Friday, October 18, 2019

Amhara Region Calls for Federal Government Intervention in a Bid to Restore Security in Gonder
Amhara regional state has expressed determination to about the plan to make the region a war zone, and restore peace in central Gonder.

Borkena
October 17, 2019

Amhara regional state said that multifaceted efforts made to resolve the problem related to the Kemant Identity Question committee in the central Gonder, West Gonder and Gonder areas of the region in a peaceful manner yielded no result.

As a result, the region’s Security Council passed a decision to stop the violence once and for all.

“The Federal government and Amhara regional state have been handling the issue with patience and great foresight while pursuing multifaceted ways to resolve the problem. However, the situation is not changing,” Ethiopian News Agency cited Amhara region security authorities.

As a result, said Amahara regional state, it has invited the intervention of the Federal government to end the problem for good.

Questions raised by the Kemant Identity Committee are addressed in accordance with the constitution. Yet, the region continues to experience violence which has affected both Amahra Kemant communities, said the regional government. The development has also obstructed Ethiopia’s international trade with Sudan as the Ethio-Sudan road in the region has been closed since about last week of September, according to Amhara region authorities as cited by Ethiopian News Agency.

It has reached the point where it is affecting the rights of communities to live in peace.  The statement from Amhara region security council blamed the Kemant Identity Committee of security problems in the region.

Amhara region Security Council, formed to resolve the issue, warned that Ethiopian Defense Forces and other security forces will take any legal measures to restore security and peace in the region. It means that security forces will now operate in the area with the extra layer of legal power they are given due to the security situation.

In addition to those who are engaged in causing violence, those who are giving any form of cover to those engaged in violent action, in the words of regional security authorities, will be subject to legal action.

Carrying firearms is banned indefinitely in the region except for authorized security personnel.  In that regard, the statement explicitly banned even those who are carrying firearms with the pretext of maintaining order and law through an informal structure.

Gondar-Metema, Gonder-Humera, Gondar-Debark and Gonder-Bahir Dar road disruptions or closures will not be tolerated, and the regional government has authorized deployed security forces to take measures against it.

It was also noted that any entity obstructing the formation of Kemant autonomous administration will not be accepted.

There has been a sporadic violence in central Gonder for nearly a year now – a situation has caused internal displacement for nearly 100,000 people.

It is alleged that Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) is pursuing a strategy of making the region a war zone, and is behind those who are claiming to be Kemant Identity Committee.

Recent remarks by ethnic Tigray politicians suggest that TPLF is likely to open war on its own although it remains unclear war against who.

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