Photo Essay: Thousands of Ethio-Somalis rally in support of the regional administration and unity

In late April 2018, small and sporadic anti-government demonstrations surfaced in the Siti Zone of the Somali Region.

The anti-government protests were unarguably isolated and insignificant, as the rallies were conspuciously clan-oriented than political-reform based.

Discussions followed the surfacing of images of these unusual anti-government protests in Siti Zone.

These conversations, shortly after, resulted in one of the largest series of counter-demonstrations witnessed in the Somali Region.

Men, women, youth, government employees, businesspersons, students, elders, clansmen, educators, religious clerks, artists and, overall, the general population organized themselves to send an unignorable message to the regional and federal government, fellow community members and the world.

The message: We are in support of President Abdi M. Omar, the Ethiopian Somali People’s Democratic Party (ESPDP), the current status of development, unity and security – and nothing can change it.

Below are some of the powerful photos taken these past few days:

(Click on the photos to start slideshow or browse through the photos)

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