ADDIS ABABA, July 18 (Xinhua) -- A public rally was held on Saturday in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, to denounce forced military conscription by the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and call for the full enforcement of the Pretoria peace agreement.
The protesters took to the streets of the capital at dawn and gathered at Meskel Square, carrying placards displaying messages such as "We call for the full implementation of the Pretoria agreement," "We demand for justice," and "We call for the lifting of oppressive decree imposed by the defunct TPLF."
The protest follows the TPLF's control of the Tigray region, which the federal government described as a violation of the Pretoria peace agreement.
Addressing the protesters, Getachew Reda, advisor on East African affairs to the prime minister, emphasized the significance of the public rally to force the TPLF faction to respect the terms of the Pretoria peace agreement and stop mandatory military conscription and mobilization of troops for a renewed conflict in the region.
The protesters condemned the TPLF faction for holding the people of Tigray hostage for war, violating the Pretoria peace agreement, and actively undermining peace and security across the entire region.
In a recent address to the House of Peoples' Representatives, the lower chamber of the Ethiopian parliament, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed accused the TPLF of failing to respect the peace agreement and diverting federal budget allocations toward military activities.
On Nov. 2, 2022, the Ethiopian government and the TPLF signed a cessation of hostilities agreement in Pretoria, South Africa, to end a two-year conflict in northern Ethiopia. The peace deal includes provisions for the restoration of law and order, restoration of basic services, demobilization of former combatants, and unhindered access to humanitarian supplies. ■
