Once again, innocent Ethiopian lives have been lost — this time in the Kore Zone of the Southern Region and on the Meka road in Gondar, Amhara Region. Two farmers shot dead. Sixteen drivers gunned down in cold blood. Others kidnapped. More wounded. The roads of Ethiopia are no longer paths to livelihood — they are war zones. And the government watches, excuses, and blames — but it does not protect.
The Ethiopian state has failed its people.
Since Abiy Ahmed came to power, Ethiopia has descended into chaos. The promise of reform and peace has been replaced by the reality of bloodshed and division. What began with speeches of unity and Nobel Peace accolades has turned into one of the most violent and unstable periods in modern Ethiopian history.
Civilians are no longer safe — not in their homes, not on their farms, not on their roads. Gunmen roam freely. Ethnic militias control vast areas. Federal and regional forces clash with one another or with community defense groups like Fano. And while these conflicts rage, the central government appears more focused on silencing critics than securing the country.
What is happening in Amhara Region is particularly tragic and alarming. According to Wazema Radio, Monday’s massacre of drivers also included the kidnapping of passengers. Although the identities of the attackers have not been officially confirmed, sources point to renewed clashes between Fano militias and the Qemant community in Metema. The violence has taken on new dimensions, as Ethiopia’s internal fractures widen daily.
Even more concerning is the growing tension between Ethiopia and Eritrea. Government officials and military leaders are now publicly blaming each other. The fabric of state unity is torn not only between communities but within the institutions that are supposed to defend the nation. Ethiopia is now teetering on the edge of another regional war, while internal wars have not even ended.
Let us be clear: this is not accidental. This is the direct result of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s policies — militarization of governance, ethnicized politics, and suppression of dissent. His government has repeatedly chosen war over peace, force over dialogue, and control over reconciliation.
Abiy Ahmed’s administration has failed to disarm violent groups, failed to deescalate ethnic tensions, and failed to ensure even the most basic level of public safety. The consequences are grave: not just lost lives, but lost hope.
The people of Ethiopia — Amhara, Oromo, Tigrayan, Southern, Afar, Somali — are crying out for protection, for peace, and for justice. Yet their government, armed to the teeth and rich with international support, is deaf to their suffering.
What kind of government cannot guarantee safety on its own roads? What kind of leader watches while farmers, drivers, and civilians are slaughtered? What kind of peace prize laureate governs a country in permanent war?
The world must no longer turn a blind eye. Ethiopians must no longer accept silence and excuses. If this government cannot protect its people — if it continues choosing conflict over compromise — then it has forfeited its legitimacy.
Ethiopia deserves peace. Ethiopia deserves a future. And that future will never come from more guns, more lies, or more bloodshed.
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