



Ethiopia: The Global Society of Tigray Scholars (GSTS) – Open Letter – Call to Stop the Siege of Tigray and the Use of Starvation as a Weapon of War (22.07.2021)

















“Djibouti’s port handles 95% of inbound and outbound trade from Ethiopia, earning more than $1 billion in port fees per year from Ethiopia alone. This makes Djibouti the dominant port service provider in the HoA and a major player in the Red Sea” (Guled Ahmed – ‘Djibouti needs a Plan B for the post-Guelleh era’ 20.07.2021, Middle East Institute).
There been reported earlier this week that the Tigray Defence Force went into both Amhara region and Afar region. This is happening as the Federal Government have redeployed their forces and using Regional Special Forces (RSF) to continue the conflict in the Tigray Regional State.
What is striking here is that the TDF are doing this to do the same as the state does to the Tigray region. The Federal Government and all its allies have had months upon months with blocking the roads, jamming phone-lines and an electricity black-out. Meaning, the utilities and basic necessities have been blocked, as well as stopping the agricultural sectors ability to sow the fields. The state has deliberately ensured a man-made famine, prolonging the agony and blocked anything from entering the Tigray Region.
That’s why today’s new strategy is bold, while also going at the heart of Addis Ababa government. A government who has used all means to destroy, loot and massacre civilians in Tigray region. The TDF is directly going at the cargo-line of the Federal Republic. Most imported goods passes this route and that has been reported by other organizations during the recent years.
The UNCTAD Report of 2018 states this:
“The Djibouti City – Addis Ababa The main trunk road — meaning the road that has the most traffic — between Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and Djibouti City passes through the Ethiopian towns of Awash and Mille, crosses the border at Galafi, joins the route nationale 1 (RN1) in Djibouti, passes through Yoboki, continues just north of Ali-Sabieh, and then enters Djibouti City. The route is shown in 2.1. This section of the Djibouti-Ethiopia road corridor carries about 1,000 trucks per day, mostly six-axle truck/trailer combinations, with those carrying wet bulk — mainly fuel tankers — comprising about 35 per cent of the heavy goods traffic and the remaining 65 per cent consisting of dry bulk and container trucks” (UNCTAD/ALDC/2018/6 – ‘The Djibouti City – Addis Ababa Transit and Transport Corridor: Turning Diagnostics into Action’ 2018).
So, if the TDF blocks this route then they are stopping the direct imports and exports to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. This is an act to do the same as the state has done for months in Tigray region. That is retaliating with the same means, which the Prosperity Party and all its allies has done for so many months now. Yes, this is hurting the middle-men, the innocent civilians and everyone participating in trading. However, that has been for so long and made things much worse in the Tigray region. So the TDF is initially doing what the Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF) , Amhara allies (Regional Special Forces and “Fano”) and Eritrean Defence Force (EDF).
This is a strategic move and a bold one as well. They are not only going into places where the redeployed Special Regional Forces are stationed in Afar Region. They are also going to the A1/RN1 route. The TDF will block and stop hauliers, container trucks and others to pass. This will ensure a stoppage of goods and ordinary business. They can clearly hurt the Federal Government this way. As the trading would cease and they would struggle to operate.
If the TDF is able to pull this off. They are hurting the pockets of the government and directly stopping business. Cargo-trading will be hurt and it will take time for Ethiopian businesses/traders to switch to other ports. That will delay the exports or imports… This will be interesting, but the TDF is moving forward and gaining territory in Afar region as we speak. So, this will be followed. Peace.

It has been known for months that the Amhara Regional State has been directly involved in the Tigray conflict. The Amhara Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) have today reported that in the Amhara region and in the East Gojjam Zone, Shebel Berenta Woreda the military training of civil servants has begun.
The ABC reports about the military training of civil servants here. However, don’t be shocked if this happens elsewhere in the Regional State. As the Amhara Regional State have used all means into the conflict. The Amhara have deployed their Special Forces and allowed a Para-Military Group “Fano” to be vital parts of the war-effort in Tigray region.
Therefore, this is a further escalation, but also showing no signs of stopping. As state employees and government workers are targeted for “recruitment” and going through military training. The report specified 15 consecutive days, which isn’t much of training, but the purpose is clear.
They are preparing everyone and even making military exercises with civil servants in Amhara region. This isn’t the act of government in peace and who works for law and order. No, this a warlord economics and planning.
The Amhara region is preparing more of its citizens for battle and the front. They are doing this to the ones who runs the Regional State. That says a lot. The bureaucrats and the clerks of the Regional State is now getting military training and equipment.
This is sadly no joke, but a worrying sign. As everyone is getting deployed and no boundaries in the conflict. That nobody stopped this and questioned this. Says a lot about the current state of affairs and to what extent the Amhara Regional State is willing to go. As they are now even possibly arming, but they are reported giving military training to civil servants. Peace.

The conflict is really spiralling out of control for the Federal Government and their allies. As the Federal Government have deployed Regional Special Forces from all across the Republic in the recent days. The Tigray Defence Forces (TDF) is still able to gain further gains and continue to deliver winning battles.
The latest revelation says the TDF have already entered the Afar region, as they went after the ENDF and allies there. Now, they are going to Amhara, who has annexed and gone rouge in the Tigray region since November 2020. Therefore, this can be seen as self-defence. Since the Amhara Regional State isn’t not only involved in the warfare, but their militias and armies are directly implicated from day-one. The Amhara Regional State President have been openly campaigned for monetary support for the war. So, I understand why the TDF enters Amhara.
The TDF reveals today:
“Strict warning from the Tigray Defense Forces TDF:
Tigray Defense Forces are currently operating in the Amhara region; That is, with the full cooperation of the residents of Sekota, Kobo and Weldiya (Woldia) areas. He intensified his military campaign. In addition, the Tigray Defense Forces (TDF) is also active in the Afar region. The same support is being given to the brotherly people of Afar; He continued his military campaign. In this case, the people of the Amhara and Afar regions where the TDF operates:
Weapons that you have previously acquired or given to you by the government; They are yours.
We want to let you know that no one can touch you. in order to do so;
1st. Keep the weapons in your hands in your home;
2nd. You must never shoot at members of the Tigray Defense Forces
And if you do these two things, Tigray Defense Forces will not disarm you.
We would like to inform you.” (TDF, 20.07.2021).
So, this is a further escalation of the TDF, but that happens as the Federal Government has been redeploying troops as well. Instead of waiting inside Tigray for the attacks. The TDF have gone to the frontline of the enemies who are coming for them. That is the reason for this. We are seeing the war becoming different and the TDF is able to go after RSF and ENDF outside of the Tigray region.
This is just days after the TDF entered Afar and now they have done so in Amhara as well. Peace.

In Ethiopia there been open warfare since November 2020. This is now seeing effects far away from the Tigray region. The truth is that warfare and conflicts cost. You pay for mercenaries, soldiers, food, shelter and heavy weaponry. All of that costs and implicates the economy. The spending have to go from somewhere and has to settled. This means certain other parts of the economy looses its value or gets less of investments. In which things gets scarce or get hit by the new demand. Since the Tripartite Alliance needs more supplies for their warfare.
Addis Fortune Reported on the 5th April 2021 this:
“There appears little solace for consumers in Ethiopia, with the year-on-year headline inflation reaching at 20.6pc in March this year, a little over the nearly 20pc annual average last year. The largest increase in prices was seen in food items such as edible oil, fruit and vegetables and spice, according to a statement by the Ethiopian Statistics Agency. The consumer price index (CPI) for the month of March shows a 22pc jump compared to the same period last month. Non-food items such as fuel and energy, alcohol, tobacco and chat as well as transport, medical expense and construction materials have seen an increase in prices of 18.9pc” (Addis Fortune – ‘Headline Inflation Reaches 20.6pc on Year’, 05.04.2021).
This is the government excuse for the rising inflation:
“ADDIS ABABA–The continuous demand-supply imbalance and ill-investment strategy of the former administration have resulted in the structural and worsening current inflation, so disclosed Planning and Development Commission. The Commission’s Deputy Commissioner with the rank of State Minister Nemera Gebeyehu (Ph.D) told The Ethiopan Press Agencey (EPA) that even though many people believe inflation is worsened after the reform, the reform measures taken by the government do minimize the inflation, but a lot remains to be done since it is structural driven from the ill-investment strategy of the former administration” (Dargie Kahsay – ‘Ethiopia: Previous Maladministration Takes Blame for Current Inflation – Commission’, 03.04.2021, The Ethiopian Herald).
We are clearly seeing here the effects of the mismanagement or priorities of the state. A steady war is costly and the price of that is on the citizens. That is why the prices are going up and the state will lack currency. The state will do whatever it can to continue supply and generate enough funds. Which in the end means more inflation and devalued currency, which will also means the citizens will get less for their money and imported goods will be more expensive. It is a vicious circle and a negative spiral. That this government is doing by its efforts as a Tripartite Alliance member and fighting on its own soil.
The Prosperity Party is also blaming the old EPRDF, which it was in coalition with and consolidated power from. The PP is practically not taking responsibility for the actions in office and only pushes it on the previous government. That is really rich. Just like all warfare is the TPLF to blame in Tigray. This is following a pattern and the excuses is getting old.
The PP should seriously be worried about the rate the inflation is going and what shocks this will have for the citizens. There is already videos reminiscent of the fuel crisis in 2015. This being leaked clips and statements of troubles getting fuel in Addis Ababa all week. That is a sign of what to come and costs of the war.
The Addis Ababa administration should be worried about this. The costs of war is coming forward now. Not only the loss of prestige with the Prime Minster and the image as a whole. The PP and the PM isn’t looking like reformers anymore, but as a warlords. They are not only brining destruction to the Region of Tigray, but also destroying the economy as a result. This will be carried for long and effects of the war will take a toll. We can just wonder about how many will pay the additional costs and struggle because of it. That is how these things goes. The elites and the one in-charge will not feel it, but the average citizen has to live with the new standard. They are paying the price for the inflation and have to collect whatever they can out of their currency. Peace.

