As the regime in Ethiopia authorized security forces to “shoot and kill” today, civilians are killed in Nekemte. What analysts think is that government move will rather accentuate the crisis, not resolve it.
Source : Addis Standard
borkena
February 27, 2018
As people continue to protest against the regime in power, security forces loyal to the dominant the dominant force in the ruling party, TPLF, killed civilians today in Nekemte, Wollega, Western Ethiopia.
At this writing, at least two civilians are killed and more than twenty others are injured according to sources from Nekemete. Agazi, purely a TPLF force, reportedly fired on protestors.
The us-based news outlet, Ethiopian Satellite Television, identified one of the victims as Abebe Mekonnen. He was killed by Agazi sniper in the city center of Nekemte.
But there are fears that the number of victims could be higher. The state of emergency proclamation, which was announced last week, restricted regional government officials or media not to report or share an update regarding any security situation. Oromo regional state communication head usually shares updates with the public on social media whenever incidents like the one happened in Nekemte this morning transpire.
Amateur video released on social media showed Agazi security forces roving Nekemte city intimidating residents.
On Saturday, security forces have killed one person in Dembi Dolo town, in Wollega region, Western Ethiopia.
The protest in Nekemete since yesterday was meant to be a response to government measure in relation to Oromo Federalist Congress leaders who were detained at Gute town on Saturday as they were heading to Nekemte for a scheduled meeting with their supporters at the city’s stadium.
Today, “The Command Post”, a body that is presiding over the state of emergency and constitutes mainly TPLF military officers, issued a warning, which was aired on state television, that security forces are authorized to take measure on protestors.
Legally, the state of emergency has to be approved by the parliament before its implementation. But what the regime in Ethiopia is doing is the horse before the cart. Members of parliament are notified to terminate a month-long recess for an emergency meeting this Friday and the purpose is to approve the state of emergency which is already under implementation in different parts of Ethiopia.
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