PUBLISHED 10:16 JANUARY 11, 2016

UPDATED 10:16 JANUARY 11, 2016

Ethiopia cracks down on dissent

By NEOnline | TB

Security forces in Ethiopia have killed at least 140 people during a crackdown on anti-government demonstrations in recent weeks, according to activists and human rights groups.

As reported by Al Jazeera, protests were organised by members of the country’s largest ethnic group, Oromo, who fear the government’s development plans (to extend the capital territory of Addis Ababa into Oromo lands) will lead to land grabbing and large-scale evictions.

As reported by the Sudan Tribune, an estimated two million people, mostly farmers live in the Oromia region areas that have proposed by the government for expansion.

The government has admitted to killing dozens of protesters, and has promised to launch an investigation, according to Al Jazeera. Officials also said 13 security forces have been killed in the violence.

During interviews with Al Jazeera, protesters and families of those shot said they have little hope that an investigation will lead anywhere, or that their political demands will be met.

“The government is cautiously trying to avoid recognising real problems in the society,” Merera Gudina, an opposition leader, told Al Jazeera.

In a separate report, The Washington Post notes that young people, journalists and musicians have been the target of Ethiopia’s ruling regime’s quest to silence political dissent.

According to reports, the government has arrested and charged several journalists, including Getachew Shiferaw, editor in chief of the Negere Ethiopia news site, under the country’s 2009 anti-terrorism legislation. Fikadu Mirkana, of Oromia Radio and TV, has also been arrested. The US-based television channel ESAT, which has been covering the Oromo protests, claimed that the Ethiopian regime jammed one of its broadcasting satellites.