A Washington D.C. based coalition is calling out the Biden administration for failing to act against the Ethiopian government's human rights violations.
Voice for the Voiceless Ethiopians, a civic engagement group based in Washington D.C., took to the U.S. State Department on Tuesday to call upon the Biden administration to condemn the acts of genocide that Ethiopia is committing against several ethnic and religious groups. The group gathered to raise "public awareness about the ongoing genocide and ethnic cleansing against the Amhara and Orthodox Christians in Ethiopia."
According to the Christian Post, the Voice for the Voiceless Ethiopians coalition campaigned for the release of the leaders of Balderas for True Democracy in Ethiopia, who were illegally imprisoned without bail.
They are Eskinder Nega, Sentayehu Chekol, Aster (Qeleb) Seyoum and Askale Demele, who all condemned the ruling Oromo Peoples Democratic Organization (OPDO)-Prosperity Party's "acts of human rights abuses in Ethiopia and its policy of complete marginalization of residents of the metropolitan Addis Ababa," which is Ethiopia's capital and largest city. The three led Balderas for True Democracy, a registered Ethiopian political party.
Voice for the Voiceless Ethiopians' public relations officer Yohannes Gethaun spoke to CP, explaining that the reason why the civic organization held the protest is because they believe Ethiopia must be "governed through a transient period led by technocrats, no politicians," unlike what had been happening for 47 years now.
Gethaun also criticized Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali, who is a member of the Oromo Peoples Democratic Organization for failing to protect churches in Ethiopia.
Voice for the Voiceless Ethiopians Task Force Chairman Shimelis Legesse called Ali a "narcissist" in a press release announcing the rally on Tuesday. In it, the group outlined the "gross human rights violations" of Ali's government, including Ethiopia's genocide against over a million people in the southern part of the country, which includes members of the Amhara ethnic group and "scores of Orthodox Christians."
Gethaun expressed his dismay over the Biden administration's inaction against Ethiopia's genocide of Amhara and Orthodox Christians. He did, however, commend the Biden administration for continuing to halt aid to Ethiopian military after the Trump administration cut off "military and security aid to the existing regime."
In the same vein, Legesse wrote a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to highlight their concerns on the "absence of due attention by the USA administration" regarding Ethiopia's genocide against Amhara and Orthodox Christians, as well as the "vengeful imprisonment" of Balderas for True Democracy leaders who were captured by authorities under Ali's regime. Legesse accused the Biden administration for failing to "show concern for the plight of Amhara and Orthodox Christians in Ethiopia, who face genocide and ethnic cleansing."
Newsweek's Ramsen Shamon believes that the U.S. isn't doing enough to fight genocide around the globe today. He wrote, "It's time for President Joe Biden to stand up to those who would erase the history of Indigenous communities for their own advantage."
Shamon argued, "Governments must call genocide by its ugly name. Recognition is the first step in healing communities affected by genocide."
