Oromia Regional Authorities Plan Military and Political Training for Local Officials
TPLF Faction Leader Forms New Liberal Democratic Party
Ethiopia Opens Third Rehabilitation Center for DDR Program
Ethiopia's National Rehabilitation Commission (NRC) has inaugurated a third rehabilitation center near Adwa, Tigray, to facilitate the ongoing Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR) process. The new Adi Berah center has accepted 400 former Tigray combatants, marking a significant step in the national DDR program. Two other centers in Mekelle and Edaga Hamus have also resumed operations after a delay since the end of 2024. The commission aims to demobilize and reintegrate 75,000 former combatants in the first phase of the program.
Oromia Regional Authorities Plan Military and Political Training for Local Officials
Oromia's regional authorities are considering plans to provide basic military and political training for district and subdistrict officials at a military camp run by the Ethiopian National Defence Forces (ENDF). The training, expected to last for 40 days, aims to equip local administrators and peace/security heads with fundamental military skills and political knowledge. There are reports of the regional administration forcibly recruiting young people for mandatory military service, though the authorities deny these allegations.
Gunmen Kidnap Over 50 Passengers in Oromia Region
Gunmen in Oromia's Arsi zone have abducted over 50 passengers in Sire district on April 29. The passengers were traveling from Sire district to the regional capital, Adama, when the attack occurred. A unit of the Ethiopian National Defence Forces (ENDF) had been stationed in the area but reportedly withdrew just a day before the incident. This kidnapping follows a similar attack in Abomsa district on April 27, also in Arsi zone.
Labor Union Raises Concerns Over High Cost of Living and Tax Burden
Ethiopia's labor union has raised alarms over the high cost of living and the tax burden on workers. Millions of workers are struggling to meet basic needs due to rising income taxes and living costs. The union has appealed to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to set a minimum wage for workers, but there has been no response or action from the government so far.
TPLF Faction Leader Forms New Liberal Democratic Party
The faction of the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) led by former Tigray Interim Regional Administration (IRA) President, Getachew Reda, has announced the formation of a new political party called the Tigray Liberal Democratic Party (TLDP). The party will adopt liberal democracy as its guiding ideology, marking a shift away from the Marxist roots of the TPLF. The organizing committee has begun collecting signatures for the party's registration with the National Election Board of Ethiopia (NEBE), and they expect to receive temporary registration by the end of April. The NEBE's deadline for the TPLF to hold a General Congress or face de-registration will expire in two weeks.
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