COUNTRY REPORT: Popular Mobilisation in Ethiopia: an Investigation of Activity from November 2015 to May 2017
COUNTRY REPORT: Popular Mobilisation in Ethiopia: An Investigation of Activity from November 2015 to May 2017 Introduction: Protests resumed in November 2015; they were mainly led by students from secondary schools and universities. From November 2015, Ethiopia has experienced an un- The demonstrations quickly gained momentum and the precedented wave of popular mobilisation. The govern- students were soon joined by farmers, workers and other ment responded to the protests with a heavy hand, re- citizens (EHRP, March 2016). An average of 26 protests sulting in thousands of casualties and tens of thousands of occurred per week between November 2015 - February people arrested, and charged with terrorism offenses. A 2016. The sharp drop to seven protests per week between state of emergency has been extended into July 2017. March - April 2016 was due to the onset of the sowing Further, militant activity has risen in tandem with popular season, rather than the Ethiopian government’s suspen- unrest, stemming from both the distraction that civil un- sion of the Master Plan. Large-scale demonstrations re- rest posed for the Ethiopian military, and also shared sumed in May 2016 and continued grievances. Available data collected over the summer, while fresh pro- from international and local media “The government ultimately tests also occurred in the Amhara since November 2015 points to more declared an unprecedented region from the end of July 2016 (see than 1,200 people reported killed dur- state of emergency on 8 Figure 2).3 The continuation of the ing protests. Approximately 660 fatali- protests beyond the suspension of ties are due to state violence against October 2016, imposing tight the Master Plan revealed enduring peaceful protesters, 250 fatalities restrictions that have since grievances against the Ethiopian re- from state engagement against riot- successfully curbed the gime among different ethnic groups.
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