Talks end bloody conflict
Ethiopia’s warring sides agreed yesterday to a permanent cessation of hostilities in a conflict believed to have killed hundreds of thousands, but enormous challenges lie ahead, including getting all parties to lay down arms or withdraw.
The war in Africa’s secondmost populous country, which marks two years today, has seen abuses documented on both sides, with millions of people displaced and many near famine.
‘‘The level of destruction is immense,’’ said the lead negotiator for Ethiopia’s government, Redwan Hussein. Lead Tigray negotiator Getachew Reda expressed a similar sentiment and noted that ‘‘painful concessions’’ had been made. Exhausted Ethiopians, urged by the parties to ‘‘stop voices of division and hate,’’ watched them shake hands.
A draft text of the agreement, shared with The Associated Press by a diplomat, says Tigray forces will be disarmed, starting with ‘‘light weapons’’ within 30 days of yesterday’s signing, and Ethiopian federal security forces will take full control of ‘‘all federal facilities, installations, and major infrastructure such as airports and highways within the
Tigray region.’’ The final, detailed agreement was not made public, but the brief joint statement notes ‘‘a detailed programme of disarmament’’ and ’’restoration of constitutional order’’ in Tigray. Ethiopia’s government will continue restoring basic services to the Tigray region, where communications, transport and banking links for more than 5 million people have been severed since fighting began. The parties also commit to unfettered humanitarian access.
‘‘The devil will be in the implementation,’’ said former Kenyan president Uhuru Kenyatta, who helped facilitate the talks.
An African Union panel with representatives from both sides and Africa experts will monitor the process.
It was not immediately clear when independent journalists and human rights researchers would be allowed into Tigray.
Major questions remain. Neighbouring Eritrea, which has fought alongside Ethiopia, was not part of the peace talks. It’s not clear to what extent its deeply repressive government, which has long considered Tigray authorities a threat, will respect the agreement. The draft says the Ethiopian and Tigray sides agree to stop ‘‘collusion with any external force hostile to either party’’.
Eritrea’s information minister did not reply to questions.
Eritrean forces have been blamed for some of the conflict’s worst abuses, including gang rapes, and witnesses have described killings and lootings by Eritrean forces even during the peace talks.