Tigray party banned in Ethiopia

Ethiopia is a country in Africa with a rich history and culture. It is known for its ancient civilizations, including the Kingdom of Aksum, and its impressive landscapes such as the Simien Mountains. The capital, Addis Ababa, is the country's political and economic center. Ethiopia is also one of the few African countries that has never been colonized, which has shaped its unique cultural identity. In November 2020, a civil war erupted in Ethiopia's Tigray region between the Ethiopian central government under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed*1 and the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF*2), the ruling party in Tigray. The conflict lasted two years. This conflict is a strong struggle and involves political tensions. The TPLF dominated Ethiopian politics for decades before Abiy Ahmed came to power in 2018. Abiy pursued reforms that limited the TPLF's influence and weakened its power base.   In addition, in 2020, the central government postponed elections scheduled for September due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The TPLF nevertheless held elections in Tigray, which Addis Ababa deemed illegal and further escalated tensions.   The conflict then escalated and erupted militarily when Tigrayan troops took over Ethiopian National Army bases in the region in November 2020. Both sides accused each other of initiating the fighting.   Ethiopia is a multi-ethnic country, and ethnic conflict is widespread. Tigrayans were not welcome everywhere, and tensions were further exacerbated by droughts and floods. Who are the current actors? - The Ethiopian central government (under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed): Key actors in the conflict, which declared the TPLF an enemy. - The Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF): Ethiopia's former ruling party and the Tigray regional government. - The Eritrean army fought alongside the Ethiopian National Army against the TPLF, ostensibly against a common enemy. The withdrawal of Eritrean troops was a core demand of the peace agreement. - Regional militias (particularly from the Amhara region): Supported the Ethiopian central government. - Humanitarian organizations and international observers: Attempted to provide humanitarian aid and draw attention to human rights violations. The consequences of the conflict are massive: - The conflict led to a severe humanitarian crisis. Millions of people were displaced, many of whom fled to Sudan. There were shortages of food, water, and medical supplies, and reports of famine and disease outbreaks (e.g., cholera) were widespread. - Civilian facilities such as hospitals, schools, factories, and shops were shelled, looted, and destroyed. - There were numerous reports of human rights violations, including sexual violence as a weapon of war, ethnic cleansing, and the blockade of humanitarian aid. - Despite the peace agreement, the political situation in Tigray remains unstable, with ongoing power struggles within the TPLF and delays in the implementation of the agreement. - The conflict has had repercussions throughout the Horn of Africa region. In November 2020, a peace agreement between the Ethiopian government and the TPLF (the "Pretoria Agreement") was signed in Pretoria, South Africa, mediated by the African Union (AU). Military leaders from both sides subsequently agreed on a roadmap that included unhindered humanitarian access and the formation of a joint disarmament committee. Current status (May 2025): The 2022 peace agreement ended the formal armed conflict; the situation remains tense. Various concerns remain regarding the implementation of the agreement, particularly regarding the withdrawal of Eritrean troops and the full reintegration of Tigray into Ethiopia's federal structure. Furthermore, internal power struggles within the TPLF have led to tensions in the transitional administration. Reports (March 2025) indicate renewed tensions, as rival TPLF factions occupied key offices and radio stations in the regional capital, Mekelle, fueling fears of renewed conflict. The humanitarian situation in Tigray remains dire. The agreed-upon return of one million displaced people has been delayed. The TPLF has now been banned by the Ethiopian federal government. The TPLF called on the AU to mediate with the federal government. The electoral commission had revoked its legal status as a political party. The TPLF described the ban on any political activity as "dangerous" and a "serious threat." It could lead to conflict with the 2022 agreement that ended the two-year conflict in the northern Tigray region. The party was banned for failing to hold a general assembly. The decision follows months of political tensions in Tigray and comes ahead of nationwide elections, which are scheduled to take place by June next year at the latest. *1) Abiy Ahmed Ali is the current Prime Minister of Ethiopia and took office on April 2, 2018. He is the first Oromo in Ethiopia's history to hold this office. Abiy was born on August 15, 1976, in Beshasha, Ethiopia. He has a military background, rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel, and holds advanced degrees, including a doctorate in Peace and Conflict Studies from Addis Ababa University. Abiy Ahmed known for his efforts to resolve the long-standing border dispute with Eritrea. Hee was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2019. He signed a historic peace agreement with Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki, ending a 20-year standoff between the two countries. Domestically, he initiated significant reforms, including the release of political prisoners, the abolition of press censorship, the promotion of women's empowerment, and the advancement of economic liberalization. However, his tenure was also marked by serious challenges, including ethnic violence and the outbreak of the Tigray War in November 2020, which led to widespread humanitarian crises and allegations of human rights abuses. Despite his early reputation as a reformer and peacemaker, Abiy's government was criticized for its increasing authoritarianism and its handling of internal conflicts. He has led the Prosperity Party since 2019 and remains a central figure in Ethiopia's complex political landscape. *2) The Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) is a left-wing ethno-nationalist and paramilitary group founded on February 18, 1975, in Dedebit, Tigray. Its original goal was to overthrow the Ethiopian central government and impose its own revolutionary framework, rather than seek Tigray's independence. The TPLF was the dominant force in Ethiopia's ruling coalition, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), from 1989 to 2018. It played a key role in the overthrow of the Derg regime in 1991 and controlled much of the Ethiopian federal government and its resources for decades. The Ethiopian federal government designated the TPLF as a terrorist organization in 2021 during the conflict, but removed it from the terrorist list in March 2023 following the peace agreement. In summary, the TPLF is a historically powerful political and military group in Tigray that led Ethiopia for decades, recently fought a civil war with the federal government, and is now in a fragile period of peace and political transition.