NAIROBI — Ethiopia’s parliament on Tuesday lifted a wartime state of emergency imposed last November when Tigrayan rebels threatened to advance on the capital, easing restrictions earlier than expected.
The move was welcomed by the United States, which called on the Ethiopian government to “immediately” release all the people who were detained under the measure.
Ethiopia’s foreign minister tweeted that the House of Peoples’ Representatives “approved today the lifting of the six-month state of emergency”.
The vote by lawmakers followed a proposal by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s cabinet last month to ease the state of emergency, which was initially supposed to last until May.
Tuesday’s vote to lift the decree was opposed by 63 of the 312 lawmakers who attended the session while 21 others abstained.
The state of emergency was declared on November 2 after fighters from the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) seized two crucial towns about 400 kilometers (250 miles) from Addis Ababa.
The measure triggered mass detentions of ethnic Tigrayans in Addis Ababa and elsewhere, sparking condemnation from rights groups including Amnesty International.
It was not immediately clear if or when the people detained under the emergency decree would be released.
US State Department spokesman Ned Price said that the lifting of the measure was “another important step by the government of Ethiopia to pave the way for a peaceful resolution”.
“We urge that this move be immediately followed by the release of all individuals arrested or detained without charge under the state of emergency,” Price added in a statement.
“The end of these detentions will facilitate an inclusive and productive national dialogue.”
The state of emergency coincided with a mass mobilization campaign credited — along with drone strikes — with pushing the TPLF back into Tigray, with the rebels’ withdrawal in December raising hopes of an end to the 15-month war.
Addis Ababa announced it would not pursue the rebels into Tigray, but in recent weeks, residents and aid workers have reported a string of deadly air strikes — including drone strikes — targeting the region.
The TPLF last month announced a military operation in the neighboring Afar region, saying the move was in response to attacks by pro-government forces, dampening hopes of a ceasefire. (©Philippine Daily Inquirer 2021)
