Borkena
By Sisay Wagnew
In a speech eerily reminiscent of Hitler’s Reichstag Speech that called for the Final Solution, Shimelis Abdisa, President of the Oromia Region, delivered a chilling address on May 25th. Speaking to Oromo businesspeople and influential youth activists at Ilili Hotel in Addis Ababa, Abdisa’s rhetoric was nothing short of a call for genocide. He declared, “We will send one million male and female Qerooes (Oromo Youth) across the Nile to punish the Neftegna Amharas. Yesterday, the Neftegna Amhara were demanding control over Wolo, Finfine, and Adama. Now, they are pleading to spare Bahar Dar and Gondar. They know that Debre Birhan will never be theirs, no matter how much they desire it. Strengthen us and focus on your internal tasks. Leave the Neftegna Amharas to us. We have already broken them, and we will break them again.”
This speech is not just reminiscent of Hitler’s genocidal declarations—it is a modern-day echo of the same intent to systematically exterminate an ethnic group. As the Amhara people continue their desperate fight for survival, the world stands at a moral crossroads. The international community must act decisively to prevent another genocide from unfolding before our eyes. This article delves into the grim realities faced by the Amhara people, the historical parallels to past genocides, and the urgent need for a global response to stop this atrocity in its tracks.
Genocide in the Making: Abiy Ahmed’s Deadly War on the Amhara People
For over a year now, the Amhara people have been under relentless genocidal attack by the Oromo Prosperity Party. Led by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, this regime has intensified historical animosities and weaponized state machinery to systematically target the Amhara population. Reports of civilian atrocities have flooded in, detailing mass killings, drone strikes, gang rapes, arbitrary detentions, concentration camps, and heinous crimes reminiscent of the Auschwitz concentration camps. From the capital Addis Ababa to the harsh terrains of the Afar desert, countless innocent Amharas are languishing in prison and left to die.
This brutal campaign has seen the Oromo Prosperity Party employ various methods to terrorize and subjugate the Amhara people. Drones have been used to carry out precision strikes on Amhara villages, causing widespread death and destruction. The regime has orchestrated mass rapes, using sexual violence as a weapon to intimidate and break the spirit of the Amhara community. Arbitrary detentions have become the norm, with thousands of Amharas, including women and children, held in concentration camps under inhumane conditions.
In response to these genocidal actions, the Amhara Fano, a grassroots militia, has mobilized to defend their people against Abiy Ahmed’s genocidal war. Despite the state of emergency declaration, they have consistently routed the regime’s forces, becoming a symbol of hope and resilience for the Amhara people. The Fano fighters demonstrate an unwavering determination to protect their communities and preserve their way of life.
Abiy Ahmed is hell-bent on crushing the ethnic Amharas, perceiving them as a threat to his power. He is intensifying the assault using state machinery, punishing millions of Amharas by shutting off internet and phone services, disrupting education and health services, and crippling the Amhara economy to keep them the poorest of the poor. These actions are not merely tactical moves in a political struggle but are part of a deliberate strategy to weaken and ultimately annihilate the Amhara people.
The government’s efforts to isolate and economically devastate the Amhara regions aim to break the community’s spirit and resistance. By cutting off communication and essential services, Abiy Ahmed is creating a climate of fear and helplessness. Schools and hospitals have been targeted, depriving the community of basic education and healthcare. The economic blockade has destroyed local economies, pushing many Amharas into poverty and starvation.
Echoes of the Past: Ethiopia’s Grim Parallels to Hitler’s Final Solution
As the Amhara continue their fight against this genocidal tyrant, the Fanos are making significant strides on both the battlefield and in the diplomatic arena. The regime, seemingly admitting its defeat on the battlefield, is now on a desperate mission to mobilize millions of military and paramilitary groups. These forces, operating outside the federal government command structure, are being sent en masse to annihilate the Amhara people once and for all.
Abiy Ahmed’s regime has embraced the methods of systematic extermination reminiscent of Hitler’s Final Solution. The use of state machinery to carry out mass killings, drone strikes, gang rapes, arbitrary detentions, and the establishment of concentration camps is a deliberate attempt to annihilate the Amhara population. Just as the Nazis sought to eliminate the Jewish people, the Oromo Prosperity Party is relentlessly pursuing the eradication of the Amhara community.
The parallels between the current situation in Ethiopia and Hitler’s Final Solution are both chilling and undeniable. The genocidal tyrant Abiy Ahmed is orchestrating a campaign of terror against the Amhara people that mirrors the heinous tactics used by the Nazis. The Oromo Prosperity Party, under his leadership, has adopted strategies and rhetoric that echo the darkest chapters of human history. The similarities in tactics, rhetoric, and government policies are glaring.
The mass mobilization of military and paramilitary groups, operating outside federal government command, is a clear indication of the regime’s desperation and brutality. Disturbing news reports from the Oromia region reveal that hundreds of thousands of youth, including underage teens, are being transported to the Amhara region, fully armed and carrying the flag of the Oromia regional state. This mirrors the mass conscription and mobilization seen in Nazi Germany.
Shimelis Abdisa, the Oromia region president, recently gave a speech that is disturbingly similar to Hitler’s Reichstag Speech. On May 25th, Shimelis addressed Oromo businesspeople and influential youth at Ilili Hotel in Addis Ababa. In a chilling call to arms, he declared:
“We will send one million male and female Qerooes (Oromo Youth) across the Nile to punish the Neftegna Amharas. Yesterday, the Neftegna Amhara were demanding control over Wolo, Finfine, and Adama. Now, they are pleading to spare Bahar Dar and Gondar. They know that Debre Birhan will never be theirs, no matter how much they desire it. Strengthen us and focus on your internal tasks. Leave the Neftegna Amharas to us. We have already broken them, and we will break them again.”
This rhetoric is not just reminiscent of, but directly parallels Hitler’s call for the Final Solution to the Jewish question. The intent is clear: to incite mass violence and ensure the complete destruction of the Amhara people.
While the methods and rhetoric are strikingly similar, it is important to acknowledge the differences to maintain a balanced perspective. Unlike Nazi Germany, Ethiopia is currently under the scrutiny of the international community, which has the power to intervene and prevent further atrocities. The Amhara people have also shown remarkable resilience and are actively fighting back against the genocidal campaign. The Fano fighters, along with diplomatic efforts, are gaining momentum, showing that the Amhara people are not passive victims but active defenders of their existence.
The comparison to Hitler’s Final Solution is not made lightly; the systematic and state-sponsored violence against the Amhara people bears chilling similarities to the genocidal campaigns of the past. It is imperative that the world stands in solidarity with the Amhara people and holds the Ethiopian government accountable for its actions. The survival of an entire ethnic group hangs in the balance, and urgent intervention is needed to stop this unfolding genocide.
Ethiopia on the Brink: The International Community Must Act Now
The international community’s reaction to the ongoing genocide against the Amhara people has been shamefully inadequate. Governments, NGOs, and human rights organizations have issued statements and reports, but their words have not been matched with meaningful action. The world has witnessed genocides before and vowed “Never Again,” yet history continues to repeat itself.
The Cambodian Genocide (1975-1979), the Bosnian Genocide (1992-1995), the Rwandan Genocide (1994), the Darfur Genocide (2003), the Genocide against the Yazidis by ISIS (2014), and the Rohingya Genocide (2016-present) all serve as horrific reminders of the consequences of international inaction. In each case, the global community’s response was too little, too late. The phrase “Never Again” has become a hollow promise, repeated but not upheld. Now, the Amhara people are facing a similar fate while the world watches silently.
It is imperative that the international community acknowledges its responsibility to intervene and provide aid. History has shown us that ignoring genocidal actions only leads to more suffering and devastation. The Amhara people have already endured genocidal campaigns with little to no intervention from the world. However, this time, the Amhara community is determined to fight back relentlessly. They refuse to lower their guard until the existential threat posed by Abiy Ahmed’s genocidal policies is completely eradicated.
Abiy Ahmed’s hell-bent policy to exterminate the Amhara people from the face of the earth must be met with a fierce and unyielding international response. Failure to act will not only embolden the Ethiopian regime but also set a dangerous precedent that genocidal leaders can act with impunity. The Amhara community’s resistance is not just a fight for survival but a desperate plea for the world to wake up and take decisive action.
If the international community continues to turn a blind eye, Ethiopia is on the brink of an all-out civil war between its two largest ethnic groups. Such a conflict would be the final nail in the coffin for the nation of Ethiopia, leading to unimaginable chaos and bloodshed. The repercussions of such a war would extend far beyond Ethiopia’s borders, destabilizing the entire region and creating a humanitarian crisis of unprecedented proportions.
The world cannot afford to remain passive. Governments must impose sanctions on Ethiopian officials responsible for these atrocities. International human rights organizations need to ramp up their efforts to document and expose the crimes being committed. NGOs should prioritize delivering aid and support to the beleaguered Amhara communities. Every nation, every organization, and every individual with the power to influence must rise to the occasion and take action against this unfolding genocide.
The Amhara people’s fight for survival is a call to the conscience of the world. It is a call for justice, for humanity, and for the fulfillment of the promise of “Never Again.” The international community must respond with the urgency and determination that the situation demands. The survival of the Amhara people, and the future of Ethiopia, depend on it.
