Powerful Ethiopian party accuses government of ethnic crackdown
Charge marks growing tension between Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front and reformist prime minister
Addis Ababa — A powerful party in Ethiopia’s government has accused authorities of arresting members of its ethnic group in a politically driven crackdown — an unprecedented public charge exposing deep rifts at the heart of the ruling elite. The accusation marks growing tensions between elements in the Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), a movement that has dominated Ethiopia for decades, and new reformist Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed who has upended politics with a string of radical reforms. At least 79 security officers, officials, businessmen and women, many of them Tigrayan, have been arrested since last week under what the government said was a clampdown on corruption and mistreatment of prisoners. Amnesty International and other rights groups have welcomed the arrests. But TPLF chairperson Debretsion Gebremichael said the arrests ordered under “the pretext of corruption and human rights are being used to attack Tigrayans”. The prime minister’s office did not immediately re...
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