The Ethiopian government announces that it has started the dismantling of its regional special forces. Over the past ten years, several Ethiopian regions have had their own special forces independent of federal power. Addis Ababa announces that it wants to put an end to it, to build a strong and centralized army “. But there are resistances.
With our regional correspondent, Florence Morice
The Ethiopian authorities ensure that the decision to dismantle the regional armed forces was the subject of a consensus among the “ leaders from all regions of the country, and would have received chiefs agreement of these special forces. In the Amhara region, where the process has already begun, members of these special forces have nevertheless refused to disarm in several localities.
An attack on the autonomy of the regions?
There are several reasons for this opposition: the suppression of these regional forces, in favor of a unified federal army, is perceived as a desire to limit the autonomy of the regions concerned. Furthermore, the Amarha special forces have been very active alongside the federal army in the fight against Tigray during the civil war and are watching the peace agreement signed in Pretoria with suspicion.
“Return to civilian life”
In an attempt to calm the situation, Addis Ababa ensures that all the regions are concerned by this dismantling and that the former members of these special forces will have the choice either to be reassigned within the federal army or the regional police or of ” return to civilian life “.
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