Protests
calling for the release of political prisoners, PM Abiy Ahmed downfall and
praising the Oromo Liberation Army commander widely known as Jaal Maroo broke
out in Addis Abeba today in the midst of Irreecha (The Oromo Thanksgiving) 2021
celebrations.
In a heavy presence of federal police, people gathered in the early hours of the morning at Hora Finfinne in the center of the Capital Addis Abeba to perform rituals. Not long after, protesters started shouting slogans like “Jawar, Jawar, Jawar”, “Down Down Abiy”, and “Maroo”.
Sources
on the ground told Addis Standard that although the security apparatus response
has been measured so far, injuries have occurred and those injured have been
moved to Zeweditu Hospital and the police made arrests at the premise of the
festival at Meskel Square.
Despite
the Irreecha festival evolving through the decades into a platform for the
Oromo youth to express their concerns about the existing political and
subsequent economic and social challenges their communities face.
The
organizer of the festival and the Tulama Abba Gadaa Gobena Hola yesterday in a
talk with BBC Amahric warned attendees to refrain from platforming any
political agendas at the festival. “We come to the water carrying only grass,
there’s no need to exaggerate which flag to wave,” he said referring to the
flag of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) that symbolizes resistance and is
often prohibited from entering the premises of the festival.
Today
is the first day of a two day
celebration at Hora Finfinne in Addis Abeba and Hora Arsadi in Bishoftu
city (47 km south of Addis Abeba), the celebration will move to Bishoftu to
perform final rituals at Lake Hora tomorrow morning.
Hundreds
of thousands of people attended Saturday’s celebrations, which proceeded
peacefully despite the protests and amid a heavy security presence. A police
spokesman would not comment on any arrests of protesters, Agelgl Media reports.
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