Individuals and institutions, which have been working to degrade the long-standing unity of the Amhara and Tigray people should be identified, and issues that were serving to ignite conflict among these two peoples need to be resolved, Elders who took part in the consultation forum organized by Amhara and Tigray regions said in their joint communique.
Elders concluded a two days consultation meeting held in Mekelle town, issuing a communique of 11 points.
The elders also urged the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF), Amhara National Democratic Movement (ANDM) and the federal government to stand by their side to strengthen the unity of Amhara and Tigray peoples.
They also asked bodies that are creating animosity among these two people to be identified until the Gondar conference scheduled to be held by next year.
The elders promised to fight extremisms and rent seeking, which could trap development and unity.
They also asked the Amhara-Tigray border demarcation in constitutional and brotherly mood.
They pledged to work with justice entities to ensure the constitutionally enshrined rights of people including right to property, right to life and right to movement, a move they said will be successful when employees from region and federal office join them to reach the people at the grassroots level.
They called up on colleges and universities to work for the unity of the two peoples.
Media is also urged to avoid private interests while reporting cases.
The Amhara and Tigray people have a great contribution to Ethiopian history and civilization along with many nations and nationalities of the country, which recently produced a tourism logo as “a country of origin.”
These two people also waged armed struggle against the Derge regime before it got ousted in protracted struggle that lasted for about 17 years. Elders condemned the entities who last year tried to create animosity among these people.
Points of the communique elders from Amhara and Tigray reached by end of forum
We the Amhara and Tigray people shall strengthen the long-standing relation and pass it down to coming generations,
We the Amhara and Tigray people shall work for democratic nationalism and unity,
We shall stand against forces that negatively affect development and unity,
Administrative issues that arise at Amhara-Tigray border areas shall be resolved in constitutional and brotherly sprit,
Common ideas produced out of this forum shall be reached to the grassroots level by employees of the two regions and federal government,
We the Amhara and Tigray people shall work towards the realization of the renaissance journey and requested the media to avoid any intent of using cases for private gains and rather contribute to the country’s democratization process and development,
We the Ethiopian nations and nationalities shall together work for the realization of one political and economic community.