Ethiopia: At Least 19 Innocent Civilians Killed in Wollega in the Last Two Days

Some parts of the Oromo region of Ethiopia continue to be a place where radical Oromo Nationalist Group massacre innocent citizens

Borkena

December 16, 2020

The Oromo regional state confirmed on Wednesday that at least 19  innocent civilians were killed in the Wollega zone of Oromo regional state of Ethiopia.  Most of the victims, as has always been the case in the past two years, are ethnic Amhara.

DW Amharic Service quoted the region’s communication office head, Getachew Balcha, to report that 13 of the victims are ethnic Amhara.  He made a claim there were killings of six other civilians and the victims are ethnic Oromos in west Wollega, Nedjo district. 

The massacre happened on Tuesday night this week  in the umugu district of Horo Guduru zone.  Military wing of Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) is said to be behind the massacre, according to the regional government. 

Furthermore, Mr. Getachew claimed that the regional government took actions against 782 OLF guerrilla fighters.  As was with other previous assertions, the region’s government says that OLF forces who perpetrated the attack were trained by Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) 

According to a report by DW Amharic, 808 individuals who work in the region’s government structure including in the security sector are removed from position and brought to justice. Several similar actions are said to have been taken against government officials who are providing support to the militant Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) but the government structure does not seem to be devoid of OLF collaborators. 

The Federal government of Ethiopia has not yet remarked about the latest incident in Oromo region.

When radical ethnic Oromo nationalists forces organized an extensive and open massacre and destruction of property in several cities in the region including Shashemene, Batu and Ziway — among others — with the pretext of protesting the death of Hachalu Hundessa in July 2020, senior government officials including mayors and top security officials provided direct or indirect support the attack. 

The regional  government made claims that it has arrested all those government officials who were involved, and vowed to clean government structure. 

Early last month, there was another savage massacre of at least 60 ethnic Amharas in Guliso district of Oromo regional state. OLF forces called ethnic Amhara residents in the village for a meeting in a school ground, surrounded and massacred them in unsuspecting circumstances. Again, there were government officials who were believed to have facilitated the massacre directly or indirectly. The regional government disclosed in a statement – which has become more like Oromo regional State government ritual in the aftermath of a massacre – saying that it will clean the structure, and “ensure peace and security in the region.” 

Today, it was announced that it had made hundreds of arrests. However, that does not seem to be a guarantee that another massacre will not happen. Over 4000 suspects were arrested after the July 2020 incident that claimed hundreds of lives (mostly ethnic Amhara) and property damages worth billions of  birr. It’s still happening. 

Yet, the Oromo regional state,  like always, makes claims of capability to ensure peace and security in the region, and protect citizens.