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Ethiopian Govt. Declares State Of Emergency Over Oromia Protests

Ethiopian Govt. Declares State Of Emergency Over Oromia Protests

The government of Ethiopia has declared a state of emergency in efforts to restore order after months of violent clashes since the Oromia protests began.

This is the first time in 25 years that the government has declared a state of emergency in the horn of Africa nation. It will be in force for the next six months.

“A state of emergency has been declared because the situation posed threat against the people of the country. Vital infrastructure, businesses, health and education centers as well as government offices and courts have been destroyed,” Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn said on state-television on Sunday.

The Oromia and Amhara states have been most hit by the violent protests. The government linked two attacks on foreign-owned businesses to the protests.

Demonstrators vandalized and burnt equipment and belonging to Esmeralda Farms BV, a Dutch-owned flower farm last month, in Bahir Dar. The losses were estimated at about $7.8 million. The company shut down operations leading to massive job cuts.

Protesters attacked a factory owned by Dangote Cement in Oromia region in retaliatory protests following the Bishoftu massacre were people attending the Irreecha festival died.

There have been fears that the growing unrest in the two regions, which are home to the two biggest tribes in Ethiopia, may scare away protesters.

The declaration, meant to restore order in the Oromia and Amhara states comes barely two weeks after nearly 100 people were killed in a stampede after security forces opened fire on celebrants at the annual Irreecha festival in Bishoftu, Nazret.com.

Oromia protests began in November, last year as the Oromo tribe demonstrated against a planned expansion of the administrative mandate of Addis Ababa, the capital into their region.

The government called off the plan in January but the protests raged on as the majority-Oromos demonstrated against political and social marginalization by the government, which is dominated by the Tigrayans, a minority ethnic group.

Amhara tribe joined in the protests in August.

The clashes have led to the deaths of at least 500 people, according to data by Human Rights Watch.

Ethiopia opened Africa’s first modern electric railway last week. Barely four days later, has the government washed away the celebrations on the Ethiopians through the declaration that is likely to give opportunity to the authoritarian regime to clamp down on the opposition and two biggest tribes.

The opposition expressed fears that the unrest is likely to worsen if security forces are granted more powers in the Oromia region.

The state of emergency allows the government to detain suspects without court authorization and also prohibits the distribution of material that is likely to incite more ‘chaos’, Reuters reported.