More than 200 killed in ethnic massacre in Ethiopia

Addis Ababa: More than 200 people are feared dead in an ethnic massacre in Ethiopia’s Gumuz region. A local human rights group said that armed gangs carried out a brutal attack while the Bekoji villagers were asleep on Wednesday morning. According to state-owned news channels, over 40 assailants were killed in the army’s crackdown after the massacre.

This is the fourth major attack in the last four months in the Benishangul-Gumuz region. On Tuesday, Ethiopian Prime Minister, Aby Ahmed had visited Benishangul-Gumuz region. During the visit, Ahmed brought up attacks that had occurred in the past and said those responsible for it must be punished. The latest episode created a sensation since they took place within 24 hours of his speech. Prime Minister Ahmed has expressed deep sorrow over the killings and announced the deployment of additional troops in the area.

National Movement of Amhara, which is affiliated to the government, has accused the Gumuz militia of being responsible for the attack. There are more than 80 ethnic groups in Ethiopia, of which Oromo and Amhara are most populous. The Benishangul-Gumuz region is connected to an Amhara-dominated province. Locals have claimed that Amharas have begun infiltrating the Benishangul-Gumuz region in the past few years. The local Gumuz populace is opposed to the incursion, which could have possibly sparked off the spate of attacks.

Wednesday’s massacre is the most significant escalation in the last four months. The attacks that had occurred in September and October had claimed the lives of 15 and 14 people respectively. More than 54 people were killed in the next episode in November, which is said to have originated from the Tigray province. The sharp rise in violence has only added to the current tensions in Ethiopia.

Last month, Prime Minister Aby Ahmed launched a decisive military operation against rebels in the Tigray province. Although the government claims to have attained success, the violence in Tigray has not abated. The violence in Tigray has forced thousands of civilians to flee to neighbouring Sudan, which has expressed displeasure at Prime Minister Ahmed’s policies.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Aby Ahmed has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for ending the conflict with Eritrea. Nevertheless, the prevalent situation portrays Prime Minister Ahmed’s complete failure to address his country’s internal tensions and violence. The Prime Minister, who has established peace with his neighbouring countries, has not been able to end ethnic conflicts in his own country. As a result, Ethiopia, Africa’s second-largest economy, shows signs of continued violence and instability.

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