Ethiopia’s government on Friday announced an amnesty for some of the country’s most high-profile political detainees, including opposition figure Jawar Mohammed and senior Tigray party officials, as Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed spoke of reconciliation for Orthodox Christmas.
“The key to lasting unity is dialogue,” the government said in a statement on the amnesty. “Ethiopia will make any sacrifices to this end.”
It was the most major move yet by the government after the country’s deadly Tigray war entered a new phase in late December, when Tigrayan forces retreated to their region amid a military offensive and Ethiopian forces said they would not advance further.
The war in Africa’s second most populous country has highlighted the deadly ethnic tension posing the greatest challenge to Mr Abiy’s rule.
Ethiopia’s state broadcaster, EBC, named both Jawar and opposition figure Eskinder Nega, who were detained in July 2020 following deadly unrest over the killing of popular ethnic Oromo artist Hachalu Hundessa, as those granted amnesty. Eskinder, leader of the Balderas party, left a detention centre on Friday evening.
But Tuli Bayis, a lawyer for Jawar of the Oromo Federalist Congress party and others, told The Associated Press that they refused to leave the prison facility as the order for their release came late in the day.
“They have security risks, so they preferred to exit the correction facility in daytime,” Tuli said, and added that he was not sure why the order for their release came now.
“We heard it is an amnesty; that’s what we know for now.”
Ethiopia’s Ministry of Justice said the amnesty for Jawar and Nega was granted “to make the coming national dialogue successful and inclusive”. Ethiopian members of the Federal Parliamentary Assembly on December 29 approved a bill to establish a commission for national dialogue amid international pressure for negotiations to end the war.
The state broadcaster also named several senior officials with Tigray’s ruling Tigray People’s Liberation Front party as being granted amnesty and said they will be released soon. They include Sebhat Nega, Kidusan Nega, Abay Woldu, Abadi Zemu, Mulu Gebregziabher and Kiros Hagos. They were arrested in late 2020 when government forces captured most of Tigray shortly after war erupted between Tigrayan forces and Ethiopian ones.
The ministry of justice said the TPLF detainees “were granted amnesty taking into consideration their age and health condition".
Friday’s announcement came a day after the US said its departing special envoy for the Horn of Africa, Jeffrey Feltman, met Ethiopia’s prime minister to again press for a negotiated end to the war.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres welcomed Friday’s development and called on the parties “to build on this significant confidence-building step by agreeing a cessation of hostilities and a lasting ceasefire, as well as launching a credible and inclusive national dialogue and reconciliation process".
The UN chief said that following his last contact with Mr Abiy, he also looks forward “to a meaningful improvement in humanitarian access to all areas affected by the year-long conflict".
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said last month that an estimated 9.4 million people across Tigray and neighbouring Amhara and Afar were “in critical need of food assistance".
He said on Thursday that some UN agencies and aid organisations will be forced to halt operations in the Tigray region if humanitarian supplies, fuel and cash are not delivered soon.
It is estimated that tens of thousands of people have been killed in the war that erupted in November 2020 between the Ethiopian government and Tigrayan forces, who once led the country.
The government of Mr Abiy, who had won the Nobel Peace Prize a year earlier, by that point was wrestling with the challenge of ethnic tension growing following the prime minister’s sweeping political reforms.
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What is a credit score?
In the UAE your credit score is a number generated by the Al Etihad Credit Bureau (AECB), which represents your credit worthiness – in other words, your risk of defaulting on any debt repayments. In this country, the number is between 300 and 900. A low score indicates a higher risk of default, while a high score indicates you are a lower risk.
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Financial institutions will use it to decide whether or not you are a credit risk. Those with better scores may also receive preferential interest rates or terms on products such as loans, credit cards and mortgages.
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The AECB collects information on your payment behaviour from banks as well as utilitiy and telecoms providers.
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By paying your bills on time and not missing any repayments, particularly your loan, credit card and mortgage payments. It is also wise to limit the number of credit card and loan applications you make and to reduce your outstanding balances.
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By checking it. Visit one of AECB’s Customer Happiness Centres with an original and valid Emirates ID, passport copy and valid email address. Liv. customers can also access the score directly from the banking app.
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Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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