Written by: Mohammed Omran
The Ethiopian capital witnessed Addis Ababa Protests were held by a number of people from the Tigray region to denounce what they described as the escalation of kidnappings and forced recruitment of young people within the region, amid fears of a return to security tensions and a threat to the fragile peace process in the region.
Anger in Meskel Square after accusations of kidnapping young men and forcing them to fight
The protesters gathered in Meskel Square in the Ethiopian capital under the slogan “Stop the kidnappings… Let peace prevail,” demanding an end to what they considered coercive practices targeting Tigrayan youth, and that they not be drawn back into new armed conflicts.
Accusations of a return to an atmosphere of fear in Tigray
During the demonstration, participants raised demands to end what they described as campaigns of kidnapping and forced military recruitment, stressing that the region's residents do not want to return to the cycle of war after years of bloody conflict that left widespread human losses.
Protest organizers said forced conscription and security pressures are raising growing concerns among Tigrayans, calling on the Ethiopian government and the international community to intervene to prevent the crisis from escalating.
Criticism of the Tigray People's Liberation Front
The protests were called for by the Tigray Peace and Change Council, which held the Tigray People's Liberation Front responsible for what it described as continued practices of repression and coercion within the region.
The organizers of the demonstration accused the Front of continuing to exert pressure on the population despite the agreements that ended the war, stressing that the youth of Tigray should not be fuel for any new confrontation.
Fears of a collapse of stability after a devastating war
These moves come amid continued anxiety within Tigray, which witnessed a war that lasted for more than two years between Ethiopian federal forces and the Tigray People's Liberation Front forces, ending with a peace agreement in Pretoria in 2022.
Despite the cessation of large-scale fighting, security, displaced persons, and accountability for violations remain major challenges to achieving lasting stability in the region.
Observers believe that the continued accusations of kidnapping and forced recruitment reflect the fragility of the security situation and reveal that the peace agreement has not ended all the crises left by the war.
International calls to monitor the situation
International interest in developments in Tigray has increased, especially with the continued emergence of reports of human rights abuses and allegations.
International bodies had previously expressed concern about the situation of civilians in the region, demanding that the protection of the population be ensured and that any forced recruitment or new violations be prevented.
An open-ended crisis threatens the future of the region.
The Addis Ababa protests reflect the continuing political and social tensions related to the Tigray issue, as protesters demand real guarantees that prevent a recurrence of the conflict and provide a safe environment for young people away from military pressures.
While the Ethiopian authorities are trying to establish the image of the war being over, these moves indicate that the effects of the conflict are still present, and that the issue of security and freedoms in Tigray remains one of the biggest challenges to the country's stability.
