AFPO’s Principled Stance &  The US Government’s Road to Regime Change  

By Belay                 

It is curious that the US Government directly asked the Amhara Fano for a peace plan on May  23rd 2025, days after Ambassador Massinga visited the Tigray region of Ethiopia. The timing  likely has some political implications and perhaps reflects the realities on the ground as war  between the Abiy regime and Eritrea appears to be imminent. It is known that regime change  has been a factor of US policy worldwide and specifically, towards Eritrea for decades in which  the TPLF also played a prominent role. In all this dynamic Amhara Fano has now become a  formidable power. The TPLF and the Oromumma PP regime have an unwavering yet failed  stance in support of Ethiopia’s ethnic apartheid constitution which is the root cause for the  Amhara genocide. Their support for this regressive framework by default stands opposed to  the Amhara Fano and the Ethiopian people. The Amhara Fano consider this as an irreconcilable  difference. 

The AFPO is currently a prominent Amhara organization operating in Ethiopia with a well  structured command structure, by laws and clear and defined leadership. As has been  demonstrated since its founding in July 2024 the organization has both a political and military  leadership integrated and functioning to advance the cause of the Amhara people within a  larger sovereign Ethiopia. The organization has also made public it’s Guiding Principles &  Roadmap and conducted numerous town halls both across social media and on the ground  with the Amhara people. It has seemingly received overwhelming support and acceptance.  

The representatives of the US State Department, AU, EU and IGAD requested to meet with the  leadership of Amhara Fano People’s Organization (AFPO) several months ago. This  introductory discussion was held on the ground in territories freed from the Oromumma regime.  During this initial meeting it was reportedly made clear to the representatives that the goals and  objectives of the AFPO stands on strong principles which is founded on the complete overhaul  and dismantlement of the ethnic apartheid framework which is the root cause of the Amhara  genocide. Furthermore AFPO declared during that meeting that accountability to the full extent  of the law was necessary to ensure a peaceful resolution to Amhara genocide which has been  ongoing for over 34 years. The current toxic ethnic framework was forced on the people of  Ethiopia in 1991 by a non representative small group led by the TPLF with the OLF and others  as junior partners. The AFPO’s response to the US Government’s request for a peace plan (via  Ambassador Massinga’s statement) is consistent with the principles laid out in their previous  discussion. The key points are that 

A. The root cause of the Amhara genocide is the forced discriminatory ethnic framework  based on Stalin’s failed system which the TPLF and OLF both support. 

B. Full accountability for all entities and individuals who were/are responsible for the Amhara  genocide. This includes but not limited to the current Abiy regime as well as the TPLF led  EPRDF. 

C. Amharas have been part and parcel of Ethiopia with all other brotherly and sisterly people  for over 4 millennia (4,000 years) and intend to ensure the continuation and sovereignty of  this great nation.  

Furthermore the AFPO supported the US Government’s stance in the May23rd statement that  the “current regime is mass murdering it’s own people through the use of drone strikes”. AFPO did also note that the statement was later revised to take out drone strikes. Nevertheless  it is clear that war crimes are being committed by the Abiy (Oromumma) regime which is well  recognized globally. This strengthens the AFPO’s principles and cause of the Amhara people.

The AFNF which is a recently announced group led by a yet unclear 13 person command post  has also responded. Given that this group is fairly new it doesn’t appear to have a leadership  structure as of yet which is understandable as it is likely in the formation stages. It’s response  however makes it appear that it may be myopically regionally focused as it is first and foremost  demanding that the federal forces leave the Amhara region. It is to be remembered that the  atrocious mass ethnic cleansing and genocide across the so-called Oromo region is what  catalyzed the armed struggle of the Amhara Fano against the current regime and it’s vassals  like the Amhara PP and OLA. Below are reports from 2018 – 2022: 

Shashemene, Arsi Link: Ethio Tribune Ethno-Federalism in Ethiopia – 30 Year Amhara Genocide :
https://ethiopiantribune.com/2022/10/ethno-federalism-in-ethiopia-30-year-amhara-genocide/

Tole Kebele, Wellega Link: Amnesty Tole Amhara killed like chickens :
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2022/07/ethiopia-authorities-must-investigate-massacre-of-ethnic-amhara-in-tole/

The conditions set forth by AFNF which include federal forces to leave the so-called Amhara  region, formation of some sort of transitional regional administration, asking for recognition of  regions like Welkait which Amharas do not consider contested, have direct implications of this  group’s acceptance of the apartheid framework responsible for the Amhara genocide and  destabilization of Ethiopia. Regrettably none of the 9 points by the AFNF addresses the source  and root cause of the Amhara people/ Amhara Fano’s armed and political struggle.  Without providing a written roadmap, manifesto, goals, and establishing a clear leadership  structure the AFNF risks being labeled as a manifestation of the same Trojan Horses which  under the TPLF and now Abiy’s Oromumma regime continue the facilitation of the Amhara  people to be massacred.  

The Amhara Fano are a force to be reckoned within Ethiopia as well as the Horn of Africa  region. The Abiy regime which declared war on the Amhara people nearly 2 years ago has been  decisively defeated across the region. The regime due to it’s failure has resorted to  indiscriminate drone strikes on Amhara civilians. The Amhara Fano must negotiate from a  position of strength. This strength comes from targeting control of Addis Abeba as it’s primary  goal. Anything less may be considered capitulation and could perhaps lead to a weakening of  morale. The complex geopolitics require a balanced yet principled stance. The Amhara Fano  Peoples Organization (AFPO) and other Amhara forces may additionally want to consider  engaging other major world powers. The geo-strategic importance of Ethiopia necessitates a  due diligence in which both tactical and strategic alliances may need to be fostered. There is a  long term benefit to balancing the equation in the current multipolar world order. 

For Reference 

Press release by AFPO regarding Ambassador Ervin Massinga’s statement. — 
May 24, 2025. 

— 

The Amhara Fano People’s Organization has deliberated on the statement issued on May 23,  2025 by US Ambassador to Ethiopia, His Excellency Ervin Massinga.

Foremost though, we would like to commend and wish for the success of President Trump’s  efforts to end wars both in Africa and elsewhere in the world. We cite the recent agreement  between warring factions in the DRC as a worthy example.

In his statement, Ambassador Massinga has called on Fano to come up with “realistic and  peaceful objectives” regarding the ongoing war in the Amhara region .

While we understand and support the spirit in which this has been said, we would also like to  reiterate that AFPO operates under a much lauded manifesto which not only guides its  struggle, but clearly articulates a vision for the nation as a whole. This vision, unlike the hate  fueled identity politics of the régime, is in line with the international norms of our age. We would like to point out that we have shared this vision of ours with representatives of the  US, the EU, the AU, and IGAD, and should Ambassador Massinga desire further engagement  on this issue, our door is wide open.

We have also noted that Ambassador Massinga had called on the Ethiopian regime “to desist  from further drone attacks against its own citizens.” 

However, this initial statement was withdrawn a few hours later and replaced by an edited  version that omitted any mention of drone attacks. 

This is highly regrettable in light of the fact that what the Ambassador had said was in perfect  alignment with the truth, and had made the Ambassador a voice for the voiceless who are  being wantonly targeted by the régime’s drone and artillery attacks.

We fear this kind of backsliding will embolden the intransigence of the regime and heighten the  sense of alienation of its opponents from the international community, which has for far too  long ignored Ethiopia’s viscous internal wars.

We thus call upon the international community :-

1– to call upon the Ethiopian regime to stop attacking its own citizens by drones
2–to establish an international team to investigate possible war crimes and hold all those  responsible accountable to the rule of law 
3– we also urge the international community to give due attention to the genocidal aspect of  Ethiopia’s deep rooted political problem.

The ethnic based hate politics of the regime is propelling the nation towards genocide, and  there is absolutely no way the world will be unaffected by the eventual outcome of this  unfolding tragedy. The time to act is now, particularly with the spirit and drive of the new  American administration.

On our part, we will continue to be a willing and positive partner to the initiatives of the  international community, so that our nation will come to see the peace and real change for  which we have collectively yearned for 50 years. 

Amhara Fano People’s Organization. 
May 24, 2025

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

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