Fano Commander Eskinder Nega, in an audio message today, responded to US ambassador’s call to Ethiopian armed groups to start dialogue.
Last week, Ervin Massinga US ambassador to Ethiopia, addressing a gathering in Addis Ababa, urged Ethiopian armed groups Oromo Liberation Army, Fano and Tigray fighters to hold talks to resolve disputes. He criticized the Ethiopian federal government for imprisoning its critics.
Ethiopian government, in its response, termed ambassador’s speech as violation of diplomatic decorum, calling him ill informed.
Eskinder Nega is one of Fano commanders. Fano militias are operating independently in different parts of the Amhara region. Since last year, fighting has been ongoing between Fano militias and Ethiopian security forces which want to disarm and dismantle these militias.
Eskinder, in his audio message, welcomed US ambassador’s call for peace. But he said that Fano groups needed some time to establish a Pan Amhara representative organization to enter into any dialogue. He accused Ethiopian PM Abiy Ahmed’s government of committing massacres of Amhara ethnic group members.
Other Fano commanders have been rejecting the proposal of dialogue with government, saying that as long as Abiy Ahmed is in power, no dialogue can be held.
Eskinder Nega, founder of Baldera political party, took up arms against government forces in 2023. He announced the formation of a Fano group called Amhara Popular Front (APF) in Gojjam zone of the Amhara region. But he had to leave Gojjam in the wake of return of another Fano commander Zemene Kassie to Gojjam. Zemene was released from prison.
Eskinder is now mainly based in Showa zone. He is trying to organize a new Fano group. It seems that the opinion expressed by Eskinder is his personal opinion. He spoke on behalf of his armed group. Gojjam Fano spokesperson Marshet Tsehaye this week told Ethiopian government to withdraw military from the Amhara region to create favorable conditions for dialogue.
Fano militias are loosely organized on central level. They are organizing themselves on zonal level. Gojjam and Wollo Fano groups have come under one zonal commands. But Gondar and Shewa Fano are not under one zonal command structure.
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