Ethiopia’s South Nations, Nationalities and People (SNNP) regional state has fallen under federal security force-led command post as of Tuesday July 23, 2019.
The central government on Wednesday in a statement said the move followed a request from the SNNP regional state to overcome security challenges that pose a serious threat to the well being of residents.
The southern Ethiopia region has been rocked by violence following demand by the Sidma ethnic group for a separate statehood.
The Sidam ethnic group says it requested for a referendum about a year ago, which the central government did not acknowledge until recently.
The National Electoral Board of Ethiopia however said it received the Sidama zone administration council’s demand through the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples’ State.
The Sidama who represent about 5 percent of Ethiopia’s over 100 million people, say they have been sidelined due to not having separate identity.
In addition to the Sidama, at least eight more ethnic groups are campaigning to have their own regions.
The region saw huge rallies in the last year or so, increasingly escalating in the last few weeks.
Some have turned deadly, according to latest reports.
The number of civilians killed in Sidama zone in southern Ethiopia since July 18 has reportedly risen to more than 35 — more than 14 of them in Hagere Selam town.
Last weekend at least three churches were burned to the ground in Hagere Selam by angry mobs who went out to the streets to protest the killings by security forces.
Lately, the Prime Minister has been warning local opposition forces to refrain from escalating the situation in the name of referendum.
MG/as/APA