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Huge protests have taken place in Ethiopia’s Amhara region

Demonstrators blocked roads with rocks and burning tyres to prevent the military from travelling around. Protesters fear that the government’s decision would leave them exposed to attacks by neighbouring regions. Ethiopia constitution provides for each of its states to have their own special forces. The government announced last week that it wants the special forces to be integrated into the federal army or police force in order to promote national unity.

The decision has faced strong opposition in Amhara, with huge protests in cities and towns across the region. It has led a partial curfew being imposed in the historic city of Gondar, while clashes have been reported between protesters and the military in Kobe town, near the border with the neighbouring Tigray region. On Sunday, Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed vowed to press ahead with his plan even if “a price had to be paid”.

In the capital Addis Ababa, the arrest of Amhara-linked journalists, commentators and community organizers has intensified in recent days. On Sunday, Meskerem Abera became the fourth media personality to be detained in less than a week.

The Amhara special forces helped the Ethiopian army fight Tigrayan forces who launched a rebellion in 2020 against Mr Abiy’s government. The conflict ended with the signing of a peace accord last year between the federal government and Tigrayan forces.

Now tension is growing between the Amhara and federal authorities. Some in Amhara say the federal government’s decision will prevent the region from providing armed resistance to any future threat. They also doubt that the Tigrayan forces have fully disarmed, despite the peace accord requiring them to do so.

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2 thoughts on “Huge protests have taken place in Ethiopia’s Amhara region”

  1. I hope and pray that level heads will prevail once again and avert any potential conflict in that region. Nothing comes out of conflicts except deaths and destruction. No more such conflicts!!!

  2. Subject: QUOTE: “Huge protests have taken place in Ethiopia’s Amhara region
    News / April 10, 2023, By Kalkidan Yibeltal, BBC News, Addis Ababa ” UNQUOTE

    Humble Opinion, 10 April 2023
    Ethiopia is heading to DISINTEGRATION and no body will gain anything worthy. Ethiopians will then face the consequential ugly reality of being wanderers without aim — too late to call for the good old Mother Ethiopia that may, already, have “Gone With The Wind”.

    Will THAT BE BENEFICIAL TO ETHIOPIANS???
    NO, NO, NO BUT FREE TO CRY TO THEIR HEARTS CONTENT.
    NO BODY WILL COME TO HELP BUT TO SHARE THE DISINTEGRATION OF THEIR ANCIENT BELOVED ETHIOPIA INTO PIECES FOR THEMSELVES!!! THE END
    WHAT AN ENDING !!!!!!!!

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