9-10-2016
Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn declared a six-month state of emergency on Sunday, saying it was to restore order after weeks of protests that have resulted in deaths and damage to mostly foreign-owned factories and flower farms.
There are also reports of crack and split within the ruling Front and the military, which necessitated the declaration.
Last week, protesters also destroyed scores of vehicles, adding economic casualties to a rising death toll in a wave of unrest over land grabs and rights.
“A state of emergency has been declared because the situation posed a threat against the people of the country,” Hailemariam said on state-run television.
“The state of emergency is vital. It is essential to restore peace and stability over a short period of time,” he said, adding the ruling Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) coalition was also looking at reforms, and planning to hold talks with opposition parties.
Hailemariam said the state of emergency was effective from Oct.8.
The violence has put a shadow over a nation where a state-led industrial drive has created one of Africa’s fastest growing economies, but where the government has also faced rising international criticism and popular opposition to its authoritarian approach to development.
Last Sunday, at least 55 people were killed in a stampede in Ethiopia’s Oromiya region that was triggered when police used teargas and shot in the air to disperse anti-government protesters at a religious festival.
That has added the toll to more than 450 the number of people rights groups and opponents say have been killed in unrest since 2015. A U.S. researcher was killed on Tuesday when her car was attacked by stone-throwers near Addis Ababa.
AP reported that anti-government protests continued Sunday. Many roads into and out of the capital, Addis Ababa, are blocked by protesters and those who try to drive through are targeted by people who jump out from behind bushes and hurl rocks, witnesses told the Associated Press by phone on Sunday.
The state broadcaster said details of the state of emergency will be communicated to the public later Sunday.
This is said to be the first state of emergency in 25 years.
Source: Reuters, Al Jazerra and AP
Here are some reactions of Ethiopians on Twitter
አላወቃችሁትም እንጂ ህዝቡ ብዙ ጊዜ የቤት አድማ በማድረግ አስቸኩዋይ ጊዜ አዋጅ አውጆ ነበር ይሄ አሁን ያላችሁት ነገር የቤተ መንግስት አድማ ነው።ደግሞ በጥልቅ ምትዳሱበትን ጉድጉአድ በጥልቅ ቆፍሩ።
— Abel Asrat (@abelasratt) October 9, 2016
— ሜጀር ጀረናል ሸምሱ ቢረዳ (@MGen_Shemsu) October 9, 2016
‘#Ethiopia|n regime declared state of emergency. That means, all killings are now legal and constitutional under Art.93!” @henokgabisa
— Hallelujah Lulie (@halelule) October 9, 2016
It’s like officiating z state of emergency that is felt by TPLF. It’s just a message that they will do anything to save z regime. Anything!
— Kirubel ተሾመ (@kiruskyy) October 9, 2016
#Ethiopia‘s State of Emergency means regional admins & courts are now frozen, only a team of few will rule, Colonel Demeke would be taken.
— De Birhan (@DeBirhaner) October 9, 2016