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Violence Erupts in Ethiopia After Popular Singer Is Killed

VOA News

   Atleasteightpeople were killed and80 hurtin and around Addis Ababawhen
   protestseruptedafterHaacaaluuHundeessaa, apopular Ethiopian singer
   andmusician, was killed.

   Haacaaluuwasshot dead, police said,in what PrimeMinisterAbiy Ahmed
   calls "an evil act."

   "This is an act committed and inspired by domestic and foreign enemies
   in order todestabilizeour peace and to stop us from achieving things
   that we started," he said.

   Police said several suspects have been arrested, police commissioner
   Getu Argawhe told state media, but havegiven nofurtherdetails, except
   that Haacaaluu was targeted.

   SeveralEthiopiancitieserupted withrage, and three separate bomb blasts
   rocked the capital, Addis Ababa,killingseveralbystanders, police said.

   Doctors reportedhospitalemergencyrooms filled with stabbing and
   shooting victims.

   Protestsalsoeruptedoutside the U.S. embassy,promptinga security alert.

   Haacaaluu was an Oromo activist, a member of Ethiopia's largest ethnic
   group, which has a long history of being discriminated against.

   The singer was a former political prisoner who became a national figure
   during anti-government protests that led to Abiy, a fellow Oromo,
   becoming prime minister in 2018.

   Abiy won the Nobel Peace Prize last year for economic and social
   reforms in Ethiopia and working to settle the long-runningconflictwith
   neighboring Eritrea.

   But he has also been challenged by the dozens of other Ethiopian ethnic
   groups jockeying for more land and power.

   The coronavirus pandemic has forced officials to postponethe August
   elections until sometime next year.

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