It is often said that Addis is a city of contrasts. Today is no different. Just a moment ago, I was in Bole where everything is as quiet and calm as it has ever been. You would get no clue about whether or not bullets have been fired in other quarters of the city. As I write this message, I am currently in Arat kilo. The site of yesterday's turmoil is actually placid. Normal crowds and normal activity.
This morning was different. At around 10 a.m, I was as luck would have it passing through Mexico square when I witnessed something that has probably scarred my conscious. I heard people yelling and running from Mexico square in the direction of Kera and Sar Bet. Riot geared Police (militia?) heavily armed were chasing the people down. I was forced into the Federal Inland Revenue building. Needless to say, people there were also terrified but as luck would have it, the seven story building offered a great view of what was unfolding at Mexico square.
It turns out the armed police were trying to break into Tegbare Ed (Addis Ababa Technical College). Across the street from Tegbare Ed is a construction site....a huge building under construction, ironically, to be the future headquarters of the Federal Police. Now as the police tried to force into Tegbare Ed, the construction workers started throwing large stones at them. This went on for another 10-15 minutes before the police started shooting in the air, tear gassing the street, closing Mexico square, and chasing people away. Then they tactically proceeded to the compounds of the construction site and started capturing the workers there. What ensued was the most disgusting act I have ever seen in my own eyes. They were rounding up men and women in construction uniforms, throwing them to the floor, and beating them as they lay on the floor. The streets are closed and the gates to the construction site are closed so almost all the public around there was oblivious of what was going on. On the other hand, from the Federal Inland Revenue building, we can see everything taking place. At one point, a soldier straight aimed towards the building which forced everyone there, including me, to hit the floor.
The beatings had gone on for another half-hour when people on top of the Federal Inland Revenue building starting yelling things like…where are the journalists? Does anyone have a video camera? Then within minutes workers in the building, fearing a similar reprisal started leaving work en mass. I decided that was the best option under the circumstances and took off.
When I got to Bole. Everybody seemed so calm that I felt I had just flew into a different country.
Compared to the past regimes, this government is an angel. Had it been derg and Haileselasse (your favorite regime) thousands of students have been dead by now.
This government is democratic governement. But the opposition who are anti-democracy are incting violence to take power using bloodshed. It is hard for former derg polticians to use election to come to power.
Noone asked about comparison brother .Why compare different reigns-Only to justify that we are living in a perfect democratic society?If that is a case,you are completely mistaken.Democracy is a mere masquerade to the people in power and their hooligans.
Observer,
Do you really know the meaning of democracy? Does your democracy include freedom of speech? Should people be beaten for voicing their opinion peacefully in their own country? Is this what you call democracy?
Dear observer,
Democracy is a cover for EPRDF to wrongly rule this country for the last 14Yrs. Now there is a great protest that challenges the government. Hope you will what democracy means.
Tx
You guys should know that democracy and violence does not vo together. A democratic process bases itself on election process and majority rule while violence doesnot respect majority rule and is bent on grabbing power regardless of the vote of the people.
As CUD are popular only in Amara areas, it is evident they can't win majority rule. Thus they have started instigating violence to grab power that they lose on the pole.
