http://www.sabc.co.za/news/a/e43ad7804db6f325a62effcfeb4bc468/Ethiopians-protest-in-Gondar-over-governance-grievances-20160802
Ethiopians protest in Gondar over governance grievances
Tuesday 2 August 2016 06:09
ANA
The Amhara protest, which also appeared to be in solidarity with the
Oromo protest that has been going on for months, is a growing
anti-government movement that government has been trying to contain
for years.(REUTERS)
In what is considered to be unique and a rare example of a peaceful
demonstration in Ethiopia thousands of protesters took to the streets
of Gondar, located 725km from Addis Ababa in the Amhara Regional State
demanding a regime change and a change of hegemony government filled
by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) members.
Amhara is the second largest ethnic group in Ethiopia next to Oromo.
Both groups say they suffer discrimination in favour of Tigrayans, who
they say occupy the key jobs in the government and security forces.
The Amhara protest, which also appeared to be in solidarity with the
Oromo protest that has been going on for months, is a growing
anti-government movement that government has been trying to contain
for years.
The Oromo protest was over the unfair distribution of wealth in the
country and opposing the government’s development plan in the region
which could affect poor farmers.
The Human Rights Watch reported that between November 2015 and March
2016, over 400 people were killed while the government said it was
less than half of that.
Various videos were shared on different social media sites. The videos
showed demonstrators carrying various signs condemning the government,
“for the release of Muslim activists that are prosecuted under the
Anti-Terrorism Law”, “Restore the historic border”, “Stop mass killing
of Amhara people” accompanied by popular war songs from the past.
Though the government has not given any statement regarding the
Sunday’s protest but its communications minister Getachew Reda, two
weeks ago told reporters following the previous protest that the
demonstrations were backed by its rival Eritrea.
The demonstration that started two weeks ago, in Amhara was sparked by
the imprisonment of members from the Welkait Amhara Identity
Committee, who demanded the return of the Welkait district, which is
populated by Amhara community, be returned to the Amhara region with
which it has close ties.
The demonstration was also related to identity question since last
year as some of Amhara’s towns were considered to be allocated to
Tigray region, which according to the Welkait Amhara Identity
Committee an attempt to “take more Amhara lands”. At least six locals
and four members of security forces were killed in the two days.
The matter created tension between Amhara region’s ruling party ANDM
and Tigray region’s ruling party TPLF as the group made Gondar city
its seat. Both parties belong to the national ruling party Ethiopian
People’s Revolutionary Democracy Front (EPRDF).
Demonstrators on Sunday denounced the regime for agreeing to give away
a vast Ethiopian territory to the Sudan and vowed to protect their
land which they said was legitimately theirs.
Different reports also say that there was a presence of lots of
security forces in the central square but the demonstration was
peaceful and there were no casualties or reports of clashes.
Received on Tue Aug 02 2016 - 09:04:46 EDT