Ethiopia: Bahir Dar restores normalcy following days of strikes and disturbances

The Amhara region’s capital, Bahir Dar, has resumed normal operations after a strike that began on Friday and resulted in the closure of businesses and the suspension of transportation services.
An anonymous resident of Bahir Dar claimed to have heard gunfire the previous Sunday night all throughout the city. In spite of this, stores and transit services reopened on Monday, marking the start of regular business.
There weren’t many stores open in the morning, and the only kind of transportation available was three-wheeled vehicles. However, routine activities and transportation had resumed by the afternoon, according to the resident.
Residents who talked with local media said that since last Friday, a number of events in Bahir Dar, the capital of the Amhara region, had been halted due to security concerns in response to a call for a strike.
Concerns about possible unrest led to the early closure of several downtown businesses on Friday, according to locals, and the suspension of transit services as a precaution.
A local who requested anonymity explained this reaction as a result of worries about a potential uptick in violence. An further inhabitant verified that there had been several detonations in the city during the previous week, taking place in different areas such as Kebele 4, Kebele 14, and Abay Mado.
In a brief statement, the Amhara Region Peace and Security Bureau acknowledged the situation and stated that the work stoppage was in response to a strike call made by a group going by the name “Gojjam Fano.”
In relation to the current occurrences, the statement further stated that “two individuals who were paid to detonate explosives have been taken into custody.”
“Nothing will happen in Bahir Dar since the security structure is in a reliable position,” said Desalegn Tasew, Head of the Peace and Security Bureau.
In response, the city administration of Bahir Dar stated that, as of Friday, 1:00 PM, “transportation services in the city, such as bajajs and taxis, have stopped, and in certain parts of the city, businesses and service providers have been prevented from operating due to fear” as a result of threats and intimidation.
The statement also stated that talks had taken place between the city’s administration, pertinent bodies, and the joint security force.
The administration claims that it was decided that “adequate preparations” had been made to maintain the security of the city and that “fear and confusion” were the reasons behind the occurrence.
The city government declared that on Saturday, regular operations should resume. The statement said, “Government institutions, businesses and service providers, and transportation associations and companies will begin providing regular services tomorrow.”
“Not to be confused by rumors and misleading news released on social media and to continue their regular activities without any fear,” authorities told the locals.
Major cities in the region have seen a great deal of violence as the battle between government forces and the non-state militia Fano in the Amhara region escalated.
After conflicts between government security forces and the Fano militia in February 2024, Bahir Dar city became a hotspot for unrest.
The city’s tensions grew, especially in the neighborhoods of Abay Mado and Kebele 14.
The Diaspora neighborhood’s residents reported hearing a lot of gunfire between the opposing groups. However, locals that Addis Standard spoke with claimed that things had improved in the days that followed.