By Dr Abrar Fitwi
1.The UN and EU must welcome TDF's withdrawal from Amhara and Afar areas and its renewed call for peace talks. The decision to withdraw must be appreciated as it offers the best hope of a ceasefire and negotioted settlement.
2. The withdrawal of Tigrayan forces not only responds to the repeated demands by the international community to not escalate the conflict by extending the war to the Amhara and Afar regions but also presents the international community a great opportunity to realize its long-held aspirations for ceasefire and political solution to Tigray conflict.
3. A pause to the fighting and provision of access to Tigray would enable critical humanitarian support to reach the millions of Ethiopians in desperate need of assistance.
4.The international community must find a way to immediately stop the drone attacks for the hopes of peace talks to realize, pressurize the federal government to de-escalate the conflict, take measures to protect civillians and create a conducive environment for peace talks.
5. Ethiopians must seize this opportunity to end fighting, resolve differences on a table, and usher in a new era of peace and stability in their country and the region.
6.Considering the call for peace as a weakness, if the federal government continues war within Tigray's territory, I have no little doubt that the brave and resilient people of Tigray will defend itself as it did in the first round of genocide. There is no military solution to a political problem.
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