[By Tekie]
The safe, orderly, and dignified return of internally displaced Tegaru to Western Tigray will not be achieved through isolation or emotional rejection of engagement, but through principled, strategic, and sustained diplomacy.
Engagement with key international actors such as the United States and the European Union, and with the endorsement and oversight of the United Nations and the African Union, remains indispensable if constitutional order, justice, and lasting stability are to be secured.
In this context, Getachew Reda deserves recognition for choosing engagement at a moment when time is working against the displaced. His efforts to prioritise the return and safety of IDPs, while anchoring the process in constitutional and international legitimacy, align with Tigray’s core interests.
Engagement is not endorsement, nor is it betrayal; it is a necessary tool to halt demographic engineering, restore rights, and prevent irreversible loss.
The way forward demands unity of purpose, disciplined messaging, and thoughtful engagement—firm on principles, but realistic about power and international legitimacy. Anything less risks further sidelining Tigray and prolonging the suffering of its displaced people.