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Ethiopians gather for festival marred by bloodshed
[Al Jazeera] A year ago, Firommisa Darasa barely made it out of Æthiopia's Irreecha festival alive, managing to escape from a deep ditch where dozens perished.The tragedy happened after police fired tear gas at anti-government protesters, sparking a stampede. Last year's bloodshed at the annual religious festival held by Æthiopia's largest ethnic group, the Oromo people, became a turning point in months of anti-government protests that prompted the government to declare a nationwide state of emergency. While dissatisfaction with Æthiopia's government still runs deep among the Oromo, last year's protests have since died down. Those planning to attend this year's Irreecha festival say they are hoping for the best when Sunday's gathering begins in the resort town of Bishoftu, southeast of the capital Addis Ababa. Posted by: Fred 2017-10-01 |
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