Ruling party combining military operation and political mobilization in Amhara region of Ethiopia
Borkena
Toronto – Ethiopia’s ruling Prosperity Party government is intensifying political mobilization in the Amhara region of Ethiopia against Fano forces.
On Sunday, massive pro-government rallies were organized in many cities across the Amhara region. The rallies came after a series of engagements between defense force commanders in different cities. Mobilizing the people in the region against Fano forces was the key objective.
At the Federal level, the prime minister himself held a series of “discussions” with different groups from across the country. Peace in the country was a recurring topic raised during the courses of discussions – at least six or seven discussions. The prime minister has been painting rebel groups as proxy forces in the services of foreign interests.
The Sunday rallies in Bahir Dar, Debre Markos, Dessie, Debre Berhan, Sekota and Gondar -among other cities- are meant to demonstrate support for the government in its effort of “peace and development” However, there are also reports that the rallies were compulsive when it comes to those who are not a member of Prosperity Party. The government is believed to have a range of tools to force the public to take to the street. Some need to continue to be in the government SafetyNet as the cost of living and unprecedented humanitarian crisis made open resistance in cities difficult. And the public servants in the region need to keep their jobs. Pictures of warning notices against those who fail to show up at rallies were circulating on social media.
The number of party members has been growing too. Prime Minister Abiy recently announced that membership of the party across the country has reached 16 million.
The rallies are framed in a way that people in the region are demanding the government to take action to ensure “peace and development” in the region – and action against proxy and foreign forces.
Statement from the Federal government
The Ministry of Government Communication Services has on Sunday released in response to the rallies. It said the Amhara region is ravaged by war. But it accused Fano forces for it. It painted an image that the region has been severely damaged by the war in the past two years and what stands between government effort for “development” and “peace” is “Fano forces.”
“The people in the Amhara region understood conflict manufacturers and proxy agenda and have been asking for the government to restore peace,” it claimed. According to the government, “relative peace” is restored as “many combatants gave up on armed struggle” but it is not at a level the people in the region desire.
Incidentally, the government openly admitted that millions of children are out of school due to the conflict in the region.
Abiy Ahmed’s government has been indicted in extensive human rights abuses in the region targeting non-combatants. Multiple verified reports of drone strike and artillery shelling of civilians, civilian institutions and residential areas were reported over the past two years although the government has been denying it.
Fano forces claim that their struggle is to reverse existential threat to the Amhara people. Today, the forces from Gojjam stated they are reversing the latest round of government effort to encircle Fano forces.
The support to Fano Forces
The government has been battling Fano forces with all its power for the past two years. However, it proved difficult to eliminate Fano forces. One of the major reasons for it is the massive grassroot support that Fano forces have been enjoying in the region and beyond.
The military operations in the Amhara region of Ethiopia have been underway for two years. It was only intended to last for two weeks. Repeated massive military operations including with the deployment of mechanized units and drone operations did not bring a desirable result for the government.
On the other hand, the Fano forces grew in strength despite the failure to control cities and put their structures. This week, the government launched another “final” operation against Fano forces. Reports from Fano forces seem to suggest that this round of defense force operation will have the same fate like the previous ones ; failure. Because the Fano forces do still seem to have massive support in the region despite internal discord and some incidents – allegedly orchestrated by government forces – that tarnished their image.
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