Mereja Forum

[eden]

Addis Abeba, December,3/2021- The Oromia regional government today announced the killing of civilians including the Karrayyu Abba Gadaa, Kadir Hawas Boru in the East Showa zone. While Addis Standard received reports of killings and abduction of community members which point to the involvement of government forces, the Oromia regional government blamed the attacks on the Oromo liberation army(OLA) in a statement issued this afternoon. The OLA on its part yesterday issued a statement attributing the attacks to government forces.

Abera (name changed for security reasons) recounted the events before the attack beginning from Wednesday December 1st where a prayer ceremony, Waaq Kadhaa was being held at the seat of the area’s Gadaa leadership. According to Abera, government security forces comprising Oromo special forces, regional police and militia arrived at the ceremony attended by a lot of people. He noted that the attendees of the ceremony were unarmed while attend the sacred ceremony. “None of them suspected anything as it is normal for the woreda administration to convene with Abba Gadaas regarding issues of security and administrative matters. Our area hadn’t seen any security issues recently so none of them were alarmed when they were suddenly surrounded by government security forces,” Abera said.

Abera also recalled an incident in Haroo Qarsa, another kebele in the woreda which he admitted to not having the details of. Putting his speculations about the possible security issue he said, “Our kebele borders Boset Woreda and is far from Haroo Qarsa so we only heard of a security issue and the deployment of security forces a few days ago.”

Abera recounted, “After their arrival the government forces abducted the men including Abba Gadaas, Abba Boku, prominent community members and young men from the prayer ceremony,” he detailed, putting the number at a total of 41 individuals. He continued, “They forced them to hand over their weapons and traditional armaments then drove them to a remote area called Anole. They beat them while they begged to be told what they did wrong.”

According to him, Two people managed to escape and reach the community after midnight and informed them of the conditions of the people who were taken by security forces. “On Thursday people went out to search for them, including in police stations, then finally recovered the bodies of 14 of them by midday,” he said, adding, “We don’t know the whereabouts of the remaining people.” Another resident of the woreda, Bekele (name changed for security reasons) told Addis Standard the government forces prohibited the community from collecting the remains which according to him were eaten by animals when discovered.


Addis Standard, Addis Ababa

[Sam Ebalalehu]

When TPLF tells its followers to do just that they say no because they are more matured.