By Engidu Woldie
ESAT News (September 2, 2016)
Government offices and businesses were shut down on Thursday in Konso, south Ethiopia following announcement by the regional council that the petition by the people of Konso for self-administration has been scrapped.
The people of Konso submitted a petition signed by 50,000 people to the regional council demanding self-administration in their affairs but the council on Thursday announced that their demand has been thrown out of the window.
Protesting the decision by the regional council, government and other service employees have not reported to work for several days. Their salaries were also frozen, it was learnt.
The people of Bodi and Mursi meanwhile blocked main roads protesting the transfer of their land to companies for sugar plantation. Cadres and cronies of the TPLF have seized vast areas of land for investment in the south displacing the indigenous people.
Over 40 visitors to the plantation were unable to get out as the roads were blocked by the locals in protest.