At least More than 500 people have died after government security forces used tear gas and live bullets to disperse a crowd that resulted in a stampede. Several reports indicates that shots were being fired from Helicopters. According to Oromia media Network Executive Director, All 175 of the casualties transported to Addis Ababa were killed by live bullets and about 325 fell in to deep ditch blinded by tear gas.
Ireecha is an annual Thanksgiving day observed in October marking the end of rainy season and beginning of Spring. Based on 2015 celebration stat, 4 million people have come to Bishoftu to celebrate. Every year at the celebration, Arrests and assaults by the Ethiopian regime security apparatus is a common scene but the year's celebration unfolded a tragedy that would go as dark day in history.
Hundreds of Bodies were littered in tents and Hospitals. Medics were appealing for help due to the high number of victims who need medical treatment. Bishoftu Hospital remain crowed and still is with wounded civilians who survived the state violence.
The protest started early in the morning as attendees were arriving at the Hora , the youth was chanting different revolutionary slogans from the start. Later a big crowd was formed infront of the stage where the Elders and Aba Gadas make a speech. The stage was filled with Pro-gov speakers and that angered the people gathered for the celebration, who has been witnessing the brutality of the regime for the past 25 years. Thereafter, the crowd started booing the speakers and started calling out the regime to step down crossing the arms above thier head, a protest sign first introduced by the Ethiopian Muslim movement and later popularized by Feyisa Lelisa. Subsequently, security forces started aerial strike by live bullet and tear gas to disburse the gathering. Many Fell to the deep Ditch and others died by bullet.
Merera Gudina, chairman of the opposition Oromo Federalist Congress, said that at least 100 had died and that the problems started because the government packed the podium with its own speakers, angering the crowd.
“The government tried to control it, tried to take over the show,” he said. “This goes down as one of the darkest days in modern Oromo history where the government is shooting live bullets and tear gas, leading to such chaos.”
There is an Evidence that suggests that, the mass killing was planned ahead. Government Soldier pose with his face covered.
Another video shows Special Forces firing tear gas and bullets from Helicopter and the crowd running to save their lives.
The Ethiopian government has declared a three day national mourning, Prime minister hailemariam Desalegn appeared on national Tv described the protesters as destabilizing forces and unashamedly denied security forces usage of live ammunition on unarmed protesters
— ሜጀር ጀረናል ሸምሱ ቢረዳ (@MGen_Shemsu) October 2, 2016
Eleven months has passed since the Oromo Protest started that spread to Amhara region after months of protest in oromia region. The government claims to have made some reformation. However Protesters aren't demanding for a mere technocratic fix but the current regime to step down and a new government to be formed
The massacre that left hundrers dead today in Bishoftu has triggred a protest in Arsi, after a month of calmness another wave of fresh protest is also expected to spread across oromia region in the comming days. It can be recalled that more than hundred protesters were killed in Aug 2016
No comments:
Post a Comment