(For immediate release)
APU is deeply disheartened by the recent news of killings of church members in Weybella Mariam, Burayu Ashewa Meda, by Oromia Police Force as well as Organized groups to disrupt the celebration of the sacred and world renowned Timket (Epiphany) Feast. Oromia Police, tear gassed the celebrants of the feast and shot killing three members of the Orthodox Church injuring many more. This is specially alarming since in the past three years officials in the regional government have constitutionally been prohibiting, and interfering with religious ceremonies of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church under false narratives to create division and hostility among different religious groups. We would like to thank all Ethiopians who expressed their anguish and valid outrage at the perpetrators of this heinous crime be it government officials, paid street gangs, or any other forces behind such provocative planning and killings. Military grade armored vehicles were used against the peaceful church celebrants of the festival giving cover to the criminal gangs who came out in drove to disrupt the sacred festival of the church.
APU supports all peaceful demonstrations against state sanctioned crimes and such violent groups whose aim is to destabilize the region, create anarchy, for the advancement of their own hidden political agenda. We are also deeply concerned by the continued genocide, ethnic cleansing, as well as general worsening conditions of Amharas in Ethiopia and the failure of the federal and the regional governments to relieve the sufferings in the newly liberated areas.
Recent involvement of government officials in events that gives the semblance of a “post-war” era while Amhara and Afar regions are not completely free from the invading TPLF, and OLA armies demonstrates lack of sensitivity by these government groups and contribute to the prolonged sufferings of the Amhara people that has continued for nearly half a century. We do not separate this most recent attack from that of the silent genocide attacks that is currently happening in Raya Alamata, Shewa Derra, Metekel, Horugudru, or any other region in Ethiopia that has witnessed the mass killings of Amhara citizens by TPLF, and OLA forces who have burned churches, mosques, raped and killed elderly & young women, wives of priests and little children as young as five and executed them afterwards.
APU in the strongest term condemns these acts of violence against innocent Ethiopian citizens and holds the federal and local governments responsible to see justice is fully served to victims families. We believe now more than ever the country has a chance to outlaw ethnic based apartheid system that has been imposed to serve the interest of few internal and external enemies of Ethiopia and its citizens.
Amhara Professionals Union (APU)
Washington D.C. January 24, 2022