News: Ethiopian Teachers Association, Civil Societies Coalition call for hostilities de-escalation, continued humanitarian assistance
By Fraol Bersissa @FiraolBer
Addis Abeba: The Ethiopian Teachers Association called for de-escalation of conflict and an immediate return to cessation of hostilities in the wake of the week-long resumption of militarized hostlities between federal defense forces and Tigrayan forces. The Association emphasized that such conflict plants no seed except for poverty, generational rifts, and historical accountability, and thus urged actions to break the spiral.
Similarly, in a statement sent to Addis Standard, the Ethiopian Civil Societies Organization Coalition (ECSOC) expressed its “grave concern” about the resumption hostilities. The coalition stated that the resumption of the militarized engagement would bear massive consequences for civilians, especially vulnerable segments of the population, namely children, disabled persons, the elderly, and women in the affected areas.
Furthermore, both the Association and the Council stressed [unfettered] humanitarian assistance and restoration of basic services for the affected civilian populations in Tigray regional state and for such humanitarian assistance to continue without interruption.
As part of a general call for all disputes within the country, including the war in the north to be solved through non-violent discourse, the Teachers Association requested the AU and other international organizations to carry out their role of collaboration to bring a cessation of hostilities, including armed schisms. It also called for all militarized disputes within the country to be solved through non-violent discourse.
Parallel to this, ECSOC, underscored that international mechanization such as the African Union (AU) and others should discharge efforts to enable an immediate cessation of hostilities without any pre-conditions. In this regard, the council indicated its readiness to dispense its own aid to see the end of the conflict.
Militarized hostilities between the federal army and Tigrayan forces re-erupted on August 24th after a humanitarian true declared by both lasted for six months. Both sides sides blame each other for commencing attacks against the other.
The confrontation has escalated with the government blaming Tigrayan forces of launching multiple war fronts.
This week saw several towns and cities across the Amhara regional impose restrictions and curfews in response to growing security tensions.
The resumption of the militarized hostilities has already been condemned by the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC), multiple countries and institutions and their leaders including The United States, Turkey, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, and AU Chairperson, Moussa Faki, who have raised concerns in regard to the situation and stressed a resumption of peace talks. In a short statement released last night, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has called on “the Ethiopian Government and the TPLF to immediately halt military operations and redouble efforts to bring a permanent end to the conflict.” AS
