Mager News Update – Tuesday, July 26, 2022 (Hamle 19, 2014 EC)
Today’s news updates are as follows:
- Amhara Fano organizations have reported receiving threats from the Amhara Region administration;
- Representatives of the National Movement of Amhara (NaMA) regional council walked out of the recent meeting;
- Hunger strike in London is entering its seventh day calling for independent investigations into the state-sponsored genocide of Amhara people and
- Over 14,000 youth workers who completed work related to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) dam have filed a complaint.
Amhara Fano organizations have reported receiving threats from the Amhara Region administration
Mager Media reports that Amhara Fano organizations in Gonder and surrounding area have been receiving threats from the Amhara Regional Administration from the regional down to the kebele level stating they cannot continue as Fano.
Fano members in the Telemt (North Gonder) area told Mager Media they were told by members of the national defense force who visited their camp (twice) and the North Gonder Zone administration through declaration that they had to choose between joining either the militia structure or the Amhara Special Forces and could not continue as Fano.
The zonal administration in its own speech declared that continuing under the Fano structure was prohibited from above (central government) and that henceforth Fano would not receive rations and other forms of support from the administration, but if they joined the militia structure of ASF they would receive a wage and leadership positions, but in response, Fano members declared they would not abandon their Fano heritage which was a tradition inherited by their forefathers and would not disband.
Fano members and leaders describe receiving similar threats in the past and that it has intensified now including searching lawful Fano camps without permission, abducting members and confiscating arms.
They explained that the terrorist TPLF has trained and armed great number of soldiers and is in favorable circumstances to invade Amhara and dismantling Fano at this time could be linked to ongoing negotiations in an effort to give away territories to the terrorist group, and that they know Fano would not watch this in silence, which is why they prioritized dismantling Amhara Fano.
The Fano members and leaders said that the greater Amhara people should understand this and must ensure the continuation of Fano with conviction.
Yesterday, 14 Amhara Fano members issued a call to the Amhara people stating an Amhara administration which attacks and defames Fano would not have longevity and that the Amhara people should heed their words.
Mager has repeatedly reported on the Telemt front of North Gonder where five woredas remain under TPLF’s control and under continual siege.
Representatives of the National Movement of Amhara (NaMA) regional council walked out of the recent meeting
Representatives from the National Movement of Amhara (NaMA) party of the Amhara Regional Council meeting which has continued for two days have complained that their voices were not being heard and walked out of the meeting.
The five NaMA council representatives, out of 13 opposition party representatives, walked out of the meeting after complaining of not being given a chance to speak despite asking repeatedly and criticized the council as a flawed institution.
The council meeting has focused on a select few agenda items which were criticized and the ruling Prosperity Party government and appointees actively suppressed all opposing voices.
In addition, the meeting was prevented from being aired live and prevented by the house speaker from discussion of any new topics.
The hunger strike in London has entered its 7th day
The hunger strike in London, United Kingdom, demanding for independent investigations into the state-sponsored Amhara genocide and accountability against perpetrators has entered its seventh day.
Although some participants have showed signs of fatigue, none have succumbed to health-related issues as of yet.
Youth workers who helped construct the GERD dam have issued a complaint
Over 14,000 youth workers who helped complete forestry work associated with the operations of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) dam and finished their assigned work have issued a complaint over wages not being received.
The youth who worked on the project as an organized group have informed Mager Media through a letter that they have not received the promised wages.
Around March/April 2022 (Megabit 2014 EC), they had entered Guba Woreda (Metekel Zone, Benishangul-Gumuz Region) where they completed 90 days of work (originally supposed to be 40 days of work) however they never received the payment.
Before the GERD dam’s third round of filling this year, there will be a third round of forestry work which involves more than 60 organizations.
The organizations came to complete the 45-day assignment but ended up staying in the area for 3 months
The organizations were told they would receive compensation for 15 days of work and repeatedly issued complaints to the work agency but did not receive any response.
In the third round of filling the GERD dam, more than 20,000 hectares of forestry involved work from thousands of youth.
