February 23, 2022
We, the undersigned members of Ethiopian communities and organizations in the Diaspora, express our resolve and determination to oppose any attempt by the Government of Ethiopia (GoE) or certain Western governments and institutions to forfeit parts of the Amhara regions that had illegally and forcibly been annexed by the terrorist organization, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), between 1991 and 2020.
We view any attempt by the GoE to overtly or covertly concede these regions as none other than an integral part of a highly orchestrated gambit by internal actors and foreign entities to undermine the unity and integrity of Ethiopia, and by extension, to weaken the Amhara people.
We maintain that there are no historical, legal or constitutional arguments that can conceivably support the narrative that the ancestral lands of the Amhara region, including the Wolkait Tegede Setit Humera Zone and Raya, should be sacrificial lambs to appease a terrorist organization.
First, there is no historical record to suggest that the vast majority of the people of these areas have ever been under Tigray or have ever identified themselves as any other ethnic group but Amhara.
Second, there is no constitutional basis to hand over these regions to the TPLF, as these areas had forcefully been annexed by the terrorist group in 1991, several years before the apartheid-style constitution was adopted, contrary to TPLF’s own bogus Transitional Charter of 1991/1992.
Over the last couple of years, we have watched with dismay and consternation as the GoE demonstrated astonishing reluctance to allocate budget to the Wolkait, Tegede Setit Humera Zone and other liberated areas, while spending billions of dollars in the Tigrai region since the beginning of the war. While demonstrating indescribable indifference to the suffering of Amharas, Western governments have intensified their pressure on the people of the region to concede their ancestral lands to a terrorist organization. We hold the firm conviction that any recognition of the illegitimate pre-war borders of the Tigray region would not only be a blatant violation of the rights of the inhabitants of the region, but also an endorsement of a return to the atrocious rule by the TPLF that had resulted in the massacre and subjugation of countless Amharas who lived in the area. In this respect, we categorically and unequivocally decry the advocacy of the Biden administration to restore the territorial status quo as one-sided, prejudiced and unfair.
We, therefore, call upon:
- All peace-loving Ethiopians and friends of Ethiopia to vehemently oppose the ongoing effort to directly or indirectly restore TPLF’s atrocious rule over the people of the liberated areas of the Amhara region.
- The Government of Ethiopia to desist from its covert and overt activities to pressure the Amhara people to directly or indirectly forfeit these areas to TPLF’s brutal rule.
- The US and other Western governments and institution to refrain from intervening in the internal affairs of the country and directly or indirectly imposing the tyrannical rule of the TPLF on the vulnerable people of these areas.
Signatories:
- Adwa Great African Victory Association (AGAVA)
- All Shewa Ethiopian People Multipurpose International Association
- Amhara Dimtse Serechit
- Amhara Wellbeing and Development Organization
- Communities of Ethiopians in Finland
- Ethio-Canadian Human Rights Association
- Ethiopian-American Development Council (EADC)
- Ethiopian Dialogue Forum (EDF)
- International Ethiopian Women’s Organization (IEWO)
- Global Alliance for Justice – The Ethiopian Cause
- Global Alliance for the Rights of Ethiopians (GARE)
- Global Amhara Coalition
- Global Ethiopian Scholars Initiative (GESI)
- Gonder Hibret for Ethiopian Unity
- New York/New Jersey Tri-State Hope for Ethiopia, Inc. (H4E)
- Major Lemma Woldetsadik Memorial Foundation
- Menelik Hall Foundation
- Network of Ethiopian Scholars (NES)
- People To People, Inc. (P2P)
- Radio Yenesew Ethiopia
- Selassie Stand Up, Inc.
- The Ethiopian Broadcast Group
- Vision Ethiopia (VE)
- Worldwide Ethiopian Civic Associations Network (WE-CAN)
__
Join the conversation. Follow us on twitter @zborkena to get the latest Ethiopian News updates regularly. Like borkena on Facebook as well. To share information or for submission, send e-mail to info@borkena.com
Absolute NO to forfeit parts of the Amhara regions that had illegally and forcibly been annexed by the terrorist organization, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), between 1991 and 2020.
The government of Ethiopia should stay away from directly or indirectly putting pressure on Amhara people to forfeit Amhara land.
Amhara land and people are not for sale of action.
Respect for Amhara’s human rights, and historical land and People.
If Abiy or anyone else is trying to give land to Tigray they should give part of Oromia/ Wollega or their own land. Terrorist TPLF has already looted, raped, stolen and destroyed Amhara region and does not want anyone to abuse anymore Amharas or Amharas land.
A legitimate stand. But itshould also be backed up by real support on the ground to Amhara that are trying to defend their territory. Abiy and co. are trying to undermine, disgrace, and weaken Amhara in all parts of Ethiopia. Amhara is not only being displaced, it is also being killed in horrible way, not being given any respect whatsoever as a human being. Abiy and co. are in a clear campaign of appearing the strong and untouchable lots in Ethiopia politics. They have considered the utter destruction in Wollo and Shewa as an opportunity to further dominate Amhara. Abiy has deliberately delayed the rebuilding and rehabilitation effort in Amhara by allotting a meagre amount of budget with no explanation. All the billions of birr destructions of Amhara property in Oromia regions in the past few years has never been compensated.
Subject: “Statement of Ethiopians in the Diaspora on the NonNegotiability of Amhara Ancestral Lands” February 23, 2022
Humble Commentary, 25 Feb 22
It is very sad to see the slow disintegration of an ANCIENT INDEPENDENT BLACK AFRICAN COUNTRY in the WORLD. The first and obvious question is: WHY? WHY? WHY?
The basic answer is NOT difficult to answer — if, and only if, ETHIOPIANS of the 21st CENTURY are very DARING and ABSOLUTELY FRANK to THEMSELVES &; YES TO THEMSELVES. Ethiopia is NOT a sample country of sociological and political puritan country. The history of Ethiopia — i.e. its admirable glory as well as its ugly feature — is well known. Trying to camouflage the ugly part of Ethiopia is directly proportional to the desire to portray Ethiopia as 100 % glorious symbol. It didn’t work; It will never work.
Ethiopia has one and only one avenue to the glory that it wished to have for time immemorial. Face the current sociological facts; be willful to accept the grievances among various societies; be completely ready to accept the 21st Century Ethiopia.>>> NOT the PAST Sociological history, >>> as the saying goes: that has GONE WITH THE WIND.
What is left is this: It is very sad to see the slow disintegration of an ANCIENT INDEPENDENT BLACK AFRICAN COUNTRY in the WORLD. The first and obvious question is: WHY? WHY? WHY?
The basic answer is NOT difficult to answer — if, and only if, ETHIOPIANS of the 21st CENTURY are very DARING and ABSOLUTELY FRANK to THEMSELVES >>> YES TO THEMSELVES. Ethiopia is NOT a sample country of sociological and political puritan country. The history of Ethiopia — i.e. its admirable glory as well as its ugly feature — is well known. Trying to camouflage the ugly part of Ethiopia is directly proportional to the desire to portray Ethiopia as 100 % glorious symbol. It didn’t work; It will never work.
Ethiopia has one and only one avenue to the glory that it wished to have for time immemorial. Face the current sociological facts; be willful to accept the grievances among various societies; be completely ready to accept the 21st Century Ethiopia.&; NOT the PAST Sociological history, as the saying goes: it is GONE WITH THE WIND.
What is left is Ethiopia’s choice and only Ethiopia’s choice.. What ever it is HISTORY will register it.
THE END