Statement from the Federation of Amhara Associations in Europe
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Urgent Appeal for the Protection of Ms. Yeshihareg Bekele
Sent to :Norway Govenment
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Sent to :Human Rights Organisations
International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
Amnesty International
Human Rights Watch
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
Sent to :European Union Bodies
European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA)
European Commission
European Parliament
European Ombudsman
Sent to :National Consultative Commission on Human Rights (CNCDH)
- National Consultative Commission on Human Rights (CNCDH)
To: Your Excellency, Emilie Enger Mehl, Minister of Justice and Public Security of Norway.
November 16, 2024
Re: Urgent Appeal for the Protection of Ms. Yeshihareg Bekele
Dear Minister Emilie Enger Mehl,
We are members of the federation of Amhara associations in Europe. It has come to our attention that Ms. Yeshihareg Bekele, who is currently residing in Norway is facing deportation to Ethiopia.
Ms Bekele is a well known critic of the oppression and military campaign against the Amhara people of Ethiopia by the current regime. As a member of the Executive Committee of the Hibre Amhara Association in Norway, an organization that is a voice for the voiceless of oppressed people of Amhara ethnicity that are facing a genocidal campaign and fighting for their very existence. Ms. Bekele is dedicated to advocating against the gross human rights violations of the Amhara people and campaigning for promoting democracy and human rights. She is known for organizing global demonstrations to draw attention to the ongoing atrocities and she has been playing a crucial role in uniting Amhara associations across the world, including Europe, America, Canada, Australia, and beyond.
Her open campaign and outspoken nature against the Ethiopian government’s actions against the Amhara people, the ethnic cleansing and the gross human rights violations makes her a prime target for the government that is known for its arbitrary arrests and executions of its critics especially of those of Amhara descent.
Given the track records of the Ethiopian government’s crackdown on any criticism, political opposition and the civic society who speak up against the open military campaign against the Amhara people, deporting her to Ethiopia is simply handing her over to the dictatorial regime that is known for its inhumane treatments of the Amhara people in concentration camps. The regime’s gross human rights violations include sexual violence, torture and even execution.
We, on behalf of Ms Bekele, appeal to the government of Norway to withdraw its decision to hand her over to the regime knowing clear facts of the regime’s actions against the Amhara people. We urge you to uphold your international obligations to protect vulnerable individuals and human rights activists like Ms. Bekele.
Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter.
Sincerely,
Federation of Amhara Association in Europe
Abiy Ahmed is not committed to eradicate poverty, but the poor!!
Sent to :German Government - Federal Chancellery
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Sent to :German Parliament Deutscher Bundestag Service
1
Sent to :Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
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Sent to :Human Rights Monitoring Organizations
November 11, 2024
Re : Abiy Ahmed is not committed to eradicate poverty, but the poor!!
Your Excellency,
Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz,
It has come to our attention that your government has reached a funding agreement with the Ethiopian regime worth the sum of €30 million.
In Ethiopia, the ethnic based federalism that has been enforced on Ethiopian people by the TPLF without any public debate for over 3 decades has been eroding inter ethnic coexistence and thereby resulting in civil wars.
The investment sectors previously controlled by the TPLF regime have enriched the Tigray elites. The systematic unfair misappropriation and misuse of funds compounded by corruption and favouritism resulted in popular uprisings that topped the regime. The current Oromo affiliated regime is not just repeating the same blunder but exacerbating the already existing inter ethnic tensions. Genocide and ethnic cleansing of one of the biggest ethnic groups, the Amharas, who are known for opposing the ethnic based political system is intensified. Just like TPLF, Abiy Ahmed is depriving other regions the fair share of the federal budget and in the cases of Amhara region not only the well known systematic economic and political marginalisation but a complete blockade of the region and a military campaign to silence the anti ethnic based federalism is going on. Abiy Ahmed is misusing any funds it can access to fund the state sponsored genocidal war against the Amhara region and benefit the Oromo government officials rather than developing the country’s economy and alleviating poverty.
In many parts of cities including the capital, thousands of homes have been destroyed by the government without providing the inhabitants with alternative accommodation or compensation for their properties. Whilst the poor are driven out of their homes, their houses erased to the ground and made homeless, Abiy Ahmed is building an opulent palace worth 10 billion US dollars.
Ethiopia has been gripped in civil wars for the fourth consecutive years destroying public infrastructure in Tigray and Amhara region, resulting in loss of millions of lives and displacement of millions of people. In Tigray alone during the war that lasted for two years, the destruction is estimated to have reached 26 billion US dollars and no official estimate has been released about the destruction in the ongoing civil war in the Amhara region. Without peace and security, neither foreign nor domestic investment is feasible. The Lack of investment is exacerbated by the blatant and widespread corruption. Nepotism and cronyism are the whole mark of the current regime in Ethiopia.
The ongoing genocidal war declared by Abiy Ahmed against the Amhara people has destroyed most of the education, health and religious institutions in the region, using drones and heavy artillery. Those that are spared of such attacks have been turned into military camps and the entire education sector has been disrupted, preventing an estimated 7 million children from attending school. Any consideration of loans or aid to the regime should take these facts into account.
We bring these clear facts to the attention of donors to press the Ethiopian regime to stop its deliberate destruction of public infrastructure including education, health and religious institutions as well as its indiscriminate killing of innocent civilians, its collective punishment of innocent people, its use of hunger, rape and destruction of properties as instruments of war against its own people.
Even in the relatively peaceful part of the rest of the country lawlessness, abduction of people for ransom, a complete breakdown of law and order characterises Ethiopia and the government has lost control. Ethiopia is literally edging towards a complete collapse and we worry that it is on the road to a failed state. Any support to the Ethiopian regime is not just a sign of complacency but an offer of a lifeline to the decaying regime.
We call for a stance with the Ethiopian people and for the sake of peace and stability not only in Ethiopia but also in the Horn of Africa by pressing the Ethiopian regime to stop its genocidal war in the Amhara region and seek a peaceful resolution of the crisis.
Any development aid or funds that are made available to the Ethiopian regime should be earmarked for specific projects, their spending monitored and verified that they deliver the intended results.
Yours sincerely,
Federation of Amhara Association in Europe
Open letter to the President of the United Arab Emirates
Sent to :Prime Minister's Office, UAE (2)
2
Sent to :UAE Embassy or Consulate
1
Sent to :Human Rights Monitoring Organizations
Sent to :Media Organisations
BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation)
The GuardianAl Jazeera
Associated Press (AP)
Deutsche Welle (DW)
France 24
RT (Russia Today)
October 31, 2024
Re : Open letter to the President of the United Arab Emirates
Your highness E Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates,
We write to you with profound sadness and disappointment regarding your involvement in the ongoing internal conflict in Ethiopia. It has been a well known fact that the UAE continues to be the primary supplier of funds, weapons and drones to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who is utilizing them in his brutal military campaign against the Amhara people in Ethiopia.
Previously, Abiy Ahmed waged a devastating war in Tigray, resulting in the loss of countless innocent lives, including women, children and the elderly. His army, equipped with your drones; targeted innocent civilians, public infrastructure and private properties with impunity. The indiscriminate attack against ordinary citizens and killings of innocent civilians has, once again, become the hallmark of the current campaign in the Amhara region of Ethiopia as it had been in Tigray, sadly with weapons and drones supplied by your government. The indiscriminate attacks and killings have included children, women, the elderly returning from church and mosque services, and individuals simply going about their daily routine in the Amhara region and beyond.
The World Food Programme has announced that 9.4 million people across the Tigray, Afar, and Amhara regions require food assistance due to the impacts of the conflicts. Under your leadership the government of the UAE, which is providing drones and heavy weaponry worth millions of dollars and supplying funds to the Ethiopian regime has not shown any interest in assisting those who found themselves as casualties of the military campaign and are suffering in the last and in the current conflict.
We are writing to you, your highness, as distressed individuals from the Amhara region of Ethiopia. Our families, friends, and relatives are suffering and we believe that your support and direct involvement in the ongoing conflict are threatening the very survival and existence of our people.
At this critical moment in our history, our people are facing the full force of the military might of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who is receiving your direct support. As a result of this conflict, countless children are being killed either directly or as a consequence of malnutrition, hunger, and preventable diseases, all because of their ethnicity.
Schools have been destroyed by drones supplied by your country, leaving children unable to receive education. Pregnant women, the sick, and vulnerable groups cannot access health facilities due to the destruction of medical facilities. The economy of the Amhara region is devastated and millions of people are losing their livelihoods and lives.
It is at this catastrophic time that we are turning to you and bringing this suffering to your attention. We take this opportunity to urge you, as a responsible leader of the UAE, to be a friend to the Ethiopian people and to reconsider your position in this matter. We are under no illusion that you are well informed that the Amhara freedom fighters are getting stronger and stronger by the day and shaking up Abiy Ahmed’s regime. Abiy Ahmed is losing his moral standing as well as his military campaign. He is fighting the civil war only to extend his grip on power. We implore you to cease the supply of funds and arms that are used to kill and maim women, children, and the elderly. While Abiy and his generals bear the primary responsibility for these atrocities, we believe that your intervention can make a significant difference in protecting innocent lives in Ethiopia. We are confident that your highness will agree that it would not be prudent for you to have blood on your hands by continuing the supply of armaments and funds to the dying regime of Abiy Ahmed and jeopardizing the cordial relationship between the people of Ethiopia and the UAE.
We, very kindly, request your urgent attention to this matter and we hope that you will consider our plea for the sake of humanity and the well-being of the Amhara people who are suffering and battling for their very survival as an ethnic group in Ethiopia. Your stance at the right side of history and our people will shape the future of brotherly relations between Ethiopia and your kingdom and country.
Yours sincerely,
Federation of Amhara Association in Europe
Amhara Region’s Education Emergency: A Call to International Organizations
Sent to :International Organizations:
UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization)
UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund)
UNHCR (United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees)
World Bank Education
OCHA (United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs)
Sent to :Non-Governmental Organizations Specializing in Education:
Save the Children
Plan International
Global Partnership for Education
Education Cannot Wait
– Right to Education Initiative
Sent to Human Rights Organizations:
Human Rights Watch (Education Section)
Amnesty International
Global Coalition to Protect Education from Attack
Sent to Governmental and Diplomatic Institutions:
USAID (United States Agency for International Development)
DFID (UK Department for International Development)
European Commission, Directorate-General for International Partnerships (INTPA)
- French Development Agency (AFD
Sent to :Foundations and Philanthropic Organizations:
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Open Society Foundations
Dubai Cares
Mastercard Foundation
Sent to Research Institutes and Think Tanks:
Brookings Institution (Center for Universal Education)
Center for Global Development
UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP)
Sent to International Media Specializing in Education:
- Times Educational Supplement
- The Chronicle of Higher Education
- University World News
Sent to Professional Associations of Educators:
Education International
International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE)
Date: October 14, 2024
Re: Urgent Call to Action: Unprecedented Education Crisis in Ethiopia, Amhara Region
We, members of the federation of Amhara associations in Europe, are writing to draw your attention to an alarming crisis in the education sector that is currently unfolding in the Amhara region of Ethiopia.
The Scale of the Crisis :
Education in the Amhara region is facing an unprecedented crisis, the scale of which far exceeds previous challenges in the region:
– Over 5 million students are currently deprived of education,
– out of an expected 7 million students, only 1.7 million have been able to enrol for the 2024 school year, representing an enrolment rate of just 24%[2]-
– More than 4.1 million children are out of school mainly due to the ongoing war and insecurity..
– At least 1,115 schools have been damaged due to the ongoing military campaign declared by the Ethiopian regime against the Amhara region.[1]
The Causes of this Crisis :
1. Armed Conflict: numerous schools have been used as army bases by government troops, many have been destroyed by government drone or air strikes or shelled using heavy weapons and artillery fire. In the town of Debre Markos alone more than 20 schools have been requisitioned for military use, depriving thousands of children of their place of education.[2].
2. Widespread Insecurity: Persistent violence has led to the closure of many schools, deterring teachers from returning to work and parents from sending their children to schools. In some rural areas, the teacher absenteeism rate reaches 80%, as many fear for their safety.[2]. The inability or unwillingness of the government to pay teachers salary as purchasing arms and military hardware is the regime’s priority to extend its grip on power is another contributing factor.
3. Destruction of Infrastructure: Numerous schools have been deliberately damaged or destroyed, and their equipment has been looted often by the government troops. In Gojjam alone more than 200 schools have been completely destroyed, erasing decades of investment in education. There are reports of discussions and decisions by the regime’s elite to deliberately destroy civilian infrastructure including schools to drive the region into further economic chaos and poverty by doing so to punish the population for its widespread support for the Fano resistance. The regime has failed to see its campaign of collective punishment, public executions of innocent people, the looting and destruction the regimes army is practicing, the gang rapes of women and girls including children by the government troops, the gross human rights violations and atrocities committed against ordinary civilians is driving the population to the arms of the Fano. But the government forces continue with their brutal military campaign, use of sexual violence, economic isolation and food insecurity and shortages as an instrument of war. The destruction or conversion of schools, hospitals and places of worship into military bases is the part of deliberate campaign against the region just like it was demonstrated in the war against the Tigray region of Ethiopia.
4.Nationwide Humanitarian crisis: internal displacements and food insecurity have severely affected families’ ability to send their children to school. In some internally displaced person camps, up to 90% of children have no access to education[3].
5. Teacher Shortage: Many teachers have fled conflict zones, creating a critical educational void. In some regions, the teachers to students ratio has risen from 40:1 to more than 100:1, making quality teaching impossible.[2].
The Dramatic Consequences
In the short term:
– Abrupt interruption of education for millions of children, creating learning gaps that are difficult to bridge.
– Alarming increase in child labour and teen marriages as survival strategies[1].
– Deep psychological trauma demoralising students and teachers[4].
– It will result in a lack of educated manpower in the future.
In the long term:
– Lack of Education for an entire generation, with repercussions on at least two decades of negative impact on economic development[1].
– Increased risk of radicalization among youth deprived of education[1].
– Exacerbation of gender inequalities, as girls are often the first to be withdrawn from school and subjected to early marriages or or they are forced to commit suicide.[1].
A Call to Action
Faced with this unprecedented crisis, we call on the international community to act
1. We call for the establishment of a substantial emergency fund for education in the Amhara region [1].
2. We urge international bodies to adopt a strong resolution condemning attacks on schools, their use as army bases and demanding their immediate protection[4].
3. We propose the rapid development and deployment of alternative education programs using radio, mobile phones, and other accessible technologies[2].
4. We call for the deployment of trained trauma counsellors to support students, teachers and all affected people in the Amhara Region [4].
5. We propose the implementation of an accelerated training program for recruitment of new local teachers to replace those who fled the conflict[2].
6. We call for the establishment of an independent education observatory in Amhara[1].
For successful implementation of these mechanisms it is imperative that the Ethiopian regime stops its genocidal military campaign, pull its troops out of the Amhara region and find a peaceful solution to the conflict as its plan to crush the resistance within two weeks has led to an ongoing military campaign for more than a year with clear signs that the regime is losing more ground to the Fano both morally and militarily.
We implore you to act now. Your commitment and support can transform this crisis into an opportunity to rebuild a more resilient and inclusive education system. A rapid and thorough needs assessment, followed by coordinated and well-funded action, can make a crucial difference in the lives of millions of children.
We remain at your disposal to collaborate in developing detailed action plans and implementing urgent and sustainable solutions. The current generation of children in Amhara cannot wait – let us act now to give them the future they deserve.
With hope for swift and decisive action,
Yours sincerely,
Federation of Amhara Association in Europe
—
Sources:
[1] East African Review, “Ethiopia’s Education System in Crisis: Conflict, Climate Shocks, and Systemic Failures Leave Millions of Children Without Access to Learning”
https://eastafricanreview.info/2024/09/19/ethiopias-education-system-in-crisis-conflict-climate-shocks-and-systemic-failures-leave-millions-of-children-without-access-to-learning/
[2] East African Review, “Schools in Ethiopia Amhara Region Re-purposed as Military Bases: The Impact of PM Abiy’s War on Education”
https://eastafricanreview.info/2024/09/21/schools-in-ethiopias-amhara-region-re-purposed-as-military-bases-the-impact-of-pm-abiys-war-on-education/
[3] Borkena, “Over 3,283 civilians casualties reported in the Amhara region”
https://borkena.com/2024/09/21/ethiopia-over-3283-civilians-casualties-reported-in-amhara-region/
[4] Addis Standard, “Two teachers killed by ‘armed militants’ amid conflict, school disruption in East Gojjam of Amhara region” https://addisstandard.com/news-two-teachers-killed-by-armed-militants-amid-conflict-school-disruption-in-east-gojjam-of-amhara-region/
5) 2024 Ethiopian Defense Force members allegedly raped 35 girls in South Gondar
July 16,
Alloutwar
Sent to : International Organizations:
– United Nations (UN)
– African Union (AU)
Sent to Governmental and Diplomatic Institutions:
US Department of State
European External Action Service (EEAS)
French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs
Sent to :Human Rights Organizations:
Amnesty International
Human Rights Watch
International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
Sent to Humanitarian Organizations:
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF)
CARE International
Sent to :International Financial Institutions:
World Bank
International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Sent to International Media:
BBC World Service
Reuters
Al Jazeera
Alloutwar
Date: October 14, 2024
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s waves of military campaigns for well over a year in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia have failed to achieve tangible results for his regime. But the regime, yet again, has called for an all-out renewed effort to win the civil war by any means necessary. The failure of the campaign is because the Fano movement in the Amhara region is not merely an armed rebellion led by disgruntled youth as the regime claims, rather, it is a popular movement that enjoys widespread support from the grass-roots population. This resistance stems from years of systematic oppression, political and economic marginalisation of the Amhara people, and killings and arrests of Amhara elites and elected parliamentarians. The regime declared the war as a final attempt to crush the Amhara people as they have been seen as a threat to ethnic-based politics in Ethiopia by successive regimes. After the military campaign was declared placing the region under a state of emergency, an economic blockade prohibiting freedom of movement of goods and people, displacement of millions of people followed by mass arrests of civilians, and destruction of public infrastructure as well as private properties. Gross human rights violations and war crimes continued against the Amhara people throughout the ongoing civil war. Lawlessness even outside the conflict zones, abduction for ransom, and a complete breakdown of the fabric of the society have become the whole mark of the current regime which is riddled with corruption, cronyism, and nepotism.
The regime refuses to confront the reality that it cannot win the war when the population of the entire region is in support of the resistance. The government has been responsible for the killings of innocent civilians, arbitrarily incarcerating thousands of Amhara not only in the Amhara Region but also throughout the country, displacing millions from their homes, and pushing countless others to the brink of starvation. The regime’s army has disrupted the lives of millions, preventing five million children from enrolling in school and converting education and health facilities into military encampments.
The military campaign has achieved nothing but the tragic loss of thousands of young lives on both sides devastated the Amhara Region and led to the free fall of the country’s economy. Abiy Ahmed and his military machine, driven by a thirst for power, have terrorised their people and destabilised the entire region. The regime’s unwillingness to self-reflect or show any insight into the consequences of its actions further reveals its dangerous lack of foresight.
We urge the international community to acknowledge Abiy Ahmed for the tyrant he has become and cease all financial aid that could be diverted to fund the purchase of weapons and military hardware that is used in the needless military campaign. Any financial support to the regime only perpetuates the violence it is committing against its people and gives a lifeline to the government that is bound to fall. The international community should act to ensure that humanitarian assistance is provided to the population that is affected by the violence unleashed by the regime and that any aid is not misused and weaponised against the Ethiopian people.
Yours sincerely,
Federation of Amhara Association in Europe
Ethiopia, Amhara region: Renewed air raids and drone
Sent to :United Nations Agencies
Sent to :International Humanitarian Organizations
Sent to :Human Rights Monitoring Organizations
Sent to :Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding
Sent to :Regional Organizations
- African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights: 4
- Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD): 1
Sent to :Research and Policy Institutions
September 26, 2024
Re: Renewed air raids and drone strikes
At the peak of our relentless campaign against inconsiderate and indiscriminate shelling and attacks as well as well documented reports of collective punishment, indiscriminate killings of innocent civilians, deliberate destruction of homes and properties by air strikes and drone attacks, the Ethiopian regime’s forces paused air strikes in June 2024. We were cautious about the pause as it could have been due to the start of the rainy season.
Now that the rainy season has finished, reports are emerging yet again that the regime has started its air raids and drone attacks in the Amhara region of Ethiopia.
The regime has demonstrated that it has no regards to any international laws or respect to international norms and standards. Just like it has done in the war against Tigray region of Ethiopia, it is repeating the same genocidal tactics this time in the Amhara region. It’s more than a year long campaign of indiscriminate killing of innocent civilians, destruction of properties and infrastructure, a complete blockade of the region, unrelenting air raids and drone attacks, mobilising military personnel of millions in number that destroys everything on its path and giving the military campaign an ethnic dimension continues with impunity.
We bring these acts of aggression to your attention in the hope that you would press the Ethiopian regime to stop these acts of violence and terror unleashed against its own people and obey its obligations of protecting innocent civilians and their properties.
Yours sincerely,
Federation of Amhara Association in Europe
Dashboard of Drone Attacks in Ethiopia : from august 2023 to december 2023
Urgent Appeal for Humanitarian Assistance for Prisoners of War in Amhara Region, Ethiopia
Sent to : International Humanitarian Organizations
- Ethiopian Red Cross Society (ERCS)
- United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF)
- World Food Programme (WFP)
- Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières – MSF)
- Save the Children
- Oxfam
Sent to :International Human Rights Organizations
- Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
Sent to : . Regional and International Organizations
- African Union Human Rights Commission
- Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD)
- United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
September 18, 2024
Re: Urgent Appeal for Improved Detention Conditions and Humanitarian Assistance in the Amhara Region, Ethiopia
Dear Sir or Madam,
We members of the Federation of Amhara Associations in Europe, are writing to express our profound concern regarding the dire humanitarian situation in the Amhara region of Ethiopia.
For over a year, the Amhara region has been devastated by a civil war declared by the Abiy Ahmed regime, which has turned against its own people. The region has been under blockade restricting freedom of movement of people, goods and services. Civilian infrastructure and public services have been totally destroyed or severely damaged, plunging millions into dire humanitarian crises.
In this armed conflict, the Amhara Fano forces have captured a significant number of government combatants. We commend their publicly known and well reported commitment to upholding the fundamental principles of international humanitarian law and treating prisoners of war with dignity and respect, in accordance with the Geneva Conventions unlike the government forces that practice collective punishment of innocent civilians including public executions, destruction of homes and properties.
In a letter addressed on September 13, 2024 to your organization, the Amhara Fano forces have earnestly requested your assistance in addressing urgent humanitarian needs to provide the care needed for prisoners of war. We wholeheartedly uphold this appeal and we would like to stress the urgency of effective assistance needed.
We urge you to:
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Conduct a comprehensive assessment of the humanitarian situation in the Amhara region, with a particular focus on the needs of prisoners of war and the civilian populations.
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Facilitate the distribution of neutral and impartial humanitarian aid to prisoners of war, displaced populations, and communities affected by the conflict.
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Strengthen the capacity of local actors to respond to humanitarian emergencies.
By providing humanitarian assistance in the Amhara region, the ICRC can not only ameliorate the living conditions of the affected populations but also contribute to fostering peace and stability in the region.
We are confident that the ICRC, with its proven expertise and unwavering neutrality, can play a pivotal role in alleviating this humanitarian crisis. We remain at your disposal to provide any further information and to assist you in your endeavors.
We look forward to a positive response.
Yours sincerely,
Federation of Amhara Association in Europe
IMF and world bank:Urgent Appeal to Reconsider Loan Agreements with the Ethiopian Regime
Sent to :International Monetary Fund (IMF)
- External Relations Department
- Independent Evaluation Office
- Regional Technical Assistance Center for East Africa
- Monetary and Exchange Affairs Department
- Research Department
- Partnership Relations Office
Sent to : International Monetary Fund (IMF)
- Communications and Media Department
- Public Affairs Department
- Office of the President
August 11nth, 2024
Re: IMF and World Bank: Urgent Appeal to Reconsider Loan Agreements with the Ethiopian Regime
We, the members of the Federation of Amhara Associations in Europe, are deeply disturbed by loan agreements that have been reached between the Ethiopian regime and yourselves when Ethiopia is in total chaos and half of the country is going through civil wars.
Lawlessness, abduction for ransom is rife, corruption, nepotism and cronyism have deepened their roots and the regime is fighting a losing civil war in two of the biggest regional states in the country.
The economy is in crisis after a conflict that lasted for two years between the central government and the regional government in Tigray. The central government yet again has embarked in another conflict in the Amhara region while the rebel fighting in Oromia continues. The regime of Ethiopia is running out of money for purchase of weapons and drones as well as for recruitment of millions of soldiers including children.
The brutal regime of Abiy Ahmed has assassinated or imprisoned several prominent politicians and religious leaders, members of the civic society and journalists with no court orders or trials.
Abiy Ahmed has mastered an act of deception to the international community announcing peace initiatives in Ethiopia, but in practice he continues his barbaric war against his own people. The regime is in severe shortage of money because of its inability to collect taxes in the regions the conflicts are taking place, and due to the closed or destroyed industries and infrastructures in the country by the needless conflicts. The IMF and the World Bank don’t seem to mind the ongoing procurement of weapons and drones by the regime, which is fueling the ongoing genocidal war against the Amhara people.
The release of any funds to the regime is nothing less than funding the ongoing genocidal military campaign and perpetuating the suffering of the Amhara people. At this stage when the regime is on a brink of collapse, the loan will only sustain the conflicts by providing a lifeline to the dying regime that has been using any funds it can access for purchase of weapons to extend its grip on power; in the process driving the country into unsustainable debt.
We urge IMF and the world bank and other financial institutions to reconsider the loan agreement and the release of any funds to the Ethiopian regime at this point in time.
Yours sincerely,
Federation of Amhara Association in Europe
For the Release of Kidnapped Students
For the Release of Kidnapped Students
Sent to :Human Rights Organizations
- OHCHR (Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights)
- OHCHR
- Human Rights Watch (HRW)
- Amnesty International
- Amnesty International Kenya
- Human Rights Watch (UK)
Sent to :Regional and International Organizations
- African Union
- EU Delegation to Ethiopia
- ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross)
Sent to :Think Tanks
July 22, 2024
Re: For the Release of Kidnapped Students
Dear
We, the members of the Federation of Amhara Associations in Europe, are writing to bring to your attention a critical situation that requires immediate action.
On July 3rd, 2024 a group of over 160 students, en route from the Amhara region to Addis Ababa, were taken hostage by government affiliated activists in the North Shewa area of Oromia region.
Unfortunately, such acts have become a routine in Ethiopia and the target groups have mainly been people of Amhara ethnicity. What makes these kidnappings different is the high number of students who fell victim. It is disturbing that government officials gave false statements claiming that they have liberated a large number of victims only for facts to surface, documenting and reporting the opposite. We are perplexed by the fact that families of the victims have been asked to transfer ransom money to bank accounts. It is impossible to dismiss emerging facts that high level government officials are a part of these kidnappings who are enabling money to be transferred using bank accounts in government run banks. In March 2020, Amnesty International published a report detailing the abduction of Amhara students from Dembi Dolo University in western Oromia. Despite the best efforts of their families to obtain information, the whereabouts of the hundred students still remain unknown.
We call upon all parties with an interest in the field of Human rights government, to press the Ethiopian to take immediate measures to ensure the safe release of all students who remain in captivity and investigate as to how the government banks are used for ransom money transfers .
As reported by Borkena newspaper, “abductions have become a pervasive issue in various parts of Ethiopia since Abiy Ahmed assumed power in 2018. Their prevalence and severity are particularly pronounced in the Oromia region” most of the time targeting Amhara ethnic groups. A significant number of abductions in the region have been linked to the government affiliated group OLA. Other Oromo opposition parties have alleged that the government itself orchestrates these incidents.
We call on the international community to press the Ethiopian authorities to allow independent investigation into these matters and rescue the victims.
Yours sincerely,
Federation of Amhara Association in Europe