Friday July 19, 2019
About a year ago, all was well as Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed visited three cities in the United States for the sole purpose of meeting with Ethiopians. His presence was a unifying factor. Ethiopians with different political convictions came together to meet with Abiy Ahmed as there was a very high regard for him.
Over the course of the year after his visit, opinion about Abiy Ahmed is divided on political grounds. The hope was that he will unite Ethiopia and bring about peace, security and unity. Against the anticipation of Ethiopians, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s administration proved to be either incapable or unwilling to achieve those ideals.
Over three million Ethiopians were displaced locally due to ethnic based violence and security problem has become prevalent across Ethiopia, even in the capital Addis Ababa which is known as Africa’s city of diplomats.
Furthermore, there is now a growing skepticism that Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s administration is serving the causes of radical Oromo nationalists at the expense of the rest of Ethiopians. In fact, there have been hundreds of arrests in the country mostly targeting ethnic Amhara’s after the June 22 incident in Bahir Dar and Addis Ababa which the Ethiopian government describe as “a coup d’etat.”
At least two senior security officials are arrested in Amhara region ( colonel Alebel Amare and Brigadier General Tefera Mamo). Hundreds of members of one of the newest Ethiopian opposition groups, National Movement of Amhara (NaMA) are arrested. Members of the Baladera Council of Addis Ababa who are advocating for the city demanding an elected administration for the city, rather than a political appointee, are arrested.
The development has highly alarmed most Ethiopians that the government of Abiy Ahmed has a goal along the line of advancing radical oromo nationalism in the arrest.
The opposition in the diaspora could be seen in the above context. Today, those who oppose Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed ( some of the figures were ardent supporters about a year ago) protested in Washington against his administration. But there were also those who support his administration (some of them were hoisting radical Oromo nationalist – Oromo Liberation Front – flags). In the ensuing hours, there was a clash between the two groups and police in Washington has made an arrest, as seen in the video below. We will update readers as more information becomes available.