According to witnesses, security personnel opened fire on demonstrators during a demonstration against water shortages in the southern Ethiopian town of Welkite, killing at least two people.
A few elderly women bringing water in jerry cans began the demonstration early on Thursday morning, and it gradually grew to include thousands of people, according to a witness.
Adane Kifle, a Welkite resident who attended the demonstration, told VOA on Friday that after speaking with a few demonstrators, security personnel began ordering others to sit down.
“When we first sat down, it was difficult for us to understand what they were saying, and they gave us no information. They used tear gas on us in this situation since I was in the front, “explained Adane. “When we made an effort to save ourselves, pebbles began to be thrown. They then began shooting after that. They then scattered in all directions.
READ ALSO: Kenyan bandits refuse to turn over illicit weapons
Two demonstrators were shot and died as soon as they arrived at the hospital, according to Dr. Behailu Dego, a surgeon at Welkite University Referral Hospital.
“Bullet wounds caused every single injury. The sad thing is that there aren’t any blood banks nearby “explained Dego. “There were another 4 or 5 individuals who had arm and leg wounds from gunfire.
The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission reported on Friday that three persons had died and at least 30 had been injured as a result of gunshot wounds.
According to the report, local authorities claim that demonstrators’ obstruction of highways and rock-throwing at the local water bureau building caused the violence.
Welkite, the seat of the Gurage zone and a town of roughly 70,000 people, has been struggling with water shortages for months as a result of the Horn of Africa’s continuing drought.
A citizen said that municipal officials had pledged to remedy the issue with a water drilling project. But, nothing happened.
Both the zonal peace and security commander and the mayor of Welkite did not return calls.
