text: 52 dead in Ethiopia festival stampede – theinsider.ug
  Bishoftu residents cross their wrists above their heads during the Oromo new year holiday Irreechaa in Bishoftu, southeast of Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa, on October 2, 2016
  Violence broke out at the gathering in the town of Bishoftu near the capital Addis Ababa due to the actions of "irresponsible forces", the regional government said in a statement, adding that "as a consequence, 52 people died in this crush."
  "The annual Irreecha festival has been disrupted due to a violence created by some groups… Loss of lives has occurred due to a stampede," said a government statement published by state media earlier.
  "Bodies are being collected by the government. But what I hear from people on the ground is that the number of dead is more than one hundred," said Gudina.
  Sunday's event quickly degenerated into violence, with protesters throwing stones and bottles and security forces responding with baton charges and tear gas grenades, with some reports of gunfire.
  Oromo regional police officers patrol in pick-up truck during the Oromo new year holiday of Irreechaa in Bishoftu, southeast of Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa, on October 2, 2016
  – 'Days of rage' –
  The police action sent people fleeing in panic with many falling on top of each other into a ditch.
  Police demanded that AFP's photographer leave the scene, where rubber bullets were seen strewn on the ground.
  Oromo activists called for "five days of rage" to protest the deaths while a strong police presence was visible as the news of the day's events spread.
  "This government is a dictatorship, there is no equality or freedom of speech. There is only TPLF. That's why we must protest today," said Mohamed Jafar, referring to the Tigrayan People's Liberation Front.
  In 1991 the TPLF, then a rebel group, overthrew Mengistu Haile Mariam's dictatorship and now, as a political party stands accused of monopolising power.
  People extract an injured man from a ditch after a deadly stampede in Bishoftu, southeast of Ethiopia's capital Addis Ababa, on October 2, 2016
  "For the last 25 years the Oromo people have been marginalised in many things. Today we come together as one to chant for our freedom," said one of the people at the festival, Habte Bulcha.
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