Addis Ababa:- For the second day in a row, most of the private Blue Taxis known as "wuyiyt" stayed out of the road, though city buses have continued providing their normal services: most of the big shops also remained closed. However, small kiosks, pastries, bistros/ coffee shops remained open in all neighborhoods of the city. Residents are out and going about with their usual routine or just strolling the streets.
* On another note, Ato Andargachew Tsigie, the chief youth organizer of CUD, who moved back to Ethiopia from England to involve with the opposition was arrested by police. The police accuse him of being the mastermind behind organizing the youth that were at the forefront of yesterday's riot in Addis. Ato Andargachew, had been an activist of the EPRP in the 1970's: in the beginning of the 90's he joined the EPRDF, and served as deputy mayor of Addis Ababa from 1991-1995 alongside senior EPRDF leader Tefera Walwa. Mr. Gebrekristos Hailsellassie, head of CUD main headquarters and a very hard line ex-WPE regional first secretary, was also arrested by police. Both still remain under custody.
* Many residents are anxious to get over this situation: they are afraid, if let to continue, it might expose the nation to dangers posed by external enemies and elements bent on to only succeed under chaos. Some, particularly professionals and middle class intellectual residents, have started planning to go public and pressurize the opposition to accept the results of the election, to call up on their members/activists to stop their dangerous rumors and acts: do so as quickly as possible before indulging themselves as well as the city in to total chaos that neither serves the hard-won democracy nor the stability of the nation. They urge the government to stay put on its course of ensuring the peace of the city and guard the sovereignty of the nation.
