Coronavirus: incidents against foreigners are increasing in Ethiopia

Text by: RFI Follow

Ethiopia is closing bars and nightclubs and forcing people from affected countries to go into self-containment for 14 days. Ethiopian Airlines will also cease flights to 30 destinations, the Prime Minister announced Friday, March 20. He also called on his fellow citizens to be more tolerant of foreigners as incidents have multiplied in recent days

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With our correspondent in Addis Ababa , Vincent Dublange

A French woman reports, for example, that she was prevented from taking the minibus in Addis Ababa. Taxis also refused it. Always with the same fear: that of the coronavirus. "Corona" is the new qualifier added these days to the usual "china" or "farendj" for foreigners, Europeans, Asians, Americans ...

" My Ethiopia, what's going on? Asked a German cooperation employee on social media on Thursday. She reported that a photo of a friend had been published online, claiming that she had the disease.

#Ethiopiaye, what's going on? Staff in cafes refuse to serve ferenjis, professors at the Lycee were attacked with stones. A coworker got attacked twice in Bole. My friend's photo was distributed online claiming he has # COVID19 (false). We get called "corona" on the street now.

The same goes for two journalists from Agence France Presse and The Economist, targeted by a Facebook account of 35,000 followers. An atmosphere that prompted the American Embassy to recommend caution.

Diplomats speak of throwing stones at strangers. " Xenophobia is doing more damage than the coronavirus in Ethiopia, " protested a widely followed activist on Twitter.

Xenophobia is causing more damage than coronavirus in Ethiopia. https://t.co/PZikTnc9wz

Many reactions point in the same direction. " It is not acceptable " reacted the Prime Minister.

የ # ኮቪድ 19 መከላከል ብሔራዊ የሚኒስትሮች ኮሚቴ የመጋቢት 11 ቀን 2012 ዉይይት ነጥቦች።

Key discussion points of the # COVID19 National Ministerial Committee meeting held March 20, 2020. # PMOEthiopia pic.twitter.com/DaLCfl8Wi0

" The virus is not linked to a nationality or a country, " he said Abiy Ahmed. And to conclude: " Follow the precautionary measures instead ".

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• Ethiopia
• Coronavirus
• Health and Medicine

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