By Staff Writer Every conflict leaves behind a lesson. Some are written in history books. Others are written in the lives of ordinary people. For Ethiopia, one lesson has become increasingly difficult to ignore- when one method of destabilizing the country fails, another quickly takes its place. Years ago, the remnants of the now-defunct TPLF relied on illegal gold trade, foreign currency manipulation and economic sabotage to weaken the Ethiopian state. But instead of embracing peace after the Pretoria Agreement, the group adopted an even darker strategy. The group is turning the youth of Tigray into the latest victims of its political survival. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed delivered that message with unusual clarity this week as he addressed the final session of the Fifth House of People's Representatives. His speech was not merely a review of the government's achievements. It was also a warning that the greatest tragedy unfolding in northern Ethiopia today is not being inflicted by outsiders, but by a criminal faction that continues to sacrifice the very people it claims to represent. "Worst of all, a vast number of youth of Tigray are currently being forcibly abducted and sold into the ongoing conflict in Sudan," the Prime Minister told Parliament. "In the Sudanese war, young Tigrayans are losing their lives in a conflict that does not concern them. As if the predicament within Ethiopia were not enough, the crisis has now spilled over into Sudan. Throughout all of this, the people of Tigray remain the primary victims." Those remarks captured a painful transformation. The organization that once financed itself through illicit economic networks has, according to the Prime Minister, reached a point where even its own youth have become commodities. Unable to regain political legitimacy, unwilling to pursue peace, and incapable of rebuilding public trust, the armed remnant has resorted to forced recruitment and the trafficking of young Tigrayans into a foreign war. It is a tragic descent that reflects not the interests of the people of Tigray, but the desperation of a leadership determined to survive at any cost. To explain why the cycle of conflict continues despite repeated peace efforts, the Prime Minister expressed it in metaphor calling it " axe and the woodcutter." "This metaphorical axe involves three distinct actors," he said. "The first actor is the sharpened iron head that does the actual cutting. The second actor is the wooden handle curved to fit into it. The third actor is the hand that wields the wooden handle to chop." He then identified each part of the metaphor. "The TPLF operates like the iron head of the axe. The wooden handle is akin to Shabya (the regime in Asmera). The primary commanders and interested parties are entirely separate entities. If we clash merely with the iron head of the axe, the conflict will persist as long as the handle remains; if we clash with the handle, we will still fail to secure lasting peace so long as the entity directing the handle exists." The Prime Minister's analogy echoed what several former senior TPLF figures have been saying for months. Aregawi Berhe, one of the original founding leaders of the TPLF, who later left the group, recently told ENA that the federal government had made genuine efforts to implement the Pretoria Peace Agreement, but the armed faction never intended to honor it. "The federal government was working hard to facilitate the peace process in that region," he said. "But the recipient of that effort was not up to any type of peace agreement." Instead, he argued, the group used the peace agreement as an opportunity to regroup. "They want to use the Pretoria peace process to gain time and to reorganize themselves to continue their ill-fated intentions." According to Aregawi, many veteran fighters eventually abandoned the organization because they saw no future under the current leadership. " Most of the old-generation army has left the organization because they see no future in this leadership," he said. To replace them, the faction increasingly turned to children. "They snatch kids as young as 13 and 14," he revealed, describing how desperate families have been sending their children across the Red Sea and through Sudan simply to escape forced recruitment. Professor Kindeya Gebrehiwot, who served as Cabinet Secretariat Head in the first Tigray Interim Regional Administration, has delivered a similar warning. He stressed that Ethiopians should never confuse the armed faction with the people of Tigray. " And this criminal group still continues to cause serious concerns that could lead to any confrontation," he said, adding that "this group cannot live without such a conflict." According to the professor, every opportunity for peace and recovery has been deliberately undermined. Successive interim administrations, including those led by Getachew Reda and later Lieutenant General Tadesse Werede—faced obstruction whenever they attempted to stabilize the region. "Whenever there is an opportunity to advance peace, recovery and institutional stability, they seek to create obstacles and maintain conditions of confrontation," he said. His warning regarding the region's youth was equally direct. "Many young people are rejecting the prospect of war. There is a growing sentiment throughout Tigray that another round of fighting would be catastrophic for the region." The Prime Minister illustrated that reality with a striking comparison. A Tigrayan living peacefully in Addis Ababa, Bahir Dar, Gondar, Dessie, Bishoftu, Adama, Arba Minch or Hawassa, he noted, enjoys greater personal freedom than many people currently living inside Tigray. "A Tigrayan living peacefully today in Dessie, Gondar, Bahir Dar, Addis Ababa, Bishoftu, Adama, Arba Minch, or Hawassa enjoys far greater peace and moves about with greater freedom, exempt from arbitrary roundups, than a Tigrayan currently residing within Tigray itself," he said. "They can go about their daily lives with much more tranquility than those in Tigray." His conclusion was sobering. "Citizens are being terrorized in their own localities, villages and by their own children. Fleeing from one's homeland has paradoxically become the surest way to find peace." Despite repeated provocations, the federal government has consistently chosen reconciliation over retaliation. Yesterday, the Prime Minister reminded Parliament that the federal government financed the disarmament and reintegration of more than 60,000 former combatants, restored telecommunications, banking, aviation and other public services, reopened transport links, and even refrained from confiscating assets belonging to former TPLF leaders. "These were assets we could have easily confiscated by fabricating simple pretexts, yet for the sake of peace, we preserved and restored them," he said. "It was not simply a matter of the government, having won, placing the defeated force before it to sign an agreement; rather, it was an attempt to capture the hearts of armed forces who were in distress, providing them with extensive support to demonstrate a steadfast commitment to peace." International concern has also been growing. The United States has imposed visa restrictions on hardline members of the Debretsion camp and their immediate family members. Former Interim Administration President Getachew Reda said the significance of the measure lies less in the travel restriction itself than in Washington's recognition of who bears responsibility for rising tensions. "The importance of the visa restriction doesn't lie in the restriction itself but in the fact that the U.S. government has put the blame for rising tension in Ethiopia on the DT (Debretsion) camp," he said. Human Rights Watch has likewise raised concerns over the June proclamation granting sweeping compulsory recruitment powers, warning that it mirrors some of the region's most abusive practices. Together, these developments point to an increasingly shared understanding that the greatest threat facing Tigray today does not come from its people, but from an armed faction that continues to place conflict above peace. Concluding his address, the Prime Minister said Ethiopia now understands where the cycle of instability originates and is prepared to defend the country's sovereignty against any future provocation. "As we are fully aware of the true source of destabilization to Ethiopia's peace, I wish to assure this honorable parliament that we are actively building the posture necessary to repel any provocation emanating from that source," he said. "I desire to confirm to you that we possess the full readiness and stature to defend against anything that threatens the unity and sovereignty of Ethiopia." The people of Tigray have endured years of conflict, displacement and hardship. They deserve recovery, stability and the chance to rebuild their lives. That future, however, depends on ending the politics that has repeatedly turned their suffering into a tool for someone else's ambitions.

Op-ed by Neway Tamiru July 9, 2026 (ENA) In his address to Parliament earlier this week, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, made a revealing assessment of the disquiet that perpetuates in the country’s northernmost region of Tigray, saying that the instigator is a foreign ilk. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s remarks vividly underscore the significance of the 2022 Pretoria Agreement as a landmark achievement in Ethiopia’s ongoing journey toward peace and stability. With lively and resolute language, he describes this accord as a “far-reaching, vital peace pact” that successfully brought together the victors and the vanquished at the negotiation table—a rare feat in a region often marred by conflict and division. Signed on November 2, 2022, in Pretoria, South Africa, and brokered by the African Union, the agreement marked the end of two tumultuous years of conflict in northern Ethiopia, offering a beacon of hope not only for Ethiopia but for the Horn of Africa as a whole. The Pretoria Agreement, officially titled the “Agreement for Lasting Peace through a Permanent Cessation of Hostilities,” was more than a mere diplomatic document; it was a testament to the power of dialogue and perseverance. PM Abiy emphasizes that the deal was “a price paid for the sake of bringing about durable peace and stability,” highlighting the sacrifices and diplomatic efforts that went into forging this historic peace. As the outgoing sixth legislature wraps up its final year, with new elections and a fresh parliament on the horizon, the Prime Minister’s reflections serve as a reminder of the strides Ethiopia has made in its turbulent path toward reconciliation. The agreement’s successful implementation is a testament to the resolve of Ethiopians and their leaders, committed to healing wounds inflicted by years of internal strife. One of the key achievements of the Pretoria Agreement, according to the Premier, is the establishment of the Interim Administration of Tigray region, a crucial step toward restoring governance and fostering peace within the region. The agreement also facilitated the rehabilitation of more than 60,000 internally displaced persons, a significant milestone that underscores the tangible benefits of peace for ordinary citizens. This process was carried out in line with the Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR) drive—an ambitious effort to disarm combatants, reintegrate ex-fighters into civilian life, and promote stability. The successful demobilization of no fewer than 60,000 combatants, along with the release of many prisoners and detainees, exemplifies the concrete results that can be achieved through genuine dialogue and mutual understanding. Prime Minister Abiy underscores that the Pretoria Agreement was not just an ordinary negotiation, but a “major peace initiative” that produced “tangible results.” It created a forum where opposing sides—those who had been at war—sat together as equals, engaging in dialogue that prioritized reconciliation over conflict. The Blade, Haft and Woodcutter Yet, despite these positive strides, the situation in Tigray remains complex and challenging. Prime Minister Abiy uses a vivid metaphor to describe the ongoing tensions: comparing the situation to an axe, where “the blade moves as the haft moves, with the real mover being the woodcutter,” implying external influences are pulling the strings. The Prime Minister accuses foreign actors of meddling in Ethiopia’s internal affairs. He described the order takers as folks who have sent their children abroad and forced Tigrayans into dangerous roles. This metaphor vividly captures the external pressures and manipulations perceived by Ethiopia’s leadership, emphasizing that the internal faultlines is being exploited by outside forces seeking to destabilize the region permanently . Despite these challenges, PM Abiy remains steadfast in his government’s resolve to address the root causes of the conflict. He affirms that Ethiopia is aware of the underlying issues fueling tensions in Tigray and that decisive measures will be taken to find a lasting solution. His tone reflects a mix of resilience and optimism: Ethiopia, he suggests, is committed to overcoming external and internal obstacles to achieve peace and stability. Internationally, Ethiopia’s peace process has garnered support and concern. The United States, for example, has recently imposed visa restrictions targeting extremist leaders within the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and their immediate families. Announced by the U.S. State Department, these sanctions are a response to actions that threaten to undermine the peace process and reignite conflict. The visa bans target individuals deemed responsible for obstructing peace and violating agreements, signaling strong international concern over ongoing violations—such as unilateral political control over Tigray, inflammatory rhetoric, militarization, and forced recruitment. The U.S. stance underscores the importance of adherence to the Pretoria Agreement and the need for accountability among all parties. Washington has made it clear that continued violations and warmongering will lead to further international isolation, reinforcing the message that peace in Ethiopia is a shared responsibility requiring genuine commitment from all stakeholders. The restrictions extend to immediate family members, emphasizing that peace efforts are delicate and must involve accountability at every level. In a nutshell, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s comments paint a picture of cautious optimism rooted in tangible achievements and a firm resolve to overcome ongoing challenges. The Pretoria Agreement stands as a testament to Ethiopia’s capacity for reconciliation and diplomacy, providing a foundation upon which the nation can build lasting peace. While external influences and internal tensions persist, Ethiopia’s leadership remains committed to resolving conflicts decisively, guided by the lessons of dialogue, resilience, and the unwavering hope for a peaceful future. The road ahead may still be fraught with difficulties, but Ethiopia’s journey toward stability, as articulated by Prime Minister Abiy, is a story of perseverance, diplomacy, and the unyielding spirit of its people.