2014–2016 Oromo protests

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2014–2016 Oromo protests
Part of
Dembi Dolo, and Nekemte[8]Amhara Region, Gondar,[6] Bahir Dar,[6]
Caused by
Goals
Methods
  • Protests
  • Demonstrations
Status
Parties
Oromia Region Oromo pro-democratic protesters
Lead figures

Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn

Casualties
Death(s)5000+ (as of October 2016)
Detained1,645[22]
[23][24][25][26][27][28][3]

The 2014–2016 Oromo protests

marginalization of opposition groups. The government responded by restricting access to the internet[31][32] and attacking as well as arresting protesters.[32][33][34]

In the three days leading up to 8 August 2016, Reuters reported that at least 90 protesters

Oromia Region in November and December 2015.[35][36]

According to Human Rights Watch, at least 500 people are estimated to have been killed as of October 2016.[37][38]

Background and causes

Power struggle

In 1991, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (

EPRDF) captured the capital Addis Ababa and ended the Ethiopian Civil War. The EPRDF was led by the Tigray People's Liberation Front and was dominated by those belonging to the Tigray ethnic group, which is a minority group comprising only about six percent of the country's population. However, members of this ethnic group have traditionally dominated senior positions in the country's military and political system, while those belonging to the Amhara and Oromo ethnic groups, who comprise a majority of the population, have felt rather marginalized over the past few decades.[32][39]

Ethnic divisions are not as sharp in Ethiopia as might be indicated by statistics; intermarriage is extremely commonplace, and the actual disparity and disaffection between groups are not great. Furthermore, following the death of Meles Zenawi in 2012, the influence of the Tigray ethnic group became lower than in previous decades. Subsequent to his death neither of the two main political positions–President (head of state) and Prime Minister (head of government)–were occupied by a Tigrayan. Then-President Mulatu Teshome belonged to the Oromo ethnic group and then-Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn to the Wolayta ethnic group. Nevertheless, the perceived domination of the Tigray people had been in the back of the minds of some people and was a factor in the disturbances.[citation needed]

Addis Ababa Master Plan

Protests were first sparked on 25 April 2014 against expansion of boundaries Addis Ababa city and government responded by shooting at and beating peaceful protesters[1] and on 12 November 2015, university students in the town of Ginchi, 80 km southwest of Addis Ababa, engaged in full blown strikes and street protests.[4][5][40] Protests spread throughout 400 different locales across 17 zones of Oromia region[41] according to Amnesty International 800 Oromo protesters killed since started[3]

The 2016 Oromo youth demonstrations started because Addis Ababa's new city master plan proposed including farmlands from the surrounding Oromia region to cope with the city's rapid expansion. Amhara ethnic youth also followed the Oromos because of old bitterness towards the governing EPRDF (a party founded by the TPLF) who had instituted ethnic federalism which they claim promoted ethnic hatred, ethnic nationalism, and division in Ethiopia,[42][43][44][45][46] while some have argued that Amhara protestors had ulterior motives of anger towards the TPLF because they had abolished what some claim to be a century-old Amhara dominance in Ethiopian governance.[47] After deadly Oromo protests started since 25 April 2014, controversial master plan was cancelled on 12 January 2016 after 140 protesters were killed.[48][49][50]

Drought and floods

In 2014, both rainy seasons in Ethiopia saw irregular rainfall. In 2015, due to an extremely strong

Oromia Region.[52] After 18 months of severe drought with almost nothing left over to eat for drought-affected people, very strong torrential rains that started in April 2016 did worsen the situation until October 2016. The flooding displaced people for months in exactly the same regions, that were most affected by the long drought.[53] Ethiopia is a multi-ethnic state. UNICEF experience in Ethiopia has shown such droughts and floods often result in humanitarian shocks and tensions between ethnic groups.[14]

Rural discontent

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.[54] But while economic development and growth and industrialization are supported a lot by the authoritarian government, often the needs of the rural population remain unconsidered, the freedom and civil rights of farmers and pastoralists in particular are often neglected. They are left behind.[15]

Protests

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.[55]

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,[56][57] in protest at "the government's draconian and ever-escalating repression".[58] This resulted in at least 148 people being killed on 5 and 6 August.[59]

On 2 October 2016, more protests occurred where an estimated two million people were attending the annual

stampede as a result of police using tear gas, rubber bullets and baton charges,[37][60][61] falling into a deep ditch and being crushed,[61] or drowning in a lake.[38] 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.[37][38][58][60][61][62] On August 6, hundreds of protesters marched on Meskel Square in Addis Ababa and shouted "we want our freedom" and "free our political prisoners".[59] Dozens of protesters were arrested by Addis Ababa's police.[63]

Kaliti Prison

23 imprisoned Oromo protesters died in Kaliti Prison after a fire broke out, wherein 21 died from carbon monoxide poisoning and 2 were killed by security force after an attempt to escape.[64]

Protest spread to Amhara

Protests in the Oromia region spread to

Wolqayt Tsegede. A region that is currently part of the Tigray state despite its citizens identifying as ethnic Amhara.[71][72][73][74]

Further demonstrations soon followed in the

Metema, Ambagiorgis, Wereta, Simada, Gayint, Bahir Dar, Finote Selam, Burre, Enjibara, Dangila, Chagni, Tilili, Birsheleqo, Quarit, Dembecha, Amanuel, Debre Markos and other towns.[citation needed
]

After the growing discontent in

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 EBC and gave direct order for the Ethiopia Army forces to use any force necessary to bring order to the region.[75][76] The protesters continued and several flower farms were burned down in Amhara Region and clashes between security forces and local protesters continued.[77][78]

The

Ethiopian Government declared a state of emergency on 8 October 2016. On 16 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”.[79] There were also curfews in both regions from 18:00 to 06:00 to prevent further violence.[80][81] 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”.[82] The Human Rights Watch estimated that at least 400 people were killed in protests over the next several months.[83]

As a continuation of the Amhara protest, two years later several protests were held in Northern

Ethiopian Orthodox Christian celebration of Epiphany when a group of young men protested because the federal police forces prohibited them from making round dancing and chanting. A witness said police had fired into the crowd and the crowd began running in all directions.[84]

The United Nations High Commission for Human Rights (

Woldia, stating that the incident “reportedly took place when the security forces tried to stop people from chanting anti-government songs and allegedly opened fire on them", and that "protesters reportedly later blocked roads and destroyed a number of properties.”[85] This comes just two weeks after Ethiopia's ruling coalition, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front, officially announced its intention to undertake reforms following protests that began in 2016.[citation needed
]

Seven people have also been killed in the northern town of

Mekele. In Mersa, around 10 people were shot dead.[87]

Reactions

Domestic

The Ethiopian government denied violence was being committed by the country's security forces, naming regional rivals Eritrea and Egypt as fomenting the ongoing unrest.[20][88]

International

The United States Embassy in Addis Ababa released a statement of concern.[89]

Legislation was authored 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.[90]

In May 2017,

Prince Zeid bin Ra'ad, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, said he would open an investigation into the human rights abuses perpetrated during the protests.[91]

See also

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External links

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