A cement factory belonging to Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote has been destroyed by Ethiopian protesters in the beleaguered Oromia region of the country.
According to Vanguard, the factory and others belonging to foreign investors were vandalised in the wave of protests that recently swept the country in a storm. However, the Ethiopian authorities blame the attacks on elements in Eritrea, Egypt and other countries, accusing them of arming groups who are masterminding the uproar that has cost over 500 lives.
On Sunday, to curb the outrage, the Ethiopian Government declared a 6-month state of emergency after many months of unrest, most notably by people in the Oromia and Amhara regions, who are rebelling against political and economic marginalisation.
The initial unrest began last November after government revealed plans to expand the capital, Addis Ababa, into Oromia, and this led to the notion that the Oromia people, the largest ethnic group, would be displaced.
In his statement, the government spokesman Getachew Reda told the press that Eritrea and Egypt, which have a history of border disputes with Ethiopia, are arming the gangs. However, he noted that this support may not be state backed.
“We have to be very careful not to necessarily blame one government or another. There are all kinds of elements in the Egyptian political establishment which may or may not necessarily be directly linked with the Egyptian government,” Getachew said.
But Egypt dismissed the claims. “Egypt firmly respects the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries,” it said in a statement released by its Foreign Ministry last week.
Eritrea had also denied the allegations.
Meanwhile, according to Vanguard, other foreign companies attacked by the protesters, include:
“* FV SeleQt BV – the Dutch firm’s 300-hectare vegetable farm and warehouse in Oromia were plundered.
* AfricaJUICE BV – the Dutch firm’s factory in Oromia was partially destroyed.
* Saygin Dima Textile – a third of the Turkish firm’s factory in Oromia was burned down and three vehicles destroyed.
* BMET Energy Telecom Industry and Trade LLC – the Turkish cable firm’s factory was damaged in Oromia.
* Esmeralda Farms BV of the Netherlands, Italian owned-Alfano Fiori, Indian firm Fontana Flowers PLC, and others operated and owned by investors from Israel, Belgium and the Middle East were destroyed or partially damaged in the Amhara region.”
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