How to Reduce the Impact of Abiy-Shemeles’ Impending Genocide

By Rasselas Weldemariam 

I am worried about a potential genocide in Ethiopia. I am not referring to the current isolated killings, but to a future event that could take the lives of millions in just a day or two. The genocide in Ethiopia is not going to take 90 days like in Rwanda; in one night, 5 million people could be slaughtered. The machinery of violence is well-oiled and ready for action.

Now, let’s turn to the human mind.

I know that the human mind tends to avoid confronting larger risks and instead focuses on smaller issues, making it difficult for people to address such a massive threat. If I were to write about avoiding sugar or salt, many of you would comment and engage in discussion. However, the topic of death is often avoided at all costs.

Concerned by developments in Ethiopia, I have organized several private discussions in Addis Ababa and other vulnerable towns to alert small political groups to this looming danger. While they all agree that genocide is not only possible but unavoidable, no one wants to address the issue after our discussions. Everyone prefers to avoid the topic, and even the thought of it seems to overwhelm their minds. This avoidance is natural; the human mind is designed, or has evolved, to steer clear of larger risks.

How many of us think we might die tomorrow? None of us do, yet statistically, a minimum of 60 million people die every year from natural causes. There is a chance that I, or you, could be part of this year’s statistics, but none of us dwell on that possibility. Our brains tend to focus on smaller risks, like having a burger or avoiding carbs, rather than contemplating death.

What would you say if you woke up to find that a million people had been killed in Oromia, including your mother, brothers, nephews, and friends?

If we think about it, we can’t avoid genocide, but we can significantly reduce the number of victims. It is practically impossible to prevent isolated communities from being slaughtered. The solution is in our hands. It is not far-fetched; if Abiy were to trip and fall down his bedroom stairs, people could be slaughtered within an hour. The level of hatred, indoctrination, and preparation is terrifying.

Don’t forget that all genocides are carried out by state power: Rwanda, the Jews in Europe, the Hereros, Armenia, Darfur, etc.

Look, some fact-finding missions have been sent to the hills surrounding Addis Ababa. There are many established OLA and Shemelises Abdisas genocidal special forces that could descend on the capital within minutes of receiving the news.

Stopping this genocide is in your hands. Keep this message; you might need it to avoid mourning the loss of a loved one. Yes, you could have stopped it.

Genocide is not committed by monstrous-looking people. It is carried out by state power that emotionally stirs church and mosque-goers, peaceful citizens.

If you have read ‘Shaking Hands with the Devil’ about the Rwandan genocide, you will see how beautiful and peaceful Easter holiday celebrations were in Rwanda. The General describes how all Rwandans, both Hutus and Tutsis, dressed in their colorful clothes, walked to the Catholic church to sing about the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Yet, the following weekend, after the death of the president was announced, neighbors were chopping each other up within minutes.

Imagine if Abiy were to die tomorrow. What would the extreme Oromo nationalists, armed groups, Oromia police, Oromia special forces, federal police led by Demelash, security forces led by OPDO fanatics, Qeerros, disenfranchised and unemployed youth, OPDO cadres, and the Oromo Liberation Army do to your sister or mother next door?

I know many of you have been writing articles about changing the culture of the peasants and Christians in Ethiopia. If there is a culture that needs to be changed, it is the culture of the intellectuals, who spend their time pointing fingers at others rather than reflecting on themselves.

So let’s talk about high-risk issues, not trivial matters that are often discussed in this forum. If we address these issues, we can significantly reduce the number of people who could be killed, including our immediate family members.

Here are some genocide prevention tactics you can act on by forwarding this message to your loved ones.

1. Acknowledge the Risk: Accept that the risk exists and do everything possible to discourage and persuade potential perpetrators that genocide is not a solution and has severe consequences.
2. Public Awareness and Preparation: Alert the public to design their own survival safeguards. This includes psychological preparation and the physical defense of their families, communities, churches, and institutions. The people have a numerical advantage over the perpetrators of genocide. It is the lack of psychological preparation that makes individuals willing and collaborative victims.
3. Alert Members of Law Enforcement: Inform members of law enforcement bodies to stand with the people at a moment’s notice to react and defend them, even if their commanders are involved in the genocide. Members of the army, police, and civil servants must prioritize defending their own families and communities over their commanders’ intimidating tactics.
4. International Community Alert: Inform the international community about the genocidal preparations by Abiy Ahmed, Shemeles Abdissa, the OLF, and the PP party. Name the leadership and highlight that their families are in the U.S. and that they will not escape to the West with the money they looted when things get tough. Ensure that these leaders will be hunted down wherever they hide, with severe consequences for their loved ones. The victims of genocide will no longer be rational.
5. Warn Potential Collaborators: Alert all potential collaborators that they will be hunted down and publicly hanged for aiding in the killing of innocent people. “I was ordered to do it” is not a valid defense.
6. Alert and Mobilize Armed Groups: Alert armed groups to be on high alert and ready to deploy their forces at a moment’s notice to defend the people. The RPF and Kagame looked down from the hills rather than immediately deploying their forces.
7. Alert people Organize Self-Defense Committees: Help organize self-defense neighborhood committees, self-defense groups at universities, and self-defense groups around churches and mosques.
   Raise Awareness: We can stop the genocide by talking about it.
8. Alert the Oromo people, intellectuals, activists, and armed groups: there will not be an Oromo country of hegemony that can be asserted by the OPDO over the 72% of non-Oromo Ethiopians. The Oromo are the second-largest ethnic group, comprising 28% of the population, and they are not a majority. This group is spread over vast land while coexisting with all ethnic groups.

   The Oromo can only benefit from democracy and multiculturalism, not from genocide, ethnic cleansing, and hegemony. Genocide does not only unite all Ethiopians against the Oromos, but it also turns the entire world against them, leading to the potential end of the Oromo name, much like the Hutus, who no longer identify themselves due to the stigma associated with the Rwandan genocide.

9. Alert the Oromo Protestant Preachers and Muslim Imams: Alert and warn these religious leaders about their subtle support for Abiy-Shemeles’ project. Trust us, Oromo hegemony through Abiy-Shemeles’ genocide and ethnic cleansing is an impossible ambition, and it will ultimately turn back to harm the Oromos.
10. Alert Opportunistic Individuals and Parties: Inform PP supporters all over the world and political partners in genocide, such as Ezema party members (from Berhanu to DC members) and Aben (Belete Molla) groups, that they are collectively accountable for the genocide that may take place. Any member of Ezema will be held accountable for the crime of genocide unless they disassociate themselves from the government. All Nazi members were guilty by virtue of their membership in a genocidal government.

Sincerely,

Rasselas Weldwmariam