Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD) has described the journey of the country's national reform as a long-term process rather than a passing feast, whilst characterizing the June 2019 assassinations of senior regional and federal leaders as an ugly scar that achieved absolutely no goal. In an interview with the Amhara Media Corporation (AMECO), the Prime Minister reflected on the nation's political trajectory, urging citizens to stand firm for the lasting benefit of the country without surrendering to temporary challenges or abandoning grand national causes for cheap, temporary gains.
Addressing the tragic incident of Sene 15 (22 June 2019) that unfolded in the Amhara region and Addis Ababa, PM Abiy stated that the event was a dark scar caused by a flawed intelligence assessment and a self-crippling political calculation. He explained that the act robbed the country of key reformist forces who had played a significant role in bringing about national change, specifically naming Dr. Ambachew and General Seare. The assassinations, he noted, chilled trust among the political leadership and perpetuated a destructive political culture of attempting to seize power by force. Dismissing the conspiracy theories fanned at the time as deliberate attempts to bury the truth, he described the act as a horrific event from the very beginning.
The Prime Minister strongly condemned the dangerously fractured narrative that continues to hover over Ethiopian politics today. He warned that a political climate where both the killer and the victim are equally praised as heroes is a dangerous delusion. Emphasizing that distorting and selectively presenting history will exact a heavy price on the next generation, he urged that history must be documented accurately and exactly as it happened.
Speaking on the broader context of Ethiopia's reform, PM Abiy highlighted the necessity of properly understanding the country's current objective reality alongside the modern flow of information. He pointed out that while information was primarily obtained through national mass media just a few years ago, the present landscape is defined by the rapid expansion of the internet and data distribution, as well as the emergence of numerous commentators. In this environment, he argued, carefully understanding the times is crucial. Because national reform cannot be completed in a short period, he advised citizens to continually educate themselves and adapt to evolving situations as they move forward.
Disclosing that there are entities that buckle under temporary problems due to an inability to withstand pressure, PM Abiy stressed that everyone should focus on circumstances that enable them to make history. If making history is not possible, he noted, individuals should at least stand on the right side of history rather than wavering in their stances and endangering the country's interests. He concluded by expressing his firm belief that the truth will continue to reveal itself through the ongoing process and through concrete actions.
