Responded to Getachew Reda’s allegation of Fano Forces involvement in “Tigray Genocide” – among other things
Borkena
Toronto – General Tefera Mamo, who joined the Fano forces well over a year ago, says the choice for the Amhara people is between “slavery” and “extinction” on the one hand and freedom on the other.
“There is a price to be paid in many forms if the choice is freedom,” he emphasized in his latest interview.
Getachew Reda, currently serving as Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s advisor on East African Affairs, made claims during a recent interview that “fano forces were involved in the genocide in Tigray and that they resorted to war against the Federal government in opposition to ‘Pretoria agreement.’” Notably, Getachew stated, during the interview, that 76 percent of the “genocide” in Tigray was perpetrated by Eritrean troops.
General Tefera dismissed Getachew’s claim as false, pointing out that Fano forces never set foot in Tigray during the two years war between the Federal government and TPLF forces. Fano forces were in North Wollo, Gondar, South Wollo and they paid sacrifice during the war. “They were never in Tigay,” he emphasized.
As to the alleged opposition to the “Pretoria Agreement,” General Tefera said Fano forces started resisting the Federal government before the Pretoria Agreement and that it does not make sense to claim that they opposed it. He highlighted that the Amhara people have been subjected to massacre and facing extinction which became a factor in Fano’s rise.
General Tefera also remarked about the state of Fano force’s armed struggle in light of increasing claims on the part of the Ethiopian Defense Force and the ruling party’s “media army” that fano forces are weakened and losing ground. There is also a claim that a growing number of Fano forces are “surrendering.”
General Tefera dismissed the claims as false. “Those who surrendered are ones whom the government used to infiltrate Fano or those who lack the strength to continue the armed struggle,” he said. Regarding the combat stature of the Fano forces, he claimed that “Fano’s strength is increasing from time to time.”
He went further to claim that Fano forces have inflicted significant losses on government forces to the point that the government was forced to withdraw divisions that suffered losses and replace them with new army divisions from time to time. He spoke in an assertive tone that Fano has demonstrated its strength in the battlefield. The government initially intended to finish the operation in about three weeks when it made an announcement about it in August 2023. More than two and half years later, the battle is still underway in many parts of the Amhara region. The government has deployed mechanized units and extensively used combat drones. This week, one important fano figure was killed in a reported drone attack in North Shoa – less than 200 kilometers to the capital Addis Ababa.
On the question of unity of the two major Fano groups, Tefera said “it is not something that can be done in a rush.” He indicated that work is still underway to unite the two forces.
Meanwhile, the Ethiopian Defense Force has been extensively engaging the public in the Amhara region organizing a series of town hall meetings in towns. The message for the public is to “pressure fano forces” to surrender, lay down arms and “pursue their political demands in a peaceful way.”
Full interview of General Tefera is shared below. Take a listen and share your views in the commitment section.
Video : embedded from Free Press YouTube channel
Cover photo : Screenshot from the video
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