Ethiopia: Former minister arrest over alleged links to rebel group

Following a string of social media posts criticising the government, Ethiopia’s peace minister was sacked and taken into custody on suspicion of having ties to an illegal rebel organisation.

Taye Dendea is accused by federal police in a statement made on Tuesday of being a member of the Oromo Liberation Army, a group that is prohibited as a terrorist organisation, and of “collaborating with anti-peace forces that are trying to destroy Ethiopia”.

The statement was made public along with a number of images that the police claimed were taken from Taye’s residence and included guns, identity cards, cell phones, and OLA flags.

The OLA has been fighting the government for a long time. Although it has been accused of targeting other groups based on their ethnicity, it asserts that it is fighting for increased representation for the Oromo, the biggest ethnic group in Ethiopia.

In the meantime, human rights organisations have said that the government is deliberately targeting civilians in its military campaign against the OLA.

Taye, a prominent member of the ruling party and an ethnic Oromo, has been more critical of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

Taye denounced last week’s decision to forbid an opposition march in the capital Addis Ababa and held the government accountable for the collapse of recent peace negotiations with the OLA.

Posting his letter of termination from Abiy on Facebook on Monday, Taye called the prime minister a “barbarian” who “plays with human blood.”

Regarding Taye’s portrayal of Abiy, the prime minister’s office did not immediately respond.

Much of Oromia is now ungoverned due to the OLA conflict. Since the peace negotiations broke out last month, over 50 people have died in the area, a state-appointed human rights panel claims.

(With agency inputs)