Ethiopia’s parliament on Friday voted to lift a state of emergency imposed since October last year. It was imposed to quell spreading anti-government protests in the country.
Originally imposed for a six-month period, the state of emergency is in its tenth month after it was extended by four months upon the first expiration in March 2017.
Since January 2016 the human rights situation in Ethiopia has stagnated according to a Human Rights Watch reports which said security forces have killed more than 500 people during protests over the course of 2016.
The government reported mass arrests of persons believed to be behind the protests, some have been released after training whiles others have been arraigned before the courts on offences of destroying private and public property.
The Command Post administering the curfew has reported that relative peace has returned to the country, consequent to which most stinging restrictions under the state of emergency were lifted.
The United States and the United Kingdom maintained their travel advisories for Ethiopia even though some European countries have lifted theirs with the ‘return to peace.’
Ethiopia: A year after protests started – Timeline of events [1]
November 12, 2015 opened a new chapter in the political space of Ethiopia. The Horn of Africa nation experienced anti-government protests by minority groups protesting political marginalization on one end.
Also embedded in the protests was an opposition to the decision of government to develop land around the capital Addis Ababa.
Last year’s protests started in the Oromia region. The attendant security clampdown shot Ethiopia into the global political and human rights limelight. Africanews presents a timeline of events since the protests kicked off.
November 2015
The first protests started in the Oromia region. Serious security crackdown was also reported. Rights groups cited the stifling of freedom of expression and public assembly.
January 2016
Calls for restraint on the part of the foreign governments and rights groups.
June 2016
Human Rights Watch (HRW) presents report on the November protest and attendant clampdown. Amnesty disclosed concerns and rallied global action and condemnation of the situation. The United Nations was not left out.
Among other findings:
Over 400 people were killed, 1000s were arrested by security forces. The 61-page report interviewed over 125 protesters, bystanders and victims of abuse. HRWasked the government to support and independent probe into the protests.
As part of Government’s official response, they disputed HRW’s figures disclosing that 173 people died in the protests out of which 28 were police officers.
Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn apologized in March 2016 before parliament for “not listening to the concerns of the people”, but blamed the death and destruction on the violence of some protesters.
June 2016
Fresh protests break out in the Amhara region, with reports of huge security clampdown.
Tens of thousands of protesters have flooded the streets of Gonder in the Amhara region of northern Ethiopia on Sunday demanding a change of government due to the unfair distribution of wealth in the country.
August 2016
The anti-government protest in the northern Amhara region intensified and spilled over to other regions demanding a regime change in the country. As usual there was security clampdown.
Violence continued in the country leading to the United States issuing a travel directive to its citizens.
Still in August, reports emerged that protesters remobilised in the northern city of Bahir Dar to continue the nationwide demonstration that was largely marked by violence. This was the fourth area hit by protests after Addis Ababa, Amhara and Oromia regions.
An Amnesty report stated that over 60 people were killed and hundreds more sustained injuries in heavy-handed but ‘unsurprising’ response by Ethiopian security forces to the widening protests.
“The security forces response was heavy-handed, but unsurprising. Ethiopian forces have systematically used excessive force in their mistaken attempts to silence dissenting voices,” said Michelle Kagari, Amnesty International official for East Africa, the Horn and the Great Lakes.
International concerns were raised by the United States and France. The European Union (EU) also expressed concern, being the first political bloc to wade in on the issue. The Africa union at the time had yet to comment.
“The U.S. Embassy expresses its deep condolences to those who suffered as a result of the violence and regrets the damage to livelihoods, economic development, and the social fabric that such violence brings,” the US statement said.
The World Council of Churches (WCC) issued a statement mourning persons who were killed in the protest. They also called on the authorities to exercise restraint over the security clampdown.
As August closed, the United States upgraded theri caution to Citizens issued earlier in the month to the status of a travel alert. The State Department said the travel alert remained valid till February 18, 2017.
Another significant development in August was at the 2016 Olympics in Rio, Brazil. Details of how the tracks of Rio whipped up a new dimension to the protests.
Ethiopia: A year after protests started – Timeline of events [2]
August 2016
When the 2016 Olympics started in Brazil, little did the Ethiopian government expected that the issues back home will be thrust into the global limelight.
That is exactly what athlete Feyisa Lilesa did on the last day of the Games (August 21). The runner crossed his arms above his head as he finished the event as a protest against the Ethiopian government’s crackdown on political dissent.
He came second in the men’s marathon after finishing the 42 kilometer race. He later claimed that his life was in danger. He sought for for asylum in the United States and has been living there since leaving Rio.
Away from the Olympics, another Ethiopian marathoner followed the action of Lelisa. Ebisa Ejigu crossed over his hands over his head as he crossed the finish line to emerge the winner of the Quebec City Marathon in Canada.
September 2016
The African Union (AU) finally issued a statement on developments in Ethiopia. The AU has its offices in the country and their seeming silence on the protests in the country had raised eyebrows. They also joined calls for restraint on the part of government and the protesters.
‘‘The socio-political situation in Ethiopia has led to a number of reported deaths, temporary disruptions of public and private businesses, as well as occasional interruption of telecommunication services.
‘‘The AU Commission Chairperson reiterates the AU’s support for the respect of the rule of law, and peaceful demonstrations which are critical tenets in the upholding principles and culture democracy,’‘ the statement signed by Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma concluded.
Ethiopia needs intense political dialogue, must restore internet – AU Chair.
United Nations human rights chief released a report in Setember. It mentioned three African countries – Ethiopia, Gambia and Mozambique – for shying away from UN officers requesting to carry out human rights investigations.
Specifically on Ethiopia, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said it was important for the Ethiopian authorities to open its doors for UN investigators despite the assurance by the government to conduct a probe into the protest deaths.
‘‘I welcome a national effort, but believe the Government should also consider the need for an independent, impartial and international effort to affirm or revise the allegations,’‘ he said.
In late September, Ethiopian Prime Minister, Hailemariam Dessalgen, insisted that the country is able to launch investigations into deadly protests that have gone on in recent months and that as a sovereign country they should be allowed so to do.
Then came the news that popular Ethiopian actor, Znah-Bzu Tsegaye, according to a Voice of America (VOA) decided to seek asylum in the United States after leaving the country two months ago. His decision to go into exile is linked with the heavy security crackdown on protesters in the Amhara and Oromia region. Tsegaye, is from the Amhara region.
October 2016
November was a busy month for Ethiopia and things kicked off pretty early in the month during the Irreecha Festival in the Oromia region. The thanksgiving festival of the Oromia people in central Ethiopia was disrupted on November 2, after police fired teargas to disperse protesters in Bishoftu.
Among the thousands of festival participants, a number of them marched chanting anti-government slogans and their arms crossed above their heads which solicited the police reaction.
The government called for three days of national mourning a day after several people died during the stampede. The stampede was sparked by Ethiopia’s special forces who fired teargas and warning shots to disperse protesters at the annual Irreecha thanksgiving festival in the town of Bishoftu.
The government blamed “anti-peace forces” for the stampede which they say has claimed 52 lives. Opposition groups and human rights groups put the casualty figures far above the official record.
As part of the protests that followed the festival stampede, protests kept spreading in the country. Public and private property were reportedly attacked.
The federal government declared a 6-month state of emergency on Saturday, October 8, 2016. The cabinet of PM Hailemariam Desalegn imposed the curfew after an emergency meeting citing deteriorating security situation in Oromia regional state.
The High Representative of the European Union (EU) for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, in a phone call with PM Hailemariam Desalegn asked Addis Ababa to respect democratic principles and civil rights in the country.
She further underlined the need for transparency and determined engagement by the government to respond to the grievances of the population. The EU said it expected the opening up of the democratic space, and respect of fundamental freedoms.
Merkel speaks on protests
German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, asked the Ethiopian government to allow protests and that police response to these protests should be proportionate. She also called on the government to include opposition groups in the political process. Merkel was in Ethiopia on the last leg an African tour.
Human Rights Watch (HRW) also backed the earlier call by the UN human rights chief for an independent probe into the deaths. Later in November, the outgoing Foreign Affairs chief will go on to accuse HRW and opposition in diaspora of fueling the protests by peddling untruths.
The government also indicated that tourists were free to visit sites in the country without serving prior notice to the Command Post that was administering the state of emergency. This emphasized reports that the curfew was affecting tourism revenues.
Meanwhile, some European governments – Germany and the United Kingdon – joined the United States in issuing travel alert for their nationals heading to Ethiopia. The US embassy whiles warning citizens said their work was affected by the curfew situation.
‘’…the decree restricts U.S. and other foreign diplomats from traveling 40 kilometers outside of Addis Ababa, which severely affects the ability of the Consular Section to assist U.S. Citizens,’‘ the embassy said.
The government also reported mass arrests under the state of emergency and also gave strong indications that it will hurl ringleaders to court. Later in the month, the government announced the release of 2000 detainees after they received counselling.
‘Ethiopia cannot build democracy without vibrant media’
November 2016
The parliament on November 1, approved a new cabinet formed by Prime Minister Desalegn after he promised to address concerns of inadequate representation of other regions in government.
Two key ministries were handed to Oromos, thus Workneh Gebeyehu, who was formerly Transport Minister moved to Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Dr Negeri Lencho, journalism professor at the University of Addis Ababa was handed the Communication Affairs Office post.
Ethiopia reshuffles government, two Oromos occupy key positions.
The government lifted restrictions on diplomats travelling in the country without permission. As part of the state of emergency, diplomats were banned from travelling more than 40km (25 miles) from the capital, Addis Ababa.
Ethiopia’s tourism revenue took a massive dip in the wake of anti-government protests, the country projected a loss of about 400 million dollars in the 2016 budget year. Income from the sector had fallen by more than $7m (£5.5m) over the last quarter according to the tourism ministry.
The Canadian Foreign Affairs chief who visited the country called for political reforms, peaceful and inclusive political dialogue. Canada expressed ‘‘concerns over the deaths and violence arising from the recent unrest, particularly in the Oromia and Amhara regions.’‘
With news that Germany had lifted a travel warning to its citizens hoping to visit Ethiopia, authorities in the Horn of Africa nation said they were hoping that the United States (US) and United Kingdom (UK) will follow suit soon, days after reports of tourist revenue falling.
Source: AfricaNews
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