U.S. based civic orgs file complaint on individuals who conspired to overthrow gov’t of Ethiopia

Addis Ababa, December 3, 2021 (FBC) – Four leading Ethiopian-American civic organizations filed a complaint with the Department of Justice, New York Attorney’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation against individuals who conspired to violently remove the democratically elected government of Ethiopia.

The civic organizations that filed complaint are Global Ethiopian American Advocacy Nexus (GLEAN), Worldwide Ethiopian Action Fund (WEAF), Ethiopian-American Development Council (EADC) and Unity for Human Rights and Democracy (UHRD).

The letter issued by the organizations stated that United States Neutrality Act, (18 U.S. Code # 956 and 18 U.S.C. #371) imposes a criminal penalty against any person, within the US jurisdiction, who conspires to overthrow a foreign government with whom the United States is at peace.

On November 21, 2021, Peace and Development Center International (PDCI), incorporated in the United State under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, convened a Zoom meeting where individuals of Ethiopian origin and American and European diplomats who served in Ethiopia, discussed the removal of the democratically elected government of Ethiopia, including through violent means.

Among attendees was a top Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) leader wanted in Ethiopia for crimes against the people of Ethiopia.

In a treasonous act, the TPLF attacked and slaughtered soldiers of the Northern Command of the Ethiopian Defense Force on Nov 4, 2020, prompting a law enforcement response by the Ethiopian Government.

In June 2021, the Government of Ethiopia declared a unilateral humanitarian ceasefire.

However, the TPLF terrorist group responded with aggression, expanding its atrocities to neighboring Amhara and Afar regions.

The group violently killed thousands of civilians, used rape and sexual violence as a weapon of war and destroyed public and private property.

These atrocities were documented by the recently published Amnesty International Report.

The so-called ‘peace dialogue’ organized by PDCI is an extension of the misinformation and disinformation campaign intended to demonize and delegitimize the elected Government of Ethiopia.

According to ENA, the letter said “It is offensive to our shared democratic principles and is totally against the best interests of the peoples and governments of Ethiopia and the United States. We unequivocally condemn such acts and will continue to work with all Ethiopians and friends of Ethiopia to protect the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and unity of Ethiopia. We say No More to destabilizing forces attempting to disrupt the democratic reform process in Ethiopian.”