Since then, the people and Government of Tigray, even with their survival under threat due to a deadly blockade imposed by the Ethiopian regime and its domestic and foreign allies, have been extending their time-honored generosity to enemy fighters captured on the battlefield. Even as millions of Tigrayans face the risk of death by starvation, the people and Government of Tigray have been doing everything in their power to comply with the basic precepts of applicable international laws pertaining to the treatment of prisoners of war. We continue to do so despite the fact that the regime that sent them to wage a genocidal war on Tigray has even denied their very existence.
In recent months, the AU Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa, former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, has been trying to help us secure a peaceful way out of the war on Tigray. The Government of Tigray, consistent with its principled preference for the peaceful resolution of political differences, had agreed to undertake even unilateral confidence-building measures. Accordingly, per the promise we made to Chief Obasanjo, we have decided to release 4208 prisoners of war. Of those to be released, 401 are women. In making this momentous decision, the Government of Tigray has done its due diligence in such a way that enemy fighters suspected of having committed atrocities will be held accountable. First, the vast majority of those designated for release were captured during engagements outside Tigray. The fact that they joined the military in 2021/2022 also means that the chances of their having committed atrocities in Tigray are slim to none. Enemy fighters that are suspected of involvement in atrocities will be held accountable to the full extent of the law.
Second, in making this decision, the Government of Tigray has taken into account physical disabilities either due to illness or injury sustained on the battlefield. In addition, since there were numerous pregnant prisoners of war—the regime had cruelly deployed pregnant fighters to the frontlines! —we have prioritized the release of those that have given birth during their stay in Tigray.
Tigray has a distinguished history of treating people with respect, decency and humanity. While the people of Tigray justifiably seethe with anger and pain at the unimaginable atrocities committed and being committed against them, they are also too principled to compromise with their cherished values, even under extraordinarily trying times. Decency, humanity and magnanimity are the hallmarks of a civilized society, such as ours. The latest decision should, therefore, be seen in this light.
The Government of Tigray calls on the international community to extend the necessary cooperation to facilitate the implementation of the decision to release captured enemy fighters. The Authorities in Addis, having denied even their very existence, cannot be relied upon to extend good-faith cooperation in this regard.
Last but not least, we call on the international community to press the Ethiopian regime to release the thousands of Tigrayans still languishing in jail solely on account of their identity. Despite the apparent lifting of the most recent state of emergency proclamation, thousands of Tigrayans continue to be held incommunicado solely on account of their identity. Furthermore, since November 2020, several thousand retired and active members of the Ethiopian National Defense Force, their Tigrayan identity having been criminalized, have been held under cruel, inhumane and degrading conditions. Tragically, a number of those detained members of the military have died due to the extremely inhumane conditions under which they have been held. Hundreds of those detained have been murdered, with some others dying under extremely suspicious circumstances.
We call on the international community to deploy all tools at its disposal to get the Ethiopian regime to release political prisoners and prisoners of conscience. Such a step would go a long way towards creating an environment conducive to the peaceful resolution of Ethiopia's multifaceted crisis.
Tigray External Affairs Office
20 May 2022
Mekelle, Tigray