• Diaspora actively opposing H.R. 6600 bi
ADDIS ABABA – The Washington, D.C.-based Peace and Unity for the Ethiopian Task force have donated over seven billion Birr that was mobilized on Eyezon Ethiopia fundraising platform to people in a dire humanitarian situation in Amhara and Afar states due to TPLF belligerence, the coordinators said.
Speaking with local media, one of the coordinators Tasew Melakehiwot stated that the task force has carried out commendable activities to support people affected by the current situation of the country and to enhance the Diasporas’ involvement for national cause.
By the same token, the task force extended support to injured soldiers that are receiving medical care at Armed Forces Comprehensive Specialized Hospital and other medical centers.
Apart from the financial and other supports, members of the task force have also been actively engaging in the diplomatic frontier and are countering the West’s unwarranted pressure mounted against their country of origin.
Accordingly, a large number of Ethiopian Diasporas in the U.S. filed petitions and employed the VoterVoice platform to denounce the U.S.
Congress’ ill-conceived H.R. 6600 bill that would have adverse impact to Ethiopia’s peace and development. Noting members of the task force held talks with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) and other high-level officials, Tasew highlighted that understanding was created that an integrated engagement of the Diaspora is important towards realization of national goals. Moreover, the task force exchanged views with government agencies and other relevant bodies on ways to support Ethiopians that are in a difficult situation in Saudi Arabia.
Another coordinator of the task force Tewedros Kabteyimer said for his part that Ethiopians in the Diaspora are immensely disturbed by the destructive activities of the TPLF and OLF-Shene that have ravaged the people’s lives and economic pillars of the country.
Cognizant of the groups’ interest which is not only to disrupt the peaceful balance that exists among the diverse people of Ethiopia , but also destabilize Ethiopia’s long peace and stability, due attention needs to be given to the society, especially the youth, not to be hijacked by their destructive propaganda, he added.
For Mesfin Asfaw, another coordinator, no matter that Ethiopians including the diaspora community held different ideologies and disagreement with government’s policies, they should stand in unison for matters of national interest. “History teaches a lesson that we Ethiopians were able to defeat enemies when we stood as one. The ethnic-based politics that is widely surfaced will take Ethiopia nowhere so leaving behind our differences, we should stand as one.”
To this end, the #NoMore campaign should be rejuvenated to counter the H.R. 6600 bill that the U.S. lawmakers issued by trespassing the will of the Ethiopian people, Mesfin emphasized.
BY BETELEHEM BEDLU
The Ethiopian 20 February 2022
