Ethiopia crisis: After ravaging Ethiopia for two years, Ethiopia had fortunately witnessed some semblance of peace as the crisis came to an end recently. The warring sides agreed for peace and we all hoped that the worst is over.
Now was the time for Ethiopia to focus on rebuilding the country and its infrastructure and revitalise its economy. However, for some vested interests, conflict & crises are more desirable than peace in Africa.
The result is, once again Ethiopia was heading for a major TPLF-like crisis, only this time, an alert Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed nipped it in the bud.
Crisis: Ethiopia destroys coup plot
Ethiopia has recently destroyed a coup plot! As per a report, Ethiopian officials have arrested dozens of journalists, activists and campaigners as part of “decisive measures” against what they call extremist forces.
The group of 47 people were detained for “executing a terrorist act” and allegedly attempting to overthrow the government in Amhara.
According to state media, the joint task force said the group, which consists of academics, media owners, and activists based in Amhara and other regions as well as Addis Ababa, was found to be operating covertly.
Read More: It’s official, USA sponsored TPLF
The group was suspected of attempting to rally people on the basis of ethnicity, religion and political radicalism. They were reportedly planning to carry out a violent movement, declaring that they would liberate the populace.
Further, they wanted to ensure that they should rule the country by promoting the idea that the public is currently under extreme government oppression.
However, the plot couldn’t succeed as the Abiy Ahmed’s government took swift actions and arrested dozens and destroyed the plot.
The action came days after senior politician in the ruling Prosperity Party Girma Yeshitla and his bodyguards were shot dead in the northern regional state. Suspects had been identified by security agents.
The country’s federal joint task force had also named 11 more suspects based in and outside of Ethiopia.
The task force further said that the forces “pretending to fight for the Amhara people” have formed “a clandestine cell by coordinating both internally and externally” outside of the country, and are “devouring” the dedicated children of the region.
Read More: Oromia conflict: Abiy Ahmed’s pre-emptive move to prevent another TPLF
The force said in a statement, “they were planning to carry out a violent movement, declaring that they would liberate the populace. They were working to plunge the nation once more into crisis,”.
Alarmingly, the force said, the group has been trying to link and organize university students with the local Amhara population in all areas of the Amhara region, Addis Ababa, and all of the country’s colleges, as well as organizing a military wing and frightening the people by attacking government officials.
Coup plot backed from outside?
With all this, it could be possible that this whole plot could be backed by outside as several suspects are reportedly based outside of Ethiopia. It could be another attempt to push Ethiopia into conflict after the TPLF crisis by foreign actors.
We have explained previously, how the USA backed the TPLF and exploited the minds of the Tigray people and the TPLF was overtly and covertly supported by the US.
Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed isn’t really liked by the Biden administration and in the US-Africa summit held last year, Biden did not invite Abiy Ahmed to the summit, rather the invitation was sent to the country’s ceremonial President.
However, an alert Abiy Ahmed has successfully averted another crisis and saved Ethiopia from another episode of internal conflict which could have turned into another excuse for the US to intervene in.
In all likelihood it is only possible that more such attempts may follow and Abiy Ahmed has to watch out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2OVa_OBens&t=1s