Jawar Mohammed Lashes out at the Ethiopian Government

Ethiopian Politician Jawar Mohammed, in a long social media message, lashed out at the Ethiopian PM Abiy Ahmed’s government yesterday. Jawar Mohammed, who was put in prison in 2020 after the murder of Oromo singer Hachalu, was released from prison in January 2022. He has been facing criticism about his alleged secret alliance with PM Abiy Ahmed’s government.

Both Jawar Mohammed and Abiy Ahmed are from the Oromia region of Ethiopia. In his message, he accused the Prosperity Party government of cracking down on opponents, denying true and inclusive political dialogue and making false claims. He appreciated Ervin Masinga, the US ambassador to Ethiopia, who on Friday urged Ethiopian armed groups like Fano, OLA and Tigray fighters to start dialogue. The ambassador criticized Ethiopian government for imprisoning its critics. The Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in response, slammed the US ambassador calling his speech “unsolicited and ill informed”.

“The ambassador did not beat around the bush with typical diplomatic rhetoric; instead, he spoke plainly and fairly as a true friend of the country should. I find it baffling and disappointing in equal measure that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement condemning the Ambassador’s well-meaning call for peace,” Jawar said.

He criticized government’s approach to handle and resolve conflicts, ” The government now appears to be backtracking on its promise to end wars through negotiations and reopen the political space for robust dialogue. It has reverted to attempting to decimate its opponents through military means—a tried-and-failed strategy of past years that has devastated the country.”

He rejected Ethiopian government’s recent claims that large number of Oromo Liberation Army fighters were surrendering. He said,” Contrary to assertions made at recent rallies in Nekemte and Bahir Dar, much of the Amhara and Oromia regions, areas that are affected by war are expanding, not shrinking. While the ENDF has made gains in some areas, recent reports about mass defections of insurgents are highly exaggerated, some are outright fabrication.”

Jawar Mohammed criticized the ongoing national dialogue in Ethiopia saying Amhara and Oromia regions are under a virtual martial law. Leaders are in prison. Political activities are being denied. People with opposing views are scared to join dialogue.

“Again the ruling party needs to stop fooling itself and must refrain from repeating past mistakes. It must take demonstrable steps to show it is serious about peace, commit to genuine negotiations with its opponents, and prepare to make realistic concessions, not cooptation,” Jawar Mohammed said.

Jawar Mohammed is deputy chairman of the Oromo Federalist Congress OFC, one of main opposition political parties in Ethiopia. The man played a key role in street protests in 2017 and 2018 which led to the downfall of the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). After the resignation of EPRDF prime minister, Abiy Ahmed was chosen as the Prime Minister in April 2018 to steer the country towards election. But in 2020 war broke out in northern Ethiopia between Tigray fighters and federal forces. The General Election, which was held in 2021, was boycotted by all main political parties. Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s Prosperity Party ran almost unopposed. Abiy Ahmed was sworn in as the Prime Minister in 2021.

Jawar Mohammed was seen in Kenya recently. This is his strongest criticism of PM Abiy Ahmed’s government. Will he return to Ethiopia where government is jailing its critics?

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