Ethiopia.. 7 Armed Groups Form Opposition Coalition Against the Government

Seven Ethiopian armed groups officially announced the formation of a coalition called "Ethiopian People's Power Coalition for Survival," declaring a common goal of overthrowing the government led by the Prosperity Party under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and establishing an inclusive transitional government, according to the magazine "Addis Standard."

The announcement came on Sunday in a statement read by Zimeni Kasi, the president of the Amhara National Movement Fano, live on Tigray television.

The coalition includes the "Amhara National Movement Fano," the "Oromo Liberation Army," the "Tigray People's Liberation Front," the "Western Somali National Liberation Front," the "National Revolutionary Front of Afar," the "Beni Shangul Peoples Liberation Movement," and the "Democratic Movement of the Gumuz Peoples."

The announcement follows a series of developments in recent months that indicated an increase in coordination among armed and political opposition groups across regional and ethnic divisions.

In August, Zimeni stated that agreements had been made with several other Ethiopian armed opposition groups to form a broader coalition working to "overthrow Abiy Ahmed."

The recent announcement grants an "official name and specific objectives" for this emerging rapprochement.

The newly established "Stay Coalition" accused the government led by the Prosperity Party in its statement of overseeing what it described as widespread insecurity, armed conflicts, displacement, poverty, and a decline in democracy and human rights.

The coalition described the government as a "dictatorial regime committing genocide," accusing it of causing "war, genocide, and destruction," and pushing Ethiopia towards what it called "complete disintegration."

The coalition stated: "The historical mission and primary goal of the popular forces is to jointly defend ourselves against the destructive war declared upon us and to eliminate the dictatorial regime of the Prosperity Party that threatens the survival of our peoples and the safety of the nation."

The coalition said its immediate political goal after "overthrowing" the government would be to form an inclusive transitional government guided by a "transitional charter."

The proposed transitional phase has set two main objectives: ending armed conflicts and addressing security, humanitarian, social, and economic crises in Ethiopia, and conducting what it described as a "real, reliable, comprehensive, and participatory popular constitutional dialogue" to address key national and public issues through direct popular participation.

The coalition also pledged to improve relations with neighboring countries and restore what it described as Ethiopia's regional and international standing.

It called on other Ethiopian political and civil organizations to join its declared goals.

It stated: "We respectfully invite the Ethiopian popular forces, civil associations, and political organizations that accept the goals of this coalition and the path of its struggle to become allies and partners in our struggle for survival."

The coalition also issued a direct appeal to members of the Ethiopian armed forces and government leadership, urging them to abandon the government and join what it described as a struggle to "save the people and the country before it is too late."

The coalition called on neighboring countries, African nations, and the international community to support what it described as the interests of "peoples, justice, and democracy."

The coalition stated that the formation of the alliance came after a "great effort and struggle," describing it as an achievement that the Ethiopian people had been "eagerly awaiting."