The Tigray state as we know is de facto dissolved and it’s stopped functioning as a government.
It’s a rebel held territory that is making incalculable suffering to the people living there and Ethiopia at large.
This rebel group has sufficiently proven to have abandoned its constitutional duty to protect Tigray people and live in peaceful coexistence with other regions, converting the region to a ‘rogue state’ posing a danger for peace in the region and integrity of the Ethiopian state.
The rebel group makes arbitrary laws and conscripts children in violation of local and international law. The rebel administration imposed itself on the people and it has the legitimacy of neither the people nor the federal government.
This makes restoring basic services difficult, the country’s laws are not applying there and the federal government has a duty to enforce the constitution on its territory.
The federal government and members of the federation have a mandate to start the process of rebuilding Tigray government from scratch.
A democratic process to form a government such as elections is impossible under rebel control.
Restore the Transitional government
Ethiopia should start by restoring the previous transitional government, an entity that has Ethiopian government’s recognition by law.
The first thing the new administration shall do is to undertake local elections in government controlled areas including contested territories in Wolqait and Raya.
It shall recruit police, organise new regional police and local militia. A new local elections will start the process of reconstituting a new administration that has the acceptance of the Tigray people.
The federal government and all other regions shall establish a task force, contribute security force and budgetary support whenever this administration asks for assistance in an event of insurgent attack.
The Tigray government exists only on paper and the rebel lacks control over large swathes of rural Tigray.
Relocating Capital city
Since Mekelle is a rebel held territory deep into central Tigray, it’s difficult for the new government to operate from there.
So, it’s better to leave Mekelle, temporarily or permanently, and base a new city closer to Amhara Tigray or Amhara Afar border in towns such as Alamata, Tembien or Telemit.
This new administration will slowly expand until it fully controls the Tigray state and administration to a prewar status quo.
The federal government and regional administration can negotiate with rebels in Mekelle in parallel whenever it’s necessary.
Dual government
It will be dual government for some time between a federally recognised transitional government that controls areas free from rebel stronghold.
It continues to incorporate a number of zones and Woredas adjacent to Amhara region and reorganise them with militia. All the letters coming from Tigray state shall take place through this administration and shall gain unrestricted direct budgetary support from the federal government and other regional states.
This shall forge alliances with opposition parties in Tigray and until finally the Tigray state is restored with new administration and multiparty system like other parts of the country.
Part or whole of Tigray territory and its surroundings will definitely remain a rebel held territory for indefinite time. But, people will eventually leave rebel held territories and move to government held territories and this drains the insurgency gradually.
When at least 50 to 75% of the region comes under control of the new administration, a popular referendum could take place to reconstitute the region anew or create another region within Tigray.
Frontier PR Agency 