Mekelle/Tel Aviv/Nairobi/Pretoria/London
Using IDPs as Political Bargaining Chips Is Immoral, Says Gen. Samora
By Staff Writter
Addis Ababa — Former Chief of Staff of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces, General Samora Yenus, has described the use of internally displaced persons as instruments of political bargaining as immoral and unethical, calling for their unconditional return to their places of origin.
Speaking in an interview with Gazette Plus on the situation of internally displaced persons in Hitsats, Tigray State, Gen. Samora said prolonged displacement erodes human dignity and poses long term risks to national stability. He stressed that while emergency humanitarian assistance is important, it cannot substitute for durable solutions.
According to Gen. Samora, the sustainable path forward lies in the immediate repatriation of displaced citizens to their ancestral villages. He said returning communities to their original environments allows them to restore livelihoods, regain self reliance, and contribute meaningfully to the country’s development.
The former ENDF chief also cautioned against the politicization of displacement, arguing that territorial and land ownership disputes should not be pursued at the cost of civilian suffering. He noted that claims in areas such as Wolkait and Tsegedie, or elsewhere, must not be used to justify the continued hardship of displaced populations.
Gen. Samora added that treating IDPs as leverage in political negotiations risks deepening social fractures and prolonging instability, emphasizing that the protection and welfare of civilians should remain separate from political and territorial contests.
