Ethiopia: Salsay Weyane Tigray Accuses Federal Government of Failing to Prioritize IDPs, Allowing Perpetrators of ‘Crimes Against Humanity’ to Exercise Power

Addis Abeba — The Tigray opposition party, Salsay Weyane Tigray, has accused the federal government of neglecting its responsibility to ensure the safe and voluntary return of Tigrayan internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees while allowing individuals implicated in crimes against humanity to continue exercising authority in Western Tigray.

In a statement released yesterday, the party said the government has “failed to implement steps necessary to dismantle the illegal administrative structures installed in occupied Western Tigray” and instead “pursued actions that serve to exacerbate existing conflicts.”

Salsay Weyane Tigray asserted that those currently in control of the area “are widely known for orchestrating the industrial-scale killing and displacement of millions of Tigrayans” and “stand implicated as perpetrators of crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing,” according to multiple reports by international human rights organizations.

The U.S. has determined that members of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces, Eritrean Forces, and Amhara forces have committed “crimes against humanity” in the Tigray region, whereas all sides have committed “war crimes” during Ethiopia’s two-year war that started in Tigray and spread to the Amhara and Afar regions.

The group called on the federal government to “desist immediately from activities that foster future conflict and hamper the return” of displaced Tigrayans, urging it to “act as a legitimate governing authority by ensuring the safety of all peoples and guaranteeing the dismantling of all unlawful administrations.”

This comes after the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) accused the federal government of “political deception” and of failing to implement key provisions of the Pretoria Agreement regarding the return of internally displaced persons (IDPs) from Western Tigray.

The accusation came after federal and regional officials held discussions in Humera on plans to facilitate the return of displaced people “in a manner that promotes peace and public unity,” according to a 26 October 2025 report by local media.

Participants in the meeting reportedly included Mohammed Idris, Minister of Peace; Getachew Reda, the Prime Minister’s Advisor for East African Affairs; officials from the Wolkait Tegede Setit Humera Zone; and members of the Wolkait Tegede Amhara Border and Identity Reclamation Committee. The officials emphasized that while the return of innocent citizens is necessary, individuals accused of committing crimes against the public “must be held legally accountable.”

In August, Tsilal Civil Society of Western Tigray cautioned against proceeding with IDP registration and return without proper safeguards. In a letter to the Tigray Interim Administration and UNOCHA dated 16 August, the group welcomed return initiatives but criticized them for lacking transparency, oversight, and consultation with displaced persons. It warned that premature returns risk violating rights and urged the evacuation of occupied properties and reforms to local administrative and security structures.

Following the warning, Lt. Gen. Tadesse Werede, President of Tigray’s Interim Administration, said attempts to facilitate returns without resolving constitutional questions or coordinating with his administration could reignite conflict. Speaking at the Ashenda festival in Mekelle, he accused some actors of pushing unilateral returns “against the interests of the people of Tigray.”

Merih Welay (PhD), Tsilal’s executive chairman, told *Addis Standard* that the group’s concerns were based on reports of failed return attempts in other parts of Tigray, cautioning that “return should not be rushed at the expense of safety, dignity, and rights.” Tsilal’s appeal echoed earlier warnings from TPLF chairman Debretsion Gebremichael, who said facilitating returns without addressing root causes–including the presence of occupying forces and accountability for atrocities–could create a “dangerous situation.”

The return of IDPs has emerged as a central concern in post-war Tigray. In June, hundreds demonstrated outside the Interim President’s Office in Mekelle, denouncing delays and demanding immediate repatriation. Protesters marched under the slogan, “We are dying here; we will die if we go. It is better for us to die in our land.”

In the same month, IDPs in Tigray staged a peaceful demonstration in Mekelle on Wednesday, 18 June 2025, demanding urgent repatriation and warning against being forced to endure yet another rainy season in tents. Marching under the slogan “Let’s not spend the fifth rainy season in tents,” protesters expressed frustration at prolonged displacement, carrying banners that read “We will not live a fifth rainy season in tent shelters” and “Signatories and implementers of the Pretoria Peace Agreement, return us to our homes peacefully.”

The humanitarian situation in Ethiopia’s Tigray region “remains dire,” according to a report by the Ethiopia Emergency Shelter and NFI Cluster, with more than 760,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) living in increasingly precarious conditions. While displacement figures have remained relatively stable, the report noted that “deteriorating resources and overcrowded shelters” are further eroding living standards.

By Addis Standard.