By: Eyob Tilahun Abera

Abiy’s conspiracy politics, his intention of exacerbating political problems through military action, and his overall failed politics resulted in grave human rights abuse. It is unlikely to get winds of peace to protect human rights abuse in Ethiopia if Abiy’s regime stays in power.

Abiy’s forces and killer squads tirelessly killing and jailing innocent civilians, and nothing has been done to hold criminals accountable because the perpetrators are indirectly the authorities. The country’s human rights situation is at its worst, and there is a risk of future atrocity crimes.

In the 21st century, Abiy is doing inhumane acts like the Nazis, who picked and profiled specific ethnic and social groups and then jailed them in the concentration camps from 1933.

Abiy is committing extrajudicial killing (red terror) against civilians like that which was committed by Mengistu Haile-Mariamin in 1970 against his opponents. Abiy easily and early broke the red terror record held by Mengistu, and he frequently broke his human rights abuse records.

Unfortunately, hundreds of thousands of civilians of ethnic Amhara, including children, women, and elderly people are being killed, jailed, and detained in concentration camps. Many are dying due to starvation, disease, suffocation, overcrowding, unhygienic conditions, and horrific torture. Abiy is using hunger as a weapon against Amhara like he did against Tigrayans during the war.   

Also, waves of journalists, politicians, critics, activists, writers, bloggers, opponents, and others who stood against the regime were jailed in an inhumane way. It includes Christian Tadele, an outspoken opposition lawmaker who has immunity from arrest as a member of parliament.

In the ongoing war in the Amhara region, Abiy’s forces targeted civilians and their properties, and as a result, unprecedented mass killings and casualties were continuously recorded.

Abiy’s forces killed tens of hundreds of civilians through drone attacks, and airstrikes, particularly in Finote Selam and recently in  Dembecha and Quarit, and house-to-house searches.

Abiy’s forces continued committing war crimes and crimes against humanity. Because Abiy geared them to be the guardians of his power instead of public and national security. Abiy’s loyal military commanders ordered troops to kill people whenever they opposed the regime.

Let it be clear: Abiy’s forces are fighting against civilians and committing atrocities across the Amhara region. So, the international community should put pressure on Abiy to stop the unjust war declared against the people of Amhara, unsubstantiated mass detention,  jail, and torture.