10/03/2024
TPLF Affirms Peace as Its Unwavering Strategic Choice: A Commitment from the Past, Present, and into the Future
The Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) unequivocally states that peace has consistently been and remains its strategic choice, both in the past and looking forward to the future. The history of the Tigrayan people is marked not by aggression but by a persistent defense of their rights and existence against oppression and injustice. This experience has ingrained in them the true cost of conflict, not through abstract history but through the tangible losses of loved ones and the devastation of their communities. It is from this place of understanding that the Tigrayan people, and by extension the TPLF, have chosen a path of peace, striving for harmonious relations and cooperation with their neighbors.
The TPLF was compelled to engage in armed struggle in 1975 only when all non-violent methods to confront the systemic oppression against the Tigrayan people were deliberately blocked. This challenging period, however, culminated in notable successes that highlight the Tigrayan people's and their leadership's resilience and solidarity. In the last three years, the genocidal war against the people of Tigray inflicted unprecedented loss of life and widespread destruction in the region. Despite these severe challenging times, the unwavering unity and leadership of the TPLF and the Tigrayan people have not only enabled them to endure but also to pivot towards advocating for peace through political means.
Even in the face of a genocidal campaign, the TPLF and the TPLF led administration have consistently advocated for peace and dialogue. This commitment was evident before the conflict, at its onset, and continued through the signing of the Pretoria Peace Agreement. Despite the Pretoria Cessation of Hostilities Agreement, challenges remain, including the presence of non-ENDF forces, their occupation of Tigrayan territories, and the plight of displaced persons and refugees. The lack of progress on these issues is concerning, and recent accusations of war preparations against the TPLF are unfounded and part of a broader campaign to undermine Tigray's unity and leadership.
The TPLF remains dedicated to the Pretoria agreement as a framework for ending conflicts and achieving lasting peace. We are committed to the peaceful political struggle to ensure the withdrawal of non-ENDF forces from the region, the restoration of Tigray's constitutional territorial integrity, the safe return of internally displaced people and refugees, and resumption of humanitarian aid and accountability. The strategic choice of the TPLF for peace is unwavering, and we will continue to pursue this path with determination.