Nobel Peace Prize for 2019 to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali recognised his outstanding efforts to achieve peace and international cooperation. However, peace has to be restored within the country too. In Ethiopia, even if Abiy Ahmed has initiated important reforms that have sought to promote reconciliation, solidarity and social justice, lately old ethnic rivalries have flared up.
Ethiopia is a country of diverse languages and tribes. Ethnic strife continues to escalate, in recent weeks and months. According to international observers, up to three million Ethiopians may be internally displaced The latest trigger is the announcement by Prime Minister that elections will be held in May 2020 that includes the registration of political parties which is a slow process. Opposition parties have protested to new registration rules, which demands a national political party to collect 10,000 signatures, up from 1,500, and regional parties to get 4,000 signatures, up from 750. At the same time, three of the nine states—Tigray, Somali, and Oromia—are demanding greater autonomy. Many were killed in conflicts in Oromia and Harari states, and Dire Dawa city administration on Sunday.
William Davison, a senior analyst on Ethiopia at the International Crisis Group, observed, “The volatile political situation is due to transition as the government tries to move away from tight political control and suppression and the security forces are reluctant to use force. At the same time, they are stretched because of the many conflicts across the country’’. Speaking about the crisis, Ethiopian ambassador to Kenya Meles Alem Tikea said that Ethiopian democracy is a work in progress and People are still not aware that they have a responsibility as they exercise their newly found democratic rights.
Dr Abiy has been globally acclaimed for his initiatives to open up the political and democratic space, releasing political prisoners, unbanning organisations that were designated as “terrorists” and restoring relations with Eritrea. Continuing the political and economic reforms, tackling the rising unemployment among the youth, controlling the ethnic rivalries, etc are some of the major challenges for him.
