The Ethiopian government has suspended senior leadership of Sidama and Hadiya zones, and heads of Hawassa city administration in southern part of the country.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Southern Ethiopian Peoples Democratic Movement (SEDPM) which is one of the four founding political parties of the ruling EPRDF said the officials were suspended for having a major role in the recent violence that resulted in deaths and property damages in Sidama zone.
The Executive Committee also warned violent groups in neighboring Wolayita and Kaffa zones to immediately cease illegal acts.
Thousands of protester took to the streets of the Hawassa city where at least 20 people including security personnel were wounded in clashes with the police.
The Committee further said efforts will be made in partnership with the public to bring to justice those responsible for the damage and to ensure rule of law in other parts of the regional state.
The security in the regional state has been placed under the federal security force-led command post so as to quell the disruptive acts being observed in the regional state.
According to the Committee, these disruptive acts posed a serious threat to the residents and they are beyond the capability of the regional state to control them with the regular security works.
Meanwhile, the Southern Ethiopian People’s Democratic Movement (SEPDM) has released findings of a study conducted to scientifically respond to demands for new administrative structure in the SNNP regional state.
The 20-person team conducted the study for the past seven months and collected information from more than 17,000 people in all zones of the regional state, except one, while conducting the exercise.
According to findings of the study, majority of residents in the regional state are in favor of the regional state to continue as it is now.
Splitting the regional state into two or more is a second option recommended by the team.
The third option is to delay the formation of new regional states.
MG/as/APA