CIVICUS discusses conflict and human rights violations in Ethiopia’s Amhara region with Robel Alemu, Communications Director of the Amhara Association of North America (AAA), a US-based organisation working to promote human rights in Ethiopia.
The Amhara region is experiencing severe violence, with over 2,600 civilian deaths and 700 injuries documented since August 2023. The conflict involves Ethiopian state forces, militias and rebel groups, with civilians disproportionately affected by drone strikes, massacres and summary executions. Human rights abuses such as sexual violence and enforced disappearances have been reported, along with telecommunications blackouts aimed at preventing media coverage. A humanitarian aid blockade has exacerbated the crisis, with over two million people in urgent need of assistance. International bodies are calling for coordinated action to prevent further atrocities.
