Zecharias Zelalem
Amazing turnout at the mandatory pro government rally in Ethiopia's Amhara region yesterday!
It seems threatening letters warning absentees of punishment at the hands of the army, had an affect. State media TV beamed the images of "the masses behind their government" to millions across the country. But will the heavy presence of soldiers & "protest leaders" reading slogans from a piece of paper convince Emmanuel Macron (who arrives in Ethiopia today) that these rallies were legit?
Shrugs!
Zecharias Zelalem
It might have been slightly more convincing if some of the protest leaders weren't individuals identified by some eyewitnesses as members of the local security force, with one protest leader photographed here showing up with his bullet proof vest.
The government closed all schools and offices for the day, with letters circulated to civil servants at their places of employment essentially threatening them into showing up.
Hence the expressions on the faces of some of the participants.
Zecharias Zelalem
They forced the kids to show up too. None of them look like they want to be there. All of the slogans praised the government, condemned the rebels, and called for their surrender and for "peace."
The problem is, the facial reactions and body language say something else. Try getting a large group of bored highschool teenagers not just in Ethiopia, but anywhere in the world really, to feign cheeriness.
Zecharias Zelalem
Meanwhile, rallies were also held in rebel held areas of the Amhara region.
These slogans were slightly different though.
Translations of slogans:
Man on donkey "Abiy Ahmed is the Black African Hitler, the [Ethiopian army] is the [Rwandan] Interahamwe."
Boy with cardboard box: "Believe me, Aboy Ahmed is a murderer!"
Girl: "The [Ethiopian] army are rapists of women and children."
I have no word on whether rebels themselves organized and coerced people to show up.
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