Merawi Massacre: A Call for Justice and Healing

Ashruka
Jan 30
6 min read

Updated: May 23

The Merawi Massacre, a tragic event that unfolded in the town of Merawi, Amhara region, Ethiopia, in January 2024, stands as a stark reminder of the human cost of conflict and the urgent need for accountability.

While details remain contested, eyewitness accounts and human rights reports paint a harrowing picture of violence that claimed the lives of hundreds of civilians by Abiy Ahmed military forces. This article seeks to honour the victims, shed light on the events, and amplify calls for justice and reconciliation.

Merawi Massacre

On January 29, 2024, Ethiopian military forces reportedly entered Merawi, a town located 35-km away from Bahir Dar city, in the North Mecha Woreda of the newly formed North Gojjam Zone of Amhara Region (formerly administered under the West Gojjam Zonal administration) following a heavy gun fight with the Amhara freedom fighters (Fano).

Merawi massacre covered in the international medias such as Gurdian, BBC, Aljazeera etc,.

Arbitrary Killings of Civilians by ENDF

While exact numbers are difficult to verify, local sources estimate that over 200 civilians were killed in a single day. Many victims were reportedly targeted based on their ethnicity or perceived support for Fano.

The video footage shows the aftermath of Merawi massacre. ENDF soldiers killed civilians mainly male.

Merawi Massacre, Jan 29, 2024

Merawi Massacre victims Name list

The victims are not numbers they have names, they had a dream like you and me, they were fathers, mothers, sisters, priests, children, women, farmers, teachers. AAA investigation report included 47 names of the victims.

Abba Wibet Agede
Aschil Yitayeh
Kedija (last name unknown)
Geremew Kassie
Minalu (last name unknown)
Adamu (last name unknown)
Adamu Menesha
Gebre Ayalew
Workineh Guadu
Tesfahun Adamu
Molla Gebeyehu
Amiro Getu
Bekele Gashaw
Minichil (last name unknown)
Yeqerut Mengistu
Yitayih Ayalew
Negesse Baze Alemu
Menesha (last name unknown)
Mengistu Assimogn
Tesfa Endalew
Gedamu Temesgen
Gebru Fekade
Kassahun Tenagne
Gedamu Kassaye
Bukayaw (last name unknown)
Wassie Lema
Chale Abere
Chale (last name unknown)
Yihenew Adugna
Zelalem Simachew
Alelegn Atalay
Saleamilak Tsegaw
Aschile Fetene
Molla Fikru
Tesfa Firdu
Aschil Aged
Adugna (last name unknown)
Habtu (last name unknown)
Mulat Mekonnen
Fantahun Alelelign
Qes Yitayew Geze
Dessie Tirfu
Misganaw Sintu
Tamrat Belay
Bonbu (last name unknown)
Goshu Alebachew
Sami (last name unknown)

Voices from the Ground

Testimonies collected by journalists and advocacy groups reveal the human toll of the massacre:

A mother recounted hiding in a neighbor’s home as soldiers shot her husband and son outside.
A shopkeeper described seeing bodies piled in the marketplace, left for days without burial.
Survivors spoke of fleeing to nearby forests or neighboring towns, leaving behind everything they owned.

These stories underscore the trauma inflicted on communities and the long road to recovery.

Witnesses and human rights organisations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, allege that Ethiopian national defence forces (ENDF) soldiers carried out extrajudicial killings, door-to-door raids, and indiscriminate attacks on civilians.

Human rights watch reported the following:-

One resident saw soldiers drag a priest, Qes Yitayih, and two other men, Misganaw Amare, a tailor, and Habtam Embyale, a university student, from their homes. He later saw their bodies on the street: “It seemed they were targeting men that day.” Another resident witnessed soldiers pull out Qes Yitayih and three other residents, including a day laborer named Tesfa Endalew, from a compound and execute them.

He said: Five soldiers went to the compound, a lot more were outside and on guard. I didn’t recognize them, I just know they were part of the military. They pulled four men out, including Qes Yitayih, made them kneel down, and shot them in their foreheads. Once I saw that, I left and went to hide.

Women became targets of the ENDF shooting. A witness told for Human rights watch:-

She lived along the road, selling vegetables, a few houses away from us. When we got there, she was lying on the floor, dead, with her child on top of her crying. When we tried to take her, we saw soldiers, and were scared, so we took the child, and left her. After a while, we went back, avoiding the main road, to take her body to her father’s house.

Survivors described scenes of terror: men and boys forcibly separated from their families, mass executions in the streets, and homes looted or destroyed.

Caption: Footage verified by Amnesty’s Evidence Lab showed 22 bodies (marked in red circles) and burned vehicles (marked in yellow squares) on Merawi’s main road. Burn marks from the destroyed vehicles can also be seen on the road in the satellite imagery from 6 February 2024 (not shown).

Amnesty International interviewed 13 individuals, including four relatives of victims and five people who retrieved bodies from the streets, as well as community leaders and a healthcare professional. The organization’s Crisis Evidence Lab analyzed video footage and satellite imagery to verify where the ENDF was camped, the presence of dead bodies and burned vehicles in the streets, and the timeframe for these events, which correlated with witness testimonies.

*An overview map of Merawi shows the church and area where evidence of fighting was found (Amnesty)*

ENDF soldiers burned down 11 three-wheel vehicles, locally known as Bajajs, and one motorbike in Merawi, according to three people who lost their vehicles, including one who witnessed the burning, interviewed by Amnesty International.

Seven burned Bajajs (motorized three-wheel vehicles) are visible in a video taken in Merawi in the aftermath of the January 29, 2024 violence and shared with Human Rights Watch. © 2024 Private

According to Amnesty report :

Tefera* said his Bajaj was burned down on 29 January, around midday. He said he saw one ENDF soldier carrying a lighter when the Bajajs were burning and that, the following day, one ENDF soldier admitted to him what they had done.

“I bought the Bajaj a few months ago, and I have not finished paying the loan I took out to buy it. I worked hard my entire life to buy that Bajaj. I started as a shoe shiner. Now I have nothing; I have no money even to buy food. I am alive because of the support I get from my friends. I lost everything,” Tefera told Amnesty International.

According to Amhara assocation in America (AAA) :-

Sources also confirmed that a woman named Kedija was shot and killed by regime soldiers while carrying her 2-year-old child. It was indicated that her child was also found dead the following day, possibly from starvation. Some media sources indicated various death tolls of civilians up to as high as 115.

AAA also received credible reports that mass burials were conducted and eyewitnesses discovered bodies on the roads indicating they were killed by gunshots to the head. The executions mainly took place in Kebeles 1 and 2 of Merawi town, where the town administrative building is located.

The Ethiopian government has denied targeting civilians, framing the operation as a necessary counterinsurgency effort. No wonder on that as Abiy Ahmed's prosperity party regime known for his denial of killing civilians.

World wide demonstration

Amhara communities and Ethiopian living abroad denounced Merawi massacre.

Justice for Merawi Massacre demonastration

Ethiopian refugee association in Sweden called for the investigation of Merawi massacre.

Silence, Suffering, and Calls for Accountability

In the wake of the massacre, access to Merawi was restricted, complicating efforts to document the atrocities. Humanitarian organizations reported challenges in delivering aid to displaced families, while internet shutdowns stifled information flow.

Human rights groups have called for an independent, international investigation into the killings. But, no investigation report

Why This Matters ?

The Merawi Massacre is not an isolated incident but part of a broader pattern of violence in against the #Amhara people in Ethiopia. It is a part state lead genocide on the Amhara's.

#Merawimassacre highlights the dangers of militarized responses to political disputes and the vulnerability of civilians in conflict zones. For Ethiopia to achieve lasting peace, addressing root causes—such as ethnic marginalization, and governance failures is essential.

Honoring the Victims

To move forward, we must first remember. The victims of Merawi were fathers, mothers, children, and elders—individuals with dreams, families, and futures abruptly stolen. Memorializing their lives is a step toward healing and a rebuke to those who seek to erase their stories.

A Path Forward

Justice: Independent investigations must be conducted to hold perpetrators accountable.
Humanitarian Aid: Support for displaced families and rebuilding efforts is urgently needed.
Listening Amhara's cause: Inclusive peace talks addressing Amhara grievances could prevent further violence.
Global Awareness: Amplifying voices from Merawi ensures the world does not look away.

Conclusion

The Merawi Massacre is a wound on Ethiopia’s conscience and a call to action for all who believe in human dignity. As we reflect on this tragedy, let us channel grief into advocacy, demanding justice for the victims and working toward a future where such atrocities are unthinkable.

“In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.”—Martin Luther King Jr.

Note: This article is based on publicly available reports from human rights organizations, survivor testimonies, and media coverage. Due to limited access to the region, some details may evolve as further investigations unfold.

Sources :-