ADDIS ABABA – Ministry of Defense announced that allegations of defense forces involvement in the killing of civilians in Gondar are fabrications of political groups with malicious intent.
Deputy Chief of Staff of the Defense Forces, General Birhanu Jula told journalists yesterday that the information being released in social media regarding the recent incident in Gondar is false.
He indicated that the defense forces are discharging their responsibility as per the constitution of the FDRE. General Birhanu said that the Ministry is handling situations with utmost tolerance and is pursuing peaceful dialogue with the so as to restore peace.
He recalled that after years of exile, various political parties have returned home to engage in peaceful political struggle following the call by Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed. People also welcomed those political groups by trusting them that they would struggle for their rights. But some incidents that appeared in different parts of the country are reducing the trust of the people according to him.
The Deputy Chief of Staff noted that no individual except the defense forces are allowed to own arms. While farmers and other individuals are allowed to own arms after securing legal licenses, there are some individuals who own arms illegally, he said citing members of the Shane faction of Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) led by Dawud Ibsa as example.
The incident that happened in Gondar is complicated one and needs a thorough investigation to apprehend the masterminds. Yet, there is no clear information as to who should take responsibility for the conflict, according to him. He reiterated that according to the information available so far the defense forces have not killed civilians though some individuals are spreading wrong information casting the blame on the defense forces.
The misinformation funneled by the social media is an attempt to abort the ongoing reforms of the country by stirring conflicts among the Ethiopian peoples, the Deputy Chief of Staff warned. “They are striving to embitter the people and to erode its trust on the government,” he said.
Herald January 12/2019
BY HAILE DEMEKE
