IDPs in Tigray Hold Peaceful Demonstrations Demanding Implementation of CoHA Peace Agreement.

January 24, 2025—Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the Tigray region held peaceful demonstrations in several cities yesterday, Jan 23, demanding the full implementation of the Pretoria Peace Agreement and their return to their villages. The demonstrations took place in cities including Adigrat, Shire, Adwa, Aksum, Abiy Addi, Endabaguna, Selekhlekha, and other towns.

Birhane Kahsay, the coordinator of the displaced people in Adigrat city, told Addis Standard, “Since the signing of the Pretoria Agreement, more than 290 IDPs, including 27 children, have died of starvation and disease in Adigrat alone.” He added, “The suffering is unbearably difficult, and today we are raising our voices to demand that action be taken for our people.”

According to Mr. Birhane, more than 40,000 people participated in the rally in Adigrat city alone. He added, “We call on all parties to recognize the immense suffering of the internally displaced persons and speed up the process of their return home.”

Another IDP coordinator in Adwa town, Desinet, shared the same concern with Addis Standard. “More than 90,000 people participated in today’s march,” she said.

She emphasized, “We demand our constitutional right to live in peace without any threat of violence in our village.” The marchers chanted, “The Pretoria Agreement must be fully implemented,” raising slogans like “Our right to live in our village must be protected” and “We are dying without help.” One of the participants, Abrehet Gedey, emphasized the urgency of their demands.

She said, “We have come together to demand the right to return to our homes. We can no longer live in tents without help.”

These demonstrations follow peaceful demonstrations organized by a civil society organization called “Tsalal Civil Society of Western Tigray,” which held a three-day demonstration in Mekele last week. The internally displaced people raised their voices in various ways, with messages such as “Answer our fallen,” “Enough to live in Kenda shelter,” and “Attention to refugees in Sudan.”