Addis Ababa – The National Security Council, headed by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, and made up of senior military, police and intelligence officials, as well as regional state presidents, among others, met and yesterday discussed the current security situation in the country. Subsequently, the Council announced that it would begin to take action against the “groups and individuals” which it classified into three groups and accused of being illegally armed and of disturbing the peace and security of the country, and of pitting different national groups against each other, as well as depriving the country of peace by spreading false information.

The Council also said action will be taken against those it accused of ‘serving as messengers’ of Ethiopia’s ‘historic enemies’ and disrupting public transport and freedom of movement, investment activities , those who engage in land grabbing, theft, deception and illegal trade. , as well as those who engage in hoarding activities to increase the cost of commodities, and those who engage in smuggling fuel and other commodities out of the country to neighboring countries.

The council’s statement came amid heightened militarized violence rocking several parts of the country, including in the regional states of Amhara and Oromia. It also comes against the backdrop of an increased war of words between the governments of the two states, exchanging blame and counter-blame for deteriorating security issues affecting the two regions.

The Council classified Ethiopia’s “enemies” into three. Accordingly, he said the former were the ever present “historic enemies” of Ethiopia who “will not cease their hostility until this country called Ethiopia is erased from the face of the earth”, the statement said. “They are not working alone to achieve this goal”, instead they have “messengers” and these messengers “are the second enemy”, he said. He called this category of groups and individuals “Judas” who sell “their own people for money and personal gain” and “stateless foreigners” who exchange their country for “a fraction of a penny”.

The Council did not mention any group or individual by name, but said they were “those who do not live up to their words, who speak in public every day about love and national unity, but conspire with the enemy at night, betray their countrymen and dig holes to destroy the country.

The third category of “enemies of Ethiopia” includes those who unknowingly become allies of the above two categories, the council said.

The third category of “enemies of Ethiopia” includes those who unknowingly become allies of the above two categories, the council said. “Because they are negligent, they are contractors who carry out the enemy’s mission haphazardly, without even realizing its consequences.” He accuses this group of Ethiopians who “accept something” and talk about it, or do what they are told to do” or pass on all the information given to them “without having to worry about the consequences for their country and their people,” the statement read. said, and to add that if ever this category scrutinized the consequences of their actions, “it will only be to regret it after the fact”.

“Ethiopia is more tested by these two. Our historical enemies are our well-known enemies. However, unknown and unscrupulous Ethiopians often cost us dearly without our paying attention to them. How long will this last?” asks the statement, and says, “We all need to pause and answer this question.”

The Council blamed these groups for “doing everything in their power to prohibit change and prevent Ethiopia from becoming a strong African force” and for “working hard to divide and conquer the Ethiopians according to ethnic criteria, to weaken the economy and destroy institutions”. who supported our country.

“Now that security and intelligence institutions are in a better position, we will not hesitate to respond in a timely and proportionate manner.”

National Security Council

“They have committed all sorts of evil acts using the media and gunmen to destroy our social fabric, burn down religious and social institutions, terrorize the public… Although their atrocities are horrific and hurt our citizens, our enemies have not been able to achieve their goals due to the multinational unity of the Ethiopian people and their deep love for their country,” the Council said.

Law enforcement and the judiciary were the two sectors that faced institutional fractures before the change, the Council said, and blamed “these institutions to have been destroyed” in order to achieve the goals of historic enemies from Ethiopia. “The emissaries of our historical enemies, who held power and wealth in the country, had put law enforcement and security institutions between life and death. After the change, the work done on these institutions has brought them to the point where they can save the existence of Ethiopia.

“Our historical enemies are our well-known enemies. However, unknown and unscrupulous Ethiopians often cost us dearly without our paying attention to them. How long will it stay like this? »

National Security Council

In order to prepare for a better tomorrow, the administration had “enduring many challenges”, the Council said, and vowed that “patience” had now reached its limit. “Now that security and intelligence institutions are in a better position, we will not hesitate to respond in a timely and proportionate manner.”

However, the Council said its efforts to resolve the country’s security issues “will require a concerted effort by many parties” and called on “every citizen, religious institution, elders, media and others who work as eyes and the ears of the people…must be wholeheartedly committed to working in coordination…with the security agencies.

“If the public is a bastion for our enemies who terrorize and torment us, the efforts of the security forces alone will not be enough to solve it,” the Council warned. AS