All Is Not Quiet on Ethiopia’s Western FrontOn Dec. 22, Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed visited the vast lowland territory of Metekel in Ethiopia’s far western region of Benishangul-Gumuz, the so-called homeland of five indigenous ethnic groups of which the most populous are the Berta and the Gumuz. As in Metekel, many of these victims were ethnic Amhara living as minorities in the region. In early December, Amhara’s chief of police said he had requested permission from the federal government to intervene in Benishangul-Gumuz. In October, the country’s deputy prime minister, who is ethnic Amhara, called for Amharas in Benishangul-Gumuz to arm themselves. Under Ethiopia’s 1995 constitution, which was largely devised by the TPLF, Benishangul-Gumuz was granted a degree of formal autonomy, with leaders drawn from the local elites.

Source: Ethiopian News January 06, 2021 09:11 UTC