Ethiopian Diaspora Organizations Statement Incarceration of Fanno Leaders

August 3, 2022

Statement of Ethiopian Diaspora Organizations on The Continued Incarceration of Fanno Leaders And The Hunger Strike in London to Protest Amhara Genocide  

Gallant FANO are seen lined up (Photo: file/SM)

Washington D.C.

We, leaders of organizations listed below, express our solidarity with the brave Ethiopian women who have been on a hunger strike in London for the last two weeks to expose to the world the ongoing Amhara Genocide in Ethiopia, primarily in the Oromia Regional State, Wellega Zone; Benshangul Gumuz Region; and Northern Shoa Zones of the Amhara Regional State. 

The brave activists have been compelled to go on a hunger strike 

because the international media and communities have so far chosen to ignore the plights of the Amhara people, who are brutally murdered on a daily basis for who they are by the barbaric and genocidal Oromo Liberation Front Army (OLF-A) that is also being supported by certain elements of the federal and regional governments. 

Astonishingly, to date, the British government and the international media have not addressed the protests of these brave and selfless activists. This is another testament of the biases of Western countries and their media against the Amhara people who have not been given the same treatment as the terrorist Tigre and Oromo extremists. We strongly condemn the partisanship of the Western media for ignoring these dedicated Ethiopians that are on hunger strike some of whom are now under intensive care. 

We also denounce the Ethiopian Federal Government for continuing the incarceration of the  following Fanno leaders after the Amhara Regional State Supreme Court ordered their release on bail: 

∙ Dr. Wondwossen Asefa 

∙ Mr. Getahun Berie 

∙ Mr. EsayiyasDemeke 

∙ Ms. Shitayie Yetiwale 

∙ Ms. Sewasew Aragaw 

∙ Dr. Tadesse Tesfa-Selasssie 

∙ Major Daniel Asress 

∙ Mr. Abebe Mulatu 

∙ Mr. Natinaiel Abebaw 

∙ Mr. Eyobibied Alemayhu 

∙ Mr. Sitotaw Melkie 

∙ Mr. Tadese Fikir 

∙ Mr. Atinkut Sertse-Dingil 

∙ Mr. Gebeyhu Mola. 

These are leaders who put their lives on the line, when the Ethiopian Federal and Regional  Governments mobilized them to defend Ethiopia from the terrorist TPLF aggressors last  year. Now, the federal government is hunting them down as it treacherously prepares for  negotiations with the same group it had declared as a terrorist organization two years ago.  

We, therefore, demand: 

∙ The international media, governments and organizations address the petitions of the hunger strikers without bias and prejudice.  

∙ The aforementioned Fanno leaders be released unconditionally effective immediately: ∙ The Oromia Regional State security forces stop blockading Amhara citizens of Ethiopia  from entering their capital city, Addis Ababa. 

∙ The Federal Ethiopian Government must end Amhara Genocide in Ethiopia now. ∙ The Federal Government must release political prisoners such as Tadios Tantu,  Temesgen Desalegn, and other journalists and prisoners of conscious. 

Signatories: 

1. Adwa Great African Victory Association (AGAVA) 

2. All Shewa Ethiopian People Multipurpose International Association 

3. The Amhara Association in Queensland, Australia 

4. Amhara Dimtse Serechit 

5. Amhara Wellbeing and Development Association 

6. Communities of Ethiopians in Finland 

7. Concerned Amharas in the Diaspora 

8. Ethio-Canadian Human Rights Association 

9. The Ethiopian Broadcast Group 

10.Ethiopian Civic Development Council (ECDC) 

11.Freedom and Justice for Telemt Amhara 

12.Global Alliance for Justice – The Ethiopian Cause 

13.Global Amhara Coalition 

14.Gonder Hibret for Ethiopian Unity 

15.Major Lemma Woldetsadik Memorial Foundation 

16.Network of Ethiopian Scholars (NES) 

17.Radio Yenesew Ethiopia 

18.Selassie Stand Up, Inc. 

19.Vision Ethiopia 

20.Worldwide Ethiopian Civic Associations Network (WE-CAN)