GSTS Position Statement on Peaceful Resolution of the War on Tigray and the
Rest of Ethiopia

1. The Global Society of Tigray Scholars and Professionals (GSTS), representing more than
3500 Tigrayan scholars and professionals worldwide, expresses its appreciation to the
Government of Tigray (GoT) and profound respect to the people of Tigray and the members
of Tigray Defense Forces (TDF) for spearheading the popular struggle against the genocidal
war waged on the people of Tigray.

2. Tigray has been subjected to a genocidal war of attrition for more than a year. The GSTS
underscores that the popular resistance against this genocidal war is a matter of survival for
the people of Tigray. Ethiopian, Amhara, and Eritrean forces that have committed ethnic
cleansing, war crimes, crimes against humanity and acts of genocide since November last
year now aim to conduct a final scorched-earth military occupation of Tigray. This, for them,
constitutes the ‘final solution’ to subjugate Tigray and exterminate its people. These forces
are not acting alone in their genocidal campaign. China, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), Iran and Turkey are active participants in this war.

3. Tigray and Tigrayans are facing an extraordinary threat to their survival, and this requires
extraordinary response by the entire Tigrayan society. The GSTS requests that the GoT
officially opens a broad-based inclusive consultation among all Tigrayan stakeholders
including the political parties, youth, women, scholars, religious leaders, civil society and
minority ethnic communities to foster unity of purpose, to identify and defend vital interests
of Tigray and determine the terms of negotiations on the future of Tigray and Tigrayans. The
GSTS reiterates its strong belief that the strategic objectives of the GoT in all negotiations
should be to achieve a territorially secure, integrated, peaceful, democratic, prosperous and
resilient Tigray that guarantees the people of Tigray to exercise their rights to self-
determination as enshrined in the 1995 Federal Constitution and international laws.

4. GSTS supports all peace efforts to end the genocidal war declared on Tigray by Ethiopian,
Eritrean and Amhara forces, and foreign supporters of the genocide, and calls for the
commencement of negotiations towards peace, normalcy and rebuilding of Tigray.

5. The GSTS calls on the International Community to force the complete and verified
withdrawal of the Amhara and Eritrean forces from western Tigray and all other Tigray
territories and halt the ongoing massive military offensive by Ethiopian, Amhara and Eritrean
forces to reoccupy Tigray again and commit further atrocities and genocide against
Tigrayans.

6. Furthermore, the GSTS would like to call on the peoples and scholars of Ethiopia, the
Federal Government of Ethiopia and the Regional States (particularly the neighboring Afar
and Amhara regional governments) to work in good faith towards achieving sustainable
peace in Ethiopia.

7. Finally, GSTS remains committed to support and actively engage in all initiatives that aim
at ending the ongoing genocide, facilitate negotiated ceasefire and dialogue, as well as
ensure accountability aimed at ushering long-lasting peace and mutual coexistence in
Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa region at large.

Sincerely,
The Global Society of Tigray Scholars
and Professionals (GSTS)
23rd December 2021

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