The Ethiopian Government is Behind the Kidnapping of Young Female Amhara University Students.
Abebech Shiferaw
Education seems the only way to get out poverty for many Amharas. The culture is pro-education and civilization. As a result, Amharas scarify all what they can and Pass through hardship to send their children to educational institutions.
Poor economic stand, scattered access to educational facilities, poor schools as many children and adolescents are learning under trees shelter, acute shortage of educational materials (for example, a text may be given for ten students), less qualified teachers and so on best describe Amharas scenario in today’s Ethiopia. Consequently, many dropout from schools early and many more fail in national examinations. These group of students fate is worrisome for they are neither educated people nor farmers and will be forced to be dependents on their poor families. As the education ladder increases, only small section of Amhara youths will succeed to join higher education.
Even at tertiary level of educational institutions, ethnic Amhara University students struggle for survival gets double. One, coping up with academic challenges of higher education and competing with others students who come from relatively more privileged regions. Second, the fight for survival becomes more tough as Amhara students are subjects of injustice in different form by teachers, employees, others students, hosting communities and so on. Not only in other regions, Amhara students not immune to injustice even in Amhara region. This is evidenced by unjust measures taken by Universities located in Amhara region. For example, more than 165 Amhara students were fired from universities located in Amhara region for the mere reason of protesting against the mistreatment of Amharas in different universities.
Not only this, currently over 50, 000 Amhara University students are displaced from different Universities as a result of intentionally calculated ethnic conflicts by terrorist groups which are believed to be supported by government apparatus in the background.
Worse yet, teaching-learning activities have been interrupted in most Universities. Many Amhara university students are warned by terrorist groups and their allies to evacuate from campuses forcefully where many died and got wounded. What is most tragic is that more than 20 females Amhara University students are recently abducted in a day light by terrorist groups in Oromia region while traveling back to their families. And yet, the government has been babysitting agents of hatred and has taken no major action though two months has elapsed since the incidence has been voiced by concerned media. This is terrorist act has happened in a country where its Prime Minister is awarded with a Nobel Peace Prize??? What an unjust world! Did the Bokoharam terrorist groups in Nigeria do anything worse than this? Esteemed international communities/organizations, we need your eyes wide open and fairer mind at this critical juncture in history!
Obviously, the government seems not willing and is very far away from discharging its responsibilities thereby protecting the rights of citizens. Rather, the government, institutions and officials are obsessed with provision of false information which aim at creating a sense of confusion on the public.
The drama and seemingly deliberate miscommunication continued by the government. For instance, one university student who succeeded in escaping the abduction was treated inhumanely by officials in Amhara region. This caused strong public anger and pressure on the less trusted government structure. Following this, peaceful mass demonstrations have taken in different parts of the country demanding the government to execute its duties properly and facilitate release of kidnapped university students. Still the usual misleading propaganda is going on by the government. Giving a deaf ear for the loud quest for democracy, human rights and release of abducted girls, the government is irresponsibly working hard to deliberately to protect the armed bandits from being labeled as “terrorist” group nationally and internationally. Still no promising result, female university students are in the hands of barbaric group and their fate is known to date.
In summary, the kidnapping of female university students is a clear terrorist act by terrorist groups based in and backed by Oromia region of Ethiopia and Federal level authorities. This is a war declared against poor Amharas, Ethiopians and humanity at large. Hence, Ethiopians at home and abroad need to stand together and recollect our efforts in curbing this immoral and very illegal war against humanity and ensure the immediate release of kidnapped female university students.We need to be more organized and take pragmatic measures for better results in the short run (securing the lives of University students) and in the long run ensuring the security of Amhara people in the future. I call up on the international community and organizations to stand on the side of Amhara people to stop the war against humanity once again and bring terrorists to justice.