HNH-July 18, 2026
Chairperson of the Simret Party Getachew Reda said the outlawed TPLF group is holding the people of Tigray back from development.
He made the remarks during a peaceful demonstration held at Meskel Square in Addis Ababa, where participants condemned what they described as the illegal TPLF group’s repression and oppression of the people of the Tigray Region.
Addressing the gathering, Getachew called on the public to organize and press the group to fully implement the Pretoria Peace Agreement and the voices of the people to be heard.
He also urged the group to stop what he described as the trafficking of young people to Sudan, saying that its actions are preventing the people of Tigray from pursuing development.
Getachew said the relief and progress brought about by the Pretoria Peace Agreement had been undermined.
According to him, the gains achieved through the agreement were reversed after the interim administration was removed in what he described as a coup and replaced by the group’s self-appointed leadership.
He further pointed out that the illegal TPLF group is forcibly recruiting young people into military service.
According to Getachew, children are being taken from their families and sent to military camps, while mothers who resist are imprisoned, actions he described as inhumane.
He also accused the group of prioritizing power and wealth over the welfare of young people, saying its actions have subjected them to suffering and should be brought to an end .
In addition, Getachew stated that the group is not only forcibly recruiting young people into military camps against their will but also trafficking them to Sudan and Eritrea.
He said these actions demonstrate what he described as the group’s disregard for human rights and authoritarian character.
