The Crisis in Tigray and Its Implication in the Horn of Africa
Saba Kidane Heritage, Ph.D.
The Ethiopian government’s dispute with the Tigray Regional State escalated into a
military engagement when the Federal Government responded to a pre-emptive attack by
the troops of the regional government of Tigray, run by the TPLF (the Tigrayan People’s
Liberation Front). On November 4, 2020, Prime Minister Abiy ordered troops into
Tigray region after accusing the TPLF of attacking a military base in order to seize
weapons. Ethiopian troops aided by Amhara Special Forces and Eritrean troops,
responded with ground and air bombardments as well as drone attacks in various
locations in Tigray. There are reports of human rights abuses throughout Tigray by
Ethiopian and Eritrean troops. The humanitarian crisis was declared one of the worst in
the world by UN agencies and regional NGOs. Tens of thousands of Tigrayans are
internally displaced while many crossed over the borders to Sudan escaping the war that
claimed thousands of lives already. Tigray was also home for 100, 000 Eritrean refugees
located in four camps. Two of these camps were destroyed, and the Eritrean refugees
dispersed.
In my seminar, I will discuss the implications of the current situation in Tigray for the
people of Ethiopia(Tigray) and Eritrea, the fate of Eritrean refugees in Ethiopia, the
implication of Eritrean troops involvement in the Ethiopian civil war and its implication
for the for the stability in the Horn of Africa.
Biography
Saba Kidane Heritage received her PhD from George Mason’s School for
Conflict Analysis and Resolution (aka Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and
Conflict Resolution) in 2020. She has a Master’s Degree from the University of
California Los Angeles (UCLA) in African Area Studies with Political Science emphasis
and prior to that, she also graduated with another MA Degree from the University of San
Diego (USD) in Peace and Justice Studies. Her research interests include peace and
conflict resolution with mediation and restorative justice emphasis; issues of ethnic/racial
conflicts; human rights and democracy; social justice issues and post conflict political
transitions in Africa. Dr. Kidane Heritage completed her undergraduate studies in
Political Science and International Relations in Eritrea and Ethiopia. She is also active in
a pioneer media organization, ERISAT-Eritrean Satellite Television that has been
broadcasting into Eritrea since late 2018 in various Eritrean languages. Dr. Kidane
Heritage came to the United States in 2002 to pursue graduate studies and currently
resides in Los Angeles with her husband, Tim and daughter, Madison.
