Adis-Ababa,Ethiopia-
Adis-abab,Ethiopia- With the series of massive military campaigns in the Amhara region against Fano forces yielding no desired results and strengthening the armed group, the Ethiopian government is now reportedly arresting top government officials in the Amhara region.
As many as 600 senior government officials are arrested including those in the security apparatus, according to a report by Ethiopian Media services.
It has happened in many cities in the region including the regional capital Bahir Dar.
Recently, the government assigned ethnic Amhara military commanders as part of the preparation to launch another massive military operation against Fano forces.
According to sources, the ethnic Amhara military commanders are involved in coordinating the crackdown on government officials and even professionals in the region.
Even medical doctors are being arrested for allegedly collaborating with the Fano forces.
Amhara region : a war zone for over a year now
It has been well over a year now since the Federal government launched a military operation in the region with the pretext of “disarming the Fano forces.”
Fano forces emerged, as they say, in response to recurring and pervasive massacres of ethnic Amharas across the country – mostly due to the hate-based ethnic ideology. The Amharas were framed for attack under the code word “neftegna” since TPLF took over power in 1991. The relentless massacre of ethnic Amhara was particularly observed since Abiy Ahmed became Prime Minister in 2018.
The Fano group got an overwhelming grassroot support from the region – one of the factors that made it difficult for government forces to defeat it. The situation, however, led to extensive rights violations in the region.
A study published by the Amhara Association of America early this month indicated that over 3,000 ethnic Amhara were killed by government forces. And the number does not show the full extent of the rights abuse. Reputable human rights organizations have been reporting extrajudicial killings, drone strikes on civilians, rape and forced abduction by government forces.
When the government imposed a state of emergency, internet and phone communication in the region was restricted. Journalists and human rights were restricted not to have access to the region to undertake investigation.
Most civilians were killed extrajudicially on alleged grounds of “supporting Fano forces.” When Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed met with his officials in February 2023 in response to the crisis within the Orthodox Church, he highlighted the story of Red Terror during which thousands were killed by the then military government. “Ours will be worse by many folds,” he added.
The war also negatively affected social and economic activity in the region. That coupled with economic hardship, made life unbearable for many. Over five million students are reportedly out of school.
Sentiments that the government is deliberately punishing the Amhara people is noticeable from the remarks of residents in the region and also from ethnic Amhara activists.
