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More than 6,000 employees have lost their jobs as a consequence of the war in the Amhara region.
The strife erupted in April 2023 when the federal government announced its decision to restructure the regional special forces, triggering a sequence of events leading to full-blown warfare.
In response to the escalating crisis, the former state government relinquished its authority to enforce the state’s security force law, prompting intervention from the federal government.
In July 2023, the House of People’s Representatives declared a state of emergency in the Amhara region for six months, subsequently extending it for an additional four months.
The protracted conflict has left thousands of workers unemployed, exacerbating their economic hardships and disrupting their ability to provide for their families.
Endris Abdu, the Head of the Amhara Region Industry and Investment Bureau, reported that over 6,000 workers across more than 1,200 industries have been displaced due to the conflict.
Meanwhile, Desalegn Tasew, the Head of the Regional Peace and Security Bureau, disclosed that the ongoing war has resulted in the destruction of property valued at over 15 billion birr in the region.
The repercussions of the conflict extend beyond economic devastation, with the education sector bearing a heavy toll. Mulunesh Desie, the head of the regional education office, lamented the partial or complete destruction of 298 schools and the displacement of 2.6 million students, with 3,725 schools forced to shutter their doors.
On a distressing note, international human rights organizations have levied accusations against the Ethiopian Defense Forces, alleging extrajudicial killings in various parts of the region, including Managesha Bahir Dar city.
Amnesty International documented eyewitness accounts of more than 17 innocent individuals being fatally shot in areas like Abune Hara, Ledeta, and Saba Tamit, with families denied the opportunity to bury their loved ones.
Echoing these concerns, the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission condemned the killing of over 45 innocent civilians by national defense forces in Marawi city.
Calls for an independent investigation from the United States and the European Union have been met with the federal government’s assertion that the defense forces acted in self-defense, refusing to subject the matter to an independent inquiry.
