borkena
April 8,2019
Relative peace is restored to regions in North Shoa and South Wollo along Addis Ababa-Dessie road following two days of attack from an organized and well-armed group, the Ethiopian government announced today.
The security situation in Karakore, Majete, and Ataye is improved but some places are still not safe according to AMMA report on Monday which cited residents from these areas.
Yet residents say that enough forces are not deployed to the region which has caused security concern, added the report.
Top government official in the office of the prime minister has confirmed, in an interview with EBC, that the situation is better but not entirely resolved.
It was earlier on Monday that Ethiopian National Security Council issued a statement authorizing the Ethiopian Defense Force and Amhara regional state security forces to take necessary measures against groups who launched attacks on civilians.
What is known about the group that has launched the attack is that it is well armed, including with group weapons, and that they are dressed in Defense Forces uniform which is begging the question from the public.
How does the ruling party see the latest security issue?
In a blog published and shared on social media on April 8, 2019, the ruling coalition (Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front – EPRDF) said that the violence is intended not only to reverse “the region’s development,” but also to create friction and suspicion between Oromo an Amhara people with the aim to weaken the potential and will between these two people to work together.
While the government thinks that the latest string of violence, and this time it happened in north-central part of the country, was a planned one, it did not disclose to the public as to who the perpetrators are.
However, North Shoa zone head has reportedly said about the need to call a spade a spade and pointed his fingers to militant Oromo Liberation Front (OLF).
Nigusu Tilahun, Press Secretary head in the office of the Prime Minister, told state broadcaster, EBC, on Monday that the federal government has established a task force tasked to investigate it and is already deployed to the region.
How activists and many Ethiopians see it
There seems to be a point of agreement with government position in that the latest violence is well planned with the intention to bring conflict between ethnic Amhara and ethnic Oromos.
The difference is that people tend to unequivocally place the blame on Oromo Liberation Front.
___
Join the conversation. Like borkena on Facebook and get Ethiopian News updates regularly. As well, you may get Ethiopia News by following us on twitter @zborkena
The post Ethiopian government says relative calm restored in North Shoa appeared first on Borkena Ethiopian News.