Amhara, Oromia States Toil in Unison to Counter Terrorism

ADDIS ABABA – Chief Administrators of the Amhara and Oromia states expressed firm stance to counter the terrorist and extremist forces’ attempts to disrupt the peaceful balance that exits between the two largest ethnic groups of the country.

Amhara State Chief Yilkal Kefale (PhD) and his Oromia State counterpart Shimeles Abdissa exchanged views on ways to deter the Terrorist-Shene’s ethnic- motivated killings of civilians in different parts of Oromia on Sunday. Accordingly, they came to terms to strengthen the law enforcement operation to neutralize the criminal faction.

As to Yilkal, Shene’s ethnic-motivatedkillings of civilians aim to create dismemberment and disrupt the age-old peace of the country. “In collaboration with the Oromia State, we will work to ensure peace and order and not allow similar atrocities to be committed on the defenseless people.”

The leadership should bear common understanding to prevent such kinds of atrocities and ensure peace and stability. Leadership at all levels should guarantee the safety of civilians and take appropriate measures to prevent future problems. “All Ethiopians also expected to support the law enforcement efforts across the country.”

 As to Yilkal, both states have been exchanging information in the border areas and forming a joint committee to fight the common enemy. “Shene is not only the enemy of the people of Amhara, it is the enemy of all Ethiopians.”

Oromia State Chief Administrator Shimeles Abdissa said for his part T-Shene has been employing violence, killing, attacking and abducting of civilians as the means of achieving its ill-intended goal. As a result, the leadership and security forces of the Oromia State paid noble sacrifices while defending their people.

Shimeles further highlighted that Shene’s frequent attacks on ethnic Amharas targeted to create a hate and suspicion between the people of Amhara and Oromo. “The hearts of the people of Oromo have been broken by the radical element’s recent killings of ethnic Amharas in Wollega though the attack will never break our unity and brotherhood. We should not only condemn the act, but also work together to maintain our country’s unity and will take merciless actions against the terrorist group.”

The two states reached consensus to work together for the successful conduct of the law enforcement operation and consolidate the military, political and security apparatus, he remarked.

BY TSEGAYE TILAHUN

The Ethiopian Herald  28 June 2022