AMERICAN ETHIOPIAN PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE (AEPAC) FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CALL FOR URGENT U.S. DIPLOMATIC ACTION ON THE KILLINGS OF CHRISTIAN CIVILIANS AND CLERGY IN ETHIOPIA The American Ethiopian Public Affairs Committee (AEPAC) expresses its profound alarm over continued reports of the killings and abductions of Christian civilians and attacks affecting clergy in Shirka and Honkolo Wabe districts of Arsi Zone, eastern Ethiopia, approximately 170 kilometers from Addis Ababa. According to the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church's report, the latest incidents occurred on October 17, 2026 (Tikimt 7, 2019 E.C.) . These recurring incidents underscore the urgent need for effective civilian protection, credible investigations, and decisive action to prevent further loss of life. The Ethiopian government has a fundamental responsibility to protect its citizens, safeguard religious communities and places of worship, and ensure that those responsible for criminal acts are held accountable. These tragedies must not become normalized, and the suffering of affected communities must not be met with indifference. We specifically call on U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to recognize that responding to these reports is both a moral imperative and a serious diplomatic responsibility. The defense of human dignity, religious freedom, and the right to life cannot be limited to declarations of principle. When Christian civilians and clergy face recurring violence, principled leadership requires timely and meaningful engagement. We urge Secretary Rubio to publicly address the reported killings, direct the U.S. Embassy in Addis Ababa to raise these concerns urgently with Ethiopian authorities, and press for concrete measures to protect Christian civilians and clergy, secure the release of abducted persons, conduct credible and impartial investigations, and hold perpetrators accountable under the law. We are also deeply troubled by the lack of a forceful response from Western diplomatic missions, the African Union, and the United Nations. Their silence in the face of recurring reports of deadly violence is difficult to reconcile with their stated commitments to human rights, religious freedom, civilian protection, and the prevention of atrocities. International engagement must come before a crisis becomes irreversible—not after a nation has been devastated by violence that timely action might have helped prevent. We therefore call on the United States and the wider international community to move beyond expressions of concern and pursue sustained diplomatic engagement, measurable civilian-protection commitments, and accountability. The Ethiopian government must be pressed to fulfill its responsibility to protect all citizens, regardless of religious or ethnic identity. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and express our solidarity with the injured, those reportedly abducted, affected clergy, displaced households, and all communities living under the threat of violence. As an organization committed to strengthening U.S.–Ethiopia relations, we believe that defending human life, protecting religious freedom, and upholding human dignity are essential to our shared values and a lasting bilateral partnership. The people of Ethiopia, especially Christians living in Arsi Zone, deserve protection, justice, and peace. The people of Ethiopia deserve a future free from recurring violence and fear. The time for meaningful action is now. 👇🔗🔗 t.me/eotctvchannel/10183 @WhiteHouse @StateDept @USEmbassyAddis @UAEthio @UNOSAPG @VP @realDonaldTrump @TheIRD, @StateDRL, @AsstSecStateAF, @richghazal, @markdtooley, @OrthodoxyNews, @USEmbassyAddis @indefchristians, @RepJohnJames, @housegop, @Repsarajacobs, @YoungKimCA, @RepJimBaird, @CongressmanKean, @RepMillsPress, @RepGaramendi, @jakejsullivan, @IMFNews, @StateDept, @JusticeOfficeUS, @WorldBank, @WorldBankAfrica, @StateIRF, @USCIRF, @IrfSecretariat, @Sean_ADFIntl, @michaelgwaltz,@RepMarkWalker,@RepRileyMoore,@TomColeOk04,@HouseAppropsGOP,@LaurenBinDC,@SecRubio