How long can Ethiopia's state of emergency keep the lid on anger?

A state crackdown has silenced ethnic Oromo people in Ethiopia, but grievances over land and rights, and a lack of political options, could reignite protests

 Oromo people stage a protest against the government near the Hora Lake at Debre Zeyit. Photograph: Minasse Wondimu Hailu/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

In a muted show of defiance near Ethiopia’s capital city, a tall farmer glanced around before furtively crossing his arms below his waist to make the Oromo people’s resistance symbol.

Ethiopia’s government outlawed the gesture made famous by Olympic men’s marathon silver medalist Feyisa Lilesa – who formed the “X” above his head at last year’s Rio games – when it enacted a draconian state of emergency in Octoberin an attempt to stem 11 months of protests. Although that decree has suppressed unrest, the farmer thinks demonstrations will start anew.

INTENSIFIED AND RUTHLESS REPRESSION IN ETHIOPIA

                                                                                                                    February 2/2017
 Since the outbreak of the popular protest last November, the regime in Addis Abeba has let loose a campaign of terror against the people, killing thousands, declaring a state of emergency, rounding up more than 40,000 people (to add to the thousands others that it had incarcerated since 1991) and using its special terror forces against the people. In the last three weeks alone, many youngsters have been picked up in daily and nocturnal raids in Addi Abeba, Gondar, Bahr Dar, Dangla and other places. In Gondar and Bahr Dar, killings by the regime's squads have been reported.
The regime has set up a so called Command post dominated by Tigrean generals and intelligence officers and this body is doggedly continuing on the path of ruthless repression. Ever since the regime's high official, Seyoum Mesfin, declared that the EPRP is responsible for the popular uprising the jailing of alleged EPRP members or sympathizers has been relentless. In fact, latest reports indicate that accused EPRP members have been picked out of Tolai, Awash Arba and other notorious holding pens and transported to the infamous prisons in Tigrai where, in the past, dozens of EPRP have been disappeared or summarily killed.