By Giulia ParaviciniADDIS ABABA (Reuters) - Hundreds of thousands of Ethiopia’s largest ethnic group celebrated in Addis Ababa on Saturday at the start of an annual thanksgiving festival which was marred by violence in 2016. Security was high for Irreecha, which is celebrated by the Oromo people to mark the start of the harvest season. "This festivity is a symbol of a transition from darkness to a light," said Zewidu Megrarobi, 65, a farmer from Yeka, a village located on the outskirts of Addis Ababa, who was present during the 2016 clashes. The festival is usually held in Bishoftu, a town located in the Oromia region, about 40 km (25 miles) south of Addis Ababa. He has implemented a series of radical economic and political reforms including releasing political prisoners and restoring relations with arch-foe Eritrea.

Source: Ethiopian News October 05, 2019 11:37 UTC