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Ethiopia declares national state of emergency | Ethiopia declares national state of emergency |
(35 minutes later) | |
A national state of emergency has been declared in Ethiopia just one day after the unexpected resignation of Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn. | A national state of emergency has been declared in Ethiopia just one day after the unexpected resignation of Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn. |
A statement by the state broadcaster said the move was necessary to stem a wave of anti-government protests. | A statement by the state broadcaster said the move was necessary to stem a wave of anti-government protests. |
Hundreds of people have died in three years of unrest in the country. | Hundreds of people have died in three years of unrest in the country. |
A 10-month state of emergency that ended last year failed to stop the protests, as did the release from jail of thousands of opposition supporters. | A 10-month state of emergency that ended last year failed to stop the protests, as did the release from jail of thousands of opposition supporters. |
No details were given of how long the latest state of emergency will last or what the restrictions are. | |
The government has been under pressure because of continuing street protests. | |
In recent weeks it has released hundreds of prisoners including opposition politicians but the protests have shown no sign of ending. | |
On Thursday, Mr Hailemariam said he had made his decision to stand down in the hope that it would help end the years of unrest and political upheaval. | |
"I see my resignation as vital in the bid to carry out reforms that would lead to sustainable peace and democracy," Mr Hailemariam said. | |
The political demonstrations in Ethiopia began in Oromia in November 2015. Protests later sprung up in the Amhara region. | |
Oromia and Amhara are the homelands of the country's two biggest ethnic groups. | Oromia and Amhara are the homelands of the country's two biggest ethnic groups. |
Many people in these communities feel they have been marginalised since the current government took power in 1991. | |
More about Ethiopia: | |
Energy from rubbish to power Addis Ababa | |
Can Ethiopia be Africa's leading manufacturing hub? | |
You can now get the latest BBC news in Afaan Oromo, Amharic and Tigrinya. |
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