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Toronto – Ethiopian Organizations want the 2024 U.S.-Africa Business Summit organizers reconsider Abiy Ahmed’s participation. In a letter they wrote to Florizelle Liser, President and CEO Corporate Council on Africa, they say his presence “ risks undermining the summit’s commitment to promoting ethical business.”
The organizations shared with Borkena the letter they wrote to the organizers. It is featured below.
“Subject: Urgent Reevaluation of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s Invitation to the 2024 U.S.-Africa Business Summit
Ms. Florizelle Liser
President and CEO Corporate Council on Africa
1100 17TH Street, N.W., Suite 1200
Washington, DC 20036
Dear Madam Liser,
We, the undersigned civic organizations representing Americans of Ethiopian descent, urgently express our deep concerns regarding the potential participation of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed in the upcoming 2024 U.S.-Africa Business Summit in Dallas, Texas. Prime Minister Ahmed’s involvement in mass atrocities and severe human rights violations, including allegations of genocide and ethnic cleansing, has inflicted widespread suffering across Ethiopia.
Under his leadership, Ethiopia has descended into severe humanitarian crises marked by civilian atrocities, extrajudicial killings, mass displacement, and deliberate obstruction of humanitarian aid. His administration has systematically violated human rights, as extensively documented by reputable international organizations such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, the Lemkin Institute for Genocide Prevention, and the Committee to Protect Journalists.
Despite the Pretoria Agreement of November 2, 2022, aimed at resolving the Tigray conflict, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has expanded military operations into Amhara and Oromia, resulting in further atrocities, including extrajudicial killings, kidnappings, religious persecution, and assaults on civilians. These aggressive actions have exacerbated the humanitarian crises, leading to the deaths of thousands of civilians and the displacement of millions. Recent investigations have highlighted the involvement of the Ethiopian National Defense Forces in unlawful activities.
The ongoing violence, particularly in Amhara, characterized by martial law and frequent attacks on civilian targets, underscores severe human rights abuses and violations of international law. Additionally, a recent Reuters investigation revealed the existence of a secretive government committee, known as “Koree Nageenyaa,” responsible for ordering extrajudicial killings and illegal detentions of civilians in the Oromia region.
Furthermore, over 3.45 million Ethiopians are currently internally displaced, with projections indicating that the number of critically food-insecure individuals will reach 10.8 million by summer. Despite this dire situation, Prime Minister Abiy has diverted funds from life-saving social safety net programs to finance extravagant projects, including the construction of a $15 billion (USD) palace in Addis Ababa.
On September 7, 2023, President Biden issued a Notice on the Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to Ethiopia, emphasizing the continued threat posed by activities in northern Ethiopia to regional peace, security, and stability.
Given the gravity of these allegations, including genocide, we urge you to reconsider Prime Minister Ahmed’s participation in your prestigious summit. His presence risks undermining the summit’s commitment to promoting ethical business practices and human rights.
We appreciate your attention to this urgent matter and stand ready to provide additional information or discuss potential courses of action.
Sincerely,
American Ethiopian Public Affairs Committee (AEPAC) www.aepact.org
Ethiopian American Development Council (EADC)
Ethiopian Public Diplomacy Network (EPDN)
Global Ethiopian Scholars Initiative (GESI) “
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American Ethiopian Public Affairs Committee (AEPAC) tries to copy American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). Problem?: “founders” think they descended from Israel but are in fact Amhara Africans. The E in AEPAC, therefore, should read Amhara. Before you start ranting, first go back and check out their several scribbles and you’ll discover they are largely about Amhara ego trip (with Ethiopia as cover).
What goes around creeps around. Who knew that the notorious scoundrels would haunt abd give political headache to Abiy and his incompetent and hodgepodge regime after all that has happened few years ago. Instead of focusing one problem at a time and solving it accordingly he created more of the same. For them, his unwarranted blunder was a god-send opportunity and lease of new life after surviving from the edge of an abyss thanks to his erratic and infantile political behavior. If that role was reversed for a minute and he was in the other shoes, TPLF would never ever allowed to get away with and survived from it. Never.
What goes around creeps around. Who knew that the notorious TPLF scoundrels would haunt and give political headache to Abiy and his incompetent and hodgepodge regime after all that has happened few years ago. Instead of focusing one problem at a time and solving it accordingly he created more of the same. For them, his unwarranted blunder was a god-send opportunity and lease of new life after surviving from the edge of an abyss thanks to his erratic and infantile political behavior. If that role was reversed for a minute and he was in the other shoes, TPLF would never ever allowed to get away with and survived from it. Never.