Unmasking Abiy Ahmed Reign of Terror: Lying and Deceptions, Sickening Savageries and Vindictive Destructions of the Amhara Region 

Bruke Lemma, PhD 

“Despotic governments can stand ‘moral force’ till the cows come home; what they fear is  physical force.” – George Orwell 

Abiy Ahmed’s genocidal rampage against the Amhara people of Ethiopia has escalated to  unparalleled levels of heartlessness, brutality, and extreme inhumanity, leaving devastating  trails of destruction in its path. His military forces have launched an intensified assault on urban  centers, employing an unremitting barrage of heavy weaponry, drone strikes, and airstrikes.  

This relentless campaign has resulted in the tragic loss of countless innocent civilians, a grim  reality that has unfolded across numerous Amhara cities and towns, most notably in Debre  Markos and Debre Brehan, as well as several other areas within the Amhara region. 

What compounds the horror is the calculated, deliberate, and cruel targeting of both innocent  civilians and vital infrastructure by Abiy Ahmed’s military. This military, once the national  defence force established for safeguarding the nation, has tragically undergone a  transformation and has become a private, ethnically based brutal mercenary army, marked by  high levels of unprofessionalism.  

It is exclusively devoted to Abiy Ahmed and his ethno-nationalist party, the Oromo Prosperity  Party, also known as the Oromo Democratic Party (ODP). Of course, like almost all dictators,  Abiy Ahmed and his cronies use the term ‘democratic,’ though they abhor democratic practices.  In any case, Abiy Ahmed’s army conduct has revealed extreme brutality, coupled with extreme  incompetence and a disturbing lack of restraint and decency. 

This shift within the national defence force was achieved through the systematic expulsion of  nearly all members from the Amhara region, especially those who were serving in leadership  positions, retaining only those individuals devoid of conscience, ready to commit heinous acts  of atrocities against their own people. This ruthless purification extends to anyone suspected  of having allegiance to the broader interests of the nation, rather than the narrow objectives of  Abiy Ahmed and his extremist ethno-nationalist Pathocrats. 

The result was an entirely indoctrinated, ruthless, and subservient army, accountable for the  destruction of critical infrastructure, such as hospitals and schools, and the indiscriminate and  summary executions of Amhara youth, including children as young as 12. Tragically, beyond  the executions of these young lives, there are reports of other youth subjected to mutilation  after being conveniently labeled as members of FANO, the courageous anti-regime Amhara  people’s force that are opposing Abiy Ahmed’s despotic rule. 

Simultaneously, the regime has not only maintained but also intensified its widespread  campaign of mass arrests and chilling disappearances, extending its reach into every corner of  the nation, including the capital city Addis Ababa and various other regions. This oppressive 

effort continues to ensnare Amhara youth, intellectuals, journalists, members of parliament,  and other vital pillars of society. 

Almost all journalists in the country have been imprisoned, with some held for months without  access to legal representation or any initiation of judicial proceedings against them. In certain  instances, their families remain uninformed about their whereabouts, while others are  transferred to remote regions where family visits are practically impossible. Those who do  appear in court are subjected to a farcical justice system, where judges repeatedly grant  extensions for police investigations into fabricated crimes. 

The judges, handpicked by Abiy Ahmed and his exceptionally ignorant and completely  mindless retrograde ethno-extremists, actively participate in the continued mistreatment and  humiliation of Amhara intellectuals, journalists, and other political prisoners who appear before  them. This goes beyond repeatedly granting unjustified extensions for the police to carry out  their never-ending investigations.  

Disturbing reports have also now emerged, suggesting that the tortures of individuals who have  spoken out against the administration and called for Abiy Ahmed’s resignation, including the  Member of Parliament Christian Tadele and others, are being personally overseen and  orchestrated by Abiy Ahmed himself, exposing his highly vindictive nature. In addition to his  pathological vindictiveness, this situation also reveals his extreme arrogance, complete lack of  wisdom, and ongoing descent into insanity. 

Ironically, amidst all of this, the regime occasionally calls for discussions and encourages  public participation, only to later arrest and forcibly disappear those who participate and  express views contrary to the official line. Many of these individuals are transported to remote  regions, a now-customary practice under Abiy Ahmed’s regime, with some meeting tragic ends,  all while their families are left in the dark about their whereabouts. Thus, the behaviour of Abiy  Ahmed’s regime has become grotesquely comedic in its absurdity, crudity and cruelty. 

In regard to Abiy Ahmed’s venal army, it consistently fails to match the valour and courage  displayed by the lightly armed FANO fighters, who have inflicted and continue to deliver  significant blows to it. In response, the army has resorted to cowardly tactics, shifting its focus  to softer targets – unarmed civilians and critical infrastructure within the Amhara region.  

As a result, the army has descended into the depths of savagery, indiscriminately targeting and  killing children, women, the elderly, and the infirm. These heartless actions persist alongside  calculated assaults on urban infrastructure, most notably hospitals where patients, including  women and their newborn children, tragically continue to lose their lives. Schools and  universities have also fallen victim to destruction. 

The army’s actions have extended even further, subjecting the populace to intrusive door-to door searches for FANO fighters in areas where they are not present. Demonstrating cowardice,  they deliberately avoid the territories where they know FANO operates but persist in carrying  out searches in regions devoid of FANO presence.  

During these searches, they resort to abducting, demanding ransoms, using violence, and  assaulting whomever falls into their clutches, purportedly to gather information regarding  FANO’s whereabouts. In a deeply shameful display, they unscrupulously engage in looting  shops and committing theft within the homes of innocent civilians. These reprehensible actions of the army are deeply rooted in cowardice and represent a calculated strategy intended to break  the spirit of the Amhara people. 

In stark contrast, the FANO militia forces continue to distinguish themselves by prioritizing  the protection and safeguarding of civilians and infrastructure within the areas they operate and  occupy. Throughout the four-month conflict, they have consistently refrained from looting and  theft, demonstrating their unwavering commitment to protecting property and lives, including  those of tourists and other foreigners within the Amhara region. 

Moreover, the treatment of captured government soldiers by FANO reflects their adherence to  humane principles, surpassing any previous examples set anywhere in the world. Conversely, the army, from which even higher ethical behaviour is normally to be expected, has descended  into complete banditry and savagery, engaging in looting, robberies, and the indiscriminate  killing of civilians. This brutality also extends to the summary execution of bystanders,  captured prisoners, Amhara youth who were accused of being affiliated with FANO, and  others, as was revealed in multiple verified videos that emerged this week. 

In my recent articles, I have delved into the underlying causes of the ongoing conflict that  ultimately led to the current savage assault on the Amhara people by Abiy Ahmed and his  ethnically biased and deeply indoctrinated army—a nightmarish situation that we have been  witnessing with horror and outrage.  

Others have also conducted in-depth analyses of how the Amhara people within Ethiopia  tragically became the primary targets of successive ethno-extremist regimes in the country.  Specifically, the oppression and subjugation of the Amhara people have been both facilitated  and exacerbated by the Ethiopian constitution that was authored by these very extremists, most  notably the infamous criminal group known as the TPLF. 

This group, which deceived the world and continues to deceive some slow learners, was  directly responsible for the tragic loss of over a million young lives and the heart-wrenching  devastation of three regions, including the Amhara region, in a war it initiated and waged for  two years to regain power, which it had accidentally lost to the current regime of Abiy Ahmed.  

Although the two regimes are otherwise almost mirror images, including their extreme greed  and radical propensity for excluding others, claiming everything for themselves and only  themselves, it is now becoming increasingly evident that Abiy Ahmed’s regime is far less  intelligent than the previous TPLF regime, both collectively and individually.  

This is a surprising development that none of us thought possible without jumping to another  species. In any case, after their devastating war against each other, TPLF and Abiy Ahmed,  ‘dumb and dumber,’ are now collaborating to attack the Amhara people. 

The Amhara people have endured decades of oppressive treatment, marked by the deprivation  of basic rights, continual humiliation, harassment, pervasive poverty, and systemic  underdevelopment, among multitudes of hardships. The culmination of these injustices has  transpired during the current Abiy Ahmed regime, which has studied and amplified the tactics  of the TPLF – a group it has unwaveringly served. 

This regime has showcased even greater cruelty and an almost subhuman level of lack of  intelligence, continually attempting to relegate the Amhara people to the status of second or  third-class citizens within their own country, even denying them freedom of movement.  

What the Amhara are now facing in Ethiopia under Abiy Ahmed is reminiscent of the  Apartheid era in South Africa when black South Africans were forcefully confined to certain  areas, requiring passports, having to go through myriad checkpoints, and dealing with  harassment by ignorant and corrupt Apartheid officials if they wanted to move outside these  regions. This deeply distressing historical context has inevitably ignited the long-overdue  rebellion of the Amhara people we are witnessing today. 

There is a limit to the endurance of any people, and it is truly remarkable that the Amhara have  persevered through the trials they’ve faced for so long, under the TPLF, and now, under Abiy  Ahmed. They are proud, resilient, and heroic people – generous and compassionate, seeking  nothing more than their rightful share and equal treatment, which they have been unjustly  denied by both these ethno-extremist regimes.  

It takes sheer ignorance for a government like Abiy Ahmed’s to push them to the precipice as  it has done over the past five years, leaving them devoid of any hope of finding respite from  their sufferings or attaining the equality they rightfully deserve. This sustained mistreatment  has driven the entire Amhara population to unite behind the FANO, demanding, among other  things, an end to the oppressive practice where simply being an Amhara could warrant  imprisonment, torture, murder, property confiscation, displacement, and more. 

While there is much more to discuss and many reasons to be deeply offended and outraged by  the treatment of the Amhara people in Ethiopia over the course of decades, I won’t delve too  deeply into these matters here. In any case, as previously mentioned, both I and others have  extensively covered some of these issues elsewhere, including in my recent articles.  

Interestingly, among those currently writing critical pieces on Abiy Ahmed’s regime are some  of the very same intellectuals who once praised him and passionately advocated for various  potential solutions to the country’s numerous challenges. This was, however, before they came  to realize that Abiy Ahmed is a con artist who deceived them and other Ethiopians. 

Initially, I shared their optimism, but I soon diverged from their viewpoint as I came to realize  the destructive course Abiy Ahmed was leading the country down. Consequently, I have  maintained long standing disagreements with them, consistently asserting that they were  mistaken in their understanding of Abiy Ahmed, who exhibits deep pathology and a triad  personality.  

However, as incontrovertible evidence continues to accumulate, the majority of them have now  come to acknowledge the grim reality of Abiy Ahmed’s leadership and have jumped ship,  writing mea culpa and other pieces. There remain only a few rare holdouts whose perspective  on the unfolding reality remains baffling.  

Here, without mentioning names, a very prominent case involves two Professors, one residing  inside the country and the other outside. One of them I had the chance to meet and engage in  extensive discussions with in person more than a decade ago, and I found him to be reasonably  reasonable at the time. The other distinguished himself during the long struggle with the TPLF.

Despite all that and more, both of these ‘intellectuals’ have been advocating impossible and  illogical positions, continuing to support Abiy Ahmed, which runs entirely contrary to reason  and good sense. Whenever I come across any mention of either of them, I shake my head and  am overcome by nausea.  

Well, they might still regain their senses. Abiy Ahmed is not going to moderate; he is going to  become more and more extreme as time goes by. That might wake them up, but I don’t know  if the Ethiopian people would forgive them. That is not up to me, however. 

In any case, Abiy Ahmed’s deep pathology and extreme sociopathy are glaringly evident in his  deployment of heavy weapons, tanks, drones and fighter planes to ruthlessly target unarmed Amhara civilians including women, children, and the elderly. Furthermore, on his orders, his  army has intentionally inflicted destruction upon critical infrastructure, including hospitals,  schools, and universities, among other vital facilities.  

While these acts are already horrifying and morally reprehensible atrocities, it is highly  improbable that Abiy Ahmed will halt this violence and genuinely seek peaceful resolutions in  any near future. In fact, he appears set to escalate unless forcefully stopped.  

Any gestures of peace or statements that he might occasionally make are highly likely to be  nothing more than calculated distractions intended to buy time for the planning and execution  of further harm against the Amhara people. Only the most foolish would believe anything the  universally deceitful and pathological liar Abiy Ahmed says. 

Therefore, unless he is forcefully stopped, there is nothing within Abiy Ahmed – no humanity,  no decency, no rational thinking, no intelligence – that would prevent him from continuing the  atrocities he has been committing. As is very well-known, Pathocrats are terrible in crisis  situations, as evidenced by figures like Hitler, one of the worst Pathocrats in history, who  persisted in making one disastrous decision after another, even as defeat loomed, worsening  the situation for both himself and the German people.  

Similarly, with Abiy Ahmed, we can anticipate a series of disastrous decisions should he  remain unchecked. Moreover, the Pathocrats surrounding him are even less intelligent than he  is, and they lack the courage to propose any solutions that do not originate from his mouth.  Given all these factors and more, the Amhara people and their FANO must continue mobilizing  their resources and defenses against the destructive forces of Abiy Ahmed and his army.  

At the same time, the international community must unequivocally convey to Abiy Ahmed that  the indiscriminate slaughter of unarmed civilians through the use of heavy weapons, drones,  and airstrikes, as well as the deliberate targeting and destruction of critical infrastructure such  as hospitals, carried out by him and his army, is entirely unacceptable and will not be tolerated. 

Several countries, including Australia, Japan, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the  United States of America, as well as organizations such as the United Nations Human Rights  Office and the EU, represented by High Representative Josep Borrell, and a host of others have  called for the protection of civilians, cessation of hostilities, and dialogue between the parties  involved. These statements and calls are all highly commendable.

However, the international community could and must go further. Specifically, in addition to  maintaining consistent diplomatic pressure on the regime of Abiy Ahmed, they should actively  advocate for sustained UN investigations into the ongoing crimes being perpetrated in the  Amhara region.  

It is essential to push for arms embargoes against the regime of Abiy Ahmed and extend direct  humanitarian aid to the Amhara region, which continues to be devastated by the conflict.  Furthermore, implementing personal sanctions on Abiy Ahmed and other key figures within  his government, who are responsible for perpetuating these atrocities, including the killing of  women, children, and the infirm, in general, unarmed civilians, is highly imperative.

Editor’s note : Views in the article do not necessarily reflect the views of borkena.com  

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