We concerned Ethiopians and people of Ethiopian descent who live in Europe and North America write to you to express our horror and outrage at the atrocities of genocidal scale being committed against the Amhara people in Wollega, Oromia Regional of Ethiopia and to urge the Ethiopian government to end to this crisis.

After the demise of the military government in Ethiopia in 1991, Tigray’s People Liberation Front (TPLF) led government introduced an ethnic-based federal system which tore the social fabric of ethnic relations in the country, created competition for resources and caused distrust amongst its more than 85 ethnic groups who have coexisted for centuries long. Ethnic Amharas were labeled as villains and blamed for every political failure in regimes preceding TPLF. For over 30 years, the TPLF-led government targeted the ethnic Amharas as their main enemies, they spread animosity and hate against Amhara ethnic group, wrongly accusing them of being rulers, oppressors and exploiters in the previous regimes. 

Ethnic cleansing and genocide of the Amhara people has worsened under the current Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed. The Amhara people in Wollega have been and are still being burned alive, slaughtered, mutilated, stoned to death, bulldozed into mass graves, their place of worship burnt down, and the survivors displaced and left homeless. 

As concerned citizens committed to fighting for equal treatment for all Ethiopians, we are particularly sickened by reports and images of defenseless ethnic Amhara men, women and children being forcibly expelled from their homes and indiscriminately targeted for violence and death by government supported OLA extremists in Wollega, Oromia Region. We cannot stand silent in the face of the slaughter and expulsion of the Amhara people on the basis of their ethnicity and religion.

According to several reports, several thousands of Amhara people are fleeing Wollega to central parts of the country since the latest round of violence in February 2022.

 Indeed, many fleeing Wollega report having had their villages burnt to the ground by local security forces, OLF extremists and local mobs. There have also been reports of gruesome mass killings like ISIS style beheading, widespread rape and torture. While the exact death toll is not yet known, estimates are that hundreds, and possibly thousands, of Amharas have been murdered, and tens of thousands are still living under the fear of attack anytime. 

There is mounting evidence that crimes being committed against the Amhara people in Wollega, Oromia region are tantamount to genocide, something which requires immediate investigations both by the international community and all concerned governmental & non-governmental bodies. Given the severity of this crisis, we also implore you to take drastic action to quell the violence and combat these genocidal attacks against the Amhara.

Doing so appears necessary for stopping the violence, would make clear that the international community won’t stand by idly while inhumane crimes are being committed against innocent ethnic Amharas, and send an important message of solidarity and support for the Ethiopian people.

Absent significant international pressure, the violence against the Amhara people will only worsen in the coming months and years. 

We urge you to act immediately.

Sincerely,

For further information about atrocities committed against the Amhara people in Wollega, please see the links below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F8L1HdekFgg​

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aa_xowl4pFc​

Names of 124 of 300 Amhara, Wollega's genocide victim of Aug 18 -19 , 2021 Amhara genocide​

168 ETHNIC AMHARAS MASSACRED, Voice of Amhara REPORTS SD 480p

1.      Attacks by armed group from Amhara state continue to displace thousands in Western Oromia https://addisstandard.com/in-depth-analysis-attacks-by-armed-group-from-amhara-state-continue-to-displace-thousands-in-western-oromia

February 22, 2022

3.    Organized political violence against Amhara in Wollega https://epo.acleddata.com/2022/02/22/epo-weekly-12-18-february-2022/EPO Weekly: 12-18 February 2022

 

4.    Targeted attacks spread from Western Oromia to the West Shoa Zone https://www.ethiopiaobserver.com/2022/02/18/targeted-attacks-spread-from-western-oromia-to-the-west-shoa-zone/

February 18, 2022 | by Ethiopia Observer

4.    For Immediate Release Call for Accountability and Justice https://www.ambapu.org/node/53

Washington D.C. – Monday, February 14, 2022

5.     Can Abiy Ahmed’s government be trusted anymore? https://borkena.com/2022/02/13/abiy-ahmeds-government-be-trusted-anymore/

February 13, 2022

6.    Oromo Liberation Front Armed wing continues carnage in Wollega https://borkena.com/2022/02/08/oromo-liberation-front-armed-wing-continues-carnage-in-wollega/

February 8, 2022

7.     https://twitter.com/gpethiopia/status/1490671404009852930#OLF/#OLAterrorists have murdered 168 innocent Amhara civilians. Out of the 168 victims 87 were found in the same spot

February 7, 2022

8.    Rights group demand Ethiopian gov’t to take action against ethnic based attack https://borkena.com/2022/01/07/rights-group-demand-ethiopian-govt-to-take-action-against-ethnic-based-attack/

January 7, 2022

9.    The forgotten plight of ethnic Amhara residents in Oromia Region of Ethiopia https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fM8F5d6m_rTaE3b5OeyY6xg1fNiPGO_Q/view

January 7, 2022

10.                        Gunmen kill 30 people in western Ethiopia, witnesses say https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/31/gunmen-kill-30-people-in-western-ethiopia-witnesses-say

31 March 2021

11. Worsening violence in western Ethiopia forcing civilians to flee –By Zecharias Zelalem https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/20/worsening-violence-western-ethiopia-forcing-civilians-to-flee

20 Mar 2021

Eighteen killed in clashes between Ethiopia’s Oromo, Amhara groups https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/eighteen-killed-clashes-between-ethiopias-oromo-amhara-groups-2021-04-19/
April 19, 2021

13.                        Ethiopia: Armed assailants kill 15 civilians in attack in Oromia State https://crisis24.garda.com/alerts/2021/05/ethiopia-armed-assailants-kill-15-civilians-in-attack-in-oromia-state-april-30

May 2021
14.                        More than 20 civilians killed in two separate attacks by armed groups https://addisstandard.com/news-more-than-20-civilians-killed-in-two-separate-attacks-by-armed-groups/

May 1, 2021

15.In the shadow of the elections, Amharas are massacred in silence https://www.europeantimes.news/2021/06/ethiopia-in-the-shadow-of-the-elections-amharas-are-massacred-in-silence/

June 2021
16.                        Oromo Liberation” terrorists massacred at least 231 ethnic Amhara in Wollega https://borkena.com/2021/08/25/oromo-liberation-terrorists-massacred-at-least-231-ethnic-amhara-in-wollega/

August 25, 2021

17. Conflicting narratives as violence hits East Wollega again … https://addisstandard.com/news-analysis-conflicting-narratives-as-violence-hits-east-wollega-again-claiming-hundreds-of-civilian-lives/

August 26, 2021

19.                        Ethiopian rights group: 150 reported dead in alleged attack https://apnews.com/article/africa-ethiopia-cdaf6d8d32393fc7a9ff62f7c7052bf0August 26, 2021

20.                      Dozens killed in attacks in Ethiopia’s Oromia region https://nation.africa/kenya/news/africa/dozens-killed-in-attacks-in-ethiopia-s-oromia-region-3562244?view=htmlamp

Saturday, September 25, 2021

20.                      Ethiopia rights commission says 150 killed in attack in Oromiya https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/ethiopia-rights-commission-says-150-killed-attack-oromiya-2021-08-26/

August 26, 2021

21.                        180 civilians were killed by the OLF in Western Wollega https://www.gettyimages.ae/detail/news-photo/members-of-the-ethiopian-community-march-to-protest-the-news-photo/1311191624

April 06, 2021

22.                       Ethiopian rights group: 150 reported dead in alleged attack https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/ethiopian-rights-group-150-reported-dead-alleged-attack-79656262

26 August, 2021

23.                       Ethnic Amharas Massacred in Ethiopia https://www.tassc.org/news-blog/2020/11/10/ethnic-amharas-massacred-in-ethiopia

November 1, 2020

24.                       Dozens of ethnic Amharas killed in western Ethiopia ‘massacre’ https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/dozens-of-ethnic-amharas-killed-in-western-ethiopia-massacre/86ndf32dm

November 3, 2020

25.                       Unknown Number of Ethiopians ‘Massacred’ in Terror Act: Officials https://www.tesfanews.net/ethiopia-officials-unknown-number-amhara-massacred-wollega/

November 2, 2020

26.                       Ethiopia’s missing students: Families’ pain and the unsolved mystery– By Firehiwot Kassa https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-51411720

16 March, 2020

27.                       Ethiopia: Armed attack in West Wollega Zone kills dozens November https://crisis24.garda.com/alerts/2020/11/ethiopia-armed-attack-in-west- wollega-zone-kills-dozens-november-1

02 Nov, 2020

28.                       At least 54 killed in Ethiopia massacre, says Amnesty https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/02/killed-ethiopia-massacre-amnesty-oromia-amhara

November 2, 2020

29.                       (OLF-Shene /OLF) a deadly attack on civilians in West Wollega Zone https://ethiopianmonitor.com/2020/11/02/region-blames-olf-shene-tplf-for-deadly-attack-in-west-wollega/

November 2, 2020

30.                      Over 50 ethnic Amhara killed in attack on village by armed group https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2020/11/ethiopia-over-50-ethnic-amhara-killed-in-attack-on-village-by-armed-group/

November 2, 2020

31.   At least 54 killed in Ethiopia massacre, says Amnesty https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/02/killed-ethiopia-massacre-amnesty-oromia-amhara

 

32.                       Ethiopia : The People who are being slaughtered for no reason https://borkena.com/2020/08/11/ethiopia-the-people-who-are-being-slaughtered-for-no-reason/

August 11, 2020

32.                       Ethnic Amharas targeted in killings in Oromia region https://www.ethiopiaobserver.com/2019/10/25/ethnic-amharas-targeted-in-killings-in-oromia-region/

October 25, 2019 | by Ethiopia Observer

33.                       Students killed as tension in universities disrupt teaching-learning process https://addisstandard.com/news-third-student-killed-as-tension-in-universities-disrupt-teaching-learning-process/

November 13, 2019

34.                       November 2019, 18 Amhara students – 14 young women and 4 young men – from Dembi Dollo University in Kelam Wellega Zone of the Oromia Region were abducted by unidentified people as they fled ethnic-based attack on Amhara university students. https://www.scholarsatrisk.org/report/2019-11-12-dembi-dollo-university/November 19. 2019