By Staff Reporter
ADDIS ABABA – (BORKENA) – Joint Council of the Ethiopian Political Parties disclosed here that the peace and security situation of the country has reached a serious level. The Council said this in a statement it released recently after holding its extraordinary meeting.
The Council has touched on challenges witnessed across the country. The conflicts, political instability, killings of innocent citizens, displacements, corruption, nepotism, incarceration, misappropriation of resources, security threats of people, lack of freedom of religious institutions, cost of living, detention and others were mentioned as threats.
Though the measure taken to peacefully resolve the civil war erupted in Tigray Region is appreciable, lack of peace and security witnessed in Amhara, Oromia, Gambella, and other Regional States has become a concerning issue, the Council said.
The Council has also raised the demolition of several residential houses, displacement of thousands of people in connection with the establishment of the new Sheger Town around the Capital, Addis Ababa. The Council also touched on the humanistic chaos, the mosque demolition, the killings and injuries of many while trying to disperse protesters who voiced their denouncement against the action taken in pulling down the religious institutions.
Pressures coming from ruling party officials in various regions, the mass arrest, assault and harassment, killings of innocent civilians and imposition of the ruling party leadership against office opening of opposition parties were among the problems the country has been wallowing in, according to the Council.
The Joint Council further indicated the worsening detention of citizens, the risk of mobility rights (movement from place to place) including looting and illicit actions sponsored by government institutions.
The council said in its statement that malpractices have worsened. Citizens have not been subjected to harassment, exploitation, offence to get regular services at government institutions. Similarly the number of government officials who are working for illegal benefits by terrorising entrepreneurs has increased by large, the Council said.
The Council has dwelt on the multi sectoral security, economic, political and social problems the country has been engaged in.
At length the council requested for respect for peace and security of citizens and easing of imposition by government officials against the contending political parties and the ending of conflicts, demolition of mosques and residential houses.
Meanwhile, certain political parties have denounced the statement released by the Joint Council and said that they would come up with their own statement later on today.
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This is encouraging and pleasing news for me to hear that some parties among the opposition have finally decided to come under one umbrella group. I take this as something to be applauded in the country where the opposition has been disgustingly in disarray. Such disarray has allowed those in charge of governing the country to do whatever they want to the nation and its citizens. Such lack of a strong opposition capable of putting governance in check has been the missing critical piece of the puzzle in having a rule of checks and balances. I hope every opposition party wakes up to this fact and come under a strong opposition group.
Meanwhile, can some one tell us which and how many parties are in this group? It is good news for me.