The Alliance of Tigrayan Associations in the Diaspora in America (ATAD—America) condemns, in the strongest terms possible, the proclamation of the Ethiopian Ministry of Education that annexes schools in the Tigray Regional State that are currently occupied by the Amhara and Eritrean forces (namely: Western Tigray, Southern Tigray and North Western Tigray) to the Amhara Regional State. We strongly request an immediate correction to the released official documents of the Ethiopian Ministry of Education.
ATAD-America considers that an official government communication that implies schools within the constitutional boundaries of the Tigray Region to belong in the Amhara regional state are not only unconstitutional but also run counter to the principles and agreements duly signed and acknowledged in the Pretoria Agreement for Permanent Cessation of Hostilities and the Nairobi Accord. ATAD-America strongly condemns and rejects any such assumption or claim by the Ethiopian government concerning these territories, which are indisputably the sovereign territories of Tigray. This illegal annexation of the occupied Tigrayan territories is untenable under any acceptable legal frameworks and historical grounds and we urge an immediate correction.
While the people of Tigray are engaging the international community and the Ethiopian government in good faith to ensure the unconditional return of the occupied territories of Tigray per the Ethiopian constitution and in adherence to the principles of the Pretoria Agreement for Secession of Hostilities and the Executive mechanism signed in Nairobi, we are very sad that the Ethiopian government is failing to fulfill its obligations. The Ethiopian government, in taking such a step, is both infringing on the basis for a lasting peace contrary to the hopes and aspirations laid in Pretoria and Nairobi accords. ATAD—America, therefore, demands the Ministry of Education of Ethiopia to publicly apologize for the mistake. We also call upon all parties to the Pretoria agreement to play their role in resolving this pressing issue and expedite the return of the occupied territories to Tigray so that the interim administration of Tigray initiates a programme to return the displaced residents back to their homes.
Please direct all future correspondence and inquiries to atadworkinggroup@gmail.com
*ATAD—America is a not-for-profit, non-partisan, and independent platform established to promote community actions, coordinate, and create synergy among Tigray diaspora associations and catalyze community collaborations focusing on areas of common interests to all member communities.
