Leadership Failure, Surrender Politics, and the Betrayal of Tigray

By Justice for the voiceless.

Why the Current Transitional Leadership Must Resign

Political leadership demands courage, competence, and moral clarity especially during war, occupation, and national survival. In such moments, indecision, surrender, and double standards are not neutral failures; they deepen suffering and legitimize oppression.

Under the leadership of Dr. Debretsion Gebremichael (TPLF), General Tadesse Werede (TDF), and the current Tigray  Interim Administration, Tigray remains occupied, starved, politically strangled, and strategically exposed. This leadership has failed to protect sovereignty, defend civilians, or secure a just and enforceable peace. For the survival, dignity, and future of Tigray, the current Interim Administration leadership must resign.

1. Failure of Communication

Effective leadership requires clear, honest, and decisive communication. Instead, the leadership has consistently failed to articulate a coherent political and military vision. Messaging has been vague, contradictory, and delayed even as drone attacks resumed, civilians starved, and political space collapsed.

This failure has fueled confusion, mistrust, and despair among a population already pushed beyond endurance.

2. Catastrophic Decision-Making Failures

Leadership is defined by decisions made under pressure. The current leadership failed to:
• Prepare for or deter the genocidal war on Tigray
• Effectively lead during the war
• Secure enforceable guarantees in the Pretoria Agreement
• Defend or implement the agreement after signing

Three years later, sovereignty has not been restored, occupation continues, and atrocities persist. These outcomes are the direct result of poor judgment and weak leadership.

3. Negotiation Without Strategy, Leverage, or Representation

Negotiation demands expertise, preparation, and leverage. Instead, leadership relied on informal, personalized engagements with the Ethiopian Prime Minister rather than assembling competent legal, diplomatic, economic, and military teams.

The consequences were severe:
• The Ethiopian government banned the TPLF under the Pretoria framework
• Political participation was stripped away
• The agreement was violated without consequence
• Tigray was left politically and legally defenseless

This was not negotiation it was political disarmament.

4. Financial Blockade and Economic Strangulation

The federal government continues to weaponize finance. Cash flow into Tigray has been deliberately restricted, forcing thousands to queue daily at banks with no cash available. Businesses are paralyzed, families cannot access their savings, and humanitarian suffering deepens.

Accepting financial siege without resistance is a fundamental leadership failure.

5. Continued Atrocities, Drone Attacks, and Occupation

Despite claims of peace:
• Drone attacks have resumed
• Sovereign Tigrayan land remains occupied
• Atrocities continue
• IDPs remain starved and displaced

After three years of non-implementation of the Pretoria Agreement, it is undeniable: there is no genuine peace interest from the Ethiopian government.

6. Strategic Failure and Prolonged Crisis

Rather than anticipating threats, leadership allowed:
• Negotiations to stall while the government consolidated power
• Internal divisions to deepen
• Regional and global shifts Eritrea, Sudan, drone warfare, changing international priorities to go unaddressed

This strategic blindness has left Tigray exposed to renewed aggression.

7. Integrity, Ethics, and Double Standards

Public trust has collapsed. Promises to IDPs have been repeatedly broken. Meanwhile:
• Collaborators and traitors are empowered
• Capable leaders are sidelined
• Accountability is avoided

Leadership that applies sacrifice to the people and comfort to itself has no moral legitimacy.

8. Elections Without Sovereignty Are a Fraud

Elections are being planned under occupation, without restored sovereignty, while:
• Major political parties are banned
• Only those who surrendered to the federal government are permitted political space
• Millions remain displaced and silenced

Elections under occupation are not democracy they are tools of domination.

9. From Failure to Obstruction

After three years of post-war stagnation:
• Sovereign land remains occupied
• Public security has deteriorated
• Rule of law has eroded
• Political space has collapsed

The current Interim Administration leadership has become the main obstacle to recovery and renewal.

10. No Peace Through Surrender

Retreating from sovereign land and abandoning civilians to invaders is not peace it is surrender.

There is no peace through weakness. No international community will defend leaders who normalize submission while their people starve.

The sacrifices of our heroes are being undermined. The suffering of civilians is prolonged.

Final Mandate: Accountability Now

The Interim Administration exists to restore sovereignty, protect civilians, uphold the rule of law, and prepare for legitimate governance. The current leadership has failed on all four fronts.

After:
• Drone attacks and ongoing atrocities
• Financial blockade and cash starvation
• Banning of political parties
• Training of collaborators
• Three years of non-implementation of the Pretoria Agreement
• Planned elections under occupation
• Retreat from sovereign land

The current leadership of the Tigray Transitional Government must resign.

We, the people, must not allow blank checks written on our suffering.
No leader is entitled to unlimited patience while civilians starve and sovereignty is denied.

For the sake of our people, our martyrs, and our future, the current leadership should retire with dignity now and allow capable, accountable, and principled leadership to take responsibility.

This is not revenge.
This is not division.
This is accountability and survival.