jemal countess

@SFRCdems I am a Washington DC based photojournalist who has been covering the war in Ethiopia for the past 16 months. When I am in DC I cover The Hill and am at the Capitol often. I am willing to meet to discuss my first hand experiences covering the war if you are open to it.

"Silence in the face of evil is itself evil. God will not hold us guiltless.Not to speak is to speak. Not to act is to act" #AmharaGenocide @UN_HRC @OHCHR_ESARO @UNOCHA

Online posts tell people to kill Amharas around them. Influencers, activists, and ordinary users repeat the same message across posts, replies, and live videos. It spreads quickly, reaching people who have never even met the community they are being told to target. Hate speech online is designed to be absorbed and repeated. Short phrases, memes, and videos simplify a complex reality, flattening whole communities into categories like “outsiders” or “threats.” That reduction makes it easier for people to act without empathy. @RaniaKhalek @AbbyMartin @ggreenwald @mehdirhasan @KenRoth @AgnesCallamard the-amhara-knowledge-base.gitbook.io/akb/from-words…

The Faith entered Abyssinia in 35 A.D. with Bacchos the Ethiopian Eunuch spoken of in Acts Chapter 8. Later the Apostle Matthew came to the region and was martyred there in around 64 A.D. but the Hebraic form of Christianity similar to what existed in Jerusalem after the ascension of the messiah and growth of the church in the 1st century flourished.

@HappyIsWack2me OK!

This is not Saudi Arabia or Mecca, These are the Ethiopian Orthodox Christians, the custodians of the world's oldest Bible, through which Christianity entered Africa before Europe. I like how Christians don't brag this much, allowing everything to flow

18 March 2026 Dear Amharas and the international community: After reviewing available public records, including a systematic search of his verified account, there is no evidence that Shimelis Abdisa has ever issued a single statement expressing concern, condemnation, or sympathy for the killings of Amhara civilians in the Oromia region. This silence stands in stark contrast to the extensive documentation of such atrocities by credible bodies, including the United Nations, the African Union, major human rights organizations, think tanks, and the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission under Dr. Daniel Bekele. At a minimum, one would expect acknowledgment of human suffering. Silence, in such circumstances, is not neutral. It speaks volumes. The below is from @grok which searched both @ShimelisAbdisa |'s and other Oromia official accounts No, Shimelis Abdisa (@ShimelisAbdisa), President of the Oromia Regional State, has not made any public statements on his verified X account expressing concern, condemnation, or sympathy regarding the reported killings of Amhara civilians in the Oromia region. I conducted targeted searches of his posts (from the account's creation through the present) using precise keywords in both English and Amharic, including terms related to: Amhara/አማራ (and plurals) Killings, massacres, genocide, violence, attacks (ግድያ, ጭፍጨፋ, ጥቃት, ግጭት, etc.) Expressions of concern, condemnation, regret, or sympathy (condemn, sorry, regret, አዝናለሁ, እናዝናለን, እንቃወማለን, etc.) These searches returned zero results. His recent and historical posts on the platform focus primarily on development initiatives in Oromia (e.g., agriculture, tea/rice production, infrastructure), general Ethiopian future-oriented messaging, and promotional content about the region. There are no references to inter-ethnic violence, specific incidents involving Amhara civilians in Oromia, or related humanitarian concerns. This absence is notable given reports of such incidents over the years, but it is consistent with what is publicly visible on his account. If such statements exist, they have not been shared via his verified X handle (which appears to be his primary/public platform for official communication). If you'd like me to check related accounts (e.g., official Oromia government handles), expand the search to other platforms, or look into specific incidents/dates for context, let me know—I'm happy to assist further. grok.com/share/c2hhcmQt… No, the main official Oromia government accounts on X have not posted any statements expressing concern, condemnation, or sympathy regarding the reported killings of Amhara civilians in the Oromia region. Here are the key accounts I identified and searched: @OromiaPresident (Oromia President Office): This is the official account associated with the President's office. It primarily posts about development projects, tourism, agriculture (e.g., wheat, tea), housing initiatives, and economic plans in Oromia. Activity appears limited after mid-2022, with posts focusing on positive regional achievements and quotes from President Shimelis Abdisa. No mentions of ethnic violence, Amhara civilians, killings, massacres, or related humanitarian issues. @OromiaBureau (Oromia Communication Bureau): This is the verified official account for the Oromia Communication Bureau (the region's public communication arm). Posts are mostly in Afaan Oromoo, covering development successes, quotes from officials (including references to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed), historical or political narratives promoting Oromia/Ethiopia progress, and occasional government initiatives. Content emphasizes "misooma" (development) and positive framing. No results for keywords related to Amhara, killings, attacks, condemnation, or sympathy for civilian victims in inter-ethnic conflicts. Searches across these accounts (using targeted keywords in English and Amharic/Afaan Oromoo for Amhara/አማራ, violence/ግድያ/ጭፍጨፋ/ጥቃት, condemnation/sympathy terms like እንቃወማለን/አዝናለሁ, etc., from 2019 onward) returned zero relevant results. Like Shimelis Abdisa's personal account, the focus remains on promotional and developmental messaging. Other potential or related handles (e.g., @AddisuAregaK for a former Oromia vice president now in federal role) were noted but do not appear to be primary current Oromia regional government accounts for such statements. If these statements were made, they do not appear on these public X platforms. Official communications may occur via other channels (e.g., Facebook, local media, or press releases in Afaan Oromoo/Amharic), but based on visible X activity from the verified government accounts, there is no evidence of such public expressions. Let me know if you'd like me to check specific dates/incidents, other platforms, or additional related accounts for further context. grok.com/share/c2hhcmQt… @grok please kindly comment on the above and verify they are your accounts based on your extensive search. @UN_HRC @UNHumanRights @_AfricanUnion @DanielBekele

Pray for tens of thousands of ethnic Amharas, the majority of Christians, who have been held in concentration camps in the Oromia region and Addis Ababa in appalling conditions for months by the Abiy Ahmed regime of Ethiopia. Where are @amnesty and @hrw?

⚡️Over 4,500 displaced Amhara civilians face severe hunger after aid halted in IDP camps near Hayk City (📍South Wollo Zone, Amhara Region, Ethiopia) as of March 12th. 🔴 The IDPs, displaced from various zones of Oromia Region over the past seven years, are currently living in three shelter villages near Hayk: Mekane-Eyesus, Jare Number One, and Jare Number Two. 🔴 Camp coordinators report that humanitarian assistance stopped in November 2025, leaving thousands without adequate food; many residents reportedly eat only once every 24 hours or survive on wild fruits locally known as “kurqura.” 🔴 Many displaced residents, most of whom are Muslims, attempted to spend Ramadan near mosques in Dessie and Hayk seeking support from local communities, though some were reportedly prevented from entering the city. 🔴 Most remaining camp residents are elderly people and children, as working-age adults have left to seek livelihoods; deteriorating shelters, hunger-related illnesses, and reported deaths linked to food shortages have raised serious humanitarian concerns. #Amhara_War_Updates

A probing question: When was the last time the Abiy regime launched a drone strike against #OLF positions anywhere in Ethiopia over the past year or two? While hundreds of drone strikes have devastated the Amhara people in #BeteAmhara, #Gojjam, #Gondar, and #Shoa, decimating entire communities, we have seen no comparable action taken against #OLF strongholds. Individuals like #Jihadi #J_War would have us believe that there is major armed resistance in both the Oromo and Amhara regions. Yet if that were truly the case, why has there not been a single drone strike targeting the so-called #Shene_OLF? Instead, the Abiy regime has reserved its most brutal force for the Amhara people, unleashing incessant drone attacks even during the holiest week of Lent in Gojjam, when Abiy Ahmed and his #Oromumma operatives indulged their deranged bloodlust by slaughtering hundreds of innocent civilians. It must be clearly understood that both Abiy and J-War are united in their hatred of the #Amhara people. Their visions for Ethiopia may differ, Abiy peddles a hollow pseudo-prosperity gospel to craft his Oromia kingdom, while Jawar dreams of a #Salafist version of Oromia, but they converge on one fundamental goal: the destruction of the #EOTC and the annihilation of Ethiopia’s indigenous religious heritage, both Christian and Islamic. The Amhara genocide and the assault on the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church are not isolated acts of violence; they are coordinated parts of a broader campaign to erase the very soul of Ethiopia. @UNHumanRights @UN_HRC @hrw @WorldCourtofHR @AmnestyEARO @nytimes @ECLJ_Official

MAI KADRA, ETHIOPIA - MARCH 05, 2021: Gashaw Birhanu, 43 of Mai Kadra joined other survivors of the deadly attacks at Mai Kadra to give accounts to a journalist at Abune Aregawi Church on March 5, 2021. Gashaw escaped an attack by seven men with sticks but lost his front teeth during the violence that occurred between November 6 thru 10, 2020 in Mai Kadra. Gashaw, who is ethnically Amhara, was embraced by Tigrayan leadership who believed him to be Tigrayan and was subsequently invited to two closed-door meetings of the Tigrayan community in Mai Kadra that took place prior to the attack on the ENDF Northern Command base on November 3, which sparked a regional conflict. Gashaw said the topics of discussion were survival of the upcoming conflict, the process of exterminating the Amhara, and taking control the resources of the region. According to interviews conducted in recent days with several dozen victims, witnesses and local officials, around 1,300 (now over 1600) ethnic Amharas were killed during a series of attacks by the Samri TPLF (Tigray People’s Liberation Front) Youth Group, TPLF militia and local Tigrayan police from November 6 to November 10, 2021. Over the course of four days, Samri youth from several towns in Tigray, in addition to TPLF militia and local police, killed farm workers on farms owned by TPLF-affiliated farmer/investors before moving onto Mai Kadra itself, conducting door-to-door searches for ethnic Amharas. Most victims were slashed or hacked; many victims who survived the initial attacks with bladed weapons were shot to death. The violence occurred during a wider conflict between the Ethiopian government and the TPLF that ignited on November 4, 2020, when forces aligned with the TPLF attacked the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) Northern Command headquarters in Mekelle, the capital city of the Tigray region along with 4 other bases and numerous soft targets in Tigray and the Amhara region. (Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images)

Your voice does matter and please take a few minutes and contact @UCalgary

Scenes of the aftermath and survivors of the TPLF attack and massacre at Chena Teklehaymanot church. The attack occurred on August 31, 2021 during the celebration of Saint Teklehaymanot. These are scenes from the 40th day memorial of the massacre on October 10, 2021.

The fight for African Liberation needs to take place on many fronts….

"The Amhara people in Ethiopia have faced persecution and massacres for several decades. Various groups, including the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA)/Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), which are rooted in Marxism-Leninism and ethno-nationalism, as well as the ruling Prosperity Party (PP), are accused of orchestrating these crimes." via @idicenter idicenter.org/article/ethiop…

Did you know that the current Ethiopian regime is systematically exterminating Orthodox Amharas and, in fact, waged war on the Amharas region. This is not just a campaign of murder; it is a calculated effort to wipe out an entire people. The regime has displaced millions of Amharas from the capital, seized their land, and sold it off to foreign powers turning the land of the Amhara people into a commodity for the highest bidder. They’ve sold fertile land to Saudi Arabia and handed over valuable real estate to UAE developers, all while the Amhara people are forced from their homes. In exchange for this betrayal, these foreign powers Saudi , UAE, Turkey & others have flooded the regime with drones, heavy artillery, billions of dollars in military aid. These are the very people who represent the core of Ethiopia’s identity, upon the nation was built. Yet the world remains disturbingly silent as the genocide unfolds.@StateDept @SecRubio @HouseGOP @HouseForeignGOP

“Why were there hundreds of Ethiopians protesting in London? The ongoing violence in the Amhara region has led to the deaths of thousands of civilians. Our reporter Chris Urresti went to the March.” Source: @CityLondonNews

Civilians must never be targets. The violence in the Amhara Region of Ethiopia demands global attention, accountability, and urgent action to protect innocent lives. @USEmbassyAddis @EUinEthiopia #waronamhara #AmharaGenocide @antonioguterres @StateDept @hrw @AmnestyEARO @eu_eeas

“The highest number of fatalities took place in the second attack on Thursday, February 26, 2026 said sources. This attack took place in Jawi Wachu Kebele of Shirka Woreda where 19 people were killed say church officials and residents.”

Since Abiy Ahmed took power in 2019, the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church has faced sustained pressure and attacks from both state and non-state actors. What we are witnessing is not accidental — it is a deliberate assault on faith, identity, and centuries of history.?

On #InternationalWomensDay2026, CPJ calls for all women journalists imprisoned for their work to be freed, including Ethiopia’s Genet Asmamaw and Meskerem Abera who face the death penalty if convicted of terrorism charges for their reporting and commentary. Genet and Meskerem have been in detention for almost three years for reporting on conflict in Amhara region. They are due to present their defense in May. The criminalization of journalism and the targeting of women who report on politics are direct threats to the freedom of speech globally. Read more: cpj.org/data/people/ge… cpj.org/data/people/me… #JournalismIsNotACrime  #WomenInJournalism #FreeThemNow

A stirring and beautiful tribute.

A graphic image from Welega shows a brutal massacre of #Amharas, including children and elderly people, targeted because of their identity. The fact that they're #Amhara is the reason. The scene is devastating. @_AfricanUnion @AmnestyEARO @hrw @amora_ethiopia @NeaminZeleke #AmharaGenocide #Amhara #Ethiopia #Mesganawe