Muslims Communities Face Law Enforcement Officials & more –8th June 2023

Salaam salaam from BA! This is the Rorshok Ethiopia Update from the 8th of June twenty twenty-three A quick summary of what's going down in Ethiopia.

The altercation between the government and the muslim community escalated. Last week, we told you that after the Friday prayers of the 26th of May, there was a protest at the Anwar Mosque in Addis in which two civilians died. A week after that, on the 2nd of June, right after the prayers, government forces opened fire on civilians and killed three - many more were injured. Government forces also blocked the mosque and its surroundings, preventing ambulances from entering. Later, the city's Islamic Affairs Council President arrived at the scene and talked to Federal Police Officers. The police eventually opened the mosque and the roads, allowing injured individuals to be taken to the hospital, and the rest to leave to their homes. The president of the council said that the issues between the community and the government must be resolved immediately through the already established committee.

Later that day, the government issued a statement shifting the blame. The statement said that, even though the anger and the protests of the muslim community is understandable, other people are using the protests for ulterior motives, meaning that conspirators aiming to derail the constitutional system used religion as a cover and instigated violence. The government also said that it has initiated investigations on suspects.

The victims' funeral was held on Saturday the 3rd. On Wednesday the 7th, the Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Council and the officials of the Oromia region held a five-hour long meeting. Both the president of the Council and the region were present during the meeting.

The Council issued a statement the next day voicing its concerns about the demolished mosques, compensation for damages in relation to the protests, holding law enforcement personnel who killed civilians liable, and more.

The region’s president also issued a statement that same day admitting that it was a mistake not to discuss the matter with the muslim community before demolishing the mosques. The president also expressed his condolences and announced that the mosques were demolished because they were not built according to plan and standard. He added that the muslim community’s demands will be met by taking into account the Sheger city’s plan. The president said that the city will grant large swaths of land to build new mosques and an islamic university.

Another sect at odds with the government is a sizable number of the population of the Amhara region. At the forefront of the opposition against the incumbent and previous governments was Zemene Kasse, an important figure in the Fano militant group. He was arrested nine months ago in the region's capital Bahir Dar. He was suspected of murdering law enforcement personnel. The Bahir Dar area court ruled on Friday the 2nd that a case was not made against him and he must be released from custody.

Mike Hammer, The US Special Envoy for the Horn of Africa Ambassador and Tracy Ann Jacobson, the US Charge d'Affaires Ambassador were in Tigray's capital Mekelle on Monday the 5th. Getachew Reda,The region's interim administration president, and members of his cabinet welcomed the ambassadors as they arrived at the Alula Aba Nega Airport. The duo talked to the region's president about the implementation of the Pretoria Agreement, transitional justice, accountability, and other issues.

On that note about the US in Ethiopia, it was revealed on Thursday the 8th that the US has donated more than a hundred million US dollars to the AIDS Rehabilitation Plan Program to support Ethiopia's attempt to eradicate HIV/AIDS by the end of this decade. Throughout the past twenty years the US has donated a total of about three billion US dollars for the program.

The Civil War in Sudan has been going on for more than a month now and many people in Sudan are fleeing the country. The most popular destination for these displaced residents is neighbor Ethiopia with more than thirty thousand from Sudan having crossed the Ethiopian border. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed last Saturday the 3rd that it will continue to welcome Sudanese people through its border. It said in a statement that ‘Ethiopia will, as always, gladly embrace any Sudanese who crosses Ethiopia’s borders at this trying time.’

Speaking of foreign relations, Brazil’s Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira was in Addis on Monday the 5th. The Minister sat down with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and his deputy and Minister of Foreign Affairs Demeke Mekonnen. Foreign Minister Mauro said that the Brazilian government is ready to support the sports and culture sectors of Ethiopia whereas PM Abiy said he talked to the Minister about strengthening ties between Ethiopia and Brazil.

The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission revealed on Monday the 5th that it has found that the government is engaged in enforced disappearance cases and incommunicado detentions, especially in Addis, and the Oromia and Amhara regions. The commission says the government frequently detains individuals in their homes, workplace or on the road and takes them to an unknown place without an arrest warrant. Some victims are found days, weeks or months later and others are yet to be found. The commission urged the government to immediately stop carrying out such acts.

On Tuesday the 6th, the Council of Ministers approved the next fiscal year's federal budget. The budget will be eight hundred billion birr or almost fifteen billion US dollars. almost four hundred billion birr will be allocated to the federal government's regular expenditure, two hundred billion birr for capital expenses and another two hundred billion birr to support regional governments. The Council unanimously voted for the budget's approval and has sent it to the House of People's Representatives.

The Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration revealed this month's gas prices. Starting from Tuesday the 6th, all gas prices will remain the same for the next thirty days. A liter of regular gas goes for about seventy birr or a little more than a dollar. Usually, aircrafts' gas prices exhibit an increase every other month, but this time around, they're staying where they were.

Ethio Telecom, one of the only two telecom services providers in Ethiopia signed a memorandum of understanding with Addis Ababa’s Innovation and Tech Development Bureau on Tuesday the 6th to provide network infrastructure for the city’s smart project. The smart city project will connect numerous government offices and help provide automated, efficient service. Ethio Telecom’s CEO said that the tech deployed will be state-of-the-art, up to date and high quality. Recall that the company also has a similar deal to support a smart city project with the city of Adama. The company said implementation of the Adama smart city project is already underway.

For the past two weeks a woman kidnapped in Hawasa was the talk of the town. She was kidnapped on the 23rd of May by the city’s mayor’s bodyguard. The police conducted a man hunt to try and find the kidnapper and the kidnapped. A week after she was kidnapped, on Thursday the 1st of June, the city administration revealed that she had been found. The kidnapper, however, would remain at large for the next few days. He was found a few days later on Tuesday the 6th with him two firearms.

Aaaand that's it for this week. You know every week we work hard to pick what the most important stuff is in Ethiopia. What's talked about the most, what's big but flies under the radar. All the main stuff. Are we getting the mix right? Not a specific thing we have missed? what types of information do you want more or less of? Let us know at ethiopia@rorshok.com

Ciao!