President Donald J. Trump
The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20500

Subject: Urgent Concern Regarding a Misleading Letter Delivered to Your Office

Mr. President,                                                                          First and foremost, while we hope this letter reaches you in good health and strong spirits, the Union of Tigrayans in North America (UTNA) writes to urgently bring to your attention a deeply troubling matter.

The letter delivered to your office on March 10, 2025, by the group “I Can’t Be Silent About Tigray” is not merely misleading. It appears to be a deliberate attempt to disinform your administration and obscure the harsh realities on the ground.

We strongly urge your administration to subject this letter to thorough scrutiny and reject its plea, as it is completely disconnected from the harsh realities on the ground. The people of Tigray are enduring a dire situation, facing life-and-death circumstances as a result of the brutal genocidal war that was launched on November 3, 2020. Shockingly, instead of calling for justice against the true perpetrators of this atrocity, this letter unjustly targets the very Generals and the leadership of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), who, together and courageously, defended their people from annihilation.

The war on Tigray has been catastrophic, resulting in a widespread, deep, and devastating humanitarian crisis that plagues Tigray to this day. This is the direct and horrific consequence of a brutal, multifaceted genocidal war waged jointly by the Ethiopian federal government, Eritrean forces, Amhara special forces, militias, and Fano, in collusion with non-state actors and foreign interests.

Yet, the letter delivered to your office exclusively focused on TPLF’s leadership. The letter paid little attention to the key perpetrators of the genocidal war. To suggest that the TPLF is the sole source of Tigray’s suffering is a deliberate move to disinform and mislead. This assertion is simply counterproductive.  It clearly is rooted in and driven by self-serving political gaffes. The letter has distorted the reality of the situation, unjustly assigning unfounded allegations to innocent individuals.                                                                            Mr. President, 

The group behind this letter irresponsibly accused the TPLF of being “a major obstacle to peace.” This is a false statement that utterly fails to acknowledge the TPLF’s unwavering commitment to peace. It is simply misleading, profoundly false and ego driven accusation. Thus, it must be rejected head-on.

It is an open secret that the TPLF has been calling for peace from the very beginning, long before the brutal war was unleashed, and continues to demand the peaceful implementation of the CoHA to this day. Yet, the other side—Mr. Abiy Ahmed’s government and its loyalists within Tigray’s interim administration—are deliberately obstructing the implementation of the CoHA. Rather, they have made
themselves busy plotting and sabotaging to annihilate the TPLF in a ruthless bid to quench their insatiable thirst for power, all while playing political games at the expense of countless innocent lives.

The claim that the TPLF is a “Marxist faction” is not only outdated, but an outright fabrication, with absolutely no factual basis. To label the TPLF as Marxist is a blatant lie, utterly divorced from reality. The political and economic trajectory Ethiopia had taken under the leadership of the
TPLF/EPRDF over the past 27 years (1991-2018) made it abundantly clear. The system that TPLF/EPRDF followed hardly contains an element of a socialist or Marxist thought. The policies implemented during that period—privatization, market reforms, and a focus on capitalist-driven economic
growth—stand in stark contradiction to the fundamental principles of Marxism. So, why this deliberate distortion? It’s a cynical, politically motivated attempt to manipulate international perception and gain traction.

The letter also alluded the term “oligarch” to describe the TPLF leadership—an accusation that is baseless. This term, often used to describe power structures elsewhere, has no relevance in Tigray’s context. There is no evidence to support the claim that an oligarchic system existed in Tigray or that the TPLF has been operating in such a way. Under TPLF/EPRDF leadership, Ethiopia experienced double-digit economic growth, improved the living standards of millions, the expansion of healthcare and education has been miraculous, life expectancy showed significant increase, and infrastructure projects, including roads, industries, and hydro dams, transformed the country, and access to telecommunication grew. Importantly, Ethiopia’s global image shifted from poverty and famine to one of the world’s fastest-developing nations.

And none of these align with a system of oligarchy where wealth and power of country are controlled by a few. Instead, the TPLF/EPRDF placed economic power in the hands of everyone who has the capacity and competence to invest and prosper without any limitation. This was true until the 2018 change that brought chaos and centralized power under one man with a dream to throne as a monarchical
king. Therefore, the accusation of TPLF is an oligarchy is simply a deliberate misbranding and blackmail.

Mr. President,  

Another egregious case that the letter desperately pleaded with was the sanction of Tigray’s renowned and heroic Generals who paid unparalleled sacrifices to protect their people from annihilation. This is a reckless and unfortunate accusation by distorting facts. This demands your immediate attention and intense scrutiny. The distinguished military leaders named in the letter—General Migbe Haile, General Yohannes WoldeGiorgis, General HaileSelassie Girmay, and General Masho Beyene—are innocent and true sons of Tigray who sacrificed their lives to defend their people. They deserve recognition for risking everything, including their futures, to shield their people from an existential threat and the horrors of war.

Asking to hold these General accountable for the instability in Tigray is not only factually wrong but a deliberate erasure of the broader context of their actions. These Generals have been thrust into an agonizing situation. They have fought relentlessly, often at immense personal cost, to protect their people from total destruction while facing insurmountable obstacles. Reducing their actions to a single narrative, devoid of the life-threatening circumstances and the existential peril they confronted, is a profound disservice to the truth.

Moreover, to blame these military leaders alone is not only misleading, it’s a betrayal of the broader reality. It completely disregards the actions of other primary forces responsible for the suffering in Tigray, including the Ethiopian federal government and Eritrean forces. By selectively focusing on one group, the opportunity for a fair and comprehensive understanding of the situation is obliterated, and the crucial
responsibility of holding all parties accountable for their roles in this war is shamefully ignored.

Mr. President,

UTNA firmly believes that the Pretoria Agreement of 2022, despite its fragility, remains the sole potential pathway to peace. However, its implementation has been disastrous, with the Tigray region still besieged and large portions of its territory under unlawful occupation by Eritrean and Amhara forces, in direct violation of the CoHA’s provisions. These forces continue to inflict severe human rights abuses, including extrajudicial killings, sexual violence, abduction, and forced displacement—atrocities extensively documented by international human rights organizations.

In this regard, the United States’ role in promoting peace and stability in the Horn of Africa must be grounded in a strategic, impartial approach. Calling for sanctions against innocent Generals or unfoundedly accusing TPLF is not only misguided but also rooted in deceit and driven by self-serving political interests. Instead, the U.S. must champion a broader, multilateral approach that demands accountability from all parties involved and ensures the full implementation of the CoHA.

Otherwise, the accusations laid out in the letter are a gross misrepresentation of the political realities in Tigray. The TPLF is neither a Marxist faction nor operates under an oligarchic system. These terms are not only misleading but are intentionally crafted to divert attention from the real issues at hand—peace, justice, and a resolution to the ongoing crisis, which requires the participation of all parties and a balanced,
genuine effort to address the root causes of the conflict.

The four Generals implicated in causing instability in Tigray are, in fact, respected and innocent heroes who sacrificed everything to defend their people from annihilation. Their actions were driven by an unwavering commitment to protect their people from a brutal genocidal war, not to incite chaos. Their accusers, on the other hand, are self-serving individuals attempting to evade accountability by spreading misinformation and misleading the international community.

In short, the situation in Tigray demands a balanced and nuanced approach that does not scapegoat one group at the expense of others. Ignoring the broader context and the complex web of actors involved in the conflict will only undermine any lasting solution.

Mr. President,

UTNA strongly urges your administration to thoroughly and independently scrutinize the content of the letter delivered to your office on March 10, 2025. This letter is filled with blatant disinformation and a misleading message that, if unchecked, could lead to catastrophic policy decisions.

UTNA calls on your administration to adopt a more balanced and focused approach to understand the situation and address the root causes of the humanitarian crisis, intervening in ways that promote an inclusive peace while upholding the principles of justice and human dignity for all Ethiopians.

At this critical juncture, we implore your administration to prioritize accountability for those responsible for the genocide and the humanitarian disaster. Your leadership in this matter is not just imperative—it is urgently needed to ensure a just and lasting peace for Ethiopia.

UTNA wishes you strength, good health, and successful leadership as you guide this great nation
toward a brighter future.

God bless you! God bless the United States of America!
                       Respectfully,