Explorer

Ethiopia declares state of emergency amid unrest

Addis Ababa [Ethiopia], Feb 17 (ANI): Ethiopia has declared a state of emergency following the unrest in the restive Oromia and Amhara regional states, after Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn resigned on Thursday, according to a state television broadcast.

In a meeting by the Ethiopian Council of Ministers on Friday, the ministers said a martial law would also be enforced effectively from Friday.

However, the duration of the state of the emergency was not disclosed in the broadcast, the Anadolu news agency reported.

The Council of Ministers said the state of emergency would also be instrumental in thwarting ethnic-based conflicts in the country, prevent the destruction of public property and safeguarding the constitutional order, according to the broadcast. The council added it would release more details on Saturday.

Mulatu Gemechu, deputy secretary of the opposition Oromo Federalist Congress, said Ethiopia needed a completely new political system after years of unrest.

The development comes after Desalegn announced his resignation, both as Prime Minister and the chairman of the ruling party, the Ethiopian Peoples' Revolutionary Democratic Front, after he was at the helm since 2012, in a bid to ease political turmoil in the country.

Desalegn said in a televised address, "I see my resignation as vital in the bid to carry out reforms that would lead to sustainable peace and democracy."

The announcement came after the Ethiopian Government recently released hundreds of political prisoners, including some prominent opposition members.

For the past few years, Ethiopia has seethed with social unrest. Hundreds of people have been killed and thousands have been imprisoned, including top opposition figures.

Demonstrations first spread across the country in 2015 amid calls for political and economic reforms.

Further, widespread demonstrations had broken out earlier this week by the Oromos, the largest ethnic group in Ethiopia.

Protesters had blocked roads leading out of Addis Ababa, Ethiopia's capital, with rocks and burning tyres, disrupting public transportation in the city. The demonstrations came to an end only after the government agreed to release the political prisoners.

While for some people, Desalegn's resignation comes as a "transformational moment", many see it as a result of an "unprecedented" wave of protests in Ethiopia. (ANI)


This story has not been edited. It has been published as provided by ANI

View More
Advertisement
Advertisement
25°C
New Delhi
Rain: 100mm
Humidity: 97%
Wind: WNW 47km/h
See Today's Weather
powered by
Accu Weather
Advertisement

Top Headline

I.N.D.I.A Bloc In Bihar: Here's How Congress, RJD Have Decided To Share Seats After JD-U's Exit
I.N.D.I.A Bloc In Bihar: Here's How Congress, RJD Have Decided To Share Seats After JD-U's Exit
'BJP Should Pay Rs 4,600 Crore': Congress Slams Income Tax Dept, ECI After Getting Rs 1,700-Crore Notice
'BJP Should Pay Rs 4,600 Crore': Congress Slams Income Tax Dept, ECI After Getting Rs 1,700-Crore Notice
Another Blow To Congress As I-T Dept Serves Rs 1,700-Crore Notice Ahead Of Lok Sabha Elections: Report
Another Blow To Congress As I-T Dept Serves Rs 1,700-Crore Notice Ahead Of Lok Sabha Elections
Sunita Kejriwal Launches WhatsApp Campaign To Drum Up Support For Jailed Delhi CM
Sunita Kejriwal Launches WhatsApp Campaign To Drum Up Support For Jailed Delhi CM
Advertisement
for smartphones
and tablets

Videos

Bihar Seat Sharing: RJD to contest the upcoming polls on 26 seats-Sources | Elections 2024 |ABP NewsABP Shikhar Sammelan 2024: Anurag Thakur takes a jibe at Arvind Kejriwal's arrest | ABP NewsArvind Kejriwal Arrest: Sunita Kejriwal Launches WhatsApp Campaign To Drum Up Support For Jailed Delhi CMABP SHIKHAR SAMMELAN 2024: Here's What Defence Minister Reveals About His Further Political Plans
Embed widget