The Interest Of All

Just months after the return of peace in the Tigray region, another crisis is ongoing in Ethiopia. This time around it is in the northern part of the country where Amhara federal forces known as the “Fano” are fighting against the country’s national military. After throwing their full support behind the central government, the local militia had expected that, the government should support their claim in the dispute with Tigray over mineral rich northern Tigray. But this was not the case during the November 2022 truce that ended the war. Instead of support, the central government a few weeks after, announced the disarming of the local militia. The decision that did not go down well in the ranks of the Amhara militia, also triggered political violence that has reached new levels. Today, the northern region of Amhara, has become one of the most unstable areas in the country. 
But because the conflict poses a significant threat to security in Ethiopia as the region’s support is a cornerstone of the Abiy administration, it is absolutely necessary for the central and federal government to seek ways of stabilizing the region in order to avoid further escalation. To bring the present situation under control, it is imperative for both sides to put onto the table constructive propositions. The government that has the yam and the knife should extend a hand of peace. This is because even if the Amhara rebellion is in retreat for now, the escalation in violence is a reminder of how precarious the federal government’s hold is over a bitterly divided country. It also highlights the flaws of the narrow peace deal that ended the fighting...