[Aljazeera Video] Ethiopia: Ethnic Tigrayans flee to avoid anti-government protesters

By Charles Stratford | Aljazeera

Thousands of ethnic Tigrayans have fled the Ethiopian city of Gondar to escape anti-government protesters.

The Tigrayans say their homes and businesses have been attacked over their perceived connections to the government.

This man who insists we hide his identity is a member of the Tigray ethnic group. He says  he and many Tigrayans like him have been forced to flee from their homes and business in the northern city of Gondar because of threats by some members of Amhara community. 

"Rumors and threats started spreading that all of the Tigrayans would be forced to leave Gondar in the coming days. The Tigrayans living in and around the city are very affraid because property have been attacked and people have been killed."

Protesters from Amhara and Oromo ethnic groups, the two largest in Ethiopia, are demanding greater political and economic rights. They accuse the government of being dominated by what they describe as ethnic Tigrayan elite. 

Anti-government protests started among the Oromo late last year. The Amhara started their own demonstrations in recent weeks.

Journalists who tried to cover the protests have faced intimidations and arrests and victims of violence are scared to talk. 

We spoke on the phone to a Tigrayan man in Gondar who also wants his identity hidden. 

"They think that almost all the Tigrayans are supporting the government. And many think in order to weaken the government they have to kick out all the Tigrayans from Gondar. Many Tigrayan business have been attacked - hotels, cafes, shops and even homes have been targeted."

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