ETHIOPIA: Authorities ban protests, say state of emergency to last for 6-months

The increasing political tension in Ethiopia has forced authorities to ban rising protests in the country even as the defence minister revealed that the state of emergency declared about 24-hours ago will last for six-months.

According to Siraj Fegessa, the defence minister, the declaration which was first announced by state media after a cabinet meeting on Friday, includes a ban on protests and the dissemination of publications “that could incite and sow discord”.

“The government has previously made several efforts to curtail violence, but lives have continued to be lost, many have been displaced and economic infrastructure has been damaged,” Fegessa added.

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Reports say wild protests by Ethiopia’s Oromo and Amhara people – who make up about 61 percent of the country’s population erupted in the country 24-hours after the abrupt resignation of Prime Minister, Hailemariam forcing authorities to declare a state of emergency.

Moments after throwing in the towel, Hailemariam, who has sat at the helm of the Ethiopian government since 2012, cited ongoing “unrest and a political crisis” in the country as major factors in his resignation, which he described as “vital in the bid to carry out reforms that would lead to sustainable peace and democracy”.

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