APA-Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) The Ethiopian government has prohibited anti-war demonstrations in Addis Ababa, the nation’s capital.
Amid escalating civilian casualties in Ethiopia’s Amhara region due to government troops’ extensive drone attacks and shelling of civilian areas, and ongoing conflicts in parts of the Oromo region, individuals and prominent opposition leaders had planned a peaceful anti-war demonstration scheduled for December 10, 2023, in Addis Ababa.
Police in Addis Ababa have been conducting mass arrest since last Sunday.
The mass arrest followed the government’s decision to prohibit the scheduled anti-war march.
The mass arrest and unwarranted house-to-house searches for young people who are suspected having links to the Amhara region where the fighting between government forces and Fano fighters have been going on for six months.
The Addis Ababa City administration justified the ban citing “security concerns in connection with the current situation.”
Despite the government’s stance, six politicians and activists who are spearheading the demonstration have vowed to go ahead with the planned protest.
They argue that according to the current Ethiopian constitution, they are only obligated to inform the relevant government security agencies 48 hours before staging such an event.
MG/as/APA