Opinion
Ethiopia’s Silent War on Amhara: Blood, Drones, and the Cost of Power
May 27, 2025
Photo File: SM
By Zemenu Tenagne
https://borkena.com/2025/05/27/ethiopia ... -of-power/
In African history, dictators like
Idi Amin and
Omar al-Bashir are remembered for killing their own people to stay in power. Today in Ethiopia, Prime Minister
Abiy Ahmed is sadly following the same path. His war on the Amhara people shows he values power more than human life.
The Blood-Stained Reality in Amhara
On March 31, 2025, more than 40 innocent people were killed by government forces in Brakat town, North Gojjam. Among the dead were women coming back from the market, children inside their homes, and even the elderly and mentally ill. The soldiers went from house to house, not searching for justice, but shooting anyone they found.
Just a few weeks earlier, on March 2, 2025, in Jiga town, Gojjam a 2-year-old child was killed during another house search. Imagine a baby, shot in his own home by the same government that should protect him. The pain in the eyes of mothers and fathers who lost their children is hard to describe.
The towns are full of crying women. The old cannot run, so they die. The young cry out in fear when drones fly overhead.
Daily Drone Attacks and Fear From the Sky
Every day, the sky brings terror. Abiy Ahmed’s government is using drones to bomb areas in Amhara. These are not attacks on military camps. These are attacks near homes, schools, farms, and churches.
In some cases, children playing outside have been hit. Families who gather to mourn are afraid even to hold funerals in public. Residents in places like North Shewa, Gojjam, and Gondar say the sound of drones is now part of daily life. No warning is given. No reason is explained. Just death from above.
Schools Closed, Dreams Crushed
Because of the war, many schools in Amhara are closed. Children are staying home, not because they want to, but because it’s dangerous to go to class. Parents fear that their kids will not come back.
This is not just a war on people. It is a war on the future. A war on hope. A generation is being left behind.
No Sense of Ethiopian Blood
Abiy Ahmed shows no emotion, no regret. He does not visit grieving families. He does not speak with compassion. Instead, he continues the war—on television and on the ground. Why?
He wants to hold onto power at all costs.
He believes it’s time for Oromo rule, using ethnic identity to win support, while ignoring the fact that many Oromo people are also suffering.
He fears the unity of the North. He thinks Amhara, Tigray, and Eritrea will one day rise against him, so he attacks them now.
He lacks maturity as a leader. A true leader brings people together. He divides them with bullets and fear.
The World is Watching—But Not Acting
The most painful part? The international community is mostly silent. While organizations talk about peace, very few take real steps to stop the violence. The killing of children, the burning of homes, the shutting down of schools—these should bring outrage. But instead, there is quiet.
The Amhara people feel abandoned by the world.
The Amhara Region Bleeds
The soil of Amhara is wet with blood. Mothers scream at the sight of their dead children. Churches are filled with mourning. Villages are empty. Fear lives in every home. The cries of the people are not heard by their own leader.
History will not forget this. And neither will the Ethiopian people. Abiy Ahmed may silence voices today with guns and drones. But the truth will rise. The pain of the Amhara will be written in history—not just as victims, but as people who endured when the world turned its back.
Editor’s Note: Views in the article do not necessarily reflect the views of borkena.com