The Amhara Fano People’s Organisation (AFPO) has written to the African Union (AU) Commission, expressing outrage over the body’s recognition to what it called a discredited peace deal between its dismissed members and the Amhara regional government.
the AFPO distanced itself from a recent agreement between some of its estranged members and the Amhara regional government and criticised the AU for backing it.
“We are writing to express our profound outrage at the so-called fraudulent “landmark peace agreement” recently publicised by your organization and Masresha Setie who had already been dismissed from AFPO,” said the letter to AUC Chairperson Mohmoud Ali Youssouf.
On 29 November, AFPO released a statement announcing the suspension of two of its Executive Committee members, Masresha Setie and Mesfin Abate (also known as Mesfin Kebelegne).
The group said the decision followed “a long period of careful and cautious investigation” into grievances raised by members and the public. It said both individuals were suspended “from their positions as members of the AFAHD Executive Committee and from their organisational membership.”
AFPO made it clear that the two individuals in question lack the mandate to speak on its behalf.
According to a letter which was seen by APA on Tuesday, one of AFPO’s leaders, Eskinder Nega, had informed the Deputy Chairperson of the AU Commission Selma Malika Haddadi that “no negotiations had ever taken place between AFPO and the government, and that there was no intention to do so in the future.”
However last week, the AU in a statement said it had witnessed and welcomed a significant step towards lasting peace in Ethiopia with the signing of a sustainable peace agreement between the Amhara National Regional State and the Amhara FANO Popular Organisation (FANO-AFPO).
But Haddadi in a statement at the event commended the parties for their commitment to dialogue and peaceful resolution and emphasised that the agreement represents a crucial milestone not only for Ethiopia but for the entire African continent.
“Despite her promise to get back to AFPO and all her background knowledge of the facts, Haddadi’s presence in the regime’s fraudulent manufactured stunt represents a serious breach of trust and sets an unacceptable precedent that undermines the integrity of future engagement with AU,” the AFPO protest letter reads.
The letter further said with its headquarters being in Addis Ababa, AFPO has no illusion that AU is unaware of what is unfolding in Ethiopia since Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed came to power.
“The glaring truth is that the AU has chosen to remain silent despite your responsibility. We would like to remind you that Abiy Ahmed invaded the Amhara region soon after the signing of the “Pretoria Accord” that you facilitated excluding Amhara representation,” the letter reads.
MG/as/APA