New Armed Group “Irob Wado” Formed in Tigray
A new armed group called Irob Wado has been formed in Tigray. The armed group has been formed by Irob people who live in northeastern part of Tigray region.
Irob Wado has announced the launch of an armed struggle against TPLF dominated Tigray government. Earlier an anti TPLF armed group called Tigray Peace Force (TPF) was established. TPF fighters are based in the Afar region of Ethiopia. During two year long recent war in Tigray, Eritrean forces took control of Irob. In recent months, Eritrean military units withdrew from parts of Irob after TPLF and Eritrean Government reconciled.
Irob Wado issued a statement yesterday. The statement is as follows:
“Irob is one of the ethnic groups in Tigray Region and has the second largest population in the region. The Irob people have their own language, customs and culture, history, traditions and psychology as well as a distinct geographical area where they live It is also a people with peaceful relations based on interests and desires.
History testifies that the national and regional political participation of this people was more numerous and stronger; For example: During the reign of the princes, the famous prince of Tigray Tigrigna was Sabagadis Woldu. Many Irobs served their country in diplomatic and military positions during the reign of Emperors Menelik and Haile Selassie. There were people who served their country honestly and responsibly during the Derg era. The people of Irob fulfilled their duty by leading and being the refuge of the national and local fighters for justice and democracy that followed the Ethiopian 1960 revolution.
The people of Irob as a people contributed a lot to the revolutionary struggle of the former T-TPLF and later the TPLF and the struggle was won and the TPLF took full control of the state. The people of Irob supported and maintained the TPLF revolutionary struggle because of their desire to defeat the Derg and establish a people’s and democratic government.
However, when the TPLF took power, it proved to be more oppressive and anti-people than the Derg. It even pretended to prevent and suppress the rights enshrined in the constitution in Tigray in Irob by unwritten laws. For example: special governance and self-governance. The people of Irob have their own culture and identity as well as their own language. The people of Ethiopia and most of the people of Tigray may think that there is a right to special self-government in Irob. The truth is other wise. For this, see the article in the revised constitution of the National Regional State of Tigray on the working language of the Tigray Regional State here.
Other issues that the people of Irob have repeatedly demanded for equitable economic benefits, political participation and right to self-determination have not received any answer from the TPLF. It is obvious that there is no such infrastructure and social development in Irob. After the war and the Pretoria Peace Agreement, many expected TPLF to apologize for its injustices and atrocities against the people and serve the people in a way that would compensate for past injustices. The TPLF added evil upon evil, oppression upon oppression and publicly declared that the Tigray Army, which was believed to be the guarantor of the Tigrayan people, is also its personal guardian. For this and other reasons, a section of the army that said “we are not the guardians of one group” entered Afar region to start armed struggle.
Dear people of Irob! We, your children, have taken up arms to pay precious sacrifices for your honor, identity and sacrifice. We had no desire to take up arms and start a revolutionary struggle. However, your existence and continuity have been sadly threatened. Therefore, we, your children, could not remain silent. Therefore, our goal is to create a Tigray where all peoples of Tigray live equally to ensure their economic, political and social benefits and to put their identity and dignity on a solid foundation. Therefore, we have no doubt that you will be by our side and support us in all aspects but we wholeheartedly believe that you will lead and promote the struggle. They will try and confuse you a lot from inside and outside to hinder and tarnish your struggle that we are starting. Our goal is your welfare and safety.”
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