Warning of Debretsion Gebremichael to PM Abiy

Following a meeting held in early July, the president of the Tigray National Regional State (TNRS), Debretsion Gebremichael, has warned the office of the prime minister Abiy Ahmed Ali that the government has a duty to maintain constitutional order. The meeting had been convened in the immediate wake of the pro-government marches on 1 July during which demonstrators in the Amhara region had flown the former Ethiopian national flag, which the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) views as a symbol of domination over the Amhara ethnic community.

Moreover, manifestations of anti-Tigrayan sentiment were observed in certain towns in that region. The TNRS has, therefore, urged the federal government to uphold the constitution, which in the view of the Tigrayans has been violated, stressing that a failure to do so will plunge the country into a major political crisis. In view of all of this, Debretsion Gebremichael has called on Tigrayans to be vigilant and to save the country from the threat of disintegration

Ethiopia Removes ONL, ONLF & Ginbot 7 Rebel Group From Terror List

The Ethiopian Parliament on Thursday unanimously approved a Council of Ministers resolution to rescind "terrorist" tags on three rebel groups. The Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF), and Patriot Ginbot 7 will not carry the "terrorist" appellation anymore.

No international agency or country has ever labeled any of the three organizations as terrorist. Since he came to power on April 2, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has called on all rebels to join the democratic process.

His overtures were met with positive responses as senior OLF leaders came to the capital Addis Ababa in May to meet senior government officials.

Similarly, Patriot Ginbot 7, a rebel group that took up arms from inside the Eritrean border, announced two weeks ago that it had suspended the armed struggle.

The three organizations were labeled "terrorist" in 2011.

Over the past three months, Abiy Ahmed's government has released thousands of political prisoners, including rebel leaders such as Andargachew Tsige of Ginbot 7, who was in a maximum security cell since his arrest in Yemen four years ago.