Salsay Weyane Tigray (SWT), one of the opposition political parties in Tigray, has strongly condemned recent remarks by H.E. Olusegun Obasanjo, the African Union (AU) High Representative for the Horn of Africa, regarding the status of occupied territories of Tigray.
During a high-level meeting assessing the implementation of the Cessation of Hostilities Agreement (CoHA) on February 16, 2025, Obasanjo reportedly suggested placing the remaining occupied territories of Tigray under the control of a “neutral body,” which he indicated to be the Ethiopian Federal Government and its allies.
SWT rejected this characterization, arguing that the federal government is a direct party to the Pretoria Agreement and cannot be considered neutral. The party further accused the federal government and its allies of illegally occupying territories of Tigray through forced displacement, acts it described as constituting international crimes, including ethnic cleansing and genocide.
The statement emphasized that Obasanjo’s remarks contradict the provisions of the Pretoria Agreement, which, according to SWT, explicitly prioritizes the restoration of constitutional order in Tigray.
The agreement, the party argued, does not authorize any continued occupation of Tigrayan territories by the federal government or its allied forces.
SWT warned that legitimizing this occupation risks emboldening those responsible for human rights violations in Western and Southern Tigray.
The party called for the immediate retraction and clarification of Obasanjo’s statement, stressing that it undermines the fragile peace process.
Moreover, SWT urged the international community and stakeholders, particularly the AU’s Monitoring and Verification Team, to expedite the implementation of key peace commitments.
The party called for the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of occupying forces, as well as the safe and dignified return of displaced people to their rightful homes.
