Ethiopia in Crisis: Ending Ethnic Rule and Holding Abiy Ahmed Accountable
Posted: 18 Oct 2025, 18:51
Ethiopia is facing one of the darkest chapters in its modern history. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, once hailed as a reformer and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, now stands accused of overseeing a campaign of ethnic violence, war crimes, and the breakdown of national unity.
At the heart of the crisis lies the weaponization of ethnicity and the rise of Oromo political hegemony, as Abiy and his ruling Prosperity Party draw almost exclusively from Oromo elites in government, security, and intelligence structures. Rather than promoting national reconciliation, Abiy has delivered toxic, ethnonationalist speeches that have inflamed tensions and justified the use of brutal force against other ethnic groups — most notably the Amhara.
Ethnic Cleansing in the Name of Unity
In the Amhara region, Abiy's government is waging a full-scale war disguised as a “law enforcement operation.” Civilians are being bombed by drones, displaced, arbitrarily arrested, and executed. Recent atrocities — such as the public killing and mutilation of a female Fano resistance fighter — mirror the horrific crimes committed during the Tigray War. The same patterns of indiscriminate violence, starvation, and dehumanization are now repeating themselves.
What makes this more dangerous is that the state is no longer neutral. The ENDF, supported by Oromo paramilitary forces, is being used to enforce an ethnic-based authoritarian system, while dissenting voices — whether journalists, activists, or opposition leaders — are silenced through arrests or intimidation.
Collapse of Federalism and the Need for Transition
Ethiopia’s ethnic federal system, once intended to empower diverse communities, has instead become a tool for division, ethnic domination, and political abuse. Under Abiy’s rule, federalism has turned into ethnic apartheid, where power is consolidated by one group at the expense of others.
This structure is no longer sustainable.
To prevent the complete collapse of the country and the outbreak of regional war — as tensions grow with Sudan and Eritrea — the international community must act now.
Urgent Demands for Peace and Justice
International Accountability
Independent investigations by the UN, ICC, and African Union into war crimes and crimes against humanity must begin immediately.
End Ethnic Politics
Ethiopia needs a transitional government, free from ethnic partisanship, to oversee a move toward citizen-based democracy — not ethnic identity politics.
Sanctions and Pressure
World powers must place targeted sanctions on Abiy’s officials and demand the resignation or removal of the current regime in favor of an inclusive peace process.
Protect Civilians
Humanitarian access, civilian protections, and support for internally displaced people must be guaranteed — particularly in Amhara, Oromia, and other conflict zones.
Conclusion: A Nation at the Brink
Abiy Ahmed’s administration has not only violated the principles of his Nobel Peace Prize — it has brought Ethiopia to the edge of civil collapse and regional war. His use of state power to enforce ethnic rule and repression is not governance — it is a crime.
The world must no longer stay silent. Ethiopia needs justice, unity, and a post-ethnic political order. The time to act — to stop war, end ethnic rule, and build a transitional future — is now.
At the heart of the crisis lies the weaponization of ethnicity and the rise of Oromo political hegemony, as Abiy and his ruling Prosperity Party draw almost exclusively from Oromo elites in government, security, and intelligence structures. Rather than promoting national reconciliation, Abiy has delivered toxic, ethnonationalist speeches that have inflamed tensions and justified the use of brutal force against other ethnic groups — most notably the Amhara.
Ethnic Cleansing in the Name of Unity
In the Amhara region, Abiy's government is waging a full-scale war disguised as a “law enforcement operation.” Civilians are being bombed by drones, displaced, arbitrarily arrested, and executed. Recent atrocities — such as the public killing and mutilation of a female Fano resistance fighter — mirror the horrific crimes committed during the Tigray War. The same patterns of indiscriminate violence, starvation, and dehumanization are now repeating themselves.
What makes this more dangerous is that the state is no longer neutral. The ENDF, supported by Oromo paramilitary forces, is being used to enforce an ethnic-based authoritarian system, while dissenting voices — whether journalists, activists, or opposition leaders — are silenced through arrests or intimidation.
Collapse of Federalism and the Need for Transition
Ethiopia’s ethnic federal system, once intended to empower diverse communities, has instead become a tool for division, ethnic domination, and political abuse. Under Abiy’s rule, federalism has turned into ethnic apartheid, where power is consolidated by one group at the expense of others.
This structure is no longer sustainable.
To prevent the complete collapse of the country and the outbreak of regional war — as tensions grow with Sudan and Eritrea — the international community must act now.
Urgent Demands for Peace and Justice
International Accountability
Independent investigations by the UN, ICC, and African Union into war crimes and crimes against humanity must begin immediately.
End Ethnic Politics
Ethiopia needs a transitional government, free from ethnic partisanship, to oversee a move toward citizen-based democracy — not ethnic identity politics.
Sanctions and Pressure
World powers must place targeted sanctions on Abiy’s officials and demand the resignation or removal of the current regime in favor of an inclusive peace process.
Protect Civilians
Humanitarian access, civilian protections, and support for internally displaced people must be guaranteed — particularly in Amhara, Oromia, and other conflict zones.
Conclusion: A Nation at the Brink
Abiy Ahmed’s administration has not only violated the principles of his Nobel Peace Prize — it has brought Ethiopia to the edge of civil collapse and regional war. His use of state power to enforce ethnic rule and repression is not governance — it is a crime.
The world must no longer stay silent. Ethiopia needs justice, unity, and a post-ethnic political order. The time to act — to stop war, end ethnic rule, and build a transitional future — is now.