On July 25 2024, the Sweden Amhara Association held a protest outside the U.S. Embassy in Sweden to bring attention to the violence and atrocities committed against the Amhara people by the Ethiopian government. The protesters condemned the ongoing ethnic violence and mass atrocities targeting the Amhara community in Ethiopia. These acts include summary executions, arbitrary detentions, and widespread human rights abuses. Human Rights Watch and other organizations have documented numerous instances where Ethiopian military forces have engaged in extrajudicial killings and violence against civilians in the Amhara region.
As a participant in the protest, I witnessed a strong sense of unity and determination among the demonstrators. The atmosphere was charged with emotion, as many shared personal stories of loss and suffering due to the ongoing conflict. The messages were clear and consistent: the international community must not ignore the plight of the Amhara people, and urgent action is needed to prevent further atrocities.
The European Centre for Law and Justice has also called for a United Nations investigation into these violations, highlighting the severe nature of the ethnic violence and potential genocidal tendencies against the Amhara peoples.. The protest aimed to raise international awareness and urge global actors to take decisive action to address and halt the persecution of the Amhara community in Ethiopia.
Key Messages Delivered:
1. Condemnation of Ethnic Violence:
Protesters condemned the Ethiopian government and its military forces for their role in the targeted violence against the Amhara people. This includes extrajudicial killings, arbitrary detentions, and the destruction of property.
2. Call for International Intervention:
There was a strong call for the U.S. and other international bodies to intervene in the crisis. Protesters demanded an independent investigation into the alleged genocidal acts and ethnic cleansing, urging the international community to hold the Ethiopian government accountable for its actions.
3. Highlighting Human Rights Violations:
Protesters shared testimonies and documented evidence of human rights violations committed in the Amhara region. These included accounts of massacres, forced displacements, and the use of dehumanizing rhetoric against the Amhara people.
4. Solidarity and Justice:
The protest emphasized solidarity with the victims and survivors of the violence. Participants called for justice and reparations for the affected communities and demanded that the Ethiopian government cease its discriminatory and violent practices.
The protest included speeches, chants, and the display of banners and signs bearing messages such as “Stop the Amhara Genocide,” “Justice for Amhara,” and “Ethiopia: End Ethnic Violence Now.” These visual and verbal messages were aimed at drawing attention from both the media and the diplomatic staff within the embassy.
The protest at the U.S. Embassy in Sweden was a powerful demonstration of the Amhara diaspora’s commitment to seeking justice and international support for their community. The collective voice of the protesters underscored the urgent need for global intervention to address the ongoing human rights crisis in Ethiopia.
This report provides a comprehensive overview of the protest, its objectives, and your personal witness account of the messages conveyed. If you have additional details or specific moments from the protest you’d like to include, feel free to add them to this framework.
