A public forum featuring His Excellency Getachew Reda and his delegates will be held to discuss the current political situation, especially the alleged “alliance” between the Eritrean regime and parts of the TPLF leadership. This alliance has seemingly served no real purpose other than giving the Eritrean dictator a pretext to turn Tigray into the main battleground.
Democratic practices will continue to elude us as long as TPLF’s current leadership remains in power. In other words, it is pointless to think even for a moment that the TPLF-led, corrupt generals will ever reform themselves to meet the demands of a democratic society, just as Shabia, by its very design, could not consider an alternative to its rule.
There are issues related to transparency, accountability, and the rule of law, among others, which the TPLF and corrupt generals have consistently failed to uphold. Public distrust and disdain for the ruling party are widespread. We do not anticipate this changing shortly unless there is a split between the ruling party ranks. After all, much is at stake for the TPLF gang, including the potential loss of personal and party wealth, as well as the exposure of secret deals made in the name of a long-suffering and unsuspecting Tegrawot.
Ultimately, it appears that the Tigray people are on their own in their fight for democracy; the rest of the world, including the international community, is preoccupied with its interests and survival. Who will lead us out of this chaos? The journey will be arduous, but we are prepared for the challenge.
A significant concern is the possible collapse of TPLF leadership due to internal power struggles rather than external threats. Debretsion’s unpredictable actions over the past three years, since the Pretoria agreement, indicate that he is concerned about the broad opposition to his party. Like many dictators, his future moves are likely to become more irrational, violent, and brutal. He might also attempt to split Tigray’s political factions, backed by corrupt generals. In any case, the TPLF and their allies, Shabia, might form a kind of coalition against Abiy as long as they accept Shabia’s political dominance.
This is why every Tigrayan needs to cooperate fully. However, the current highly polarized political climate, marked by intense hatred and opposition against TPLF leaders, makes an effective defense of Tigray seem impossible. Therefore, substantial sacrifices from everyone are necessary.
Mr Bereket Kiros’s Conference Opening Speech
Your Excellency, Mr. Getachew Reda, Advisor for East African Affairs, and esteemed delegation.
On behalf of Tegaru in the Diaspora, as well as in Tigrai and across Ethiopia, please accept my deepest gratitude for availing yourself and your delegation to speak with us and for heeding the urgent call to stand with the people of Tigrai in their darkest moment in history.
Your Excellency,
We are in “interesting times,” to borrow a Chinese phrase. Tigrai teeters on the verge of a civil war and irreversible disintegration. We must, therefore, continue with caution. The Tegaru in the Diaspora and the opposition parties at home have not succeeded in establishing democracy in Tigray. Meanwhile, the TPLF continues to manipulate and cling to power. The Tigray Diaspora needs to examine the root causes openly and honestly, including challenges related to building a democratic culture within our community circles. To better understand democratization, the Tigray Diaspora must develop democratic values within itself and plan how to replace Tigray’s undemocratic political system. This could lead to a Diaspora that continuously strives for democracy and might even become a champion of Tigray’s efforts to achieve a democratic transition.
Yes, our criticism of the government should be objective and fair. Tegrawot must have the right to criticize their government, and I believe in the legitimacy of political and social critique. However, such critique cannot be fair and objective without sincere motives and thorough analysis; significantly, critical evaluations should be based on rational reasoning. When I discuss objective criticism, I want to clarify from the outset that I am not aiming to present an overly optimistic view or overlook the TPLF’s shortcomings. I mention this solely to maintain objectivity and integrity, which I consider essential qualities in any investigative discussion or forum.
We will not be Silent about Tigray, urges you with a deep sense of urgency and responsibility at this critical moment in our history. Tigray is no longer at a crossroads—it is in a state of complete disaster. The people of Tigray are suffering not only from the aftermath of a genocidal war but also from a deepening political betrayal and a destructive power struggle among those entrusted to lead and protect them. This represents yet another clear example of the TPLF manipulating what should be a transparent and inclusive process.
We will not be Silent about Tigray opposes the coercive tactics used by TPLF to reestablish its undemocratic and opaque authoritarian rule, which has oppressed the people of Tigrai. Instead, we advocate for an inclusive, impartial interim government formed through an international conference involving a wide range of Tegaru in both election and appointment procedures.
For the past thirty years, the TPLF leadership has failed to provide a genuine, inclusive, and actionable roadmap for the people of Tigray. The opportunity to begin recovery and move toward stability was undermined by internal sabotage. Dr. Debretsion and a group of alignedgenerals deliberately obstructed the efforts of your administration, ensuring that the Tigray Interim Government would not function effectively. Rather than embracing the collective responsibility to implement the Pretoria Peace Agreement, they chose to prioritize personal power over the people’s future. The interference of some military generals and TPLF party elites has paralyzed governance, weakened institutions, and deliberately crippled the civilian Tigray Interim Administration leadership.
At this critical time, when Tigrayans need service, healing, and leadership, the Interim Tigray Administration Government has been systematically using force to weaken the Southern Zone Administration of Tigray. The recent actions by General Tadesse Werede, President of the Tigray Interim Administration, and the rogue general forces aimed at forcibly changing the legitimate administration of the Southern Zone of Tigray are unconstitutional and undemocratic. They have used coercion and intimidation to seize control.
Meanwhile, the people of Tigray are denied essential services, harassed, and terrorized for speaking out against military involvement in politics. They are demanding civilian governance and justice, yet they remain silent and threatened. Considering this devastating reality, we urge you to Stand with the People of Tigray and Protect the Future of Our Homeland.
We will not be Silent about Tigray. We ask you to support the following four core points as a democratic and peaceful path forward: Empower the legitimate Tigray Interim Regional Administration to elect the President of Tigray through a transparent and inclusive process based on the Pretoria Agreement and the will of the people.
- Urge military generals to avoid interfering in party politics or disrupting government functions. They must safeguard peace and stability in Tigray through the legitimate election process, rather than dictating politics or hindering the elected leadership.
- Engage with other political actors to prevent illegitimate power grabs and help secure a peaceful, lawful, and dignified political solution for Tigray that respects the needs and voices of the people.
- Reject any illegitimate federal attempts to impose leadership on Tigray.
- Promote unity among all Tigrayan political and civic forces to prevent another catastrophic conflict and ensure the survival and dignity of our people.
- Return and reintegration of our destituted citizens to their land.
- The territorial integrity of Tigrai must be restored peacefully, according to the Federal government of Ethiopia’s pre genocidal war.
Our intense criticism of the TPLF leadership and rejection of their manipulation are not meant to insult them, because we have endured thirty years of war caused by a corrupt, oppressive, cliquish, and exclusive government; we have every right to challenge and correct the lies. And we stand together for a brighter future tomorrow, not yesterday’s bravado.
Ultimately, the TPLF, an authoritarian state party, returned after a humiliating defeat to continue ruling the people it had led to genocide, with one million deaths caused by siege- induced starvation and disease. The people of Tigrai deserve justice and freedom. Although the Pretoria Agreement offered a hopeful prospect for Tigrai’s self-governance, it has been squandered by individuals driven by a desire for power.
We will not be Silent about Tigray’s work to remove barriers of fear and prejudice that lead to hatred and conflict by focusing on the needs of our community. Our primary approach is transparency, aiming to expose often-hidden, harmful intentions that emerge when suspicion and fear intensify.
The democratic transformation of Tigray is challenging but attainable. It may require patience, yet democratizing Tigray remains possible if everyone commits to nurturing democratic principles. As democracy begins to flourish, we must remain diligent; otherwise, invasive weeds could overshadow the emerging buds of democracy.
Finally, we would like to remind the partners responsible for the Pretoria Peace Agreement that they owe the people of Tigrai, who have endured the genocide in this century, peace, justice, and freedom from oppression and tyranny to breathe the fresh air of democracy and transform their and their children’s lives and self-government and guarantee their future.
The time to act is now—before it is too late.
Respectfully,
We will not be Silent about Tigray
Bereket Kiros
Seattle WA. July 26, 2025