Residents in a town within Ethiopia’s Amhara region reported that government soldiers killed a number of civilians last month by going from door to door. The violence reportedly occurred following confrontations with a local militia.
The recent deaths in Merawi seem to be one of the most fatal incidents in Amhara since a revolt led by Fano, a militant Amhara organization, began last year due to a disagreement over disarming local forces.
In the two-year conflict against the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), the Fano joined forces with Ethiopia’s federal military. The war ended in November 2022. However, the government began to view the Fano and other regional forces as a challenge to its power.
The Ethiopian government has prohibited journalists from visiting the Amhara region, which has become a place with little regard for laws, and has also shut off internet access. The Guardian communicated with individuals in Merawi via telephone. All sources requested to remain anonymous due to concerns of consequences.
According to witnesses, the violence began on January 29th after a prolonged battle between federal troops and members of the Fano militia. After the militia withdrew, soldiers entered homes and singled out civilians, accusing them of being combatants.
A witness reported spending the day at home, feeling fearful and hearing constant gunshots throughout the town. They also mentioned that civilian areas were hit by artillery.
The following day, he ventured outside and witnessed “at least 34 corpses” scattered on the road, which were subsequently gathered by members of the community. According to him, some of the bodies had been fatally shot in the head, resulting in “complete destruction of their facial features”.
On January 30th, a second witness, an Orthodox priest, arrived in Merawi and reported seeing approximately 50 deceased bodies on the city’s main road. According to the priest, many of the victims appeared to have been executed with a gunshot to their heads.
According to the priest, his brother was murdered in a violent attack. He was shot multiple times on his doorstep by soldiers who also took his money and phone.
A third individual reported that they were aware of 45 casualties, including their own brother who had been found with bullets lodged in their head. They stated that the violence occurred over a span of two days, during which soldiers forcefully entered homes and broke down doors.
The oldest civil society organization in Ethiopia, the Ethiopian Human Rights Council, reported that over 80 civilians have died. They released a statement on Tuesday urging for further investigations. While they did not specify who they believe is responsible for the killings, they are calling on the government to legally hold those responsible accountable.
The US government expressed deep concern over reports and urged for a thorough investigation, according to US ambassador to Ethiopia, Ervin Massinga.
Ethiopia’s parliament has prolonged the state of emergency that was implemented in August to suppress the turmoil. Daniel Bekele, leader of the government’s human rights organization, expressed deep worry over the extension of the emergency, pointing to increasing harm to civilians, detentions before trial, and urgent humanitarian demands.
According to Daniel, the Guardian was informed that his group is still in the process of investigating the killings in Merawi. They have also recorded various forms of mistreatment in Amhara since August, such as attacks on civilian populations, arrests and killings based on ethnicity. In November, Human Rights Watch stated that the authorities have used previous oppressive methods to restrict access to timely information and unbiased examination.
The prime minister, Abiy Ahmed, appealed to “extremists in the Amhara region” and rebels in the nearby state of Oromia to give up their weapons and engage in peaceful political activism on Tuesday. He also mentioned that numerous individuals who were detained during the state of emergency have been rehabilitated and set free.
In April 2023, the government led by Abiy declared a proposal to incorporate regional forces into the federal military and police, resulting in conflicts. In August, members of the Fano militia, who have extensive backing in Amhara, briefly gained control of various towns and airports in the area, leading to intense street fights and large-scale demonstrations.
Following that, they have withdrawn into the hilly rural areas, conducting a guerrilla operation of surprise attacks and frequently looting police stations in town to acquire arms. The United States and the United Kingdom discourage any travel to Amhara, where many of Ethiopia’s popular tourist destinations are located.
The government remains committed to proceeding with its proposal to host a significant summit on peace and security in the regional hub of Bahir Dar in April. According to a western diplomat, the summit will involve heads of state, although some invitees have expressed objections. Bahir Dar is located just 18 miles north of Merawi. Originally scheduled for October, the summit was delayed by the organizers due to unexpected circumstances.
Humanitarian aid workers report that the ongoing insecurity is hindering the distribution of food to those in need in the area. The federal ombudsman has also confirmed that many individuals have died from starvation due to a severe drought and the aftermath of the Tigray conflict, which has also affected the neighboring region of Amhara. In addition, hundreds of deaths from starvation have been documented in Tigray.
Amhara regional forces, including the Fano group, have been accused of carrying out a violent campaign of ethnic cleansing in western Tigray since November 2020. This region is claimed by the forces as their own and they attempted to annex it during the conflict with the TPLF.
The Ethiopian authorities were unavailable for comment.
Source: theguardian.com
