Falls Church, Virginia (04/19/2022) – On April 19, 2022, the Addis Standard released a report on a recent series of attacks against civilians by Amhara militias (Fano) near the border of the North Shewa and Wollo Oromia Special zones of the Amhara region. Current reports indicate that 10 civilians died during the attacks, while 34 were injured. OMN also reported on these attacks yesterday, and said that they occurred after a leader of the Amhara Fano publicly argued that, instead of attacking Oromos in the Wollega zones of Oromia, they should eliminate the Oromo from the Wollo Oromia Special zone. A source interviewed by OMN also claimed that the Amhara and Oromia regional governments had done nothing to stop the violence against Oromos in the zone.
OLLAA notes that this attack is the latest in a series of attacks perpetrated by Amhara militias against Oromo civilians in the Wollo Oromia Special zone over the last few years, often with either the full support or tacit endorsement of the Amhara regional government. Between March and April of last year, there were a series of attacks perpetrated against Oromo civilians in the zone by Amhara security forces, Amhara militias, and the Ethiopian National Defense (ENDF) forces, leading to the declaration of a state of emergency in the zone in mid-April. In October 2021, following the announcement by the TPLF that they had captured the town of Kemise, there were reports of air strikes and bombings in the zone, as well as reports of ENDF and allied Amhara militias attacking civilians. Such attacks worsened after the TPLF withdrew from the region in December, leading to the arbitrary detention of thousands of Oromo civilians, and the extrajudicial execution of hundreds. Moreover, we fear that this attack represents an escalation on the part of these militias, who are now openly calling for the elimination of Oromos from the region.
As the primary duty bearer under international law, OLLAA calls on the Ethiopian government to protect its citizens, including by launching an independent, impartial investigation into this attack, and by ensuring that perpetrators are held accountable. OLLAA also urges the international community to condemn this attack, and to consider launching independent investigations into allegations of human rights abuses throughout the country.
OLLAA is an umbrella organization that represents dozens of Oromo communities around the world.