“Ethiopia on Fire: A Government Addicted to War and Deaf to Civilian Suffering”

Commentary by Muluken Tekleyohanes | Ambassador | Germany

In the land once known for unity, history, and resilience, we are now drowning in blood. Ethiopia, under the current regime, has become a nation at war with itself — on every front, with no end in sight.

The story of Nigist — a 17-year-old survivor of gang rape by soldiers during the Tigray war — is not an isolated horror. It is a symbol of a government that has allowed rape, displacement, and brutality to become standard tools of warfare. Over 120,000 women were raped in the Tigray conflict. Where is the justice? Where is even the pretense of accountability?

But instead of addressing these crimes, instead of helping survivors rebuild, this government is preparing for another war with Tigray — even as Ethiopia is already burning.

• In Amhara, the military campaign against Fano has turned entire regions into war zones.
• In Oromia, drone strikes and massacres continue under a veil of silence.
• Now, Tigray stands again at the brink — a fresh conflict brewing with the same unchecked violence that shattered it before.

How many wars does it take before the people say enough?

This is not defense. This is not nation-building. This is state-sanctioned chaos, where every disagreement is met with bullets, not ballots — where every protest is crushed, every region punished, and every voice silenced.

While the government spends billions on war, the average Ethiopian family cannot afford a sack of teff or a bar of soap. Inflation soars. Crime rises. Women and children sleep in fear. There is no safety, no justice, and no leadership.

The only thing that seems to unite this government is its obsession with war. Without war, they have no answers. Without enemies, they have no power. That is why peace never lasts — because peace threatens the very foundation of their rule.

And now, with Tigray pushed again to the edge, we ask: How many more Nigists must suffer? How many more children must see their homes bombed? How long will Ethiopians be sacrificed to feed the war machine of Menelik Palace?

To Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and all who uphold this regime: You are not leading Ethiopia — you are dismantling it.

This country is not your battlefield.
Its people are not your pawns.
Its future is not yours to burn.

Ethiopia will rise — but not with you at the helm of destruction.

We stand for justice.
We stand for peace.
We stand for the people.

— Muluken Tekleyohanes, for Ambassador Media