Abiy Ahmed: Leader of Failed Transition Resorts To Proliferation
Updated on 7th of July 2021.
Ever since Abiy Ahmed — who is one of the architects of tyranny in the history of repression in Ethiopia, in the government of Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Democratic Front (which recently got rebranded to prosperity party), by the systematic, pro-active, operation and operatives of which myself, among other opponents, were targeted by the Ethiopian security for many years for taking a swipe at tyranny serially and overtly, echoing the voice of millions — ascended to the premiership, genocide, arbitrary detention, and meditated ethnic attack on business owned by Amharas and non-Oromos in the Oromia region has become normal, leading to hundreds of deaths, hundreds of thousands of civilian displacement, and bringing enormous economic sabotage churning in billions worth of ripple effects, according to the quarterly reports of the Amhara Association of America, among others.
Horrendous picture, right from the scene of the attack on a business complex where victims and eyewitnesses, among others, speak about the pogrom, terrorism, and mediated attack, among others, they experienced in Shashemene and Ziway towns in 2020, according to Walta TV.
Aschalew Hayle, an entrepreneur, according to Walta, says: It took us over 9 years to turn a hotel venture of our dreams into reality but less than an hour to see it get shattered out of the blue.
Three years after Abiy Ahmed confessed publicly, granted the opportunity to lead in faith, and took the premiership role to “stabilize, reform and transition, among others, Ethiopia to democracy out of tyranny, corruption, and instability, among others”, something unprecedented blossomed exponentially in Ethiopia tantalizingly: terrorism, ethnic attack, economic sabotage, displacement, treason, regional wars, and murder, among others, by TPLF and Oromo Liberation Front( and its state apparatus, Oromia Prosperity Party), among others, repeatedly where targeted attacks against ethnic Amharas, among others, intensified unprecedentedly. Over the last three years — with the support of the respective regional administration and regional security forces, which are suspected of working in tandem with foreign geopolitical actors — a number of civilian Amharas in the Oromia and Benishangul-Gumuz regions have become a victim of ethnically motivated massacres by the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) and ethnic Gumuz militias, according to Addis Abebians.
Tipping point: scenes of the protests in 2021
A tipping point occurred when Attaye(Ephesian), a town in the Amhara regional state located just outside of Addis Abeba, was attacked by OLF for a second time, according to Borkena. Schools, hotels, health centers, places of worships, and homes, among others, were set ablaze by the intruded soldiers, reportedly backed by the neighboring regional police force of the Oromia regional state, following which Amhara students at Addis Abeba university resorted to peaceful protests, chanting “enough and down, down, with the rebranded regime”, among others. However, the students, despite protesting very peacefully, were met with mass arrest, among others, unprecedentedly.
In-campus protest — which kicked off with a hunger strike — by Amhara students at Addis Abeba University, according to Addis Abebians.
The protest — asking for a swift, fair and live trial of the PM, his cabinet, and regional government officials, among others — gained momentum across several towns in the Amhara regional state, such as Bahirdar, Dessie, Gonder, Debrebirihan, Kombolcha, Kobo, Raya, Ebinat, Debre Markos, Welkiet, Merto Lemariam and Chagni, among others, and abroad subsequently.
Some of the slogans that the peaceful protestors carried, among others, included :
This isn’t a transition to democracy but a deformation to another regime; we want the PM, his cabinet and regional officials, among others, in the authoritarian regime of Ethiopia put to account swiftly; the big fishes that have stolen tremendous are still out on the loose; Ethiopia’s disinformative and misinfomative state and regime affilic private media ecosystem has yet got to be cracked down; Facebook must review and terminate its direct, or indirect, third party relationship with Haqe Check, Ethiopia Check, AddisZeyebe, Pesa Check and AP under the watch of which the regime’s social media accounts are indoctrinating fake news, mis-information and disinformation, among others, unceasingly; we want a genuine transitional government by members of Ethiopia’s narrow pro-democracy niche which, against the tides and waves, faced the regime from many years ago; free Eskinder Nega, Sintayew Chekol, Aster Seyoum and Askale Demile — senior leadership members of Balderas; our leaders, our change makers, the real opponents of the regime, the strategists, the few , human and brave intellectuals who kicked TPLF out of Addis, are still in exile; stop hyping cadres of the EPRDF regime as genuine opponent politicians; and EPRDF(Prosperity Party) is lying, displacing and killing citizens like never seen before, among others.
The overall scenes of the protest in the Amhara region as reported by Addis Abebians
Activist Leoul Mekonen — director of the council of cultural competence in health promotion and prevention in Norway — leading a distanced , reactive , protest in northern Europe, says : “Amhara Genocide must stop. This doesn’t look anything like a period of transition. Reports of people getting attacked and displaced; businesses set ablaze and sabotaged; roads blocked and Amhara passengers hijacked, among others, has become frequent”
“This isn’t what myself and my companions all over the world advocated for over a decade. So many victims, and frequent cases of attacks, that we have to quantify the atrocities in quarterly reports, among others. It’s unbelievable,” he continued.
Secretary of Ethiopian Catholic Bishops Conference, Rev Teshome Fikre, condemned what’s unfolding in Ethiopia generally, according to Addis Abebians, citing Ethiopian Press Agency.
“The dignity of the human person, and of life, must be respected. As a result, we should do everything we can to protect life. I pray that Ethiopia will transition to a political ecosystem where ideas, reason, advocacy, and service will take the place of violence. All stakeholders must do their best so as to stop what’s unfolding across the country, “ the Rev continued.
Yusuf Ebrahim, deputy Chairman of National Movement of Amhara, and Tahir Mohammed, Head of PR of National Movement of Amhara, boycotting an election debate, called for a swift promotion of justice, starting from the PM, according to Addis Abebians.
“For we, pretending business normal, can’t participate in any election debate while our people are getting massacred, we’re boycotting today’s pre-election debate. Our constituencies in the Benishangul and Oromia regional states are getting attacked and displaced time and again. As opposed to campaigning, we’re caught up in mandatory humanitarian activities at the moment. It’s the role of the government to protect citizens and businesses, among others, across the country. It can’t continue like this. The regime must be held accountable for all this,” they continued.
In what observers say a testament to the failure of transition in Ethiopia or a slap in the face of justice, Lawyer Asres Damte(left) and activist Tina Belay(right), among other activists and protestors, were arrested for a week and released on bail, just for taking part in the protest in Bahir dar, Amhara regional state, asking the regional government and the PM, among others, to pass through a fair trial swiftly before sleepwalking into a fake election, according to Addis Abebians. Tantamounting to absolute and relative tyranny, Prosperity Party — violating the constitution of the country fundamentally — alleged that it’s an offense to participate, or organize, a protest condemning atrocities.
“We only marched out to condemn the non-stop displacement and genocide of ethnic Amharas in Benishangul and Oromia regional state. That’s it. We haven’t called for an attack. Nor for the displacement of a single citizen. We don’t believe that we’re in such a criminalized state where we have to prove that we’re innocent for speaking the truth to undemocratically elected power. I’m not surprised to get alleged on trumped up charges. This — weird allegations and false accusations — is as to what veteran dissidents faced directly and indirectly wherever they may be. It can’t get more absurd than this,” said activist Tina Belay, who along with Asres, among others, is following up on her just opened court case.
Abere Adamu — whom I’ve known from many years ago as a staunch anti tyranny, TPLF, co-opponent, and co-pro-democracy advocate in the very, very, narrow niche of the Ethiopian political community; who, from Sweden, moved back to Ethiopia to serve as a police commissioner three years ago; and who, while on duty, reportedly refused to take any tyrannical measures on peaceful protestors — was sidelined out of the blue, according to a leaked appeal document presented by the commissioner himself. And, commissioner Abere — given his active political experience, commitment to promoting rights and democracy in Ethiopia, whom I thought would transition to becoming the head of intelligence of the country — was pronounced dead not long after he was sacked, taking the nation by surprise, according to Borkena.
State and most private outlets in Ethiopia — which unless hyping and building personal cults around the circles of the regime and affiliates superficially while assassinating the character and integrity of strong, brilliant, opponents proactively — don’t bother to get to report on critical issues of security, economy, and politics, among others, unfolding in the country let alone getting to engage in criticizing and putting to account the regime on political, economic, security and legal, among others, quantitative and qualitative orthogonal metrics with the people responsibly.
There isn’t any doubt — or we can list hundreds of tangible and circumstantial cases — that Ethiopia’s transition hit rock-bottom weeks after it was pronounced; and Abiy’s regime — which is in a state of denial, proliferation, misinformation, fake news, and disinformation, among others, orthogonally — isn’t scrupulous to sleepwalk into a fake election which would give the regime, prosperity party(EPRDF), a fake legitimacy for delaying, diluting and denying justice while burying the aspiration of the people of Ethiopia for democracy, development, and peace, among others.
Some of the less hyped reports of assassination, displacement, attack, and massacre, among others, in the last couple of weeks include:
Addis Abebians, among others, reported that over 30 ethnic Amharas were attacked in Jima, Oromia regional state a little over three weeks ago.
On the 30th of April, Addis Abebians, among others, reported that a 60 occupant bus heading to Wellega from Bura was hijacked by OLF in Gogi, Oromia regional state in which 16 ethnic Amharas were executed immediately.
On 23th of May, Amhara Media Center reported that two moms, with their babies on their back, were burnt inside a house in HoroGudero, Wellega, Oromia Regional State, among others.
On the 24th of May, Addis Abebians, among others, citing Amhara Media Center, reported that 4 ethnic Amharas were assassinated in BenchSheko, Gurafereda, Southern Nations, and Nationalities regional state, Ethiopia, following which frustrated ethnic Amharas left their domicile. Despite being contacted time and again by the victims, district civil servants didn’t get to respond promptly, according to Amhara Media Center.
On the 25th of May, Addis Abebians, among others, citing Amhara Media Center, reported that an ethnic Amhara businessman, Worku Ahmed, was assassinated in Kiremo, East Wellega, Oromia regional state, Ethiopia. Some alleged the attack was committed by Oromo Liberation Front(OLF) while others Oromia Police. As usual, the perpetrators won’t be investigated, found, and disclosed.
On the 27th of May, Addis Abebians, among others, citing Amhara Media Center, reported that ethnic Amhara farmers residing in Merga Girega, Kiremo, East Wellega, Oromia regional state, were attacked, forcing many to flee to the forest, among others.
On the 27th of May, Addis Abebians, among others, citing Amhara Media Center, reported that three monks (Fr Teklegiorgis, Fr Abi, and Fr GebreKidan) and the watchman of Muger monastery, Oromia regional state, Mr. Mesfin, were assassinated.
On the 28th of May, Addis Abebians, among others, citing Amhara Media Center, reported that St Michael’s Church of Habedengoro, HoroGudero, Wellega, Oromia regional state was destroyed in an arson attack.
On 7th of June, Amhara Media center, among others, reported that 4 ethnic Amhars were shot dead in Kiremo, East Wellega, Oromia regional state.
Prosperity party — or of which Police arrested a number of young people for protesting against what they brand “atrocities and fake election, among others” a couple of weeks ago — shot dead 3 and wounded over 8 for refusing to demonstrate in support of the regime in Gojam, Amhara regional state, this week, according to Addis Abebians, citing Amhara Media Center.
The mascara, genocide, arson attack, and hijack, among others — which, among others, is aimed at deflecting and covering up rampant corruption, the ongoing process of sleepwalking in a fake election, and various administrational proliferations of the FEDERAL government, EPRDF rebranded to PP, among others — isn’t showing any sign of slowing down but exponential regression overwhelmingly.
Major Dawit Woldegiorgis and a task force instituted by the Ethiopian Coptic Catholic Church, among others — listing Abiy Ahmed, PM and Shimeles Abdisa, President of the Oromia regional state, among others, as suspects — have put together a rights motion with ICC in case the local courts of Ethiopia stay put dysfunctional and prosperity(EPRDF), without facing any justice, sleepwalk into claiming victory in a fake election, according to Addis Abebians.
Addis Ababa Mass media agency — an outlet owned and covered by the legislative, executive, and judiciary of the independent, self-administrated, region of Addis Ababa — continues repressing the voice of the majority of Addis Abebians deliberately. Eskinder Nega, Sintayew Chekol, Aster Seyoum, and Askale Demile, among others, natives and anti-tyranny advocates of Addis Ababa were arrested with trumped-up charges for listing hundreds of atrocities by the current and preceding intruded administrations of the autonomous region of Addis Ababa. Over 40bn birr of unaccounted sum lost from the city administration yet to be accounted; mass printing of fake IDs; several reports of illegal land grabs; the overnight closedown of over 5000 business without the due process of prosecution; awarding several contracts without the due process of tendering; reticence to critical issues happening to(and concerning) Addis Abebians politically, socially and economically, among others, by Addis Abeba Mass media agency; the co-creation of violence, devastation, and tyranny on Addis Abebians by the Oromia regional government(which doesn’t have any authority over Addis Ababa), among others, were some of the advocacy pitches which got Eskinder and et ll in trouble with the current, intruded, notorious administration of the capital which doesn’t have any public mandate and popular base.
Ato Lidetu Ayalew, an opposition political figure, boycotting the fake election, has called for accountability in the face of atrocities first and a genuine transition next, according to BBC news.
Journalist and historian Tadious Tantu — who is critical to the regime with regard to as to how and why it incorporated controversial history lessons which don’t have any scientific base, among other hearsay — was reported missing on the 6th of May and then was found to be arbitrarily detained by the secret police on the grounds of inciting terrorisms under trumped-up allegations, according to Amhara Media Center.
Vision Ethiopia, a non-partisan association of Ethiopian scholars and professionals, has called for accountability first, genuine transition second, and election third, according to DW news.
Mahibere Kidusan, a lay ministry promoting and advocating for the Ethiopian Coptic Catholic Church, among other denominations, according to its press statement, said: “The holy church is under persecution. What we’re facing in Ethiopia today which, sadly, is co-created, harnessed, and channeled by the organizational infrastructure of the government, doesn’t only compare but far outweighs what we faced during the time of the early church tremendously.
“The Coptic Catholic Church has been in a state of persecution since the 1960s. This is the time for the faithful to come together, and stop the persecution of the holy church. Members of the clergy and laity should be the voice of the voiceless. The faithful shouldn’t be instruments of the government’s ulterior political goals. Instead, committing to their faith, they shouldn’t be afraid to tell the truth to power. We, in due time, will update organized civic measures. Please stay strong and committed,” continued Mahibere Kidusan which said that a minister serving in its organization was arrested by police recently.
EU — one of the key development partners of Ethiopia which, supporting democratization, has put 20m Euro, among others, for the upcoming election, and the US, another key development partner of Ethiopia, which slapped Ethiopia’s regime with visa, among others, over “the civilian crises in Tigray and atrocities unfolding across the country” — won’t send observers in the upcoming Ethiopian election, citing ingenuity and unacceptability of the upcoming election, among others, according to DW.
Will Abiy Ahmed, or the prosperity party(EPRDF), put itself up for a fair trial with contrition swiftly, and take the courage to get out of Ethiopia’s way of transition, or continue to resort to unsustainable proliferation, setting Ethiopia up for an internal and external politico-economical danger, among others?
It remains to be seen as to how the prosperity party(EPRDF) — which not through its ideals and idea for the people of Ethiopia but using the fist of iron that has been in power for the last three decades; and which didn’t earn its current power to lead the transition, at least through a history of advocating for justice and democracy — and the people of Ethiopia, with absolute and relative power, decide to play out when Abiy’s command to manipulate the military against the people is very, very, minimal.
One thing is clear: Ethiopia isn’t, and can’t be, a one-man show anymore. As a result, a genuine transition, preceded and proceeded by accountability, must be delivered to the people swiftly. Time is of the essence. We, as citizen journalists, or opponent politicians, can’t keep on counting our advocacy posts on the political, economical, diplomatic, social, and security, among others, issues of Ethiopia forever. That its captainship of transformation isn’t working, it’s a high time EPRDF(Prosperity) party stepped aside.
By Mikael Arage
Mikael Arage is a dissident, vegetarian, lover of nature and water, business consultant, manager, engineer, strategist, citizen journalist, and human rights activist based in Europe. Against all odds, the tides, and waves, he has been active in the Ethiopian political scene for over a decade independently. He is the founder of Chewata, a fictitious political game the story of which touched and transformed millions through Facebook and the web, among others. He has led several FB and Twitter campaigns; broadcasted live to tens of thousands, and wrote several articles in Amharic and English during the long, lonely, and tedious journey of bringing down tyrant TPLF, and affected and influenced change in Ethiopian politics. In addition, maintaining his contribution and influencing sphere intact, Mikael, still, manages influential pages reaching millions a week on issues of political economy, businesses, philosophy, and disruptive innovative technologies, among others.
