The government of Ethiopia Tuesday declared a nationwide State of Emergency, a move aimed at protecting civilians from atrocities committed by the Tigray People’s Liberationon Front (TPLF), a group declared as Terrorist, by the country’s Parliament.
TPLF has since November last year engaged in many acts of criminality against the legitimate government and the people of Ethiopia including murder of civilians, rape of women and girls, looting of food and use of child soldiers, all committed with an intention of forcibly and illegally recapturing power and enjoy the disproportionate influence and undue privilege lost while in government for 27 years.
On November 3, TPLF attacked the federal troops stationed in Tigray when it surrounded military bases in the region. The treasonous and fatal attack that night, saw dozens of federal troops and officers savagely murdered as they protected the country, sparking the conflict.
The group rejected the Unilateral ceasefire declared in June by the Abiy administration and has actually continued to inflict unimaginable violance not only against the people of Tigray but also in Afar and Amhara regions.
While discussing the such developments this week, the country’s Council of Ministers opted to declare a nationwide State of Emergency effective Tuesday November 2, 2021 aiming at protecting civilians from atrocities being committed by the terrorist group.
During the State of Emergency, citizens are expected to bear resident ID cards wherever they move and any illegal trading activity and involves economic sabotage is strictly prohibited.
It also stipulates that misuse of power given by the government and any illegal activity that might inflict mal-governance is prohibited.
People suspected to have relations with the terrorist group will be detained without any arrest warrant and that random raid could be conducted by security forces, and unregistered arms will be confiscated by the government.
Any broadcast, publication will be banned if suspected of any moral or related support to the terrorist group, and institutions will be ordered to sack any suspected journalist accordingly, to the declared State of Emergency.
The country’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed on Wednesday morning said in a statement that the State of Emergency is seeks to overcome circumstances the country is facing now.
“We have to lead our lives in conformity with the situation so that our problems can be resolved soon” the Prime Minister underlined.
He further called upon citizens to adhere to the State of Emergency and provide all the necessary support to security forces to reverse the situation.
At the end of last week, Ethiopia’s Justice Ministry released a report in investigations on serious crimes committed by TPLF on civilians in the neighboring regions of Afar and Amhara since September 15 when the federal and regional security forces recaptured the area from the terrorists.
The investigation team received testimonies from 790 victims and witnesses from South Gondar, 285 from North Gondar Zone both in Amhara and 148 in Afar. Government said documentary, descriptive, technical evidence and exhibited were also gathered pertaining the crimes committed on civilians.
In that period alone, the report indicates that in North Gondar Zone, TPLF killed 96 civilians, injured 53, raped 29 women, subjected 11 civilians to inhuman treatment, killed 6 civilians and looted several property. In South Gonder, TPLF killed 130 civilians, injured 54, raped 74 women.
In Afar region, TPLF attacked an IDP camp on September 4 and killed 240 civilians and injured 42. It also killed 17 civilians, injured 17 and raped 7 women outside the camp.
Ethiopia has severally called on the international community to condemn the atrocities and TPLF’s insurrection since they violate both domestic and international laws.