ETHIOPIA: THOUSANDS DEMONSTRATE AGAINST VOTE TO ALLOW REGIONS TO SECEDE IF A MAJORITY OF THEIR POPULATION VOTE FOR IT

Record ID: 328596

  • Title: ETHIOPIA: THOUSANDS DEMONSTRATE AGAINST VOTE TO ALLOW REGIONS TO SECEDE IF A MAJORITY OF THEIR POPULATION VOTE FOR IT
  • Date: 4th December 1994
  • Summary: ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA (DECEMBER 4, 1994) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) 1. GV HUGE CROWD WAVING AND SHOUTING (2 SHOTS) 0.17 2. SCU VARIOUS BANNERS: "ONE ETHIOPIA, ONE PEOPLE"/ "THE RULE OF LAW MUST BE RESPECTED"/ "WE SAY NO TO ONE-PARTY RULE" (3 SHOTS) 0.28 3. SV CROWD CHANTING AND CLAPPING 0.34 4. SV OPPOSITION GROUPS CHAIRMAN BEYNE PETROS ADDRESSING CROWD (AMHARIC) 0.44 5. SV CROWD APPLAUDS 0.50 6. SV CROWD STARTS TO MOVE 0.55 7. SV CROWD MARCHES AND DANCES OFF (2 SHOTS) 1.11 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
  • Embargoed: 19th December 1994 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA
  • City:
  • Country: AFRICA Ethiopia
  • Reuters ID: LVA84SWLO0WHLHIQ5CGG17GL7OR9
  • Story Text: Thousands of Ethiopians demonstrated in Addis Ababa on Sunday (December 4) against a vote last week by the country's Constituent Assembly for the right of regions to secede if a majority of their population voted for it.

    The peaceful demonstration organised by opposition groups drew an estimated 100,000 people, witnesses said.

    Speakers denounced the vote as a conspiracy to destroy the unity of Africa's most ancient nation.

    The clause, which is seen by the ruling Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front as the only way to make Ethiopians feel they are part of a voluntary union, received overwhelming support in the 548-member assembly.

    Since Marxist Mengistu Haile Mariam was toppled by guerrilla armies in May 1991, the government has devolved some powers to its many regions and said secession is possible if a region feels it is not benefiting from the federation.

    The Red Sea state of Eritrea opted for secession after Mengistu's fall, ending a 30-year war for self-rule, and gained independence last year.


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