Ethiopia: Unity By Choice, Not Fear - Lessons From Eritrea's Independence for Future Ethiopia-Tigray Relations

What the report says

An Addis Standard commentary republished by AllAfrica argues that Eritrea’s independence should not be understood as the result of a single party’s decision, but as the outcome of decades of foreign domination, political marginalization and failed efforts to address self-determination through force. Published from Addis Abeba on 10 September 2026 and written by Gebremichael Negash, the piece says Eritrea’s separation from Ethiopia followed a long armed struggle after successive governments restricted Eritrean political rights and autonomy.

The article uses that history to warn about Ethiopia’s current relationship with Tigray. It says the war that began in November 2020 brought killings, displacement, sexual violence, destruction of infrastructure and major service breakdowns, and that many displaced people still have not returned home despite the Pretoria peace agreement. The author argues that unresolved questions around accountability, administration and political representation continue to deepen mistrust between the state and Tigrayans.

The commentary’s broader message is that unity cannot be maintained through coercion, exclusion or military force. It says durable coexistence depends on consent, equal citizenship, justice and functioning institutions. The piece also notes that Ethiopia’s constitution recognizes self-determination, but says those guarantees only matter if they are implemented in practice.

As background, the article draws on international examples such as Yugoslavia, South Sudan and Singapore’s separation from Malaysia to illustrate the risk of suppressing grievances instead of accommodating them. Its central claim is that Ethiopia must choose a political settlement that keeps peoples within the federation by choice rather than fear.