They blocked the roads with stones and burnt rubber to prevent the procession from passing by the bright soldiers. Opponents fear that the government’s decision will mark them for attacks in neighboring states. The constitution of Ethiopia stipulates that the regions should have their own special symbols. The government announced last week that it wants to strengthen national unity by merging the special forces with the police force.
The decision was met with strong opposition in the Amhara region and in the cities of the region. On Sunday, Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed vowed to push ahead with his plan, despite the imposition of curfew in the historic city of Gondar and clashes between protesters and soldiers in the border area of Tigray region.
Journalists, commentators and community coordinators with connections to the Amhara were arrested in the capital Addis Ababa on Sunday.
The Amhara Special Forces are fighting the Tigray forces brought against Mr. Abiy’s government in 2020. The Ethiopian Army red threatened a peace agreement between the police government and the Tigray militants before the conflict.
Now the tension between Amhara and the authorities is increasing. Some Amhara natives say that the federal government’s decision not to host an armed resistance to the threat of the region. Despite the need for a peace accord, they doubt whether Tigray’s forces are completely disarmed.
