Peace almost restored, says Ethiopia

ADDIS ABABA

The state of emergency is helping restore stability in Ethiopia, the government has said.

“Violence has been contained and we have created a situation where people can go about their lives without the fear of being attacked,” Communications minister Getachew Reda said.

“Many investments and factories are back in business and security and stability have been restored in many parts of the country."

The state of emergency was declared on October 8, following a series of anti-government violent protests.

Getachew said the police unit charged with enforcing the state of emergency, was holding 1,500 people involved in the chaos.

“Their rehabilitation could take a week or two,” the minister said, adding that illegal weapons had been found in violence-prone areas.

He said rehabilitation involved lecturing detainees on the constitution and engaging them in physical exercises.

“Arrests have been made. People who were involved in killings and destruction of property or those who committed other crimes have been turning themselves in,” he said.

He added that those who had voluntarily surrendered would benefit from some kind of amnesty.

“The number of people who have been arrested because of destroying property is significant. The crackdown will continue,” Getachew said.

He said parliament would soon reconvene and endorse changes in the government proposed by Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn.

The minister said mobile data services and social media would be restored “once there is no threat to security”.

“The protesting youth had legitimate grievances but their agenda was hijacked by elements in the diaspora,” he said.

The government also points the finger at other countries such as Egypt and Eritrea, an accusation denied by officials in the two nations.