Ethiopia’s State of Emergency Introduces New Security Measures

New temporary identification cards to be issued to those who needs them as part of state of emergency security measure in Ethiopia 

Borkena

A year after the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) attacked the Northern Command of the Ethiopian Defense Force, the war with TPLF is still underway. 

In fact, the TPLF relocated, by exploiting a unilateral humanitarian ceasefire that was introduced by the Ethiopian government at the end of June 2021, the war front from Tigray to the Afar and Amara regions. 

What is confirmed at this point is that TPLF has controlled much of Wollo, parts of Afar and parts of Shoa. Based on recent reports after the capture of important cities like Dessie and Kombolcha, TPLF’s military advance was facilitated by its network of loyalists who have been lurking in cities engaged in both propaganda war and military assistance in the form of spotters to assist artillery and other heavy weaponry shelling. 

Designated authorities that are overseeing the state of emergency are taking some measures and it could help to identify TPLF , and the other terrorist organization which the government refers to as OLF Shane, operatives in the parts of Ethiopia that are not under the control of TPLF. 

A body that oversees the Ethiopian State of Emergency has issued a statement on Monday saying that no system was created to deal with the task of issuing identification cards during the state of emergency period. Pursuing the regular Identity Card Issuing process has become difficult. 

The challenge seems to have necessitated a guideline by the state of emergency body with a particular focus on temporary identification issuance. 

“A considerable number of Ethiopians in the country did not obtain identification cards in the regular process and it has become necessary to put a system in place to discern between peaceful members of the population and anti-peace forces,” said the statement from the state of emergency Command Post.  

Individuals with no identity cards and/or documents that serve as Identity cards, like passport, are required to appear to the nearby Kebele or security/administration office or to the police station to get register and acquire temporary identification cards within two weeks after the release of the new guideline from the State of Emergency body. 

The new guideline has four parts and several subsections. 

The conflict has displaced over one million people. Debreberhan, which is only about 130 kilometers north of Addis Ababa, currently has displaced people from Dessie, Kombolcha, Wuchale and from many parts of north Wollo. They are not allowed to enter the capital Addis Ababa. It is unclear if the introduction of the temporary identification will change the restriction. 

There were fears that in the parts of the country that are under TPLF control, TPLF could use government official stamps to issue ID cards for its operatives.