By Staff Reporter
February 5, 2020 (Ezega.com) -- Residents of Bahir Dar city in Amhara regional state criticized Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s response on the whereabouts of abducted students from the Dembi Dolo University as “disheartening.”
Speaking to DW Amharic, the residents said the security situation of the country has gone worse even though the premier claimed otherwise.
“The Prime Minister said nothing new about the abducted students and if their case is not solved, it would threaten the sovereignty of the country,” they said
Responding to questions of MPs on Monday, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said the government does not have clear information if students of the Dembi Dolo University were taken hostages two months ago by gunmen in western Ethiopia.
The residents said Prime Minister Abiy and other officials have given conflicting information about the whereabouts of the students, signaling the failure of the government to rescue the students.
“How can a Prime Minister, who leads a nation where the kidnappers and their hostages live together, claim the security of situations of the country has improved,” the residents added, expressing incredulity.
In a presser last week, Endeshaw Tassew, commissioner of the federal police said the whereabouts of the students are known while the Prime Minister said the opposite.
“In a rigorous search and operation conducted by the defense force in all districts and localities of the area, no person was found hurt, dead or taken hostage,” the Premier said two days ago, in a speech some in social media denounced as 'callous' and 'irresponsible.'
Similarly, residents of Tigray region told DW Amharic that the Prime Minister concealed the truth about Chinese investors who were reportedly denied travel to Mekele city and deliberate sacking of ethnic Tigray officials from federal posts.
Meanwhile, at least eight people were killed in Tepi town of South Nation Nationalities People Region (SNNPR) of Ethiopia in violence caused by conflicts between security forces and civilians.
The conflict also left more than 20 people injured and a member of the security force was among the dead, eyewitnesses told Ezega.com.
Following the conflict, government offices and private establishments have been closed. The cause of the conflict is not known.
Tepi town is found under the Sheka zone which has been hit by repeated violence after its people demanded a statehood status.
Two brothers were killed two weeks ago in the zone by unidentified people. Roads linking the town to Jima city in Ormia state and Mizan and Masha towns in the SNNPR are reportedly closed due to security problems in the zone.
_____________________________
Join us on social media:
Like Ezega.com on Facebook and get Ethiopian News updates regularly.
Get the latest Ethiopia News by following us on twitter @Ezega_Official.
Follow Ezega on LinkedIn for Ethiopia Jobs and Ethiopian News Today.