Displaying items by tag: Amharas

An ongoing civil war threatens to tear Ethiopia apart. The latest event is a massacre of over 200 members of the Amhara ethnic group on 19 June. Witnesses claim the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), a group authorised by the government, was responsible. The OLA denied carrying out the killings, claiming it was committed by a militia group aligned with prime minister Abiy Ahmed and his regional government. The northern region of Tigray saw a rebellion in 2020; this massacre is the worst since then. No one is innocent in this ongoing civil war - both sides have committed mass killings, sexual violence, and ethnic cleansing. The Tigray Liberation Front has joined forces with the OLA against the government on many occasions. Mr Abiy faces many challenges trying to consolidate power among the many ethnic groups, especially the Amharas. Please pray for the different ethnic groups to realise they must work together for peace in nonviolent ways.

Survivors of a massacre at a school in the western Oromia region of Ethiopia reported that 54 ethnic Amhara were massacred, probably more. The Amhara are mostly Christians. About 60 armed terrorists, identifying themselves as the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), swept into Gawa Quanqa village, Guliso District at around 5 pm on 1 November. Some survivors were able to flee to a nearby forest while the assailants rounded up women, children and elderly who were unable to run away. Then they shot the defenceless group and burnt 120 houses. ‘This senseless attack is the latest in a series of killings in the country in which members of ethnic minorities have been deliberately targeted’, said Amnesty International.