November 10, 2024 Washington, D.C.
Thousands gathered outside the White House on Saturday, rallying against Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's administration for what they described as a violent crackdown on the Amhara population. Waving Ethiopian flags and holding signs that read "Stop the War on Amhara" and "End the Drone Attacks," demonstrators called on the United States and other international powers to intervene in the escalating crisis. Protesters highlighted that Abiy’s government has used heavy artillery, including drone strikes, to target civilians in the Amhara region.
The rally featured emotional speeches by activists, including Haile Tadle and Hermela Mesfin, both members of the Ethiopian diaspora advocating for their community.
Haile Tadle, speaking to the crowd, emphasized the severity of the violence, stating, “Our people are facing attacks from the skies and on the ground; we cannot remain silent as they suffer.” He appealed to American and global leaders to recognize the systematic nature of these attacks on civilians, insisting that this crisis demands immediate international attention.
Hermela Mesfin, another speaker at the rally, shared her deep concern over the targeting of innocent civilians. Hermela highlighted how drone strikes and arbitrary detentions have instilled widespread fear among Amhara families, calling on the United States to leverage its influence in pushing for an end to the violence.
Hermela passionately argued, “This is not a war against combatants this is a war against our families, our communities. The international community needs to see these atrocities for what they are.”
These concerns align with recent reports by Amnesty International, which condemned the Ethiopian government’s month-long campaign of arbitrary detentions and military assaults in the Amhara region. Thousands of Amhara civilians have reportedly been detained without charges, and civilian casualties from aerial and ground assaults are mounting. BBC Amharic and VOA Amharic have shared reports of drone strikes targeting civilian areas, underscoring the indiscriminate nature of the violence.
This rally in Washington was part of a global day of action, with coordinated protests in London, Paris, Frankfurt, and other cities. Across these events, members of the Ethiopian diaspora and supporters of human rights raised their voices, demanding accountability and urging global leaders to condemn what they described as an “unprecedented assault” on Amhara communities.
Amhara Diaspora, Frankfurt, Germany
“We’re here because our voices need to be heard,” said Mengistu, a protest organizer in Washington. “The world needs to know about the atrocities being committed by Abiy’s administration against the Amhara people.”
Protesters urged U.S. and other international officials to press for an immediate ceasefire and a neutral investigation into the reported abuses. They argued that international financial and diplomatic support for Ethiopia should be contingent upon respect for human rights and cessation of violence against civilians.
Washington DC Protest - White House
The worldwide rallies reflect a growing movement among the Ethiopian diaspora to bring international attention to the crisis in Amhara, with organizers promising to keep up the pressure until meaningful action is taken.
Sources:
Amnesty International. (2024, November). Ethiopia: End the month-long arbitrary detention of thousands in Amhara region. Retrieved from https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2024/11/ethiopia-end-the-month-long-arbitrary-detention-of-thousands-in-amhara-region/
BBC Amharic. (2024, November). Drone attacks in the Amhara region increase civilian casualties. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/amharic/articles/czd5yz0pq39o
VOA Amharic. (2024, November). Ethiopia’s drone assaults: Amhara civilians under attack. Retrieved from https://amharic.voanews.com/a/7849006.html?utm_campaign=Ethiopia&utm_source=VOA&utm_medium=X&utm_content=SB6lg7nnfmoi3s63mpw5p5tpehu2pttjtd2zs&s=09
Comments