(Photo: Social Media)
Addis Abeba – The National Movement of Amhara (NaMA) has issued a statement alleging that forces from the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) have conducted attacks in the Raya Alamata district, situated in the southern Tigray zone.
According to the statement, TPLF militants have carried out attacks in these areas, leading to the displacement of “tens of thousands of people” and the destruction of “substantial amounts of public and private property.”
The statement further alleges that the militants have committed acts of violence against Amhara civilians and have “plundered crops from rural villages.”
NAMa has urged the federal and Amhara regional governments to implement “immediate and strict measures” to address the situation.
The political party has called for the “return of the militant forces to their previous positions, accountability for the damage caused, prevention of similar actions in the future, and the safe return of displaced individuals to their homes.”
The statement from NAMa follows an announcement made by Getachew Reda, president of the Tigray interim administration, on Friday.
Getachew stated that Tigrayan forces have begun withdrawing from the villages of Garjale and Baqlo Manaqia near Alamata city, following an understanding reached with the federal government and the Amhara regional administration.
In its statement, NAMa asserts that Getachew’s announcement was intended “to declare that they had launched an attack on the people of Alemata City and to inform their allies of this action.”
The statement further criticizes the federal government for its alleged silence regarding the reported “killings, large-scale displacement, destruction, and looting” affecting the people in the Raya areas.
NAMa claims that the government is “responsible for all that is lost” due to the TPLF leaders’ propaganda, which suggests that these acts are being carried out with the “permission of the federal government.”
The statement also alleges a lack of effective measures from the federal government to stop the attacks by TPLF forces, despite the militants’ reported “widespread military preparations” and “recent attacks on Afar areas and Alamata city.”
NAMa argues that this inaction has “emboldened the TPLF militants to continue their attacks,” further exacerbating the situation for the people of Raya.
Moreover, the statement criticizes various forces claiming to represent the Amhara people for failing to respond to the repeated attacks. NAMa suggests that this lack of response indicates a “political and moral decline” and that these forces may be “under the influence of the TPLF.”
The party emphasizes the need for immediate action on several fronts. It calls upon the federal government to remove TPLF militants from occupied areas and provide “urgent humanitarian assistance” to those affected. It also stresses the “increased responsibility” of the Amhara regional government to protect its people from attacks and take proactive measures. Additionally, NAMa urges the entire Amhara population to unite against the TPLF’s political ideology and activities that “threaten their survival.”
The statement also calls on the international diplomatic community to recognize and condemn the alleged violence and looting perpetrated by the TPLF against the Amhara people and to hold the TPLF accountable for its reported human rights violations.
According to the latest UN report, recent clashes in the southern Tigray zone have led to a significant increase in the number of displaced people.
The report, citing zonal authorities, states that the number of people displaced from the rural towns of Alamata in the southern Tigray zone to neighboring Kobo district of North Wello Zone and Sekota Town of Wag Hamra Zone in the Amhara region has “increased to more than 50,000—triple from the 15,000 initially reported on 16 April, 2024.”
The UN described the humanitarian situation as “dire, with thousands of women and children in need of broad humanitarian support to survive.” AS
