Deadly clashes in Bure, west Gojam as more Amhara towns join protest against TPLF rule

From: Ghezae Hagos <ghagos23_at_gmail.com_at_dehai.org>
Date: Sat, 27 Aug 2016 05:44:19 -0700

By Engidu Woldie

ESAT News (August 27, 2016)

Bure and Quarit have become the latest towns in the Amhara region to join
the protest against the brutal regime of TPLF that has now faced resistance
from all corners of the Amhara and Oromo regions of Ethiopia.

One person was killed by TPLF forces on Friday in Bure while at least three
others sustained injury as the forces rained bullets on the crowd of
protesters, according to sources who spoke to ESAT. But the number of
people killed in Bure could be two, sources told ESAT.

Stone throwing protesters in Bure attacked businesses affiliated with the
regime, while in Quarit, protesters set a portrait of the late dictator,
Meles Zenawi, on fire sending a message that they had enough of the regime.
They have also hoisted the Ethiopian flag, replacing the loathed flag of
the regime.

Sources said the local police were just watching and did not attack the
protesters. In the Amhara region, local police and militia do not shoot at
protesters. Armed Special Forces of the TPLF from Tigray were the ones
perpetrating the killings, according to witnesses who spoke to ESAT.

In the town of Abdrafi, Special Forces from Tigray shot and killed a
respected businessman Ato Tayachew as well as a member of the local force,
Ato Berjalew who sided with the protesters and refused to take orders from
the Tigrayan commanders. TPLF agents had kept an eye on Ato Berjalew and he
had been followed closely before he was killed on Friday.

Having heard the news, residents of Abdrafi quickly picked up their arms
and perused the forces from Tigray who took a hide in the nearby forest.
One person who goes by the name Kiros was killed in the shootout. The
exchange of fire between the two sides continued throughout the day,
according to witnesses.

Meanwhile, a member of the 24th division of the regime’s defense force
confided to ESAT that Oromo and Amhara commanders of the army in north
Gondar have quit their posts refusing to give orders to shoot at
protesters. Their decision came after the killing of three commanders and
the desertion by a group of seventy members of the army. Similarly,
according to the source, army members of Oromo and Amhara origin have told
their higher ups that they would not shoot at protesters. The Oromo and
Amhara members of the army were confronting the Tigray commanders saying
the role of the army should be to defend the sovereignty of the nation, not
to shoot at protesters.

The source said the TPLF regime brought Special Forces from Tigray and
dress them in the army’s uniform to carry out the killings of protesters in
the Amhara region.

There has been an increase in the number of desertion in the army over the
last several weeks. Military gears and other arms have been found in the
bushes in Woleka and Genet localities which sources say belonged to the
deserting soldiers.

Protest against the TPLF regime in the Amhara region has been spreading
quickly to more towns; and some localities have been freed from the
regime’s administrative control. They had set up their own administration
that is comprised of respected members of the community.
Received on Sat Aug 27 2016 - 07:23:25 EDT

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