To: The Honorable Donald J. Trump
President of the United States
The White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, Washington DC 20500
Subject: Urgent Appeal to Halt U.S. Support for the Abiy Ahmed Regime and Prevent Further Atrocities in Ethiopia’s Amhara Region
Dear President Trump:
We, the undersigned Ethiopian-American civic organizations, write to express our deep alarm over the ongoing atrocities committed by the Government of Ethiopia under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, particularly against civilians in the Amhara region. Atrocities are also being committed against Gurages, Sidamas, Afars, and the Oromo. For the past two years, the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) have engaged in systematic and deliberate attacks using drones, heavy artillery, and starvation tactics, resulting in mass killings, displacement, and widespread human suffering. In the Tigray region, the situation is worsening, potentially leading to renewed conflict that could destabilize the region and further harm civilian populations still recovering from the previous war.
Providing economic cooperation or military assistance to such a regime will only enable further atrocities and deepen the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Ethiopia today.
Documented Atrocities Against Civilians
The ENDF has repeatedly targeted civilian populations across towns and villages:
• October 2025 – the ENDF conducted over 100 drone strikes targeting civilian infrastructure, including health facilities, resulting in the deaths of over 500 of innocent civilians in Amhara region. Captured fighters who surrendered have been subjected to horrific crimes. Among the latest victims are Ms. Balem Wasse, a 19-year-old female freedom fighter, and Ms. Tigist Wodajo Yimer, who were tortured, their bodies mutilated, and their remains desecrated in public displays.
• September 27, 2025: A drone strike hit the Sanka Health Post in the Gubalafto District, North Wollo Zone, killing four civilians, including a pregnant woman, and injuring more than ten others.
• April 2025: A military drone strike in the East Gojjam Zone killed over 100 civilians. • 2024: In Merawi, government forces carried out door-to-door massacres, executing hundreds of unarmed men, women, and children — including infants, pregnant women, and the elderly.
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• Drone attacks on Seladengay (claiming 60 lives) and the massacre of clergy and worshippers at Ziquala Monastery reveal a pattern of collective punishment and religious persecution targeting both the Amhara population and the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.
• In addition, the regime continues to conduct arbitrary arrests of Amhara leaders, parliamentarians, professors, journalists, and students. Today, there are over 10,000 political prisoners in Ethiopia, and more than 4,000,000 students have been expelled or forced out of school due to repression and conflict.
• The above atrocities on civilians in Ethiopia have been well documented by International human rights organizations including UN, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and Ethiopian Human Rights Council.
Moral and Strategic Implications for the United States
Under these conditions, continued U.S. support—whether through economic aid, diplomatic engagement, or military cooperation—risks implicating the United States in acts that may constitute war crimes and crimes against humanity. The Abiy regime, denounced by international human rights organizations, is pursuing policies that undermine regional stability, fuel ethnic conflict, and violate fundamental human rights.
Ethiopia and the United States share a historic over 100 years relationship rooted in mutual respect, faith, and shared values. However, the current Ethiopian government is actively persecuting the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church—one of the spiritual foundations of our nation for more than 1,600 years. Government forces have attacked churches and killed priests, deacons, and worshippers in Amhara, Tigray, and Oromia, representing a direct assault on religious freedom and cultural heritage.
We urge you President Trump as the President of the United States and leader of the free world to:
• Condemn the deliberate targeting of civilians by the Abiy Ahmed government. • Demand an immediate ceasefire in the Amhara region and support peaceful dialogue as the path to national reconciliation.
• Call for the immediate release of all political prisoners and unlawfully detained civilians. • Align U.S. policy in the Horn of Africa with the principles of peace, justice, and the protection of innocent lives.
Conclusion
Continued engagement with the Abiy regime will fuel further instability, weaken U.S. moral leadership, and destabilize the Horn of Africa—a region critical to American strategic and humanitarian interests.
We appeal to the United States to stand on the right side of history—for peace, human dignity, and moral responsibility.
Respectfully,
Badege Bishaw
Badege Bishaw, Ph.D., Chairman,
Ethiopian Solidarity Movement
(Signatures of Ethiopian-American Civic Organizations)
1. Ethiopian Solidarity Movement (ESM)
2. American Ethiopian Public Affairs Committee (AEPAC)
3. Ethiopian American Civic Council (EACC)
4. Abba Bahrey Forum (ABF)
5. American Afar Diaspora (AAD)
6. EPRP Support Coordinating Committee (ESCC)
7. Ethiopian American Development Council (EADC)
8. Ethiopian American Diplomacy Network (EMDN)
9. Ethiopian Salvation Democratic Movement (ESDM)
10. Ethiopiawinet: Council for the Defense of Citizen Rights
11. Foundation for Human Rights and Development in Ethiopia (FHRDE) 12. Geda Oromo Community (GOC)
13. Global Alliance for the Rights of Ethiopians (GARE)
14. Global Amhara Coalition (GAC)
15. Global Amhara Forum (GAF)
16. Global Ethiopian Scholars Initiative (GESI)
17. Harari Revival Movement (HRM)
18. Hope for Ethiopia (HOPE)
19. Justice and Accountability in the Horn of Africa
20. Save Ethiopia Forum
21. Somali Democratic Council (SDC)
22. Tigray Action Committee
23. United Women of the Horn
24. Vision Ethiopia
25. @etHUB
CC:
• The Honorable Mike Johnson, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives • The Honorable Marco Rubio, U.S. Secretary of State
• Mr. António-Guterres, Secretary-General, United Nations
• African Union (AU)
• European Union (EU)
• Amnesty International (AI)
• Human Rights Watch (HRW)
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” When the goal you had in mind turns out to be the case ( not achievable), when the situation gets tough, to loosen the tough, tighten your loose ends.”
Hailu Gebre Yohannes ( Gemoraw)
The US strategic interest in the East and Horn of Africa is to prevent Islamists terrorists from changing the global architecture, and unfortunately the US is alone in these operation. The global order is established by European white powers and it should be maintained by them, but unfortunately the Europeans are retreating from their responsibility. It is obvious that the US and European powers have very little economic interest in Africa because of bad governance in Africa. The US and European powers need to jointly deal with threats beyond Islamists terrorism and the strongman’s leadership of Africa. The US and European powers need to abandon the old moral leadership narrative, and rise with the principles of duty and responsibility to manage the global order.
The Ethiopian ethnocentric regime is a threat to regional and global security. The Oromos reliance on their Clan size and the Oromo Diaspora will ultimately ends with a major catastrophic events affecting nations ( such as UAE) beyond Africa.
The Amharas and the Orthodox Tewahdo Church must do their own job, and stop crying to the international community.