The Hunger Games: Ethiopia’s Survive or Die Reality Under Abiy Ahmed and His Enablers

 

Ethiopia today feels eerily similar to the world depicted in The Hunger Games movies. In the films, citizens are trapped in a system where survival is a daily struggle, fear is constant, and basic human rights are secondary to the whims of those in power. Under Abiy Ahmed’s rule, Ethiopia has turned into its own version of this dystopia. Ordinary people live in constant anxiety, not about wealth, education, or opportunities, but about surviving each day against political violence, famine, and systemic oppression.

The Tigray war alone has claimed over a million lives, leaving families devastated and entire regions in ruin. Starvation, disease, and displacement have become the daily reality, reminiscent of the brutal arenas in The Hunger Games, where participants fight just to live. Meanwhile, wars in Amhara and Oromia—particularly involving Fano and OLA forces—have intensified insecurity, creating multiple fronts where ordinary Ethiopians are trapped between warring factions and state repression.

Inflation has rendered the Ethiopian currency the third worst in the world, making life even more precarious. Prices for food, fuel, and medicine have skyrocketed, leaving most citizens unable to afford basic necessities. This economic collapse, coupled with high taxation, has made doing business nearly impossible. Entrepreneurs and families alike face financial suffocation while the government channels resources toward militarization, vanity projects, and digital surveillance programs.

Extrajudicial killings, arrests of TikTokers, journalists, and dissenting voices, as well as the presence of Nazi-style police forces, have created a climate of fear reminiscent of the Capitol’s control in The Hunger Games. People live under constant surveillance, knowing that speaking out or simply existing independently could result in violence, imprisonment, or death. Even earning a living legally has become a risk, as the government imposes restrictions and punitive measures on private commerce.

Digital IDs and mass surveillance programs have expanded state control into everyday life. Every citizen’s movements, transactions, and communications are monitored, making privacy a distant memory. Home demolitions without warning and constant infiltration by government agents and spies have left neighborhoods destabilized, forcing families into a perpetual state of alert. In this environment, citizens cannot plan for the future—they can only survive today.

The looming threat of another war with Eritrea has added to the nation’s anxiety. Instead of focusing on rebuilding the economy or providing social services, the government prioritizes militarization and regional dominance, keeping the population under pressure and fear. Just like the districts in The Hunger Games, Ethiopians are trapped in a system where their survival is dictated by external powers rather than their own choices.

The cumulative effect of these crises is a population forced into survival mode. Forget wealth, entrepreneurship, or dreams of progress—Ethiopians are living in a world where avoiding death, starvation, or arrest takes precedence over everything else. The state’s predatory policies, combined with ongoing conflict and economic collapse, have turned daily life into a fight for existence, echoing the deadly arenas of the Hunger Games.

Ethiopia’s current reality is a harsh warning of what happens when governance becomes predatory, authoritarian, and disconnected from the needs of the people. Survival is no longer an option; it is the only rule. The parallels to The Hunger Games are unmistakable: fear is constant, hope is fragile, and ordinary citizens are left to navigate a brutal system designed to maintain control at any cost. Unless change occurs, Ethiopia risks becoming a permanent arena where life itself is a luxury few can afford