[Photos] Oromia erupts as Ethiopia govt frees Merera Gudina

<p>People in Ethiopia’s Oromia regional state flooded the streets as they welcomed the release from detention of Merera Gudina, a leading opposition voice in the country.</p> <p>Thousands of people clad in apparels that bore Gudina’s picture lined the streets leading to his residence where the authorities sent him after his release.</p> <p>Local media portals showed other people holding placards and banners welcoming Gudina back. The respected academic and leader of main opposition Oromo Federalist Congress (<span class="caps">OFC</span>) had been in detention since December 2016.</p> <p>His release comes barely two weeks after the government said it was dropping cases against a number of politician prisonsers as a means of engendering national unity. Gudina and over 500 others were released in the first phase of the announced reform.</p> <p><img src="https://static.euronews.com/articles/42/47/424727/1024x576_bonus-Gudina4.jpg" alt="" /></p> <p><img src="https://static.euronews.com/articles/42/47/424727/1024x576_bonus-Gudina5.jpg" alt="" /></p> <p><img src="https://static.euronews.com/articles/42/47/424727/1024x576_bonus-Gudina6.jpg" alt="" /></p> <p><img src="https://static.euronews.com/articles/42/47/424727/1024x576_bonus-Gudina1.jpg" alt="" /></p> <p><img src="https://static.euronews.com/articles/42/47/424727/1024x576_bonus-Gudina3.jpg" alt="" /></p> <p><img src="https://static.euronews.com/articles/42/47/424727/1024x576_bonus-Gudina.jpg" alt="" /></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">In Burayu town, some 23 km in the western outskirt of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AddisAbeba?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AddisAbeba</a>, the youth are waiting for Dr. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MereraGudina?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MereraGudina</a> with banners that read (rough translation): “Incarceration & intrigue will not reverse the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Oromo?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Oromo</a> struggle” & “When oppressed, even milk bursts out of its container.” <a href="https://t.co/SmY9KvC9Mp">pic.twitter.com/SmY9KvC9Mp</a></p>— Addis Standard (@addisstandard) <a href="https://twitter.com/addisstandard/status/953586572280164353?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 17, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ethiopia?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ethiopia</a>: Massive turnout to welcome Dr Mararaa Guddinaa in Burayu town. <a href="https://t.co/VAVw2Ta4cm">pic.twitter.com/VAVw2Ta4cm</a></p>— Addis Gazetta (@addisgazetta) <a href="https://twitter.com/addisgazetta/status/953623834103615490?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 17, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">More photos from Burayu <a href="https://t.co/AwP2Qlhbnj">pic.twitter.com/AwP2Qlhbnj</a></p>— Addis Gazetta (@addisgazetta) <a href="https://twitter.com/addisgazetta/status/953639171628961793?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 17, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script> <p><strong><em>Photo credit: The Ethiopian Observer, Addis Gazetta</em></strong></p>