News: Tigray warns against obstructing its upcoming election, says it’s tantamount to “declaration of war”

“If House of Federation attempts to obstruct Tigray Regional Election , it is a declaration of war, ” Tigray Regional State Cabinet

By Medihane Ekubamichael

Addis Abeba, September 04/2020 – The Executive (Cabinet) of Tigray National Regional State warned the House of Federation (HoF) to refrain from making a “historic mistake” at the emergency meeting the House called for tomorrow.

On August 31, the HoF called its members via its Facebook page to convene on September 05 for an emergency meeting. The agenda of the emergency meeting, called during the House’s summer recess, has not been disclosed but many speculate Tigray’s upcoming regional election scheduled to take place on September 09, will be top on the agenda.

If confirmed, it comes after the HoF’s newly installed speaker Adem Farah issued a statement warning Tigray to refrain from its planned regional election.

“If it passes a decision to suspend or put any other obstacle to the Tigray election, it is a declaration of war”, said yesterday’s statement by the Executive.

The statement reaffirmed that the 6^th round regional election will be held in accordance with the FDRE Constitution and the Constitution of the Tigray National Regional State; and that it cannot be suspended for a second time with any kind of intervention.

“The Cabinet wants to make it clear to all friends and foes that the House of Federation and the Prime Minister will be held accountable for the reaction and damage that follows with the decision of the House of Federation.”

The statement also called on to the people of Tigray to be prepared to ensure its imminent victory by blocking any interventions forthcoming from the federal government or any other body to obstruct its election that implies its right for self-determination.

Additionally, it called on the international community to take on the responsibility to influence and support the success of this election and to condemn any interference that could disrupt it.

The statement concluded its firm massages urging anyone who intends to “disrupt or destabilize the election, as well as any force that opposes the existence and well-being of our people, must refrain from their evil act.”

Yesterday’s statement from the Cabinet was followed today by an emergency meeting of the Parliament of Tigray during which members have passed a unanimous vote asking Tigray representatives of the HoF to boycott tomorrow’s emergency meeting by the HoF.

This comes after Tigray National Regional Council issued a letter addressed to the HoF requesting details of the agenda of tomorrow’s meeting.

Meanwhile, Asmelash Woldesilasie, a powerful member of the TPFL executive committee, told Tigray Media House today that the HoF’s emergency meeting the coming Saturday was to pass a decision about Tigray’s election. “If I am not mistaken the HoF hasn’t called for an emergency meeting for the past five years and the reason to call such kind of meeting at its ending period is clear. It is even possible to guess. But more than that the information I got from within the HoF [indicates] the meeting is called to pass decisions on the ongoing election preparation in Tigray,” Asmelash said. “We have heard the HoF is set to pass a decision to [declare] the 6^th round regional election in Tigray as violation of the constitution and thereby to let the Federal government take action accordingly.”

He also indicated that the HoF kept the agendas highly confidential and restricted within a few individuals. According to him, the HoF “violated the right for transparency as stated in the constitution.” Even with respect to the framework of members of the Council of the Federation, the procedure regulation explains that members should be notified of the agenda of an upcoming meeting in advance for preparation. The transparency and participatory practice of the Federation has been gradually obliterated despite Prime Minister Abiy’s Ahmed’s publicly declared commitment when he assumed his office, Asmelash argued.

As of the writing of this news, the HoF hasn’t disclosed its agenda for tomorrow’s emergency meeting. AS