Respect The Accord

After two years of fighting between government forces and Tigrayan rebels, time is now for the implementation of the peace agreement. On November 2022 the two parties following multiple negotiations endorsed what is now known as the Pretoria Peace Accord in the presence of AU mediator Olusegun Abasanjo. The major objectives of this agreement include among others; permanent cessation of hostilities, orderly, smooth and coordinated disarmament, restoration of law and order, restoration of services and unhindered access to humanitarian supplies. Hours after signing the accord, it was with all joy for representatives of both parties. While the lead negotiator for Ethiopia’s government, Redwan Hussein said “It is now for all of us to honor this agreement,” the lead Tigray negotiator, Getachew Reda expressed similar sentiment, and noted that “painful concessions” have been made.
The peace agreement since its signing has brought about rays of hope to people in dire situations from lack of much-needed humanitarian aid including medical services to families that have been disconnected for over a year due to blackout of basic services including communications and banking. But even though some clauses of the agreement have been meticulously respected by the different stakeholders, there are dissenting voices. This is among, some Ethiopian political elite and their constituencies as well as a cross-section of Tigrayans who believe signing of the agreement was a betrayal on the part of their leaders. To the Ethiopians, never in history should the federal government accept the reintegration of Tigray and its leaders into the national government. They add that the lone solution to the problem was to continue fighting until they...