Ethiopians in Washington staged demonstration to condemn government silence on abducted girls
borkena
January 28, 2020
When Abiy Ahmed met Ethiopians in three cities in the United States in July 2018, he got a hero’s welcome. Back then, people have an image of a man “who contributed immensely to end TPLF’s ruthless administration” and a leader with the potential to bring about peace and unity in Ethiopia.
That deferential attitude towards Ethiopia’s prime minister is no longer there. Instead, many Ethiopians in the diaspora are venting anger and frustration over Abiy Ahmed’s administration incompetence to enforce the rule of law and protect Ethiopians citizens.
The latest example is the abduction of 21 students of Dembi Dollo University, mostly girls, as they were returning to their parents following the closure of the university in light of security problems that targeted mainly ethnic Amhara students. They were taken from a bus somewhere along the way between Dembi Dollo and Gambella. The Federal police said on Tuesday this week that it has formed an investigative team to “determine the identity of the armed group that abducted the students and why and how it did so.” And this measure came nearly two months now.
Ethiopians in Washington DC, Maryland, and Virginia area took to the streets condemning Abiy Ahmed’s government over silence in connection with the abduction, which happened in the Oromo region of Ethiopia.
“We condemn the abduction of university students” and “Justice to those who are attacked by extremists” are few of the placards that protestors were carrying.
Ethiopian Ambassador to the United States, Fitsum Arega, received a letter written to prime minister Abiy Ahmed. Abebe Belew, the coordinator of the protest, personally handed over the message to the Ambassador.
“We are confident that the Ambassador will hand over the letter to the prime minister,” Abebe Belew is cited as saying in the DW Amharic report.
Ambassador Fitsum discussed with protestors, and he said that he would present the message to the Ethiopian government and follow up with it.
“Why is government silent about the abduction?” and “where are the students” are the crucial questions that Ethiopians are asking.
On the same day, millions in several cities in the Amhara region of Ethiopia took to the street demanding an answer about the whereabouts of abducted students.
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are they serious ?
Do they need paper ? Some say these people demonstrating to get special attention and considered for resident permit. I dnot know if this claim is based on a valid ground.
I really sympathize for this people out there. Please Mr president T…. P listen to thier cries and help them win American Dream!
Gadessa you are right
When I see these people , it reminds me a journalist who is working hard to develop a story which he had jot down at the incident.
What I mean is they are happy to find a sensitive case that could turn the page in thier migration status in USA.
It is dangerous to generalize but my urge is too powerful to resist it. So here I go, MY DEAR AFRICA.
Abduction of girls is not a new phenomenon to us, Good Natured Africans. We did it for time immemorial. Didn’t we??? Please be honest to yourselves. Who are we fooling? The rest of the world know about us. In fact, the ever inquisitive [and hungry for exploitation] Europeans came to our land and became the witness, in addition to their agenda. YES, they said, ‘THAT IS WHAT AFRICANS ARE– AND THEY CAN’T HELP IT. IT IS IN THEIR BLOOD’ With that summation the image of ‘DARK’ Black AFRICA is cemented around the GLOBE >>> and no amount of academic degrees will ever change that image, that reality, of Black Africa. Please don’t get angry. All you have to do is to prove it wrong Amen, Inshalah.
err…. you sounded a success story of colonialists left in Africa, by the way do they call you and r u HN? I bet they do. Bless you my kind in skin but shame for the dim wit you present us.
Gadissa, I’m sory to read what you wrote. I’m sure you wrote it while you lost your mind in where you slept. Sure, search for your lost mind and defnatly you will find it and will write the reverse.
Dear Sam AND YOUR NEFTEGNA FRIENDS
you are right. Are you a magician . Perhaps you are capable of reading my mind just throwing your scary , ferocious and blurry eyes on my comment.
You are a gifted witchdoctor, metetam amhara. It is you who cry out loud in search of your lost orb and sceptre . You will not find them any more . I mean you will never ever hold power and monarchy of amhara will never be reinstated in that land.