Tigray regional donates money to victims of grenade attack in Addis Ababa

borkena
June 29,2018

Tigray regional state reportedly donated five million Ethiopian Birr towards rehabilitation fund to victims from June 23 grenade attack. The regional government has also expressed “sorrow” over the attack, according to a report by government-affiliated media outlet -Fana. Yesterday, Ethio-Somali region announced that it will donate fifteen million birr towards the same cause.

This week chairman of Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), Debretsion Gebremichael visited victims of the attack at Tikur Anbessa Hospital.

The irony is that a good number of Ethiopians tend to insinuate TPLF in connection with the attack during a rally organized to show support for prime minister Abiy Ahmed at Meskel Square, Addis Ababa.

The party issued statement following two days of emergency meeting in Mekelle accusing the administration of Abiy Ahmed, although the statement mentioned rather the ruling coalition, of ideological betrayal.

Ethiopians also have a suspicion that TPLF is also behind recent ethnic-based violence in the country allegedly to destabilize the country in a way to make it ungovernable for the new administration of prime minister Abiy Ahmed.

Ashadli Hassen, president of Benshangul Gumuz region, remarked this week that the mob violence which was targeted against ethnic minorities in the region, Amhara, was manufactured by forces antagonistic to reform measures the new administration is taking. His remarks suggest that the violence that took at least nine civilian lives was orchestrated by mercenaries who were paid to make it happen.

Unconfirmed social media reports claim that Abay Tsehaye, used to be an influential figure of TPLF, is under house arrest in Assossa, the capital of Benshangul where there was ethnic-violence this week.

Ethiopian government announced yesterday that it has formed a body to examine what it called sabotages against ongoing reform measures in Ethiopia.

An investigation into the grenade attack in going on and so far over 30 persons are in custody including deputy commissionaire of Addis Ababa police and six other high ranking federal police authorities. National Intelligence and Security Agency, Federal prosecutor and police are teaming up in the investigation. As well, FBI investigators are volunteering – apparently to help investigate the forensic evidence collected after the attack.

Two were killed and more than 155 were wounded as a result of the attack.

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