Ethiopia’s Tigray War (2020-2022) resulted in thousands of deaths and widespread displacement, sparking further violence in Amhara and Oromia regions. The conflict began with tensions between Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government and the TPLF. Although a peace agreement was signed in November 2022, new ethnic conflicts over land and resources hint at ongoing instability in the country.
Ethiopia, distinguished by its unique history of minimal colonization, faces ongoing internal conflicts that mar its stability. The Tigray War spanned from 2020 to 2022, resulting in significant loss of life, the displacement of two million people, and severe humanitarian crises. This conflict arose between Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), a previously influential party displaced during Abiy’s reform efforts.
The war was ignited on November 4, 2020, when Abiy Ahmed launched a military campaign in response to an alleged attack on a military base by the TPLF. The TPLF had held power for nearly three decades but found itself marginalized under Abiy’s leadership since 2018, escalating existing tensions into a full-blown conflict with regional implications, involving Eritrean forces and exacerbating long-standing ethnic grievances.
International scrutiny increased when the Norwegian Nobel Committee criticized Abiy Ahmed, underscoring his unique obligation to foster peace as a Nobel laureate. The conflict officially ended with the Pretoria Agreement in November 2022, marking a ceasefire and ensuring humanitarian access to affected areas in Tigray, alongside commitments to disarmament and service restoration.
As the Tigray War subsided, new conflicts emerged in the Amhara and Oromia regions, raising concerns about Ethiopia’s internal stability. These confrontations stem from historical political and territorial disputes. The Amhara, once the dominant ethnic group, clash with the Oromo, Ethiopia’s largest ethnic group, over land and resources, particularly in areas recently reallocated through an ethnic federalism system.
The ongoing violence over contested lands in Wollega and Western Oromia has led to severe disruptions, with diverse groups claiming ownership of resource-rich territories. Despite the cessation of hostilities in Tigray, Ethiopia’s path to sustainable peace remains fraught with challenges, as civilians continue to suffer amid these new conflicts.
Ethiopia is at a critical juncture following the Tigray War’s resolution, yet the road to lasting peace is fraught with new conflicts, particularly between the Amhara and Oromia regions. While the Pretoria Agreement has paved a way for potential stability in Tigray, ongoing ethnic tensions and territorial disputes threaten to undermine progress and perpetuate violence, complicating the nation’s journey to peace.
Original Source: www.outlookindia.com
