December 25th local time, the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission issued an investigation report that between November 10 and November 21, 2020, a series of clashes occurred in the Conso region of the southern ethnic states of Ethiopia, resulting in at least 66 deaths, 39 injuries, the burning of large houses, and more than 100,000 people.
Displacement. The Committee recommended that the Ethiopian government conduct appropriate investigations and take corrective measures against officials in the institutions, and there is evidence that some local officials directly or indirectly incite, assist or aggravate the conflict in the area or fail to fulfil their responsibilities to protect civilians.
In addition, the report calls for measures to control illegal firearms transfers in the Conso region and prevent further intensification of the conflict.
Recently, the security situation in many states of Ethiopia has been tense. In November, an armed conflict between the federal government and the “Tigray People’s Liberation Front” occurred in the northern Tigray State, resulting in an influx of more than 55,000 Ethiopian refugees into neighboring Sudan.
Since the end of August, there have been many attacks against civilians in Benshangul-Gumaz State. At least 300 people were killed; armed attacks in the Conso area of the southern ethnic states also lasted for more than five months, from the initial stick-stone attack to gun attacks.
According to local media, most of the conflicts stem from the competition for land and resources between different ethnic groups in the area.
Ethiopia to hold a national election on June 5, 2021
On December 25th local time, the Ethiopian National Election Commission said that Ethiopia’s sixth national elections were scheduled to be held on June 5, 2021.
Previously, due to the spread of the COVID-19 epidemic, Ethiopia postponed the general election originally scheduled for August 29, 2020.
