Legetafo is a suburb of Addis Ababa. This week, its mayor, Habiba Siraj, has ordered the demolition of 12,000 homes after giving residents a short notice. She said that the homes were built illegally and that the town needs the land for park. The residents dispute the Mayor’s claim and provide evidence that the homes were built legally. The Mayor made such a decision without providing housing for the residents. As a result, tens of thousands of taxpaying residents of Legetafo, including children and the elderly, are forced into homelessness. To hide her cruelty, Mayor Habiba prevented the media from talking to the residents whose house she is demolishing. Journalists are being threatened with arrest if they speak with Legetafo residents. It is disappointing that the Oromia Region and the Federal Government has chosen to keep quiet in the face of such cruelty and lawlessness against Ethiopian citizens.
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Legetafo Mayor Habiba Siraj tries to explain her inhumane action
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Homes in Legetafo town being demolished by bulldozers
