Ethiopia restores partial internet after days of running battles

ADDIS ABABA - Internet services have been partially restored Ethiopia after days of running battles between angry civilians and security forces, state broadcaster Fana reported, following criticism from different stakeholders including members of the international community.

The unrest was triggered by the death of Hachalu Hundesa, a well-known musician from the Oromo region, who was shot and killed by unknown assailants within Addis Ababa a fortnight ago. Statistics from the police indicate that over 239 people were killed including dozens of police officers.

Angry protestors mainly youths accused the government of Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed of plotting for the death of the musician, a claim which degenerated into running battles between the officers and civilians in Addis Ababa and across Oromia region.

While the government insists that it's not responsible for the deaths, it went on to cut off internet supply across the country, leading to a total shutdown for almost three weeks now. The strategy helped to curb unwanted destruction by violent protestors with "hidden" agenda, the government said.

However, diplomatic missions, government institutions, and some continental and regional organizations had access to the internet. But this did not curb criticism towards the government, which was accused of denying people basic needs.

On Wednesday, the government of Dr. Abiy Ahmed, a Nobel Peace Prize award winner, restored WiFi and broadband internet connection, further giving thousands of citizens reprieve after weeks of unrest. However, access still remains restricted to some extent.

According to the Ethiopian Police Commission, the public has returned to its normal day-to-day activities in all the unrest-hit parts of the country after government security forces fully controlled the situation and brought back law and order since last week.

Police said normalcy had returned to the country, adding that police force had managed to bring law and order since last week. But despite the claim, there were reports of unrest still in sections of the Oromo region, the backyard of Hundesa and Dr. Ahmed.

Girma Gelam, Oromia region's police deputy commissioner, told state media outlets last week that 156 people have died in the riots, including 11 members of security forces.

In addition to the 156 people who were killed across cities and towns in the Oromia region, police in the East African country's capital Addis Ababa had also reported 10 casualties, including eight civilians and two police officers, as a result of deadly unrests in the city mainly on June 29 and July 1.

So far, Oromia Regional Police Commission said, over,3,500 have been arrested in connection with the killing of civilians, destruction, and vandalism of properties, with the government maintaining that legal actions will be taken against them.

The Ethiopian government said that "destructive elements" had used the death of the popular Oromo singer, Hundessa, to instigate inter-ethnic violence both in the capital Addis Ababa and elsewhere in the East African country.

Last week, two people reportedly confessed to killing the musician but the government did not give further details. However, Addis Ababa maintained that the assassination of Hundesa was planned by anti-government functionaries, who are keen to destabilize the country.

The culprits, Addis Ababa maintained, will face the full wrath of the law. Prominent Oromo politician Jawar Mohamed had been arrested and is due to face incitement charges, with authorities accusing him of engineering the protests.

Abiy Ahmed, in a televised address to the public in the aftermath of the incident also urged the public to remain calm and cooperate with security forces to avert destructive activities and restore peace in the affected areas.

Dr. Ahmed also accused individuals with a "hidden agenda" of utilizing the death of the popular ethnic-Oromo singer Hundessa to initiate public rage among the singer's supporters that would eventually bring about subsequent destructive activities.

According to Ahmed, the incident was mainly orchestrated to satisfy "personal ambitions," which goes as far as instigating inter-ethnic violence and crippling the East African country's governance structure.

GAROWE ONLINE