Wednesday, July 24, 2013

‘The Ethiopian people can no longer be passive’

(July 24, 2013, (New Internationalist))-- Ethiopia is witnessing the beginnings of a rapidly growing pro-democracy movement. The first major demonstration against the government took place in June, when 10,000 protesters marched through the streets of the country’s capital, Addis Ababa. It was the first demonstration of anti-government sentiment since post-election violence in 2005.

During those elections, thousands of protesters poured onto the streets of the capital after the ruling Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) disputed the results of the election. The demonstrations resulted in almost 200 people being killed and 30,000 opposition supporters, journalists and civil society leaders detained.

Protesters are now demanding the release of journalists and politicians from jail as well as urgent action to combat Ethiopia’s high inflation and high unemployment.

A series of major demonstrations around Ethiopia is being organized by the country’s leading opposition group, the Unity for Democracy and Justice party (UDJ) demanding that the government revoke its controversial anti-terror legislation, which they say is being used to crush legitimate dissent. Read more from New Internationalist » 

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