ETHIOPIA
Price of Freedom
Ethiopia’s ethnic Sidama minority overwhelmingly voted to form their own self-governing region in a referendum that could inspire other ethnic groups to demand more autonomy, Ethiopia’s electoral board said Saturday, according to Reuters.
Results to date showed that 98.5 percent of voters supported autonomy in Wednesday’s vote with turnout reaching 99.7 percent.
“For me it’s the day of resurrection,” said Unani Fikro, a member of a Sidama activist group.
The vote will now allow the Sidama, which comprise four percent of Ethiopia’s 109 million people, to form their self-governing region, and administer their own local taxation, education system, and security among other things.
Ethiopia’s constitution gives the right to seek autonomy, but the recent referendum became possible from Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s recent reforms.
Since he came to power last year, Abiy has allowed greater freedoms in the once repressive country.
His changes, however, have emboldened regional strongmen and encouraged other ethnic groups to demand more autonomy.
Calls for self-governance could threaten Abiy’s plans to unify the country ahead of the 2020 elections.
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