As active member of Eritrean diaspora communities, scholars and professionals who are very familiar with the countries of Horn of Africa and members of the Eritrean Research Institute for Policy and Strategy (ERIPS), we are writing this urgent appeal to bring to your attention the looming war inside Ethiopia and involving the Eritrean regime. Some reports are indicating that the war has already started in the northern part of Ethiopia between the Tigray region and the federal government. If the US, EU, UN and AU do not intervene quickly to mediate, we believe the rapidly deteriorating situation will create humanitarian catastrophe claiming the lives of hundreds of thousands of lives and causing massive displacements. The violence may also spread to other neighboring countries.

We truly believe there is no justification for this war and it’s the Eritrean and Ethiopian people who will bear the brunt of the crisis. We also believe that President Isaias Afworki of Eritrea is at the center of this crisis siding with the federal government of Ethiopia and attempting to destroy his long-time rivals in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. The Eritrean tyrant has not only been creating havoc in the Horn of Africa but also, he has subjected the Eritrean people to unprecedented misery for the last 29 years. We urge the US, EU, UN and AU to take the following action to de-escalate the situation, quickly avert a humanitarian catastrophe and eventually move the region towards peace:

• Pressure the federal government of Ethiopia and the government of Tigray region to peacefully and amicably resolved their outstanding dispute.
• Take effective measures to contain Isaias and his regime; to stop him from interfering in the internal affairs of Ethiopia and to step aside and let a transition to democracy take place inside Eritrea.

Eritrean Research Institute for Policy and Strategy