Nagessa Oddo
ESAT News (August 21, 2017)
A five day stay at home strike has been called in the Oromo region of Ethiopia to demand the release of political prisoners and in memory of those who lost their lives at the hands of security forces as well as to oppose tax hikes.
The Oromo Federalist Congress, an opposition party, called on the people in the Oromo region to take part in the strikes to bring attention to their plight.
Coordinator of the International Support Group for the OFC, Nagessa Oddo told ESAT that the strikes were also called to remember those who were killed by the regime’s security in areas bordering the Somali and Oromo regions.
He said the five day strike was also called to coordinate the otherwise fragmented protests against the brutal regime. He said the strikes are called to demand for the release of political prisoners like Bekele Gerba and Dr. Merera Gudina, two prominent leaders of the Oromo opposition movement.
Observers say the five day strikes, on top of its political significance, will result in huge economic losses.
The city of Bahir Dar held a similar one day stay at home strike two weeks ago in remembrance of those killed by security forces in the anti-government protest last summer.