September 18, 2019
Over the past four months, a cross-section of Ethiopians deeply concerned about the deteriorating human rights situation in Ethiopia, especially the wholesale incarceration, harassment, persecution, torture, ethnically-oriented displacement of Amharas by targeting youth; and the burning of at least 21 Ethiopian Orthodox Churches; and the murders of clergy felt obligated to make their voices heard in unison.
After numerous teleconferences and individual and bilateral consultations with existing Amhara civil society organizations including ADMAS, AAA, AMBA, MORESH and with a limited number of chapters organized in Las Vegas and Arizona, our sense of urgency for solidarity and collaborative work among Amhara entities in the Diaspora was confirmed. This is the reason behind the proposed umbrella organization, the Global Amhara Organization that is still in the process of formation.
We concluded that Amharas face imminent threat of genocide regardless of where they live in Ethiopia. Their plight is one of sheer survival. The survival of the Amhara people is essential in order to avert civil war and genocide; and to prevent Ethiopia from total Balkanization.
In the light of the above consensus among key drivers of the movement towards the formation of one strong, competent and representative umbrella organization that will mobilize resources across the globe and channel them to bolster those who face formidable odds in defense of the Amhara population, we embraced the overarching theme of “To Save the Amhara is to save Ethiopia” and called for an All-Inclusive Amhara Convention.
The historical two days convention has began with a prayer led by the holy Arch Bishop Philipos of Pennsylvania, Baltimore Yesus Church and the Member of Holy Synod Orthodox Church of Ethiopia. Arch Bishop Philipos has condemned the persecution, the massacre, the harassment, and the detention of the Orthodox faith religious leaders and its vast followers, including the burning of the 31 churches. Arch Bishop has stressed the obligations of citizens to protect the Ethiopian Orthodox synod by standing firm in solidary to keep our sacred unity.
While we recognize the pitfalls of a hastily arranged Convention, we would like to inform you that invitations to attend and shape the direction of the Convention were extended to critical and essential Amhara civil society organizations. We are delighted to note that ADMAS attended and contributed immensely to the roadmap ahead. Al together, a total of 16 organizations inclining 7 civil society and political entities and 8-chapter representatives attended the Convention. Their inputs are invaluable and commendable.
The September 14-15 2019 Convention discussed and endorsed the following primary objectives:
- Not to establish another and competing organization that further diminishes the Amhara and Ethiopian cause; and, instead to focus on the formation of an all-inclusive Convention that will lead to the formation of a global umbrella organization abroad;
- To reach out to and to bring all Amhara stakeholders under one roof; and together to hammer out the socioeconomic, political, cultural, diplomatic, financial and information hurdles, challenges and opportunities facing the Amharas in the homeland that will drive our priorities;
- Discussed and agreed on a framework, a road-map and practical and concrete organizational, collaborative, working relationship other practical steps in support of Amhara stakeholders in Ethiopia; and agreed to change the propagation of false narratives and demonization of the Amhara; and to mitigate risks that arise from character assassinations and other cyber linked assaults of Amara intellectuals, persons and organizations;
- Agreed to strengthen Amhara material, financial and intellectual capacity and capability by establishing a global or umbrella consortium or coordinating structure and other concrete deliverables within a time frame of between 4 and 6 months if not sooner;
- Notionally and conceptually discussed and arrived at a sacred covenant that together Amhara, allies and their other Ethiopian friends and their engagement and participation will contribute in cementing unity that is essential in helping the Amhara from all forms of assaults; and in preventing the collapse and disintegration of Ethiopia; and,
- Determined that preliminary priorities include large-scale membership and grassroots level chapter and association formation drive, regular and innovative income generation in the form of an Amhara Support Fund, outreach work in the form of integrated and global lobbying, partnership with Ethiopia based organizations and formation of partnerships with other Ethiopian civil society organizations across the globe.
መሰናክል አንሁን” ከሙሉመቤት ገ/ዮሃንስ
መስራት የማይወዱ፤
መጀመርን እንጂ መጨረስ አይችሉ፤
ወይ ፀንተው አይቆሙ ወይ አይከተሉ፤
እንቅፋት የሆኑ ብዙ ሰዎች አሉ፤
መቻቻል መታገስ ያልለመደላቸው፤
ጥቂት ሰርተው ማቆም ችግር ሲገጥማቸው፤
ትንሽ ኃይል ሲል ማጣፊያው ሲያጥራቸው፤
ለኛ ይሁን ሳይሆን ለኔ ልማዳቸው፤
ጥሩ ልምድ ለሰው የማያካፍሉ፤
የዕድሜ ባለፀጋ አዛውንት ሳይሉ፤
ለታላላቃቸው ክብርን ከማይሰጡ፤
ለራስ ብልፅግና ከሚሽቀዳደሙ፤
በተግባር መርምረው ሃቁን ሳይረዱ፤
በቃላት ሽንገላ አምነው አይጎዱ።”
እባካችሁ ለሰርጎ ገቦች ቦታ አንስጣቸው። የእህታችን ምክር እንስማ!!
Respectfully yours,
Dr. Ambachew Woreta, Chairman, Coordinating Committee, GAC
Other contacts: tsigeredam2020@gmail.com and tefera212@yahoo.com
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