News — TPLF begins 14th regular meeting amidst escalating controversy, leadership absenteeism
Addis Abeba - The Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) has commenced its 14th regular meeting today in Mekelle, the capital of the Tigray region.
The TPLF last held its 13th congress in September 2018, which was attended by, among others, invited guests of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
However, today congress, which is the highest body of the party, began under a cloud of escalating controversy and notable absences. Fourteen members of the Central Committee, including the President of the Interim Administration of Tigray Region and TPLF Vice Chairman, Getachew Reda, were not present.
The meeting, which was held at the Martyrs Monument Assembly hall and attended by thousands of party members, was initially scheduled to start in the morning but was delayed until the afternoon for reasons that remain unclear.
Getachew Reda, who had previously announced his decision to boycott the conference, criticized the proceedings in a written statement he released today.
Getachew condemned the event as being hastily organized without reaching a consensus, claiming it was designed to "oust certain leaders" perceived as opposition by the party's internal network.
He warned that the conference could lead to greater dangers and called for it to be condemned.
"We must strongly condemn a conference that is being held in a manner that endangers the people of Tigray and the region, aimed solely at removing leaders who oppose us, through a network of leaders who have not reached a consensus. It is confusing, unprincipled, and nonsensical," he stated in his letter.
He concluded pledging that "by coordinating the entire people of Tigray and all our capabilities, we will restore the legal recognition of our organization, TPLF, through organized struggle and high-level political negotiations."
Adding to the tensions, the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) announced yesterday that it will not recognize the TPLF's General Assembly or any decisions made during the congress. The NEBE stated that the TPLF failed to notify the board 21 days in advance of the meeting, as required, and did not allow board observers to be present.
In response, the TPLF has rejected the NEBE's stance, arguing that the board's re registrations not valid since what the party wanted was the reinstatement of its previous status.
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Legesse Tulu, Government Communication Minister, issues a statement warning that TPLF's move to hold the congress "threatens the fragile peace that the people of Tigray have managed to achieve."
Law and order are the foundation of governance in every country, Legesse warned in the statement he published on his verified Meta account, and both transcend any individual, institution, political movement, or group.
"All must operate within the boundaries of the law. When political movements fail to respect this fundamental principle, they set themselves on a path to destruction", he warned.
The minister further warned that "TPLF's persistent defiance in recent years exemplifies this danger."
He cited the Pretoria Agreement, which "the TPLF has frequently cited for protection, mandates strict compliance with the laws and procedures of federal institutions. Yet, the TPLF has repeatedly violated its obligations, and now, through its actions, it has further eroded these agreements."
"Such behavior threatens the fragile peace that the people of Tigray have managed to achieve."
Legesse's warning came in the backdrop of the federal government's stance on the legal status of the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) that the issue has been given an appropriate response by the electoral board.
