Date 5 August 2016 – present (6 months, 3 weeks and 2 days) Location Amhara Region, Gondar, Addis Ababa, Bahir Dar, Oromia Region, north-western and southern regions Ambo, Dembi Dolo, and Nekemt Causes Hundreds of killings and thousands of arrests in recent months by police
Human rights abuses (detention of opposition demonstrators) Oromia Region
Official status dispute over Wolqayt
Unfair distribution of wealth
Political marginalization
Land seizures by the Ethiopian government Methods Protests
Demonstrations Status At least 90 shot and killed by police (as of 8 August)– 500 (claimed by Human Rights Watch)
Thousands of protesters attacked and/or arrested by police
Suspected jailbreak attempt at Kaliti Prison resulting in at least 23 deaths
Human stampede resulting from police confrontation results in the deaths of 52-300 people
Six-month state of emergency declared in October Death(s) 500+ (as of October 2016) | ||
Protests erupted in Ethiopia on 5 August 2016 following calls by opposition groups. Protesters demanded social and political reforms including an end to human rights abuses (including government killings of civilians, mass arrests, government land seizures, and political marginalization of opposition groups). The government responded by restricting access to the Internet and attacking as well as arresting protesters.
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In the three days leading up to 8 August, Reuters reported that at least 90 protesters had been shot and killed by Ethiopian security forces, marking the most violent crackdown against protesters in sub-Saharan Africa since at least 75 people were killed during protests in Ethiopia's Oromia Region in November and December 2015.
According to Human Rights Watch, at least 500 people are estimated to have been killed as of October 2016.
Background
Ethiopia has been governed by the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front since they captured the capital and ended the Ethiopian Civil War in 1991. Members of the Tigrayan ethnic group constitute a minority of Ethiopia's population. However members of this ethnic group dominate the senior positions in the country's military and political system while the majority of Amhara and Oromo people are marginalized.
The country has been experiencing rapid economic growth since the 2000s and is one of the world's fastest-growing economies and is Africa’s second most populous country.
Protests
Prior episodes of mass killings by the Ethiopian government include the 2005 Ethiopian police massacres when hundreds of protesters were killed by police and the November and December 2015 protests in the Oromia Region that resulted in the killings of over 100 people by government forces. The 2015 protests were later followed by a police crackdown and the arrests of hundreds of opposition members.
Oromia Region
According to diplomatic, NGO, and opposition sources, hundreds of thousands of people marched in more than 200 towns and cities in the vast Oromia State, in protest at "the government's draconian and ever-escalating repression." This resulted in at least 148 people being killed on 5 and 6 August.
On 2 October 2016, more protests occurred where an estimated two million people were attending the annual Irreechaa festival in Bishoftu in the Oromia region. The festival is attended by Oromos from all walks of life to celebrate life and nature. An anti-government protest disrupted the event, with some claiming they involved peacefully chanting slogans against the Oromo Peoples' Democratic Organization, while others claim stones and bottles were thrown. People died in a stampede as a result of police using tear gas, rubber bullets and baton charges, falling into a deep ditch and being crushed, or drowning in a lake. While the Oromia regional government confirmed the deaths of 52 people, rights groups, the opposition leader, and local reports claim various numbers up to nearly 300 people dead.
Addis Ababa
On 6 August hundreds of protesters marched on Meskel Square and shouted "we want our freedom" and "free our political prisoners". Dozens of protesters were arrested by Addis Ababa's police.
Amhara Region
In July 2016 the Anti-terrorism task force detained members of the Wolqayt Amhara Identity Committee (WAIC), a legally registered organisation. Soon after, protests erupted in many areas of the Amhara Region, the historic ethnic center of the Ethiopian state and home to the spectacular monolithic rock-cut churches of Lalibela and medieval castles of Gondar that attract tourists from all over. One of the biggest demonstrations took place was on the 1st of August 2016 in Gondar city. Hundreds of thousands of people held a peaceful demonstration over the arrest of the WAIC members, government repression and protest Federal government encroachment in regional affairs. Protesters carried placards expressing solidarity with the Oromo people. As they marched, they were heard to be chanting in Amharic “በኦሮምያ የሚፈሰዉ ደም ደማችን ነዉ” which translates to “the pouring of blood in Oromia is our blood” and “the killings of our brothers in Oromia needs to stop”. They also drew attention to the dispute over the administration of Wolqayt Tsegede. A region that is currently part of the Tigray state despite its citizens identifying as ethnic Amhara.
Further demonstrations soon followed in the Amhara region. Many protests spiraled into violence as security forces fired live bullets on protesters. On the 5th of August 2016, 50 student protesters were killed while protesting in the populous city of Bahir Dar, the capital of the Amhara Region and a major tourist destination. Evidence collected by Ethiopian Human Rights Project has so far shown that major protests took place in 6 of the 11 zones in the Amhara Region. The zones include North Gondar, South Gondar, Bahr Dar Special Zone, Awi, West Gojam and East Gojam. Anti-government street demonstrations and “stay at home” protests took place in small wereda towns and in some cases in rural kebeles across the six zones. The protests that were ignited in the historic town of Gondar, quickly spread to Debarq, Debtetabor, Metema, Ambagiorgis, Wereta, Simada, Gayint, Bahr Dar, Finote Selam, Burre, Enjibara, Dangila, Chagni, Tilili, Birsheleqo, Quarit, Dembecha, Amanuel, Debre Markos and other towns.
After the growing discontent in Amhara Region and Oromia Region the Israeli Foreign Ministry issued a travel warning on 1 September 2016. The Amhara Region included in the warning includes the city of Gondar, a popular site for many Israeli tourists and an area where many Ethiopian Jews originated. The warning was announced a day after the Prime Minister of Ethiopia Hailemariam Desalegn's announcement on the state owned media ETV (Ethiopia) and gave direct order for the Ethiopia Army forces to use any force necessary to bring order to the region. The protesters continued and several flower farms were burned down in Amhara Region and clashes between security forces and local protesters continued.
The Ethiopian Government declared a state of emergency on October 8, 2016. On the 16th of October 2016 the Government announced, restrictions and prohibitions on Internet usage, postings on Facebook, crossing the wrists above the head, diplomatic travel, fire arms and the viewing of media that the government deems to be “terrorist media”. There was also a curfews placed in both regions from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. to prevent further violence. The government crackdown was tough. Maina Kiai, a U.N. rights rapporteur, said "The scale of this violence and the shocking number of deaths make it clear that this is a calculated campaign to eliminate opposition movements and silence dissenting voices,”. The Human Rights Watch estimated that at least 400 people were killed in protests over the next several months.
Kaliti Prison
A suspected attempted jailbreak from Kaliti Prison near Addis Ababa resulted in a fire. Two prisoners were claimed to have been killed trying to escape, while 21 other inmates were said to have perished from "stampede and suffocation". At least 23 people were killed in total.
Domestic
The Ethiopian government denied violence being committed by the country's security forces, naming regional rivals Eritrea and Egypt as the origins for the ongoing unrest.
International
The United States Embassy in Addis Ababa released a statement of concern.
Washington, Feb 15, 2017 A legislation was authored by United States House of Representatives Chris Smith (New Jersey politician), to protect civilians in Ethiopia as well as promote democracy and good governance. The legislation further “calls on the Secretary of State to improve the oversight and accountability of U.S. assistance in Ethiopia”. Rep. Smith was joined by U.S. Representative Mike Coffman as well as victims of torture at the hands of the Ethiopian Government Seenaa Jimjimo, Tewondrose Tirfe and Guya Abaguya Deki, during a press conference to announce this legislation.