Trouble in Ethiopia

A country drawing up a blueprint for resolving the political crisis in Sudan appears to be swept up by its own turmoil. Ethiopia’s army chief was shot dead by his bodyguard just hours after an attempted coup in Amhara state left the regional president and another top adviser dead. A ‘hit squad’ led by Amhara’s security chief burst into a meeting on Saturday afternoon, injuring regional president Ambachew Mekonnen and another top official who both died of their wounds. Later that evening in what appeared a ‘co-ordinated attack’, army chief Seare Mekonnen, and a retired general who was visiting him, were killed by his bodyguard, said a government spokeswoman. Curiously, it was the same day protest leaders in Sudan said they had accepted the creation of a civilian-majority governing body for a political transition in the country as proposed by Ethiopia. But even as Addis Ababa stepped up efforts to resolve a long-running conflict in Khartoum, its friendly neighbor, trouble brewed on the home turf. The events unfolding in a space of two days should not be construed as one-off incidents, however. This Horn of Africa nation has been wracked by political instability since its current leader, Abiy Ahmed, came to power last year and tried to make a clean break from the past by loosening the iron-fisted grip of his predecessors. His earnest bid to push through reforms has not been met with cheers. Ethnic bloodshed — long held in check by the state’s iron grip — has flared up in many areas. It is clear there is still significant opposition within the military opposed to the PM’s style of leadership.

Ethiopia is due to hold a national parliamentary election next year. Several opposition groups have called for the polls to be held on time despite the unrest and displacement.


 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 24^th, 2019.