Yonas Biru, PhD
(June 18, 2023)
On April 10, I published a manifesto titled: “Averting Civil War in Ethiopia: An Emergency Manifesto.” On June 16, I released a follow up titled “International Intervention is Imperative to Save Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa.” Both are googleable by title. This is the third installment to speed- and scale-up the campaign. It also reiterates parts of the original manifesto that has not been heeded.
The first two installments made the case for a multi-pronged international sanction as the only viable solution in the short term. A group of people have initiated a two-pronged sanction and remittance campaign. Of recent, they have gained momentum, after the American Ethiopian Public Affairs Committee (AEPAC) and other diaspora organizations and prominent activists joined the campaign. Officially, #NoMore has given way to #YesMore. These days, አል ማሪያም ብቻ ነች እንጣጥ እንጣጥ እያለች ለ#NoMore የምታሸረግደው:: This is the most significant development in the diaspora’s engagement in Ethiopian politics.
A recent survey conducted by AEPAC in which 6044 Ethiopian Americans took part showed 72% support for sanction, 68% support for discouraging international investors and companies from investing in Ethiopia for 12 months and 63% support for temporary limitation on diaspora remittance for a period of 12 month.
The April 10 manifesto highlighted the need for a strategic international campaign with three specific action points.
• Mobilizing international pressure against Ethiopian military and police leaders not to follow order from the PM to engage in any atrocity against the people.
• Launching international investigations, expanding the mandate of the UN investigation to include atrocities committed in Oromia and Addis Ababa.
• Imposing international sanctions with exemption to humanitarian aid.
There was a reason why I listed the three items in the order of priority I listed them. The Prime Minister has lost support within the Prosperity Party. He has also lost the support from the international community. The only party he is relying on is the Army. That link must be broken. He must be forced to change course or be removed through the constitutional order.
Military Leaders and Officers
As noted in my April 10 manifesto, the military has suffered more than any part of society under the current Prime Minister. An entire special force was decimated trying to capture TPLF leaders who were hiding in the most fortified terrain in Tigray. Over 10,000 members of the EDF were captured by TPLF with their weapons, including tanks and heavy armors. He is accountable for both loses. He refused to listen to the military leaders and exposed the Ethiopian army.
The military has paid a steep cost in life and limb. Their families are suffering from the deteriorating economy and soaring inflation. Those who were wounded during the war are begging on the streets. The PM is focused on vanity projects to fan his fancy and feed his ego rather than addressing the needs of veterans and their families.
Military leader must refuse to be involved in the PM’s war against the people. They have sworn obligations to defend the nation, including from the PM and Oromo-PP when they undermine the integrity and sovereignty of the nation.
There is a need for a two-pronged campaign on the military. On the one front, there is a need for a robust public relations work to sensitize and raise the awareness of the military.
On the second prong, the diaspora needs to mobilize international pressure against the Ethiopian military and police leaders not to carry out any atrocity. The international community, particularly the West has given up on the Prime Minister. They see him as a destabilizing force for the Horn of Africa. The international community need to remind the Military and police forces that in most cases it is military leaders who face genocide charges in international courts. Recent cases in Guatemala, Myanmar, and Serbia provide red flags of warning.
The international community must send stern warning to the military leaders. The generals have no vested interest to go down with the Prime Minister. The international community had a role in TPLF’s demise in 2018. It can play a decisive role in the demise of the current Prime Minister. Once the Prosperity Party realizes the narcissist leader does not enjoy the backing of the military, they will be emboldened to remove him by vote. They should not sink with him.
Launching International Investigations
There is a reason why ISIS is designated a terrorist organization. Similarly, there is no reason why Oromummaa cannot be designated as a terrorist organization. There is an organized and coordinated religious cleansing campaign by the Oromo government and Oromummaa movement. We need to hold the Ethiopian government and the University of Tennessee that is hosting the diaspora Oromummaa movement accountable.
The image on the first row shows Oromummaa Qerro thugs humiliating an Orthodox Priest with a dead chicken hanged on his neck, parading him in an Oromo city. The bottom pictures show an Islamic Imam being beaten with stick by Police after he was knocked down. In the middle an Orthodox Priest is slapped by a police officer. The third picture shows Muslims praying outside of their Mosque after it was demolished by the Oromo militia, Oromo police and Oromummaa thugs.
Ethiopia has never seen such a level of savagery in its history. Even Mengistu has spared children and religious leaders. Many children are orphaned, left homeless and without school. Here are some images. These are children victimized either because of their religion or tribal heritage.
The diaspora needs to organize a campaign to get the support of international Churches and Mosques. This must be done immediately. Let the world religious organizations know what the Abiy Administration and the Oromummaa movement launched with the help of Tennessee University are doing.
Currently, there is some $400,000 that Shaleka Dawit and Vision Ethiopia collected, promising to use it to protect Orthodox Christians from genocide. They have been sitting on it for over 2.5 years. There is no urgent cause than hiring a lobbyist to mobilize American Churches to pressure the Biden Administration. The people who are sitting on the money needs to be named and shamed.
All responsible parties from government official, to police officers and Oromummaa thugs and University of Tennessee officials who allowed an Oromummaa professor to launch a religious cleansing campaign on the University’s website need to be held accountable. Every Mosque and Every Church that was demolished during the religious cleansing campaign must be rebuilt. Until then the government should not get a penny from the international community.
Imposing International Sanctions
The international sanction and remittance campaigns need to be scaled up. Now that The Prime Minister is mortgaging the Ethiopian Airlines to build his palace, we need to have a complete boycott of the airlines. And all the sanction elements must fire from all cylinders.
