A Call to Action: Prevent Genocide in Ethiopia’s Amhara Region
Ethiopia’s Amhara region is in the grip of a rapidly escalating crisis, marked by widespread violence, mass displacement, and immense human suffering. The violence is tearing communities apart, targeting civilians, and driving the region into chaos.
The warning signs are clear: the Amhara region is on the path to genocide. This is not a time for silence or indifference. The international community must act now—before it is too late.
We call on world leaders, human rights organizations, and international institutions to:
- Launch independent investigations into the atrocities being committed.
- Demand accountability from all parties responsible for the violence.
- Take concrete measures to prevent further atrocities and protect innocent civilians.
History will judge how the world responds. We must stand together to uphold the values of humanity, justice, and peace. The people of Amhara—and all Ethiopians—deserve to live free from fear and violence.
Ethiopia’s economic situation is deteriorating rapidly. Monthly inflation has soared to alarming levels while youth unemployment remains dangerously high. This combination creates a volatile environment.
Young people see no opportunity and have nothing to hope for, creating the real risk of violent unrest. Fundamental changes to Ethiopia’s governing structure are crucial to prevent the country from further deteriorating into crisis. By disregarding even the most basic human rights, the Abiy regime risks turning Ethiopia into a failed state. The consequences would be devastating: widespread suffering for Ethiopians, regional destabilization across the Horn of Africa, and the emergence of safe havens for extremist groups.
Ethiopians understand that the future of their nation ultimately rests in their own hands. However, they also believe that the United States can play a meaningful role, both as a partner and a source of inspiration, in the pursuit of human rights, democratic governance, and long-term stability.
The U.S. government should pursue a three-pronged strategy focused on:
- Cessation of hostilities to prevent further bloodshed and displacement.
- Targeted sanctions against those responsible for human rights abuses and obstruction of peace.
- Support for constitutional reform to lay the groundwork for inclusive, democratic governance.
We are working to secure meeting space at the U.S. Senate to discuss the deteriorating human rights situation in Ethiopia and the ongoing constitutional conference.
This gathering comes at a critical juncture, as Ethiopia stands at a crossroads. It is essential to find common ground to address the suffering of all citizens—especially the Amhara people—and to work toward unity among Ethiopia’s diverse ethnic groups. Our goal is to foster dialogue and collaboration to build a peaceful and inclusive future for one united Ethiopia.
Healthcare workers in crisis
In Ethiopia, healthcare professionals are being harassed and jailed for demanding fair wages and improved living conditions. These frontline workers are facing increasingly dire circumstances, and their calls for justice cannot be ignored.
The government must engage with their demands before the crisis deepens. Failure to act risks triggering broader unrest, as other professional associations may soon follow the example set by healthcare workers.
Setting the record straight on the GERD
The Ethiopian government has firmly rejected recent claims by President Donald Trump regarding financial support for the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD). In a statement issued by the Public Coordination Office for the GERD, officials emphasized that the dam’s construction has been funded entirely by Ethiopians, not foreign donors.
Ethiopia maintains that outstanding issues related to the equitable use of the Blue Nile’s waters can and should be resolved through ongoing tripartite negotiations with Egypt and Sudan. A clear understanding of the underlying facts is essential to appreciating the stakes involved.
Although 85 percent of the Nile’s water originates in Ethiopia, specifically from the Blue Nile, Ethiopians have historically derived minimal benefit from the river. The GERD represents a long-overdue step toward rectifying that imbalance. It will play a critical role in addressing Ethiopia’s severe energy deficit. Currently, 83 percent of the population lacks access to electricity, and 94 percent of households rely on wood for cooking and heating. This is unsustainable, especially given that Ethiopia possesses Africa’s second-highest hydropower potential, but it has only developed 3 percent of this potential.
The GERD is also essential to Ethiopia’s food security. Today, less than 5% of irrigable land in the Blue Nile basin is cultivated, despite the country’s growing population, struggling economy, and recurrent food shortages. The underdevelopment of irrigation and water infrastructure is a direct contributor to the devastating famines that have plagued Ethiopia for decades. As of now, up to six million Ethiopians are at risk of hunger, a crisis that highlights the urgent need for long-term, structural solutions.
While the United States and other nations have provided crucial emergency food assistance, Ethiopia’s future depends on sustainable development. Large-scale water projects, such as the GERD, are necessary to break the cycle of dependency and build resilience.
The Renaissance Dam is indispensable—but it alone is not enough. Ethiopia remains one of the few countries that prohibit private ownership of agricultural land, and it is one of the few where famines continue to occur with alarming regularity. Ending that cycle will require bold policy reforms and sustained investment in infrastructure, irrigation, and energy.
Now is the time to support Ethiopia’s right to develop its resources and secure a dignified future for its people, not through charity, but through self-reliance and sovereignty.
Mesfin Mekonen
Mesfin Mekonen is the author of Washington Update, a bulletin about Ethiopia’s struggle for freedom and prosperity, and founder of MM Management.
