Massive Protests Erupt in Alamata Ethiopia

Protest rallies were taken out on Saturday and Sunday in Alamata Ethiopia. The rallies were taken out by Amhara ethnic groups residents of the city.

Alamata city is situated in Southern Zone which is disputed between the Tigray and Amhara regions. Both have their claims to the zone. Before the start of war in Northern Ethiopia in November 2020, the area was part of Tigray. During the war, the area including Alamata city changed hands several times between Tigray and Amhara administration. But since October 2022, the southern zone has been under Amhara control.

However in April this year, Tigray fighter recaptured large parts of southern zone except Alamata city. Amhara provisional government was dismantled and Amhara militias fled.

Last month Tigray militia members entered Alamata city, but they could not completely control the city. Ethiopian National Defense Force and Federal Police are administering the city. For the past few weeks, tensions have been ongoing in Alamata city between Tigray fighters, who are stationed in some schools, and local Amhara population.

On Saturday, Jared Melkamu, a local youth, was shot dead in Alamata. The Amhara community members blamed Tigray fighters for the killing. They held a protest and marched towards Ethiopian federal police camp.

On Sunday, the protests turned bigger. Protesters chanted slogans against TPLF and Tigray fighters and told Tigray fighters to leave Alamata city in 24 hours. Hundreds of youths, children, women and elderly were seen in these protest rallies.

Tigrayan IDPs are set to return to their homes in Alamata and other cities in southern zone. Thousands of them were displaced during war. Before the IDP return, prevailing tensions between local Amhara population and Tigray militia members are indicative of future ethnic strife if the issue is not solved amicably.

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