Oromo Regional states vows to investigate late night incident in the residence of Jawar Mohammed in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa
borkena
October 23, 2019
On the night of October 22, 2019, Owner of Oromia Media Network and Gulelepost, Jawar Mohammed shared on his personal Facebook page about an alleged standoff between government forces assigned to guard his residence and what he called armed individuals or groups deployed in the area.
Hundreds of youth marched to his residence overnight in what seemed to be a rescue attempt
Jawar has told BBC Amharic that it was an assassination attempt.
On Wednesday, Oromo regional state acting president, Shimeles Abdissa, confirmed that there was an incident in the residence of Jawar in the capital Addis Ababa which he labeled as “wrong.”
He said that Jawar is fine and that the government will continue to provide protection for Jawar and others who returned to Ethiopia from the Diaspora.
Oromo region’s top official was not specific, however, regarding as to who was behind the incident or why it was done during the late night.
“We will investigate why it was done in the evening and take measures against those who were involved in the incident,” he added.
His regional government intends to disclose the result of the investigation to the public.
Protests broke out in several towns in Oromo regional state after Jawar Mohammed disclosed the incident on his Facebook page. So far it is confirmed that at least six people were killed, and nearly a dozen are wounded.
Ambo, Adama (Nazret), Shashemene, and Awoday (in East Harar) have seen the protest. Businesses were closed in some cities as radical youth groups who call themselves “qeerroo” were threatening store owners who try to open. In Adama (Nazret), there was widespread looting according to local sources.
There were also road closures in the outskirts of the capital Addis Ababa, and several other towns, Ethiopian Federal Police has confirmed.
Addis Ababa – Hawassa road was also closed. Latest reports from Ethiopia indicate that roads are open again.
In some cities total lawlessness reined as youth groups branded themselves as Qeerroo took the law into their own hands.
“Entities who want to make Oromo regional state a conflict zone was engaged in vice practices during the demonstration. These forces are trying to make the issue appear as if it is an ethnic and religious issue,” Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation (a state media) cited Shimeles Abdissa as saying.
Based on the EBC report, he tends to see security problems that unfolded in several towns on Wednesday as the works of “counter-reform forces.”
There was also a reported clash between supporters of Jawar and those who oppose him in Adama (Nazret) and the defense force had to step in to restore order.
Meanwhile, Jawar Mohammed disclosed that he will run in the May election, according to the BBC Amharic report. Seemingly, he was prepared for it as he has initiated a process to renounce his US citizenship.
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As a tax payer I will like to say it is totally unfair of the government to use my hard earned tax Mony to safe guard politician who in my opinion have no good will to the Ethiopian people