News: Amhara state capital imposes curfew on three-wheeled transport after city sees a week of grenade explosions, student protests

Addis Abeba – The Bahir Dar City Administration Security Council issued statement today imposing curfew on movements of Bajaj, the three-wheeled motors widely used for city transport.

According to the region’s state media, the council passed the resolution imposing the curfew after it held emergency meeting in order “to ensure public peace and security.” Accordingly, a curfew on the movement of the Bajajs is imposed after 8:00 PM local time as of tonight. Owners or drivers of the Bajajs will take responsibility for any that will be taken “against any Bajaj vehicle found operating after 8:00 PM” the media said.

The decision by the Council came in the backdrop tension in the city after university students started protesting against the killing on 18 June of mainly Amhara community in Tole, West Wollega zone of Oromia regional state. Several protests are popping up in various places, mainly university campuses both in Addis Abeba University and in various universities located in Amhara regional state.

This week, the Bahir Dar police said that on 28 June evening, grenades exploded in four locations in the city, leading to the arrest of six suspects after “security operations”. The city police also said that 14 suspected accomplices linked to the six suspects have been arrested and were being investigated by state and federal security forces.

Earlier today, Gizachew Muluneh, head of the Amhara State Government Communication Affairs Bureau, told regional media that the Amhara Regional State Security Council had discussed various issues and set directions with regard to the ongoing “law enforcement operation” in the region. Gizachew added that the “law enforcement” measures were registering progress to “strengthen internal unity and protect against foreign enemies” in the region. Although he is quoted by the media as saying that the Security Council has reviewed the outcomes of the “law enforcement operation and noted shortcomings”, he didn’t state details. AS