February 3, 2024
Borkena
Toronto – If the United States is saying what it means, Abiy Ahmed’s administration extension of the state of emergency in the Amhara region of Ethiopia did not seem to get a nod from the United States.
An infographic message shared on the X (formerly Twitter ) page of the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa – and it was attributed to Ambassador Ervin Massinga – expressed “deep concern” over the “renewal” of the state of emergency.
“As a longstanding friend of Ethiopia, we are deeply concerned with the renewal of the state of emergency. Dialogue is the only way to resolve the complex political and security issues, including in Amhara and Oromia. We stand ready to support. Ervin Massinga, United States Ambassador to the Federal Democratic Republic Of Ethiopia,” the statement said.
Given the leverage, even what appears to be control, it has over Abiy Ahmed’s administration, it is questionable, to say the least, if the Ethiopian government would resolve to extend the state of emergency for another four months.
In a letter , released on January 29 this year, to the Ethiopian People, the Ambassador stated that his country, via USAID, spent US $484 million in 2023 funding 24 new programs “to promote democracy and governance, create economic opportunities for Ethiopian citizens, improve health outcomes, and strengthen resilience throughout Ethiopia.”
Had there not been a framework of the United States tacit support within which Abiy Ahmed’s government operates, an outright slaughter of hundreds of thousands of Ethiopians by Abiy Ahmed’s forces would have caused a serious policy response from the United States government.
The extension of the state of emergency came just a few days after Federal government troops executed over 100 ethnic Amharas in Merawi town, Amhara region of Ethiopia. The United States is yet to condemn the latest string of civilian massacre.
The Ethiopian Parliament – to many Ethiopians it sounds like a rubber stamp of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s administration – on Friday extended the state of emergency in the Amhara region of Ethiopia. The Minister for Justice, Gedion Timotheos, appeared in the parliament to elaborate – apparently more of for formality reasons – why the extension is needed. Among the reasons that necessitated the extension are “unfinished works” in the region and “security threats” in other regions. Only two parliamentarians opposed it and three abstained. Before extending the state of emergency, the Ethiopian government has been making repeated claims that it has restored normalcy in the Amhara region and Universities were ordered to resume classes. In reality, local reports indicate that more than 70 percent of the Amhara region of Ethiopia is under the control of Fano forces. There are omens that Fano forces are operating within less than thirty kilometers of range from the regional capital Bahir Dar.
Abiy Ahmed’s government has been ignoring calls for peaceful negotiation to resolve the conflict in the Amhara region of Ethiopia while it has been engaging in talks with militant groups operating in the Oromia region of Ethiopia.