Several hundreds of international tourists have called off or even cancelled their planned trips to Ethiopia since the anti-government protests in Ethiopia started, experts involved in the sector have said.
Especially, several hundreds of tourists, who had planned to visit places in the Northern parts of the country have cancelled their bookings after rumors and reports about a planned protest in Gonder and other major towns of the Amhara regions tomorrow July 31, 2016.
The protests in Ethiopia often turn deadly and cost human lives and loss of properties.
The current protest in Gonder has been called to seek the release of the members of the Welkait Amhara Identity Committee. The members of the committee were nabbed by Ethiopian securities for alleged links with rebel groups and the Eritrean government. The Committee members claim no association with neither. Following their arrest, a large protest broke out in Gonder resulting in the death of several police officers and civilians as well as the selective attack of the properties of pro government individuals.
The UK government, the UN and other agencies have issued travel warning to their citizens to Gonder since July 13.
The government of the region yesterday issued a statement saying that the planned protest was illegal and no permit has been issued.
However, the people of Gonder have reportedly continued preparing banners and placards for tomorrow’s protest.
The violent protests in Ethiopia’s Oromia region since November 2015, and now in Amhara region have cost the lives of hundreds of people and froze the staggering Foreign Direct Investment and tourism to Ethiopia, business-people and regulators in the sector say.
No comments:
Post a Comment