http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4838465,00.html
Foreign Ministry: Travel warning against visiting Gondar, Ethiopia
Following the deaths of two protesters in the Ethiopian city of
Gondar, the Israeli Foreign Ministry has warned Israeli travelers from
visiting the city; land reform protests have also spread to the
Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.
Itamar Eichner|Published: 07.08.16 , 15:34
Ethiopian security forces shot tear gas and closed roads in major
cities throughout the country on Saturday as demonstrators protested
against land reforms and alleged human rights abuses being carried out
by the government.
Additionally, two protesters were killed in clashes with police in the
old city of Gondar over land disputes Friday. The Israeli Foreign
Ministry in Jerusalem issued a travel warning for Israelis against
travelling to the city. The city was the center for Ethiopian Jewry,
and many Israelis travel there to see what Jewish life was like in the
east African nation.
On Saturday, Hundreds of people gathered in Mescal square in the
center of Addis Ababa only to be dispursed by the police. Protests
also broke out in the towns of Waliso and Ambo, both in Oromiya
province. Eyewitness reports say that soldiers closed the roads and
shot in the air. There is a large university in Ambo.
Protestors in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (Photo: Reuters)
There are reports that the internet in Addis Ababa has been cut. It is
not yet clear if this is due to the government.
There have been several protests in the central Oromiya province of
the country demonstrating against a plan to annex some of the
territory in order to expand the Ethiopian Capital Addis Ababa.
The catalyst for demonstrations in Ethiopia is a controversial land
development plan put forth by the Ethiopian government which was
designed to help investment and industrialize the Ethiopian
agriculture sector. Small protests erupted when the plan was
originally developed in 2014.
Protestors in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia (Photo: Reuters)
The plans were shelved following fierce opposition from the residents
of the area, yet there are continued protests due to alleged
violations of human rights. The protestors want people arrested during
the demonstrations to be freed.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry has also called upon Israelis in Ethiopia
to remain alert in cities in central and southern Ethiopia and to stay
away from protests. The ministry also suggests staying more than ten
kilometers away from the Ethiopia-Eritrea border, the
Ethiopian-Sudanese border, the Ethiopian-South Sudanese border, and
the Ethiopian-Kenyan border.
Received on Sun Aug 07 2016 - 09:37:08 EDT