Africa, is a rugged, landlocked country split by the Great Rift
Valley.
Gunmen killed more than 100 people in an attack on
Wednesday in western Ethiopia, the national human rights body
said, the latest in a series of deadly assaults in the
area.
The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC), a
government-affiliated but independent body, said in a statement
late on Wednesday that “more than 100 people have been killed in
fires and shooting perpetrated by armed men” in the
Benishangul-Gumuz region.
The commission said survivors had “disturbing photo evidence” of
the attack on sleeping residents in Metekel zone, which began in
the early hours of Wednesday and continued until afternoon.
Ethnic violence over land and resources has been a persistent
problem in Ethiopia under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed,
often seen as a backlash to the Nobel Peace prize winner’s efforts
to lead democratic reforms in Africa’s second-most populous
nation.
Five officials were arrested on suspicion of playing a part in
the trouble, the regional government said in a statement
without giving further details of possible charges.
At least 36 survivors were being treated for bullet and arrow
wounds in a hospital about 90 kilometres (56 miles) from where the
attack occurred, the commission said.
“In addition to the damage inflicted on people’s lives and
bodies, crops have been set alight. One victim told us he saw 18
such fires,” the statement said.
There were no security forces in the area at the time, the
commission said.
Some of the victims said they knew their assailants, the
commission said, adding that humanitarian aid should be sent to
assist the displaced and wounded.
The region is home to ethnic Shinasha, Oromo and Amhara, the
commission said, the latter two the largest and second largest
ethnic minorities, respectively, in Ethiopia.
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Some Amhara leaders have asserted ownership of the Metekel zone
— claims that have inflamed tensions with ethnic Gumuz in the
area.
Ethnic attacks
Abiy visited the Metekel zone on Tuesday and met residents at a
town-hall style meeting, posting on Twitter: “The desire by enemies
to divide Ethiopia along ethnic & religious lines still
exists.”
Western Ethiopia has suffered a spate of horrific
attacks in recent months.
At least 34 people were slaughtered in an attack on a bus in the
same Metekel zone in November.
Twelve others were killed in a separate attack in the zone in
October, and 15 died in a similar assault in late September.
In October, Abiy told lawmakers that fighters responsible for
those killings were receiving training and shelter in neighbouring
Sudan and that Khartoum’s assistance was needed to stabilise the
area.
Opposition politicians — notably from the Amhara ethnic group —
have sounded the alarm about what they say is a targeted campaign
by ethnic Gumuz militias against ethnic Amhara and Agew living in
Metekel.
They claimed at the time that more than 150 civilians had been
killed in the attacks, figures that could not be independently
verified.
There is no known link between the violence in Benishangul-Gumuz
and military operations in northern Tigray region, which have
killed thousands, according to the International Crisis Group think
tank, and sent more than 50,000 people fleeing over the border into
Sudan.
AFP
As the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) takes
off on January 1, 2021, Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment,
Mr. Adeniyi Adebayo has called on Nigerians, particularly
industrialists to take advantage of the inherent opportunities to
promote Made-in-Nigeria goods.
![image](/2020/10/lawreport.jpg")
In a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Ifedayo Sayo,
the minister said Nigeria cannot afford to be left out of the
emerging African economic block, stressing that AfCTA will form a
3.4 trillion dollar economic bloc, which Nigeria must play a
leading role.
![image](/2020/10/NWLRland.jpg")
The AfCFTA, the world’s largest free trade area in terms of 54
participating countries, will commence on January 1, 2021.
The commencement date will signal the beginning of the
implementation of a single continental market for goods and
services, with free movement of business persons and investments
across Africa.
According to the minister, “The journey started on July 7, 2019,
when Nigeria became the 53rd African country to sign the AfCFTA
treaty. Long before then, it has always been the dream of Nigeria
and Africa’s founding fathers to unite the continent in one, shared
prosperity.
“The African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement will form a
$3.4 trillion economic bloc, which Nigeria cannot afford to be left
out of.
“We have worked tirelessly to ensure that Nigeria not only
partakes as a signatory in name but become a major trade and
economic powerhouse, even more than we have been within the ECOWAS
region.”
Also speaking on readiness measures taken by the government
towards the effective implementation of AfCFTA, the Secretary,
National Action Committee on AfCFTA, Francis Anatogu said, “We are
effectively coordinating with all critical stakeholders to ensure a
smooth playing field for Nigerian traders and businessmen to
explore the vast markets that will be opened up come January 1st,
2021.
“We are set to commence a major communication campaign and have
tagged January 2021 as AfCFTA Awareness and Sensitisation month,
which would take place across the six geopolitical zones, and would
involve various stakeholder groups in public, private and civil
society sectors, as well as other critical traditional
institutions.”
Established on May 30, 2018, the agreement has been signed by 54
AU member countries and ratified by 31 AU member countries,
including Nigeria in July 2019 and November 2020 respectively.
AfCFTA is expected to help expand Nigeria’s inter-trade portfolio,
boost competitiveness, and increase GDP.