Ethiopia’s Oromo celebrates a tense thanksgiving amid tight security – Africa – World

Thousands of people from the Oromo, Ethiopia’s largest ethnic group, celebrated their Thanksgiving festival in the city of Bishoftu amid tight security on Sunday after authorities said they had confiscated weapons and thwarted attacks in past days.

The Irreecha festival has been the scene of violent protests before by the Oromo, who have long complained of political exclusion. Recent riots, including the murder of a popular singer in June and the arrest of prominent Oromo politicians, raised concerns about violence at the two-day festival.

On the eve of the festival, the regional and federal police forces, as well as the army, descended on Bishoftu in large numbers.

There were at least 10 checkpoints at the main lakeside venue of the celebrations, and only those with special insignia could enter.

“Irreecha has been a platform used by people to express their anger and outrage … that is why this time they deny people to celebrate this year,” said Abdi Fikadu, 26, a health professional.

On the eve of the celebrations, Bishoftu police officers detained a group of young men in a bar who were singing and dancing songs by Haacaaluu Hundeessaa, the musician killed in June, a Reuters witness said. Others were prevented from attending the festival.

Dawit Dugama, 25, came from Addis Ababa with nine friends to participate in the festival. They were told that they couldn’t join the crowd without a badge.

“They told us that we cannot be part of the celebration because we do not have a plaque. This is the government’s way of suppressing the voices of the people,” he said.

At the 2016 festival, more than 50 people were killed in a stampede triggered when police used tear gas and fired into the air to disperse anti-government protesters.

The festival passed without incident in the capital Addis Ababa on Saturday, again amid very tight security.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed thanked the organizers and participants for celebrating peacefully in a Facebook post on Sunday.

Police and intelligence services thwarted what they said were plans to incite violence in Addis Ababa and other parts of Ethiopia ahead of the festival, state affiliate Fana Broadcasting reported Friday.

A day earlier, Oromiya regional police arrested 503 people on accusations that they planned to cause violence during the festival and confiscated weapons and hand grenades.

Dressed in traditional white suits, some with masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19, people marched chanting slogans while displaying the Oromo gesture of protest.

Short link: