31 July 2024
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – The city of Bahir Dar has reinstated movement restrictions, including a curfew, despite the recent lifting of a region-wide state of emergency.
The decision comes as the city administration grapples with what it describes as “negligible security problems.”
Beginning Sunday, July 27, 2024, residents and vehicles in Bahir Dar have been subjected to a series of restrictions. A curfew has been imposed, prohibiting all movement after 3:00 PM. Additionally, three-wheeled vehicles are banned between 12:00 PM and 12:00 AM, while two-wheeled motorcycles are prohibited from operating indefinitely.
The city administration’s security council justified the measures as necessary to prevent potential security threats. However, local politician Amara Desalue expressed skepticism, arguing that repeated restrictions are not an effective solution to the underlying security issues.
While the region has officially ended a ten-month state of emergency, sporadic conflicts and unrest persist. The new restrictions in Bahir Dar reflect the ongoing challenges faced by authorities in maintaining security and order.
Efforts to obtain comment from city officials, including the Head of Peace and Security Department, Getnat Anagau, were unsuccessful.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk, recently praised the Ethiopian government’s decision not to extend the state of emergency for the Amhara region
