Pretoria, EVN (August 22) — Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s visit to South Africa has sparked anger and protests, as demonstrators condemn what they claim to be a war targeting the Amhara ethnic group. The call for action against the alleged genocide was directed towards BRICS leaders, urging them to address the situation.
As the 15th BRICS Summit commenced on Tuesday, the All United Amhara Association in SA organized a gathering at Innisfree Park. Displaying a banner bearing Ahmed’s image crossed out with a black marker, the association expressed their concerns over recent drone attacks in the Amhara regions, which they assert have resulted in acts of genocide.
Demissie Desalean, the spokesperson for the association, stated, “We want to ensure the international community understands what is happening in Ethiopia, namely that the prime minister is deploying drones and committing war crimes against the Amhara people, the second-largest ethnic group in Ethiopia. Since he assumed office, there has been an ongoing war against the Amhara people, resulting in the recent deaths of many innocent individuals,” he told Times Live.
The All United Amhara Association in SA is demanding the removal of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, accusing him of orchestrating a genocide against the Amhara people, one of the largest ethnic groups in Ethiopia.
Instability has gripped the region since April, following the disarmament of the Amhara force by federal authorities after a two-year conflict with the neighboring Tigray region. This situation prompted Ahmed’s government to declare a state of emergency earlier this month, entailing restrictions such as a ban on public gatherings, warrantless arrests, and a curfew.
Desalean pointed out that these government-led attacks have impacted schools, farms, mosques, and churches. These incidents prompted Amnesty International to call for an investigation into the deadly clashes on Sunday.
“Our aim today is to expose these crimes and atrocities. The Amhara people’s history has been distorted, with misinformation disseminated to various communities, falsely portraying us as the instigators of negative actions in Ethiopia. The new generation is being led astray,” Desalean emphasized.
As protests continue to unfold and allegations of atrocities persist, the Ethiopian Prime Minister’s visit to South Africa remains enveloped in controversy.
Clashes between federal forces and Fano militia have persisted in many parts of the Amhara region, Ethiopia’s second-largest region. The Amharas hold grievances stemming from mass killings, displacement, mass detentions, and widespread discrimination based on their identity. The current crisis was triggered as federal forces sought to dissolve the Amhara Special Forces and Fano militia, despite security threats from the TPLF, which invaded the region, causing extensive damage and atrocities during the Tigray War.
