“The state of emergency was declared following a thorough discussion by the Council of Ministers on the loss of lives and property damages occurring in the country,” Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn stated.

“We put our citizens’ safety first. Besides, we want to put an end to the damage that is being carried out against infrastructure projects, education institutions, health centers, administration and justice buildings,” he said.

The state of emergency will not violate the fundamental rights enshrined in the Constitution and the diplomatic rights stated under the Vienna Convention, the Premier said.

A taskforce led by the Prime Minister has been established to monitor and report the implementation of the state of emergency.

“The state of emergency will help restore peace and security shortly. It is also intended to smooth the progress of the efforts being made to resolve the problem peacefully,” Premier noted.

Prime Minister Hailemariam finally called on the people to join hands with the government in the ongoing efforts to maintain peace.