Abiy Ahmed’s Administration Claims it Foiled Plot to Disrupt Election

May 5, 2021

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s Security Task Force seems to see the movement for Addis Ababa as a “terrorist activity” 

Borkena

Ethiopia’s Intelligence, Security  and Anti-Terrorism Task Force on Wednesday said that it has foiled plots to disrupt the sixth general election which is scheduled for June five. 

A lengthy disclosure distributed through state-owned broadcasters as  “breaking news” made numerous claims  in connection with what it called plans to disrupt the election and establish a transitional government by force. 

It linked the plot to some Ethiopians based in the Diaspora and two army officers – one of them said to be dismissed from the Defense Force on alleged ethical grounds and the other one member of former defense force from colonel Mengistu era. 

Sergeant Yihune Jembere, dismissed member of the Ethiopian Defense force as described in the report by government media outlets, was allegedly “gathering information about the activities of key government officials,” through connections in the army – the statement claims. 

It also implicated Commander Mulugeta Tsige, vertan. The statement from the task force said he was coordinating with Sergent Yihune. They both were shuttling between Addis Ababa and Amhara region to recruit and train youth, the task force claimed. It was in the news that radical forces within the Oromia regional structure were stopping passenger vehicles between Gojjam and Addis Ababa. There were even killings of Isuzu drivers sometime last week.

Intelligence, Security  and Anti-Terrorism Task Force also linked the alleged terror plot to a facebook group with less than 2000 members advocating for the rights of residents in Addis Ababa. 

“Sile Addis Ababa Zim Anelem” (which translates to “We will never be silent about Addis Ababa”) is the group that is said to have a mission to groups in Addis Ababa allegedly operating clandestinely to disrupt the election and “form transitional government.”  To give a context about the movement for Addis Ababa, radical oromo forces within the political organizations that Prime Minister once led, Oromo Democratic Front, made an official claim months after Abiy Ahmed took over office saying that Addis Ababa exclusively belongs to Oromos. The political position gave rise to a movement including Baleadera Council whose leaders are incarcerated with trumped up charges of destabilizing the government. 

The statement from Abiy Ahmed’s Security Task Force disseminated via  state owned broadcasters disclosed that 15 individuals including Sergent Yihune Jemere and Commander Tsige Mulugeta were arrested. Most of those arrested were distributing flyers opposing organizing elections as the killing of ethnic Amhara continues and at the expense of the blood of children. Distributing flyers with a political opinion is not considered a “terrorist act” in the Ethiopian constitution. 

It is also claimed that the group was caught with an 85 page long draft constitution and 1000 copies, which were ready for distribution. 

A charitable organization (Meseret Charitable Organization) is implicated in facilitating the import of communication devices to be used by the alleged clandestine group. 

The task force also linked some Ethiopians based in the United States and Germany to the alleged plot. Professor Abera Meshesha, Teshale Kebede, Yeharerwork Gashaw, Dr. Genet. Woizero Aregash, Engineer Lishan Gizaw, Hagere Addis, Asfaw Jebessa, Meareg, Binya, and Kirubel are among Ethiopians listed implicated in the attack. 

Furthermore, the statement mentioned that the clandestine movement aimed at reversing Amahra genocide with the armed resistance. 

Opposition party members are yet to react to what many called a reckless move to threaten people on the issue of Addis Ababa. Many activists on social media tend to see the claim as dangerous and unwise that will make Amhara people, especially in the Oromo region of Ethiopia,  vulnerable to further massacres.