Who is dictator Abiy Ahmed
Background
Abiy Ahmed born August 1976 in Beshahsa Ethiopia, was a career military officer who reached the Lieutenant Colonel role in the Ethiopian Defense Force. While in the military, Abiy obtained a computer science degree which led him to take the role of head of the Information Network Security Agency in 2007.
In 2010, Abiy left the military and was elected to the House of Representatives as a member of the Oromo Peoples Democratic Party, a subgroup of the Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Democratic Front party.
In 2016, Abiy was appointed to the Minister of Science and Technology before being appointed as vice President of the Oromo Regional government. Abiy was elected as head of the secretariat of the OPDO in 2017.
Between 2015 and 2018, Oromo protests grew over the EPRDF plan under PM Haile Mariam Desalegn to annex portions of Oromia region to expand Finfinne administration. The protests forced PM Haile Mariam Desalegn to resign in 2018.
Abiy Ahmed was elected chair of OPDO February 2018. On April 2, 2018 the Ethiopian House of Representatives appointed Abiy Ahmed as Prime Minister.
As Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed made gestures to appear Ethiopian government moves were moving in the direction of reform. The gestures included releasing political prisoners, removing opposition from terrorist listings, closing down prisons known for torturing civilians.
Human Rights Violations
Unfortunately, the steps were short lived as Prime Minister Abiy resumed arrest of opposition members. Abiy’s government has also resumed violent crackdown of protestors and opposition as noted by Amnesty International reports.https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2020/01/ethiopia-authorities-crack-down-on-opposition-supporters-with-mass-arrests/
During violent attacks of Oromo students by armed students in the Amhara region, PM Abiy refused to protect students resulting in deaths of some and displacement of tens of thousands.
PM Abiy is also implicated in alleged assasination of political opposition members from Oromo region.
Recently, PM Abiy Ahmed regime is suspected in the June 29, 2020 assasination of Oromo musician Haacaaluu Hundeessaa. Ethiopian police and military have killed 80 civilians in the protests since Haacaaluu’s killing.
Abiy Ahmed resumed past dictators' methods of shutting down internet and cellular access in regions where Federal forces target Oromo populations. The practice was in place in Western and Southern Oromia Regions for more than 3 months. The internet shutdowns across Oromo regions have also started since the killing of Haacaaluu.
Oromo Opposition members pointed to Abiy Ahmed’s past history of human rights abuse as head of the Information Network Security Agency as explanation to why the reforms were disingenuous.
As head of the Information Network Security agency, Abiy provided information to Geatchew Assefaa, Director of National Intelligence Security Services, on Oromo students during the Fincila Diddaa Gubrummaa protests leading to many deaths. Fincila Diddaa Garbrummaa or “revolt against subjugation” broke out November 8 2005 after the failed 2005 Ethiopian election where Oromo were denied any representation. Getachew Assefa through NISS utilized intelligence provided by Abiy to facilitate extrajudicial disappearances, torture and execution of Oromo youth.
