News: Members of federal police assigned as Jawar Mohammed’s security resign following recall by federal police
Addis Standard staffs
Addis Standard, February 08/2020 – All four members of the federal police who were assigned by the government as security detail for Jawar Mohammed have resigned after the federal police commission sent a letter announcing their removal from their posts, Addis Standard has learnt.
The news of their removal and recall to their regular duty was first announced on Thursday evening by Oromia regional state broadcaster, Oromia Broadcasting Network (OBN). The letter recalled the members of the federal security forces to their regular duty and stated that Jawar has joined a political party and was moving around the country with no security threat.
The letter, addressed directly to Jawar says: “It’s to be recalled that following the change and upon return from exile of politicians, activists and artists, members of the federal police were assigned as security details for all [returnees] in order to avoid that they face security problems. However all of [these individuals] are now calm and have returned to their regular routine; likewise, you have joined the Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC). However, our procedures prevent security details to be provided to all political party leaders and member[s]; therefore we notify you to have the members of the federal police who are with you return to their regular duty.”
On December 29/219, Jawar announced that he was joining OFC and subsequently said he would run in Ethiopia’s upcoming general election, tentatively scheduled to take place in August this year.
Asked to comment on the said resignation of the four members of the federal police by Addis Standard, Jawar confirmed but said that an agreement was reached with the federal police to relieve its members of their duty. “They have already returned their arms to the federal police yesterday,” Jawar said. He also revealed that “all the four will continue working with me.”
It is to be remembered that in October 2019, protests erupted in several cities and towns across Oromia regional state and various spots surrounding Addis Abeba after Jawar, then executive director of Oromo Media Network (OMN), posted information in his Facebook page that his security detail were told in the middle of the night “to pack their stuff and leave the compound quietly without alerting me.” A tragic violence that erupted shortly after that had claimed the lives of 87 Ethiopians, by the government’s own account. AS
