Falls Church, Virginia (07/12/2022) – According to reports from OMN and Ogaadenia media, on July 10, 2022, Amhara militias (fano) and other Amhara militants launched an attack against civilians in Bate village, Jile Dhumuga district, in the Wollo Oromia Special zone of the Amhara region. Following this attack, the OLA issued a statement in which they claimed that Amhara militias and members of the Amhara Regional Special Police were behind this recent attack on civilians, and also reported that regional security forces had been denying wounded civilians access to medical treatment.
OLLAA’s staff has received a credible report from a source on the ground regarding the attack on civilians in the Wollo Oromia Special zone. According to our source, who is a resident of the area, the conflict began on July 10th when residents of the North Shewa zone crossed over to Jile Dhumuga and attempted to steal herds of cattle from local farmers. At around 4pm, members of the Amhara special forces, Fano, and other Amhara militias began shooting individuals and shelling the homes of farmers in the area. Our source reported that at least 14 civilians died in this attack and 27 were injured during this attack, which lasted through July 11th. Following the end of the violence, they reported that the victims have been unable to receive adequate medical care in the area and are too afraid to bring the injured to the closest hospital in Shewa Robit, as that is, “where our injured people were slaughtered last year.”
OLLAA notes that this incident is the latest in a series of attacks perpetrated against Oromo civilians in the Wollo Oromia Special zone over the last few years. The Ethiopian government, as the primary duty bearer under international law, has the duty to protect its citizens, including by launching independent investigations into attacks and ensuring that perpetrators are held accountable. However, OLLAA is gravely concerned that the Ethiopian government has consistently failed to meet its international obligations in this regard. We therefore call on the international community, including the UN International Commission of Human Rights Experts on Ethiopia, to independently investigate this attack, as well as all allegations of human rights abuses committed against Ethiopian civilians throughout the country.
OLLAA is an umbrella organization that works in collaboration with dozens of Oromo communities around the world.