Ethiopia: Global Society of Tigray Scholars and Professionals (GSTS) – GSTS’s Press Statement on the Violent Measures Taken Against Protestors in Tigray (08.09.2023)

Ethiopia: Union of Tigrayans in Europe (UTE) – Peaceful protest is Basic Human right! (08.09.2023)

Ethiopia: Tigray Region – Press Statement from Tigray Nationalist Political Parties (08.09.2023)

Ethiopia: Global Society of Tigray Scholars and Professionals (GSTS) – Position Statement on the Urgent Need for the Establishment of an Interim Regional Council; and the Maintenance of Security and Order in Tigray (06.09.2023)

Ethiopia: Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC) letter to Bekele Gerba – Acknowledgment of Resignation Letter (30.08.2023)

Ethiopia: Amhara is burning…

Right now… there is a never ending stories of atrocities committed on a regular basis. That is being done by the Ethiopian National Defence Forces (ENDF) and their enemies the Amhara Popular Front (APF).

The APF consist of “Fano” the regional paramilitary unit, which was also a key ally in the invasion and war against Tigray. As well, as other fellow military trained recruits from the Amhara. Some are said to be former Amhara Regional Special Force, which was forced to disband and become a direct part of the ENDF in a restructuring effort of the Federal Government. Alas, that has all backfired and the conflict is spiralling out of hand.

The Federal Government have appointed yet another Regional President like it matters. The fifth since Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali took office. While the war is persisting and the “guerrilla” or “militia” tactics of the APF/Fano is working. As they are gaining grounds and territories as the days go by. It just shows that the conventional warfare of ENDF isn’t winning the war. Neither is the drones or other sophisticated methods that the ENDF is currently doing. As the APF/Fano can use the uncertainty and the ambush means to conquer their enemy.

This is a war over consolidating power. That’s the end-game here and the ones who wins will get the price. As the loser will taste the bitter fruits of not only the loss, but also see the victor parade the skeletons in-front of his face. The APF/Fano is working on overtime to serve its objectives. They are undermining and showing the ENDF that they are a threat to reckon with. The ENDF should feel humiliated and hurt by all of this. They are fighting brothers in arms and over petty things, actually.

If Fano and the Regional Special Forces had accepted to be part of the ENDF. This war would have ended and been avoided. We know there is more to it. Nevertheless, that is a key component that we cannot forget. APF/Fano can fight for independence and for self-control. However, the FDRE and the Prosperity Party will never accept that. Just like it didn’t accept the independence and the lack of bond with the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), which is what lead to the bloody war in Tigray Region.

Now the same conflict, the same pain and suffering is happening in Amhara region. The same Medemer Terror and it’s committed on a daily basis. New families are losing homes, schools are destroyed and people are either killed or arrested. There are so many innocent lives that are caught in between the fighting parties. This is happening on people’s plots, in proximity of neighbourhoods and in general affecting all walks of life.

The Amhara region is feeling the “unity” and “national awaking” in the way that only the Prime Minister Abiy can offer. He cannot offer sustainable peace or liberty of people. The warlord can only order more war. His a man who settles things with guns and hopes his enemies get silent. That’s what he does… and his proud of making people stop.

This war is just continuing. The war that is making the Amhara region burn. The flame of the conflict is turning it’s evil manoeuvres and hurting innocent bystanders. People are fleeing, hungry and dying. This is what is happening in 2023.

Brothers in Arms are now fighting each other. Just mere months ago these would have fought in the same battlefield and for the same cause. Now they are turning their guns against each other. That’s the brutal truth in this and population is paying the price of this conflict. They are seeing the bullets, the drones and the death.

The flame will only be alive as long as it is getting oxygen. The moment someone puts a lid on it or tries to blow it out. There will be no burning, be no heat and no concern. It would be amazing, but at this current time. The flames and the fire will just continue. The blue flame will be visible and we will know the damage. The hurt and the ones who died for their cause. That is bound to happen… the ENDF is only willing to annihilate the APF/Fano, as it is has promised to do in similar campaigns in Oromia and the Ogaden. Peace.

Ethiopia: Natnael Mekonnen talks of annihilating Amhara…

If glass is contaminated and cannot be cleaned by washing, the only option is to break the glass” (Natnael Mekonnen, 23.08.2023).

We have heard similar stories from the Prosperity Party before and in regard to other regional states or ethnicities. This here sort of talk isn’t new under the reign of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali. At one point the PP official public record stated this: “to eliminate the fish we need to drain the sea” that was in correlation of the conflict and warfare in Oromia. Which meant the PP was ready to act in genocidal tendencies and wipe out an entire population. That’s the gist of things.

Now that the PP has another conflict and its spiralling out of control. We have seen this before and the rhetoric isn’t new. Just like the PP said these things about Oromia. There was similar statements and talk while the war in Tigray was going on. Therefore, the Prosperity Party is consistent in the talk of bloodshed, massacres and will to annihilate people.

In 2023 the Federal Republic should be better, but apparently the same means are used. The same tricks of the trade. The same evil is apparently in the open. Addis Ababa and the PP are not compromising. No, they have their offensives and their special missions, which inflicts more harm, plight and total destruction. They come with ammunition, guns, tanks and drones. The ENDF isn’t saving anything and leaving anything to chance. No, they are burning the place to the ground and to set yet another example.

The Amhara region is just entering their phase of Medemer Terror. They participated in the Medemer terror in the Tigray region. They cheered and was happy to be a part of it. The Amhara region enjoyed the spoils and the prominence. They thought they were unique and had a loyal ally in Abiy.

However, just like Abiy needed to make the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) into beggars and “yes-men”. He needs the extremists and the nationalists of Amhara to do the same. The PM needs to consolidate and takeover all power. He yearns for the control and the final say. As the PM don’t mind the consequences or the costs. The results and the end-game that matters to him. That the militias, the para-military and the ones who fought with him is bowing their knees to him. This is all his seeking and that they join his army on his conditions. That’s what the gist of the things are and they rebelled against him. Because, they didn’t want to be under the spell and be token solider of Abiy. No, the Amhara Regional Special Forces and Fano wanted more, they wanted a say and they thought they had the right for it. However, their alliance was short-sighted and only for personal gains of Abiy. As he got the TPLF to beg for mercy. Therefore, he could now swing the swords against the ones who fought with him.

With that in mind, Mekonnen says these words. As we know Abiy is a warlord and a man who thrives in conflict. He earns his political capital by killing, slaughtering and destroying regions. That’s how he shows force and get his will done. The citizens are paying the price. The ones on the front-lines are buried. The ones who dares to challenge him stops breathing too. There are so many victims and so many who has been scorned. This will be a generational curse and take decades to rebuild.

The violent years of Abiy will cause harm for the next generation and possibly the one after that too. As there are so many who has fought and so many who was injured. There was so many who died and the total costs of doing so will be paid by the next generation. That’s just how these things goes. The grandfathers fought so the their grandchildren can pay their debt.

Amhara is facing that now. The PP and the allies of Addis Ababa is ready to use the same rhetoric and talking points. They are talking of annihilating a region again. The Amhara people are now feeling and hearing the same they talked about Tigray or Oromia. That shows how fickle things are and how little value life has in Ethiopia. When leaders, the ones appointed or elected are speaking in this manner. This is endangering people and sending signals of genocidal affairs. That isn’t just worrying, but alarming. Which is tragic that this isn’t new, but just repeating itself.

The PP is a party of war and they are now brutally assaulting Amhara region just to prove a point. Peace.

Ethiopia: Caucus of Opposition Parties – Press Release (21.08.2023)

Neither force nor a command post will bring a lasting solution; for peaceful solution the importance of a comprehensive dialogue among political forces cannot be overstated.

The current state of our nation, in terms of politics, economics, and society, indicates that we are experiencing a significant amount of chaos, stress, loss, and destruction not just sporadically but on a daily basis. As a result, the public is demanding the Government to live up to its promises and duties, saying ‹‹ Walk Your Talk››. In relation to this matter, during its evaluation of the contemporary state of our nation on the 18th of August 18, 2023, our caucus, cognizant of the fact that our country and its populace are in a phase where they require prompt measures for a viable resolution, has adopted a stance and put forth a solution.

At present, conflicts, instability and public demands for good governance in all regions of our country are accompanied by people’s dissatisfaction and despair; and it can be said that the relationship between the government and the people in all regions has gone beyond mere questioning to total lack of trust. In addition, the relationship, cooperation and trust between the federal government and regional governments, as well as among the regional governments themselves, have fallen into question.

Therefore, it is utterly imperative to take urgent and permanent action to reverse the current situation so that our country is not subjected to even more security crises, and our people to even worse pain and suffering.

Although the situation in all four directions and regions of our country is very serious, in the past mainly in Tigray, then in Oromia, and recently in the Amhara region, there have been clashes between the government defense forces and the armed forces; in previous conflicts and problems, and in connection with these conflicts, the government tried to bring a solution through forceful measures by issuing a state of emergency at different times, but it did not bring a lasting solution except to expand and worsen the political instability and tension, economic loss and destruction, loss of life and social crisis. Instead, in the first Tigray case, the pain and suffering ended as the conflict was resolved through reconciliation and negotiation. Although there is a fear that the problem will recur due to the delay in the implementation of the agreement or the failure to implement it according to the agreement, we have actually seen that the disaster, the massacre and the crisis were not stopped by force or the declaration of the state emergency, but by discussion, negotiation and agreement. Although the dialogue that started to resolve the security crisis in the Oromia region was not open and inclusive, and the fact that it was started and ended has darkened the hope of the people for a short time, it was an indicator of peoples trust in dialogue and negotiation.

Henceforth, we advocate for a departure from the conceit and implementation of political machinations and stratagems as markers of astuteness and erudition, which has become the reflexive response during the short-lived tenure of the prosperity party. Instead, we strongly advocate for prompt and meaningful dialogue aimed at fostering tranquility among all political factions, for an enduring and comprehensive resolution.

Therefore, we call on the ruling party to respond positively to this call to save the country so that the political thinking and experience of our country can improve and grow, and leave a positive mark on our political history building on the past learning experience;

We implore media institutions and all relevant stakeholders of the nation to refrain from portraying the present state of affairs as if it is a conflict among the people, as such a portrayal may impede the attainment of a durable political resolution and inadvertently extend the life of the existing system;

We call on religious leaders and elders to assume their rightful place among the populace and diligently carry out their social obligations.

Caucus of Opposition Parties.

August 21/2023, Addis Ababa.

Ethiopia: Tigrai Universities Scholars Association (TUSA) – A communique on the occasion of the half-length Ashenda celebration (21.08.2023)

Ethiopia: Global Society of Tigray Scholars and Professionals (GSTS) – Call to UN HRC and Member States to Extend and Expand the ICHREE Mandate (16.08.2023)