Ethiopia
The enemy of my enemy is my friend
In the case of peaceful protests, the Ethiopian government has acted with the utmost severity against demonstrators. Eye-witness reports of several dozen dead. The Repression welded together the once warring groups.
For the first Time to Meskel Square. It is the first Time since the onset of protests months ago, that dissatisfied citizens in Ethiopia also occupy the symbolic place in the capital, Addis Ababa. And for the first Time ever that the Protest reached the capital. Although there are only a few Hundred, which it manages, on Saturday, the ranks of the police to break – but it is a sign of The resistance against the government of Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalegn has taken on new proportions. It comes to political participation, a fairer distribution of Land and resources, but also simply to have the right to freedom of expression.
The protests in Addis Ababa are just the tip of the iceberg. On one of the protesters at the Meskel Square, dozens of which went for a weekend in the States of Amhara and Oromia on the streets. According to activists, more than 200 cities in protests. In Bahir Dar, the capital of the Federal state of Amhara, the clashes with the security forces particularly bloody. News agencies reported seven Dead. Eye-witnesses speak of more than 30.
You put the ban on demonstrations and take to the streets: hundreds of protesters had demonstrated in the centre of Addis Ababa last weekend, for a greater say
The police have tried, protesters from the surrounding areas of the Demonstration keep, reported an eye witness to the DW. Out of fear of persecution, he would like to remain anonymous. “The Chaos was bigger than they shot and killed a seven-year-old child.” The situation remains dangerous. “Civilians and special units. It shots still fall.” Quite different is the assessment of the local administration that speaks of “illegal activities under the guise of demonstrations” reads – this from the Pro-government media house to Fana Broadcasting Corporate, is quoted. Hotels, banks, and private possessions had been attacked; a hand grenade was thrown on security forces. “After the attack on the security forces, measures were taken to restore order.”
Mass against small Elite
In the last few months, it was mainly people from the largest ethnic group, the Oromo, the went on the road. Every third of Ethiopians is Oromo but politically, this ratio is not reected. The government and the military are dominated by the small ethnic group, the Tigray, who belongs to Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalegn. The liberation front, the Tigray people’s (TPLF) is the strongest force in both houses of Parliament.
The capital city of Addis Ababa is geographically in the state of Oromia. Restructuring plans of the Ethiopian government initiated in the case of the Oromo population on resistance
Now the TPLF disputed territory reforms by pressing wants. In April 2014, it announced that the area of the Federal capital, Addis Ababa, at the expense of the surrounding
Oromia Region. Oromo farmers saw their livelihoods disappear and protested.
The conflict widened by the end of 2015, as further restructuring plans were known. The government has withdrawn the plans to the part. But the outrage stops. Last week, Premier Dessalegn said the planned demonstrations to be illegal and ordered the security forces to do everything Necessary to combat this.
New Solidarity
A course of action, the Awol Kassim from the London School of Economics considers to be questionable. “According to the Constitution, protesters must communicate their plans to the government only,” says the political scientist and constitutional expert in the DW-interview. This obligation appears to be met. The task of the government would have been, therefore, to guarantee the security of, rather than against the demonstrators. The government relies on Repression, it is not surprising Kassim, however. The sun in the nature of a minority government that represents the people. “To get this System must resort to the government on a whole range of control and oppression.”
The protests against the government have reached on the weekend a new Dimension and a new determination. The people were gone, despite the demonstration ban by the Thousands on the road, showing a significant turning-point in Ethiopia, says Kassim.
New is also that the various protest movements show each other their solidarity. So far, the Oromo and the Amhara separated a rival of enmity. The Oromo were in the past in the distribution of land and of the language at a disadvantage policy. An example: Although the language of the Oromo is one of the most spoken on the continent, it is until today not an official language in Ethiopia. The National and working language is Amharic.
However, by the increasing Repression, the old enemy seem to be properties more and more to dissolve. So the protesters Is held in Bahir Dar, capital of Amhara, the image of a prisoner Oromo leader. Kassim no longer recognizes that the “Divide and rule”strategy of the government to go to. Long does Tigray have tried government to play both sides in order to secure their own Power, says the political Analyst Kassim. The not more to go now. “People who would not even speak to each other, hated each other literally, and Express their mutual solidarity.”