Press Statement
Global Amhara Coalition
The suffering and calls for justice from the Amhara people, especially women and girls, have not received sufficient attention from the international community. The Abiy Ahmed regime has weaponized rape and abduction against the Amhara, subjecting women and girls of all ages to horrific sexual violence, including mass rape and severe physical abuse. These crimes are perpetrated by forces recruited and financed by the current regime, targeting the Amhara community based on their identity.
Recently, Birtukan Temesgen Kebede courageously exposed these atrocities on Ethiopian Broadcasting Service (EBS), which later faced scrutiny, with staff reportedly undergoing arbitrary arrests for revealing the truth. Birtukan’s testimony exemplifies the countless victims of sexual violence against Amhara girls and highlights a disturbing pattern that includes the reported assassinations of prominent Amhara figures, such as Engineer Simegnew Bekele Aynalem, Chief of Staff Seare Mekonnen, General Assaminew Tsige, and Governor Ambachew Mekonnen, alongside violence against ordinary Amhara civilians in the Oromia and Benishangul regions.
Moreover, Amhara youth are increasingly targeted and killed by security forces, while aerial bombardments and heavy weaponry routinely strike civilian sites in the Amhara region, including places of worship, agricultural resources, schools, and healthcare facilities. The educational future of over nine million Amhara students is in jeopardy as schools remain closed, while thousands of Amhara activists, politicians, and youths reportedly face imprisonment under harsh conditions.
The Abiy Ahmed regime employs informal militant groups to take hostages of hundreds of Amharas traveling between Addis Ababa and the Amhara region. This hostage-taking occurs nearly every week, with militants demanding millions of birr as ransom. Those unable to pay the ransom face brutal torture or execution. Such incidents have persisted for years in the Oromia region, particularly in the area known as Alidoro, about 100 miles from Addis Ababa.
Additionally, the regime has dismantled thousands of homes belonging to Amharas and non-Oromo Ethiopians, displacing millions. Ethnic profiling has led to the dismissal of Amhara civil servants from their government positions. Since Abiy Ahmed assumed power seven years ago, the Amhara people have endured immense suffering.
Faced with an existential threat from the regime, armed resistance within the Amhara region has intensified, aiming to liberate the Amhara people and other affected communities. The Amhara community has faced significant hardships under successive administrations, including the tragic case of 17 female students from Dembi Dollo University who were abducted five years ago and have never returned home, with no investigation into their disappearance.
We honor the thousands of Amhara people, including women and girls, who have endured the regime’s brutality, hostage-taking, targeted displacement, mass arrests, and systematic job dismissals. These are not isolated incidents but systemic violations that profoundly affect the Amhara community. Despite these tremendous challenges, the resilience of the Amhara people remains unbroken.
The Global Amhara Coalition urges the international community to:
- Condemn Abiy Ahmed’s regime and ensure accountability for all crimes committed against the Amhara people.
- Recognize and respond to the human rights violations occurring against the Amhara people.
- Facilitate the unconditional release of all Amhara political prisoners without delay.
- Ensure protection for vulnerable populations, especially women and girls.
- Secure the safe return of all Amhara hostages taken by militant groups associated with the Abiy Ahmed regime.
- Restore essential services in the Amhara region, including education and healthcare.
- Investigate the mass demolition of Amhara properties in Addis Ababa and their systematic displacement.
- Examine the ethnic profiling and mass dismissal of Amharas from government positions.
- Investigate the hostage-taking network operated by the Abiy Ahmed regime and bring the responsible parties to justice.
- Investigate the regime’s actions regarding systematic demographic changes in Addis Ababa, Nazareth, Debre Zeit, and other major cities.
The spirit of the Amhara people remains unbroken through adversity, transforming grief into determination for justice. We honor those who have fallen and continue to advocate for a future where being Amhara is not a cause for persecution.
Justice for Birtukan Temesgen and all victims of systematic rape, hostage-taking, displacement, and mass arrest! Honor to those who have lost their lives fighting for freedom and the rights of the Amhara people!
The Amhara people will endure and prevail through justice and accountability!
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