TPDM agrees to lay down arms

by Engidu Woldie
ESAT News (August 28, 2018)

The Tigray People’s Democratic Movement (TPDM), an armed opposition group based in Eritrea, has agreed to continue its struggle through peaceful means.

Chairman of TPDM Mekonen Tesfai and General Adem Mohammed, Director of the Ethiopian National Intelligence and Security Agency have reached the agreement in Eritrea’s capital Asmara today, according to the Eritrean Ministry of Information.

The TPDM agreed to carry out its struggle peacefully inside Ethiopia and a delegation of the Movement will travel to Ethiopia for further discussions on the implementation of the agreement, according to the Ministry’s website.

The TPDM is one of a handful of Ethiopian opposition armed groups based in Eritrea.

In recent months, several opposition groups abroad have agreed to continue their political struggle through peaceful means and their leaders have returned to Ethiopia to take part in the political process.

A new approach by a reformist Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, who see the opposition as partners in the political process, have encourage many groups to lay down their arms and engage in peaceful means. Among them are Patriotic Ginbot 7 and the Oromo Liberation Front, that were based in Eritrea.