Visit the new AsenaTv Website

https://asenatv.com

Oromia: Deadly stampede at Ethiopia protest

Dozens have been killed and injured in Ethiopia's Oromia region after security forces confronted protesters at a festival, witnesses say. Some people died in a panicked stampede after police employed tear gas and baton charges, they

Dozens have been killed and injured in Ethiopia’s Oromia region after security forces confronted protesters at a festival, witnesses say.

Some people died in a panicked stampede after police employed tear gas and baton charges, they said.

Thousands had gathered for a religious festival in Bishoftu, 40km (25 miles) from the capital Addis Ababa.

Some reports said police responded after anti-government protesters threw stones and bottles.

Others said demonstrators were entirely peaceful.

Ethiopia’s government said in a statement that “lives were lost”, adding: “Those responsible will face justice”.

An Oromo activist, Jawar Mohamed, is quoted as saying nearly 300 people were killed and many more injured. He said troops and a helicopter gunship had opened fire, driving people off a cliff and into a lake.

There has been no independent confirmation of this.

There have been months of deadly clashes in Ethiopia recently.

People in the Oromia and Amhara regions have complained about political and economic marginalisation.

The US has expressed concern about what it termed the excessive use of force against protesters.

Crowds at Sunday’s Oromo festival, which AP news agency said had attracted two million people, chanted “We need freedom” and “We need justice”, witnesses said.

Some participants crossed their wrists above their heads, a gesture that has become a symbol of Oromo protests.

The unrest was sparked last November by a plan to expand the capital into Oromia. This led to fears that farmers from the Oromo ethnic group, the largest in Ethiopia, would be displaced.

The plan was later dropped but protests continued, highlighting issues such as marginalisation and human rights.

Source: BBC

aseye.asena@gmail.com

Review overview
30 COMMENTS
  • PH October 2, 2016

    What a mess!!! Today in Ethiopia, perhaps tomorrow in Eritrea who knows? The joint venture HGDEF -weyenti must stop. oromo people had been a victim for long time.

    • Bereket October 2, 2016

      Arkansas Kelbi yeshinelu ,never will happen in Eritrea but keep your day dreaming

  • Demera October 2, 2016

    Hi Filmon,it is good to compare past,present and future when ever to say even in every day life,.this is the typish lhuman being character. so through out history all the province’s of Eritrea were harishly genocided indiscriminately. So your father’s and older brothers and sisters have still a black spots against the successive aggressors especially Ethiopia including the late weyane.BUT yes,you live in special house in foreign land and you are getting charity from the rich world.But this comfortable life shouldn, let you to forget your past history.this is the character of domestic animals like dog,where see only the food but never thinks what is the consequences beyond the special flesh.so you should work hard not to be like Ethiopia,otherwise the wishes are only to you.In Ethiopia ,it is country wide ,because weyane wished so.If you wish like in Ethiopia,believe me you will sooner encounter with it.who wishes bad of others,is always tested the bad evils first him /her.

  • Michael Tesfmariam October 2, 2016

    This people are really mad and crazy, they do not have genuine political case to protest for apart from the fact that they do not want to be ruled by Tigraiy minority. That is their problem, nothing else.
    Over the past two decades, Ethiopia under TPLF has been able to achieve significant economic growth and development, the people are allowed to exercise their political and freedom right for the first time in the history of the country, yet they are still complaining.
    Sometimes, some degree of authoritarian leadership is necessary condition to maintain peace and stability by silencing those who are intentionally causing distractions without any justifications. I do believe the measures that is taken by the Ethiopian government against these arrogant and self-opinionated Amhara and Oromo is absolutely justified. The gov has absolute right to smash any one who attempt to disturb the peace of the country to propagate narrow ethnic based outdated political agenda. There are some benighted Eritreans folks who wish to see Ethiopia get dismantled and fragmented. But, the next day after Amhara or Oromo seize power in Ethiopia, no Eritrea will exist, their intention is to take back Assab and Massawa by force. They are not friends of Eritrea, and they will never be. They are like their ancestries Haile Slassie and Mengustu. HGDEF doesn’t care about long term impact of their relationship with this people, they are feeding them now so they will destroy Eritrea tomorrow. Take care folks, let us show our solidarity with TMPLF brothers

    • Shewit October 2, 2016

      You wrote, “Take care folks, let us show our solidarity with TMPLF brothers.

      Not really! We only stand for Justice and Peace everywhere. They can be Eritreans, Ethiopians, Amhara, Oromo, Afar … Agaw, Irob … or Hoothi Shia or Muslims of Darfur or the Kunama language or Tigre language.
      We stand for Justice. Real justice does not choose between Amhara or Oromo, or Kunamagna or Tigre language. Justice is justice.

      We should never be mental slaves of others or volunteer to be the servants or Abeeds of others

      • Michael Tesfamariam October 2, 2016

        Talk representing yourself, you don’t have the right to agree or disagree on behalf of others as long you have not been nominated to represent others. If you do not agree with what I said, that is well and good, but don’t use emotional pronoun ‘we” I hate emotional people.

        • Setimo October 2, 2016

          Shewit is right, it was you who used “us … our” as in “let us show our solidarity with TMPLF brothers.”
          ayte MT, You better clean your own azz first, before you point your unclean fingers at others.

          Peace to the people of Ethiopia

        • Asmerom October 5, 2016

          To say is ” I hate emotional people ” is also displaying emotion. a bad one at that. Shewit is only expressing her opinion. and she has the right to have a different opinion to what you have stated. If you want to hear more, i agree with her. I am only with Just causes and i will oppose any form of oppression

    • AHMED SALEH !!! October 2, 2016

      Whose brother are you talking about after the bloodshed and the extortion of Eritreans wealth inside Ethiopia .
      Please leave our hands clean from these greedy , blood thirsty criminals .

    • AHMED SALEH !!! October 2, 2016

      Michael Tesfamariam
      Yesterday I read your comment posted in awate forum . You called assenna and asmarino
      media outlets for the nonsense opposition and next day you visited the site as harmless
      commentator .
      Dishonesty makes lose people’s trust and I think you are at wrong forum to ask for solidarity with TPLF thugs ., LEKHBETBET NEWRI IYU .

      • Michael Tesfamariam October 2, 2016

        Yes, I did, so what is the deal? Do you think I am complementing my previous comment. No way, I am the man of my word, & will never change my mind unless these tight minded opposition nonsense have changed their attitude and perception, & started genuine inclusive political movement for the interest and benefits of the wider population.

    • Ahferom Wedi Aradom October 3, 2016

      “” But, the next day after Amhara or Oromo seize power in Ethiopia, no Eritrea will exist, their intention is to take back Assab and Massawa by force. They are not friends of Eritrea, and they will never be. “‘

      Do you mean to say they would be worse than Woyane ? You seem to have fogotten what happened during the border war. Amharas and Oromos will be good friends of the Eritrean people.

  • Shewit October 2, 2016

    May mariam Axum zion give a wisdom to the Tigrayans who are ruling Ethiopia as occupiers rendering the other 96% of Ethiopia almost as a second class citizens.

  • AHMED SALEH !!! October 2, 2016

    The second face of that same coin that destroyed many Eritrean lives begins to get exposed on the other side
    of southern border . . EPLF – WEYANE leadership were very calculated twin evils from the day they introduced themselves . I feel sorry for those civilian population of Tigrai throughout Ethiopia . It makes no sense to search
    for hatred and violence against your surroundings worst than HGDF stupid reputations .

    • Setimo October 2, 2016

      May freedom and peace reign to our brothers and sisters in Ethiopia. May the heroic Ethiopians remove the curtain of darkness.
      Talking about “second face”, the third face was Jebha that bit the dust long ago, at least the EPLF – Weyane were lucky enough to eat some fresh food and shine in the front pages for more few decades. Cry for those who perished chasing a mirage in the desert called “Arabic Paradise” at the expense of our values, identity and languages.
      It was William Faulkner, who said: “The past is never dead. It’s not even past.”

      • AHMED SALEH !!! October 3, 2016

        Your hypocrisy can not shed light to bring solution for the crisis in Ethiopia . And
        it is true the past is never dead if you prefer to live in it . The result of this kind
        of mentality is the main cause for division and hatred toward your fellow country
        people outside your ethnic group .
        Too bad the arrogance based in identity and language complexity prevented the
        people to live peacefully . You can’t preach for justice by protecting the evil force
        that inflict pain to civilian society . At the same time you can not also criticize HGDF destructive government while you dismiss WEYANE atrocities .
        Those who justify injustices only promote for cowardice to take over . Brotherhood has no any meaning unless it is genuine reaction from your heart ..

  • awget October 2, 2016

    IT is about time asena brings bad news about Ethiopia ,what a change amanuel ,HAKI YGBERO.

  • k.tewolde October 2, 2016

    Regardless of their motive,these Oromia and Amhara youngsters they are fighting back for their right and paying dearly with their life for it,it is called a normal human reaction to tyranny and oppression and they are doing it at home in their own turf not from tens and thousands miles away,they are so defiant that they are facing a well armed adversary with rocks and sticks and history is recording this event,on the contrary the northern neighbor gloats with peace and calm and constantly flaunts staged pictures of the besieged city I grew up,ya! the imposed calm before the storm,it is just a matter of time..it is like a serene and majestic,beautiful dormant volcano covered with chrysanthemums,the magma is brewing at the core……

    • k.tewolde October 3, 2016

      continuation- …….and the perpetrators are sitting on the crater enjoying the panoramic view. .

  • Alem October 3, 2016

    K tewelde
    Like ur comment and would like to complete it. ” sitting on the crater hoping or not knowing that the crater is the center for volcanic eruption” trying to control the youth by keeping them away from cities and villages under the pretext of national service will not make the volcano dormant.

  • Hagherawi October 4, 2016

    The Weyanes like their ex-comrades in Asmara have denied “others” a fair share of power and resources the country offers. They control the whole economy through Tigray owned financial institutions.
    Keeping others on the margins cannot last long. The Amhara who are more experienced politically than Oromo are tired of being on the receiving end.for the last 25 years. That is why even the local government of Amhara Killil cannot stop the ‘initifada’ that has spread to every corner of the State.
    Ordinary Tigreyans left their properties behind (like Eritreans did in the past) and escaped to Sudan and from there returned to Tigray, humiliated and shocked by mob justice in Gonder.
    As an Eritrean although historically the Amhara rulers have been my worst enemy, I feel justice should be done, and both Oromo and Amhara deserve a fair share of power in that country.
    I think the current problems are an important lesson for Tigreyans too. They should know that the country belongs to all. It’s very painful to learn that Tigrayan Muslims have no voice.
    Twenty five years after Derg, the Weyane is still the only political party that can operate in Tigray, any one who happens to disagree with them have no place in Tigray.
    Politically, the Weyanes share a lot with Higdef as they come from the same ideological school.
    They are very intolerant and extremely cruel.
    The alliance between Amhara and Oromo (more than half of Ethiopian population) will not accept less than their fair share of power and resources.
    I hope the Amhara elites drop their jingoist ideology and looking down at other Ethiopians, in particular their hate for Tigreyans. Neither their king was “elected by God” nor the laws of the country says they have the right to be the only rulers of Ethiopia.

    • Modeshto October 4, 2016

      Jebhawi writes, “It’s very painful to learn that Tigrayan Muslims have no voice.”

      I think you are right, they are Arabs and they have “Arabic voice”. Deny they are muslimTegaru and muslim Amhara. Wey! poletika lomi!

  • Teclay October 4, 2016

    Assena
    Why have you deleted my comment ? My comment is my opinion and i have every right to say my opinion as long as i don’t insult anyone.
    You claim ,you are for freedom of speech and free press .Where is freedom of speech then?
    Any way ,your website is now irrelevant as the pal and face book are very far ahead.

POST A COMMENT