Ethiopian opposition parties say “it is impossible to resolve popular demands with forceful measures.”
borkena
Six Ethiopian opposition parties on Tuesday issued a joint statement condemning the Ethiopian government over the war it is waging in the Amhara region of Ethiopia where hundreds of civilian deaths are reported.
Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Party (EPRP), All Ethiopian Unity Party (AEUP), Amhara Ghion Movement, One Ethiopia Democratic party, and Enat party issued a statement criticizing the government for resorting to forceful measures by mobilizing the defense force to repress popular demands in the Amhara region of Ethiopia.
While singling out what it calls backward ethnic politics in Ethiopia and government commitment to stay the course, the statement from the six parties said that the Prosperity Party is leading Ethiopia to a worsening crisis.
“Instead of addressing public grievances, giving attention and resolving problems through round table negotiation and dialogue, the Prosperity Party is adhering to ‘I know it all’ thinking and a shot in the dark move,” it said.
The parties recalled past statements in which they said all our fundamental problems could only be solved through an in-depth dialogue and discussion.
It noted that Ethiopia has not fully recovered from the two-year bloody war but the government is waging war in the Amhara region with contempt and total disregard (to Ethiopians), it said.
Furthermore, it said that it had confirmed that a considerable number of Ethiopians have been killed due to artillery shelling in the region recently.
The Defense Force that entered Debre Tabor town, in Gondar, with a mediation effort through elders has later mounted heavy weaponry targeting the city. It has been shelling targets in the city. Many civilians have been killed in the process.
However, the statement noted that the Ethiopian Defense Force is also suffering serious loss. The situation could lead the Ethiopian Defense Force to a point where it can not deliver on its core mission of defending Ethiopia from foreign aggression.
The parties stressed that the war between brothers could make Ethiopia’s sovereignty vulnerable.
The closure of main roads in many parts of the Amhara region due to the war in the region has impacted economic and social activities. Supply of consumption goods obstructed. The condition of low-income citizens has worsened due to the war.
The statement also mentioned the situation in the newly formed regions – South Ethiopia and Central Ethiopia – where there is an ongoing protest. In that regard, it said that the measures the government is taking against it are causing more crises. It mentioned that at least government forces killed eighteen people in Gamo zone of the region.
The effort on the part of the government to resolve the problem in the Amhara and South Ethiopia regions by force will worsen the crisis, it said.
The parties called for the government to remove the deployed defense force from the Amhara region so that it is reassigned to a place where it could defend Ethiopia’s territory.
It also called for the government to be open for dialogue that can rescue the country and for problems to be resolved only through dialogue.
Also, it called for the government to look into the situation in South Ethiopia until a constitutional reform was arranged.
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Amhara parties like the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Party (EPRP), All Ethiopian Unity Party (AEUP), Amhara Ghion Movement, One Ethiopia Democratic Party, and Enat Party condemned crimes in the Amhara region while still supporting the crimes committed by Amhara fannos. What do you call these men? self-serving bias at its best?
Some members of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church are fake Christians; they want to harm a person just because the person sings in the church yard, and these fake Christians send death threats against this person. Is that what the Bible says? Do you know forgiveness? Traditional primitive people who still do not understand the message the Bible conveys to the world
Even if the act is offensive, it is not something that could be handled this way. Criminals within the church: Some followers and their leaders, like Abba Fanuele of the USA, are criminals.
Amhara people have burned mosques and churches, plundered precious manuscripts and priceless holy crosses, and killed and tortured many hermits, monks, and nuns. And above all, they killed children and elderly women. In the first place, everyone’s life is equally priceless.
Mahibre-Kidusan must be dismantled. This organization is inciting violence against church leaders and non-Orthodox church members. This organization ignited violence among residents in the Gurage Zone, and many innocent lives were lost in vain. This organization is acting like the apologetics of the church for financial gain and brainwashing the youth into buying into its radical stance. It is not to play an illogical, baseless fallacy here—you have not condemned atrocities in Oromia or in any parts of Ethiopia, and therefore you cannot condemn this crime now. However, this kind of offense should not be treated in the manner in which you are trying to handle it or display it to the general public. Mahibre-Kidusan must be dismantled.
Repeat!!!
As long as the unemployment rate among the job seeking generation remains very high, that will be and remain a throbbing headache for that country until it subsides. The unemployed youth has been the source of easily sought fodder for bigots and rabble rousers who are hell bent to create bloody chaos in that country. The defense forces are now fighting multi front battles and sooner or later the commanders will feel their soldiers are so thinned out(stretched out). That is a concern for me. When the casualty numbers continue to rise and news of losses of loved ones reach more families the regime will be somewhat alienated losing its grip on its power. Then some officers may start taking among each other at their speakeasies. Then that will create 1972-1974 Part Deux. This reminds me a story I was told the first countryman I had the privilege of making friends with when I came to this country decades ago.
My friend was one of those soldiers in the emperor’s army until he was sent here for mechanical training in the early 1970’s. He went AWOL and stayed here. During one of our usual conversations I asked him if there was any talk about the emperor and his government among the military. He told me he and his group used to hear rumors that was highly toned down. He told me that he and his group were under impression that there was something afoot among the military to go after the emperor. He believed if that happened the country may go into destructive chaos and that was the main reason for his going AWOL. At some point the mid level and top brass might have concluded it was too much.
It may be or at least seems to a different environment and set up now. But some of the main factors may have similarities. Some may say that there were no opposition political parties then but there are so many now. But for me the current existence of so many political parties inside the country may not be the main game changer due to the fact that they are so splintered to a point to make any difference. They are so weakened by their own accord to influence any of the regime’s policies. They are just a collection of some useless zombies.
So look at it this way. The defense forces have just got a reprieve from the deadly conflict in Tigray where tens of thousand soldiers lost their lives and thousand others disabled for life. When they thought that conflict is over but suddenly they are called for action into another bloody conflict in Amhara and Oromia. These are no indefatigable creatures from another galaxy. They are humans. Their commanders are not all perfect. At some point some may start saying ‘this has to stop’ first to themselves and then to their trusted foxhole comrades. That can open opportunities for fast talking and conniving officers. It really has started to concern me these days. I hope and pray I will be proven wrong.
1). Yilikal took too long to take action against the Proxy Putschist Amara Supremacists [PPAS] led by Zemene/Eskinder/Mesafint/Mihret [ZEMM]. His unduly patience gave the PPAS more time to murder more Democratically Elected Amara Officials [DEAO].
2). Hadn’t Abiy acted swiftly, the ZEMM/PPAS would have murdered all DEAO. Was Abiy expected to sit and watch each DEAO murdered? These murderers put on the APF-Fanno Hat to evade justice. They should be hunted down & brought to justice for murder!
3). The last election was monitored by the US/EU/AU. Some lost: Eskinder, Dr. Birhanu, Dr. Merera. Zemene was Dr. Birhanu’s Eritrea-based Gibot-7 Guerrilla Spokesman but was back in Ethiopia. So, why didn’t he run in the election, win and prove his popularity?
4). Zemene [አማራ ሸኔ] vs. Diriba [ኦሮሞ ሸኔ]: Both were Eritrea-based guerillas who took advantage of Abiy’s call for Peaceful Struggle, entered Ethiopia and bleed Ethiopia. Both kill Amaras & Oromos. So, why is Zemene ‘Amara Patriot’ & Diriba ‘OromoTerrorist’?
5). Eskinder vs. Jawar: Why was it ‘Oromo Terrorism’ when Jawar’s Qeros stormed towns, blocked roads, etc. but ‘Amara Patriotism’ when Eskinder’s Fannos do the same?
6). When TPLF used children & civilians as human shields & cannon fodder, it is crimes against humanity. Why is it ‘Amara Patriotism’ when the PPAS/ZEMM do the same?