Large protests, which began on April 5, 2023, have taken place in Ethiopia’s Amhara region in reaction to the government’s decision to create a unified paramilitary force, BBC reported. According to Reuters, members of Amhara’s special forces and militias opposed Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s command to merge the regional military with the national force. Ahmed has claimed that the new plan was made “for the sake of Ethiopia’s national unity.”
A popular Spanish rapper, Pablo Hasél, was arrested on Feb. 16 under public security law charges accusing him of criticizing the monarchy and glorifying a separatist group. This action sparked massive and widespread protests spanning several major cities and resulting in the arrests of multiple protesters. These arrests follow a long history of repression and separatist support in Spain.
In an effort to fight alleged voter fraud in the country’s general elections, the Myanmar military has staged a coup, detaining their ruler Aung San Suu Kyi and other members of her party, the National League for Democracy. On Monday, Feb. 1, the military, officially known as the Tatmadaw, declared a yearlong state of emergency. The country’s power is now in the hands of army official Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.
