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Ethiopia: Washington update – September 1, 2022

Washington Update – by Mesfin Mekonen
September 1, 2022

Third filling of The Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD)

Ethiopia announced recently the third phase of filling the reservoir created by the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Blue Nile. The GERD is vitally important for the prosperity of tens of millions of people, and for the security of a region that is of vital importance to the U.S. and the world.

An understanding of some basic facts is necessary to understand the situation.

Although 85% of the water in the Nile originates in Ethiopia, in the Blue Nile, historically the Ethiopian people have derived very little benefit from the river. Ethiopian development has been held back by a lack of power, and its people have suffered from a lack of water for irrigation. Today, 83% of Ethiopians lack access to electricity; 94% rely on wood for daily cooking and heating. This is an unacceptable situation, especially since Ethiopia possess abundant water resources and hydropower potential, second only to the Democratic Republic of Congo in all of Africa. Only 3% of this potential has been developed.

The GERD will generate abundant electricity for Ethiopia and for export to its neighbors, while alleviating chronic water shortages that have fueled famine.

Security situation deteriorating

The security situation in Ethiopia is deteriorating, terrorizing innocent people and threatening regional stability.

It is important for Ethiopian-Americans to stay engaged. there is continuing interest in passing legislation in congress that would put the United States firmly on the side of democracy, and of promoting human rights and economic development in Ethiopia. It is important to maintain hope and confidence in the future. The U.S. cannot and should not solve Ethiopia’s problems, but it can and must help Ethiopians attain the basic human rights and freedoms that all people deserve.

The international community has been turning a blind eye to the terrorist TPLF and Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), which are committing atrocities against the Amhara people in Wollega, Oromia. The 50 million Amhara are the second-largest population in Ethiopia and the nation’s traditional caretakers. An armed group killed several hundred Amhara civilians in western Oromia in June 2022 while Ethiopian security forces did little to protect them, according to Human Rights Watch. Nearly three months later, the Ethiopian government has failed to provide adequate shelter or meaningfully address the serious health and protection concerns of surviving residents.

For eight hours on June 18, heavily armed assailants shot and killed about 400 Amhara civilians, including many women and children, in villages in Tole and Sene kebeles wards. The unidentified assailants also burned and destroyed hundreds of homes and businesses, and looted livestock and other property.

Tigrayan forces were also implicated in serious abuses against Amhara civilians.

In addition to atrocities against Amhara, the TPLF has been forcefully conscripting the youth in Tigray, using children as cannon fodder in an unjustified war against the Ethiopian state.

Resumption of fighting inTigray

Fierce fighting has erupted in northern Ethiopia between government and regional Tigrayan forces, breaking a five-month humanitarian truce.

US diplomats flew to Addis Ababa recently, hoping to broker a ceasefire in a conflict which has seen thousands of civilians killed, over two million displaced, and a deadly famine. To date there have been no concrete results from the diplomatic activity.

U.S. Representatives Gregory W. Meeks and Michael T. McCaul, Chair and Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, issued the following statement regarding reports of escalating hostilities in northern Ethiopia.

“After months of incremental progress toward a negotiated peace in northern Ethiopia, we are deeply concerned by reports of renewed hostilities from all sides of this devastating civil war. All acts of aggression and sabotage, including the looting of humanitarian commodities, are unacceptable and only prolong the suffering of vulnerable populations already facing a dire humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia.

“We urge all sides to de-escalate tensions immediately, adhere to the ceasefire, and return to the negotiating table. We also call on our partners in the international community to remain focused on promoting a peaceful end to this crisis. Ethiopia’s future depends on all parties to this conflict operating in good faith in finding a path to a lasting peace.”

TPLF looting

USAID has complained that organizations attempting to provide humanitarian assistance in Ethiopia’s Afar, Amhara and Tigray regions are facing unacceptable interference—including detentions, looting of fuel, and vehicle seizures.

The World Food Programme (WFP) has accused Tigray People’s Liberation Front fighters of looting 570,000 liters of fuel from the UN agency’s warehouse in the region. The UN said TPLF forces stole 12 fuel trucks from a WFP warehouse in Mekelle, the capital of Tigray.

Tigrayan forces, on the morning of August 24, “forcibly entered” the WFP warehouse in Mekelle and “stole” 12 truck tankers containing 570,000 litres of fuel, UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told reporters.

 

2 thoughts on “Ethiopia: Washington update – September 1, 2022”

  1. እንደምናችሁ!

    Ethiopia vs. the White Supremacist West [WSW]: Instead of siding with Ethiopia to bring TPLF to justice [for Crimes against Humanity], TPLF’s WSW sponsors imposed embargoes/sanctions on Victim Ethiopia. Rather than aid for Affars & Amharas displaced by TPLF, the WSW sent aid to the aggressor TPLF. Endless list of Anti-Ethiopia crimes!

    Concern for Ethiopia means EQUAL concern for all its 86 ethnics. The TPLF-OLF/OLA Savages kill & displace Oromos, Amharas, Beni-Shanguls, etc. Yet, most articles I see are all about Amharas. So, why do Amhara Activists wear the Ethiopia Activists’ Hat?

    If the 1991 EPLF-TPLF-engineered Ethnicization of Ethiopia is so despicable, why become Ethnic Crusaders and promote the EPLF-TPLF’s venomous Ethnicization of Ethiopia? Why become the EPLF-TPLF’s Disciple if one hates them and loves Ethiopia?

    When Tigres, Oromos, etc. err, it is Wrong! When Amharas err, it is Right! Why not use the same yardstick for mirror-image scenarios? Why not practice what we preach? Else, how are we going to Right the Inter-Ethnic Wrongs if we keep spiralling down this path?

    Charity Starts at Home: During my many trips to Gojjam & Gonder, I saw that Gojjamés & Gonderés are the least welcoming to Ethiopians! But, they are White & Arab Pleasers! GO & SEE! Yet, they are the majority of the >20 million Amharas living in other Zones.

    i_Mognu / don_Q

  2. For me this is all but saddening. At this stage of my high mileage life on this blessed earth the last news I wish and like to hear is about those young people killing each other for some stupid reasons. I say stupid because every one of the issues that has been bedeviling that gem of the colored could have been amicably dealt with and solved peacefully. It happened that those issues were picked up by those who were irreversibly infected with a demonic ideology that preaches that issues can only solved by violent means where the society is divided into classes with one class deemed to be mortal enemy of the others. Solutions can only be solved through welding political power and political power, according to these sick minds, comes only out of the barrels of the gun. Debre and his goons dug trenches around their region so it will be dangerous to come in or get out and they claimed that they are surrounded. They claim their region ‘demands’ self-determination up to and including secession and vowed to fight for it to the last. They have told us that such demand can only be achieved through armed insurrection and the barrels of the gun. Then they send the gullible youth to its inevitable demise from their comfy rabbit holes. Woe, woe, woe! When will this slaughtering of the youth will come to an end? When will it stop? I am just totally crestfallen!!!

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