Why Ethiopians and the International Community Should Support the Fano Movement?

By Dr. Meseret Tessema

Fano’s Just Cause for Armed Resistance

The Fano movement in Ethiopia is a response to significant injustices and systemic abuses against the Amhara people. The Amhara community faces existential threats, lives under a harsh state of emergency, and suffers from discrimination under a constitutionalized ethnic apartheid system. Civil political struggle has become impossible under the Abiy Ahmed government, with political leaders, activists, and journalists incarcerated. Fano’s armed resistance is justified by ongoing genocide, ethnic cleansing, and atrocities committed by groups like the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF-Shene), the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), and current state actors. These aggressions have inflicted severe human and material losses on the Amhara community, prompting the rise of the Fano resistance movement.

Genocide, Ethnic Cleansing, and Atrocities

The Amhara people have been targeted by ethnic violence amounting to genocide and ethnic cleansing. The Abiy Ahmed government, OLF-Shene, and TPLF have systematically attacked Amhara communities, leading to widespread atrocities. These include mass killings, torture, rape, mass arrests, and other inhumane acts including drone strikes on civilians, designed to terrorize and displace the Amhara people, including denying them entry to the state capital, Addis Ababa. These actions have resulted in substantial loss of life and property, as well as profound psychological trauma and social disruption.

Displacement and Humanitarian Crisis

Millions of Amharas have been forcibly displaced from their homes in Oromia, Benishangul, Woqait-Tegede, and Raya, creating one of Ethiopia’s most severe humanitarian crises. The displaced populations face dire conditions, lacking access to basic necessities such as food, shelter, and medical care. This displacement disrupts lives and livelihoods, causing long-term instability and suffering.

Systematic Impoverishment Economic Exclusion and Persecution

Over the last three decades, the Amhara region has been deliberately impoverished through government policies that neglect infrastructure development and economic investment. As a result, the Region suffers from some of the poorest infrastructure in the country, including inadequate roads, schools, and healthcare facilities. The census was manipulated to reduce the recorded population of Amhara, leading to a decrease in the federal budget allocation and other local and international financial supports. This neglect has trapped the Amhara people in a cycle of poverty that is difficult to break.

Amharas have been systematically excluded from the economic system and face ongoing persecution. Economic opportunities are often denied to them, and they are marginalized in both public and private sectors. This exclusion has compounded the economic difficulties faced by the Amhara community and has contributed to widespread poverty and underdevelopment.

Fano’s Goal of Liberation and Unification

Fano’s objectives go beyond the defense of the Amhara people; they aim to work with all Ethiopians to liberate them from the constraints of ethnic apartheid and to democratize and unify the nation.

Advocating for Individual Rights

Fano distinguishes itself, akin to many developed nations, by advocating for the rights of individual citizens, irrespective of ethnic origin, rather than solely focusing on ethnic group rights. This perspective fosters a more inclusive and equitable society where the rights of all Ethiopians are upheld and safeguarded. Fano’s approach aims to transcend ethnic divisions and foster a cohesive national identity.

Countering Separatist Movements

Unlike other tribal armed groups like the OLF and TPLF, which were formed with the aim of separating their ethnic regions from Ethiopia, Fano’s vision is inclusive. These groups, along with Abiy Ahmed’s Prosperity Party, have pursued agendas that fragment Ethiopia along ethnic lines, exacerbating divisions, inciting conflict, and threatening the unity of the nation. Fano advocates for a united, democratic Ethiopia where the rule of law is upheld and respected.

Demonstrated Discipline and Civilian Protection

Fano has demonstrated remarkable discipline in its operations, maintaining a strong commitment to protecting civilians and public property. In contrast, groups like OLF-Shene and TPLF resort to robbing banks and vandalizing and looting public properties. Meanwhile, Abiy Ahmed and his associates are embroiled in grand corruption, squandering hard-earned money on vanity projects such as the fifteen-billion-dollar palace. Unlike many armed groups and the Abiy’s regime, which often end up harming the very people they claim to defend, Fano, the Amhara public resistance movement, has shown an ability to conduct its activities while minimizing harm to non-combatants. This discipline has earned them respect and support from various segments of the population.

Supporting Fano for Sustainable Peace, Democracy, and Development

To achieve sustainable peace, democracy, and development in Ethiopia, supporting the Fano movement is crucial. The systemic issues confronting the Amhara people are not isolated incidents but rather part of a broader pattern of ethnic discrimination, ethnic apartheid, and political marginalization that permeates the entire country. Backing Fano represents a significant stride toward rectifying these injustices and constructing a more equitable and unified Ethiopia.

Path to Sustainable Peace

By addressing the root causes of ethnic conflict and striving for inclusive governance, Fano contributes to the foundation of lasting peace. Their commitment to protecting civilians and advocating for individual rights fosters a more inclusive, harmonious, and just society.

Democracy and Development

Fano’s vision aligns with the principles of democracy and development. By promoting individual rights and fighting against ethnic apartheid, they lay the groundwork for a democratic society where every citizen has the opportunity to thrive. Supporting Fano is, therefore, an investment in Ethiopia’s democratic future and its potential for development in the region.

In conclusion, the Fano movement represents a legitimate and necessary response to systemic injustices faced by the Amhara people. Their goals of liberation, unification, and the protection of individual rights align with the broader aspirations for peace, democracy, and development in Ethiopia. Ethiopians and the international community must support the Fano movement to create a more just, inclusive, and prosperous nation, anchoring stability in the Horn of Africa.