fbpx

Ethiopian Govt. Releases 2000 #OromoProtest Detainees After ‘Counselling’

Ethiopian Govt. Releases 2000 #OromoProtest Detainees After ‘Counselling’

The Ethiopia government has released about 2,000 #OromoProtest detainees who had been arrested since the declaration of the state of emergency mid-last month and pledged to call for a political dialogue with the Oromo and Amhara communities.

At least 1,500 weapons were also recovered by security forces and over 400 people surrendered to the police during a 10-day amnesty period declared by the government, the state-controlled Fana Broadcasting Corporation quoted Siraj Fegessa, the Minister of Defense during a media briefing on Sunday.

The detainees, arrested on suspicion of perpetrating violence in the ongoing Oromia protests, were released after undergoing counselling and education, Fegessa added.

The rehabilitation is outlined in the state of emergency and involves lecturing the detainees on the nation’s constitution and engaging them in physical exercises.

“Probably this is the only government in the world that metes out punishment in the form of constitutional classes. Some fitness exercise maybe. It’s only the most dangerous criminals who will have to face the consequences. Otherwise, this is going to be rehabilitation programs, three weeks, and a month. You teach them constitution. You teach them some values and the ABC of basic decency,” Ezega.com quoted Getachew Reda, the government spokesman last week.

Authorities also said that the six-month state of emergency has greatly helped to improve the business environment and many investments are slowly coming back to operations.

The government did not however, give the figures of the people currently in detention in the ongoing crackdown to quell violence that has rocked the horn of Africa nation and scared investors.

In the past two months, protesters attacked several foreign-owned firms. Esmeralda Farms BV, a Dutch-owned flower farm and several florists owned by Israelis, Belgians and Italians in Bahir Dar, Amhara state.

They also attacked a plant owned by Dangote Cement in Oromia region mid-last month in retaliatory attacks following the death of hundreds of people after security forces opened fire on celebrants at the annual Irreecha festival in Bishoftu.

The protests began in November last year, as the Oromo tribe protested political and economic marginalisation by successive regimes. The Amhara community joined in this year.

The two are the biggest tribes in the nation whose government has for years been dominated by the Tigrayans, a minority tribe.

Hundreds of people have been killed in the violent clashes between the two ethnic groups and security forces, according to data by Human Rights Watch.

Several opposition politicians have also been arrested on allegations of fuelling the protests.

The Norwegian government meanwhile expressed its concern, calling for political inclusion from the government to help address the situation in the nation where half of its 100 million people are young people, Africanews. reported.