Ethiopia has been slowly capturing global attention as one of Africa’s promising states under the able leadership of Prime minister Abiy Ahmed. After decades of military domination, Mr Abiy’s appointment as prime minister in April last year opened a new chapter for the country marked by progressive reforms. Thousands of political prisoners were released and Exiles were welcomed back to the country. Investments and Aid started pouring in. However, all this new found peace was shattered on June 22, when the Amhara governor and two other officials were shot dead. On the same night in Addis Ababa, the country’s army chief and his close freind were assassinated. The assassinations have laid bare the profoundly disturbing ethnic undercurrents in Ethiopia.
In 1995, a new constitution divided the country into nine ethnically based semi-autonomous regions Political observers say that Mr Abiy’s democratic reforms gave room to ethnic ambitions his repressive predecessors were able to keep in check. At the same time, his fast paced reforms threatened the interests of the old regime.. Observers warn that the rising ethnic tensions may turn secessionist in nature though Ethiopia’s government, claims to have controlled the situation by thwarting a regional coup. Government has adopted many stern measures to control the unrest including wide spread arrests of people involved in violence, shutting down of internet, etc. Any way Mr Aby faces a severe dilemma -a return to repression risks flaring up ethnic grievances, but continuing reform also become precarious. He will have to build consensus across ethnic lines to restore normalcy before he goes ahead with his reform agenda.
