By Emmanuel Igunza | for BBC Africa,

Activists from Ethiopia’s largest ethnic group, the Oromo, have called for more anti-government protests this weekend, days after thousands of demonstrators took to the streets in the northern city of Gondar.

They say they will hold countrywide protests against what they describe as continued killings and other abuses by the authorities.

In the latest incident earlier this week, at least six people were allegedly shot dead by police in the eastern town of Awaday.

Prime minister Hailemariam Desalegn warned on Tuesday that Ethiopia was sliding towards ethnic conflict similar to that in neighbouring countries.

Ethiopia’s second largest ethnic group, the Amhara, held a large demonstration last Sunday in Gondar.

The ruling Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front has been in power since 1991 and won all seats in parliament in last year’s elections.

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EDITOR’S PICK

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Meles Zenawi, the late thugmaster of the Tigrean People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) used to taunt the opposition that if they don’t like his rule they can go into the bush and fight their way to power like his rebel group did in 1991.

“Be careful what you wish for; you may get it,” teaches the old saying.

The events of the past year unmistakably point to the fact that the TPLF is getting its wish.

The people of Ethiopia are fighting back TPLF rule by engaging in mass demonstrations and protests, acts of civil disobedience, other nonviolent actions and outright-armed resistance.

The TPLF’s generic and typical response to peaceful demonstrations and protests has been to engage in indiscriminate shootings and massacres with impunity. However, unless the TPLF wised up and took opportunities for peaceful change, in the end it will have only one option to stay in power: Operate its killing machine 24/7/365. The question is whether the TPLF can remain much holding total power through its killing machine?

The TPLF can use its killing machine to remain in power indefinitely is determined by two, and only two conditions:

1) the capacity of the Ethiopian people to put up with TPLF crimes against humanity, corruption, abuse of power, election theft, massive human rights violations and divide and rule, and

2) the extent and rate at which the people of Ethiopia overcome their fear of the TPLF.

The hour dreaded by the TPLF has finally arrived in Ethiopia. The people of Ethiopia everywhere have declared to the TPLF, “Enough is enough! We can’t take it anymore! We’re going to fight back!”

Repressed societies and volcanoes behave in much the same way. Like Volcanos, oppressed societies may remain dormant for decades without giving the slightest indication of the pressure and heat buildup of deep, widespread, sweeping and pervasive dissatisfaction, anger, resentment and rage.

The Ethiopian volcano that has remained dormant for the last 25 years is “growling” and “grumbling” and the TPLF has come to the ultimate realization that it is sitting on the cryptodome of the volcano. The heat and pressure is increasing inside the Ethiopian volcano as the TPLF ramps up its oppression, repression, and brutality.

“Dr.” Aboy Sibhat, thugmaster-behind-the-scenes said it with crystal clarity:

“No people will stay under conditions of sweltering oppression for years. That is [a] universal [principle]. A people to the extent they are people, in world history, they will not stay in a [one] place as those put them there want. When the people become bitter, [the situation] explodes. This a universal truth. There are no people who will not rise up when they become bitter [have had enough]; [that is a fact] historically, now or in the future.”

So, there is little question the TPLF knows it is on the ropes. The only question is what happens now. Will the TPLF fall of the ropes or be hanged by it.

– Extracted from Al Mariam commentaries