Ethiopia government failing to protect people from ethnic violence -rights commission

HAWASSA, Ethiopia (Reuters) - Ethiopia's government is failing to protect its citizens amid escalating ethnic violence that has displaced nearly a million people in the last six months, the head of a national human rights body that reports to parliament said on Thursday.

Among other conflicts along ethnic lines, fighting in the south between the Oromo and Gedeo groups has escalated since Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed - the first leader from the Oromo ethnic group in Ethiopia's modern history - came to office in March.