Ethiopia's parliament today approved a four month extension of a state of emergency that was first imposed in October to quell nearly a year of anti-government protests. <br/><br/>A report carried by state media said, The House unanimously voted to extend the state of emergency. Defence minister Siraj Fegessa said the extension is needed so as to take the prevailing relatively good peace and security situations to the point of no return.<br/><br/>According to human rights groups, Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn declared a six-month state of emergency in October after months of protests in different parts of the country that were met with a strong security response that killed hundreds.<br/><br/>The current state of emergency is the first in Ethiopia nationwide since the fall of communist dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam in 1991.

Ethiopia's parliament today approved a four month extension of a state of emergency that was first imposed in October to quell nearly a year of anti-government protests. <br/><br/>A report carried by state media said, The House unanimously voted to extend the state of emergency. Defence minister Siraj Fegessa said the extension is needed so as to take the prevailing relatively good peace and security situations to the point of no return.<br/><br/>According to human rights groups, Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn declared a six-month state of emergency in October after months of protests in different parts of the country that were met with a strong security response that killed hundreds.<br/><br/>The current state of emergency is the first in Ethiopia nationwide since the fall of communist dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam in 1991.