BY DARGIE KAHSAY
Following the 02 November 2022 agreement on Cessation of Hostilities between the Government of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia and the Tigray Peoples’ Liberation Front (TPLF) in Pretoria and two consecutive meetings in Nairobi, Kenya between the two parties, different actions are being taken to fully implement the agreement on the ground.
Immediately, following the agreement, active violence has stopped and humanitarian flow opened through all corridors. In addition, a delegation of Federal government officials led by House of Peoples’ Representatives Speaker, Tagesse Chafo visited Tigray’s capital, Mekelle on 26 December 2022 for the first time after the active war.
The visit of the federal government officials’ delegation accelerates resumption of services like air transport, electric power, telecom and banking service, though there are activities that would be done to resume full services in all the war ravaged states. Still efforts are continued to fully resume all critical services in the region. And, this week based on the Pretoria agreement, the implementation of disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of TPLF combatants started as TPLF started handing over of heavy weapons in the presence of African Union Monitoring team.
DDR implementation on the ground
Article six of the Pretoria agreement discussed the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) of the TPLF armed combatants within a set period of time. The article defines that Ethiopia has only one defense force and orders a comprehensive DDR program for TPLF combatants consistent with the constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia as part of the agreement for cessation of hostilities.
Based on the agreement, a monitoring team was formed by the African Union to follow and verify the DDR implementation on the ground that consists of senior military men assigned by AU. This week, on Tuesday, within the presence of the monitoring team, the TPLF started handing over of heavy weapons to the Ethiopian National defense Force (ENDF).
The TPLF forces already handed over the first round of weapons that included tanks, rockets, and mortars in Agula camp, which founds 36 kilometers from Mekelle, Tigray capital.
The above shot was taken during the handing over event in Agula camp. In the picture African Union Monitoring team delegations are seen. The DDR monitoring team of AU includes those military men wearing a military uniform with green bonnet in their heads and civil experts.
The heavy weapons that prepared for the transfer from TPLF to ENDF are shown in the picture in the Agula camp. The first heavy weapons handover ceremony was successfully and peacefully applied and is the latest development with regard to the November’s Pretoria agreement between the two parties.
Ethiopian Athletics Federation team visited Tigray capital, Mekelle
The Ethiopian Athletics Federation team, which includes senior officials of the federation and Tigrayan born athletes travelled to Mekelle. The team includes the star athletes that outshined in Oregon World Athletics Championship, including the record owner in Marathon.
The federation’s visit was in an honor for the Tigray born athletes to meet their family after the war. The team led by Federation’s president Athlete Deputy Commissioner Derartu Tulu and the federation donated two million birr to support the Tigray Athletics Federation.
The above shot was taken during the team’s arrival at Mekelle’s Alula Abanega airport. The delegation team wore the Ethiopian Athletics team’s uniform (kit) used mainly for trainings. This Red, yellow and green emblazoned flag is a symbol of Ethiopianism.
They commuted by the Ethiopian which is shown just immediately behind them. The Ethiopian airlines is the best airline in Africa and it started flight to Mekelle immediately following the Federal Government’s officials visit to Mekelle in late December after the war.
ENDF, TPLF combatants, DDR monitoring team in one picture
The above shot was taken during the first-round heavy weapons transfer event by TPLF to ENDF. The group picture includes African Union DDR monitoring and verification team, which includes civil and military experts, ENDF commanders and members of TPLF combatant group.
The group picture indicates the peaceful process of the handing over of the weapons from TPLF forces to ENDF. This picture is the sign and symbol of peaceful journey of the peace building process. This image gives a hope for people that the agreement is on full implementation and that would never go back.
“Tigray has handed over its heavy weapons as part of its commitment to implementing the Pretoria agreement, and the Monitoring & Verification Team has confirmed it. We hope and expect this will go a long way in expediting the full implementation of the agreement,” Getachew Reda twitted following the event.
The Ethiopian Herald January 15/2023
