Mekelle/Tel Aviv/Nairobi/Pretoria/Londonorg
Extortion Scandal in Tigray Raises Alarms Over Militarised Governance and IDP Vulnerability
Brussels / Nairobi / Mekelle — 24 November 2025
Grave allegations of extortion and coercion targeting internally displaced civilians in Tigray have ignited a wave of international concern, after a European rights group publicly accused senior TPLF-linked military commanders and local officials of orchestrating a predatory fundraising scheme disguised as community mobilisation.
The Tigrayan Advocacy for Human Rights and Justice in Europe (TAHRJE), a Brussels-based civil rights organisation, issued an urgent statement describing the acts as “organised criminal looting” perpetrated against some of the region’s most vulnerable war survivors. At the centre of the accusations are members of the 42nd Tigray Army Command and a network of Adwa district authorities who allegedly forced displaced families to surrender livestock, food reserves, and basic household items.
Independent humanitarian observers say the allegations, if verified, point to troubling patterns of militarised authority in parts of post-war Tigray where the collapse of central political structures has enabled local commanders to wield unchecked power over populations still recovering from conflict, displacement, and famine conditions.
IDPs Under Pressure: A Humanitarian System Already at Breaking Point
According to credible field reports cited by TAHRJE and corroborated by aid workers interviewed by third-party monitors, IDPs in several sites around Adwa were subjected to intense pressure during a so-called “fundraising campaign” run by local officials and military affiliates.
Displaced families reportedly described being told they must surrender:
Indigenous cattle breeds, often their only remaining livelihood asset;
Stored grains and emergency food rations;
Soap, hygiene items, and sanitary materials;
Household essentials used by children and elderly relatives.
“People were frightened. Many told us they felt they had no choice,” a humanitarian worker from a European NGO operating in the region told a regional monitoring network on condition of anonymity. “The power imbalance is absolute. When armed figures make a demand, IDPs—who are already traumatised—feel compelled to comply.”
These accounts align with trends identified in earlier assessments by the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC) and the Norwegian Refugee Council, which warned in mid-2025 that displaced communities in Tigray face “growing risks of coercion, exploitation, and forced mobilization” amid fragmented local governance.
Names Cited: Commanders and Officials at the Heart of the Controversy
TAHRJE’s statement directly implicates several high-ranking figures:
General Abrha Tesfay (Dinkul), Commander of the 42nd Tigray Army;
Senior leadership elements within the same military command;
Tesfay Gebrewold, Mayor of Adwa;
Memhir Almaz, Adwa Woreda Administrator;
Local TPLF cadres including Desta Beruh Zeferu.
Regional analysts say the explicit naming of individuals underscores the gravity of the accusations and signals a shift in diaspora advocacy groups’ willingness to publicly confront military-aligned networks often considered untouchable.
“It is highly unusual for rights organisations to release detailed lists of alleged perpetrators from within Tigray’s own political and military elite,” said Dr. Hagos Mengstu, a Horn of Africa governance researcher based in Leuven. “This suggests they believe the situation has crossed a threshold that endangers both civilians and regional stability.”
Legacy Slogans, New Manipulation: Militarised Narratives in Civilian Spaces
Witnesses say IDPs were pressured using emotionally charged wartime slogans such as “Our army is the guarantee of our survival” and “We stand with the Tigray Army.” Aid workers note that invoking these slogans deeply embedded in the collective memories of communities devastated by war can serve as a powerful instrument of psychological coercion.
“This is not traditional community fundraising,” said a local civil society observer who spoke to a Nairobi-based conflict-monitoring initiative. “It is militarised narrative manipulation that plays on trauma, fear, and loyalty.”
Experts note that this method mirrors patterns documented in other conflict zones, where weakened institutions allow armed groups to exert influence over displaced or impoverished populations. A 2024 UNDP assessment warned that “military-led structures in post-conflict environments often rely on symbolic narratives to consolidate control, particularly when civilian oversight is eroded.”
Why This Matters: A Fragile Region Confronting New Fault Lines
Though the Pretoria Agreement ended open hostilities in 2022, the humanitarian and political situation in Tigray remains precarious:
More than 1 million people remain displaced, according to recent IDMC figures.
Aid access continues to be inconsistent due to insecurity and bureaucratic restrictions.
Governance is fractured among interim authorities, local administrators, and semi-autonomous military units.
Accountability mechanisms remain virtually nonexistent.
Against this backdrop, incidents of extortion if left unaddressed—risk becoming entrenched and normalised.
“Such practices fuel resentment, undermine public trust, and could accelerate internal fragmentation,” warned a regional analyst at the Rift Valley Institute. “The threat is not just humanitarian—it is political, with long-term implications for post-war reconciliation.”
International Law and Criminal Exposure
Legal experts note that forcibly taking food, livestock, or essential items from displaced civilians can fall under multiple categories of international criminal law violations:
Pillaging, prohibited under the Geneva Conventions;
Coercion and deprivation, covered under the Rome Statute;
Violations of UN Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement, which require authorities to protect not exploit displaced communities.
“These allegations are serious enough to warrant international inquiry,” said a legal adviser with a European human rights tribunal. “If substantiated, they could form the basis for sanctions or even criminal proceedings.”
What Comes Next: Calls for Accountability and International Oversight
TAHRJE has issued six demands, including targeted sanctions, independent investigations, UN monitoring access, and protection guarantees for IDPs.
Several European parliamentarians familiar with the rights group say they support calls for closer scrutiny of military activity in Tigray, warning that donor engagement in the region must be tied to credible oversight.
Humanitarian partners also emphasise that without intervention, similar incidents may proliferate.
“IDPs are exhausted, hungry, traumatised, and invisible to power,” said one aid coordinator. “If the world does not respond, the message will be clear: exploitation is permissible.”
Conclusion: A Critical Test for Post-War Tigray
The allegations emerging from Adwa strike at the core of Tigray’s ongoing struggle to rebuild after years of catastrophic conflict. They also expose unresolved power dynamics that threaten to reverse fragile gains.
For displaced people who survived war, famine conditions, and systematic violence, being coerced by the very actors claiming to defend them is not only a violation of rights—it is a profound betrayal.
Whether regional authorities and international partners take decisive action may determine whether Tigray moves toward recovery and accountability, or further into a cycle of militarised impunity.
Editor’s Disclaimer:
The views and opinions expressed in articles published by Horn News Hub are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official position or editorial stance of Horn News Hub. Publication does not imply endorsement.
