritrean government, labeling these claims as entirely false and unsupported. In a statement released on February 26, TPLF accused certain media outlets, including Africa Intelligence and Oromia Media Network (OMN), and unnamed Ethiopian officials of disseminating unfounded accusations intended to disrupt the Pretoria Agreement.
TPLF asserted that these allegations stem from a so-called “national betrayal group,” which they claim is involved in a conspiracy against the ongoing peace process. This response follows a report from Africa Intelligence suggesting that senior Tigray Defence Forces (TDF) members have been in contact with Eritrean officials, an assertion TPLF firmly rejects.
The report indicated that informal meetings had been taking place along the extensive Ethiopian-Eritrean border, culminating in a confidential meeting in Asmara in late January, where Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki purportedly assured TDF officers of protection amid potential conflict with Ethiopia. As Western embassies grow increasingly concerned about the situation’s implications, TPLF remains steadfast in its commitment to peace.
TPLF maintains that it, along with the people of Tigray and the Tigray military forces, seeks only to implement the Pretoria Agreement fully. The party emphasized that they have faced numerous injustices while demonstrating their commitment to the peace process despite external conspiracies and internal disagreements among TPLF factions, such as those led by Debretsion Gebremichael and Interim Administration President Getachew Reda.
Furthermore, former Ethiopian President Mulatu Teshome warned that Isaias Afwerki’s attempts to exploit existing divisions within the TPLF might threaten the peace agreement. In an opinion piece published by Al Jazeera on February 17, he voiced concerns that these maneuvers could destabilize northern Ethiopia further and jeopardize the fragile peace in the region.
In summary, TPLF has rebutted claims of secret discussions with Eritrea, which it sees as part of a conspiracy against the Pretoria Agreement. The organization, committed to peace, continues to denounce the accusations as false and damaging. With growing divisions within TPLF and concerns about potential exploitation by Eritrean leadership, the situation remains delicate and critical for regional stability.
Original Source: addisstandard.com
