Toronto – Hundreds of thousands of residents of Addis Ababa had been uprooted from their homes and neighborhoods over the past few years and historical heritages – including in the heart of Piazza – destroyed as Abiy Ahmed’s government unleashed a huge demolition project under the cover of “corridor development.”
Reports from residents this week indicate that his government is launching another round of mass demolition in the city. According to Citizen reports on social media ( and credible ones) , the government has given only 20 days of notices to thousands of residents to vacate their houses and land holdings. It will be demolished as Abiy Ahmed’s administration is indulging in erasing the soul of Addis Ababa and making it into a “glittering” Arab city – inspired by “his friend’s” Dubai.
The social and economic crisis the demolition is causing is immense. Azeb Worku, one of the prominent movie script writers in Ethiopia, lamented about it in an update she shared on social media. Among many agonizing stories, she was highlighting the condition of a 95 years old man who came to the city as a boy grew up in the city and managed to own his own house where he raised many children. He is on his deathbed and he only has 20 days before the house he toiled for will be demolished. The loss is much more than a house. The social circle and the neighborhood social support system he worked for all his life will be dismantled too.
The project has repeatedly demonstrated its malicious nature especially when it comes to dismantling the social bond in the city – triggering speculation that the project is very Oromumma – an ethnic Oromo ideology that Abiy Ahmed is believed to espouse Oromize the city by eliminating possible resistance. The project for which the latest round of demolition is needed is a $15 billion dollar palace project that will help aggrandize Oromumma ideology.
There is no indication if the upcoming massive demolition is the final one.
