Falls Church, Virginia (02/27/2024) –A deeply disturbing video emerged on Friday, February 23, depicting members of the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) reportedly abusing a young boy named Ahmed Kasim Dube while speaking in Amharic. In the disturbing footage, the boy pleads for forgiveness as the security forces persist in mistreating him, going to the extent of placing an AK-47 in his mouth. Verified sources from the Oromo Legacy Leadership and Advocacy Association (OLLAA) confirm that the incident occurred in February 21 in Saransar village, Gooroo Doolaa district, in East Guji, Oromia. This incident is part of a troubling pattern where security forces target minors and civilians, accusing them of supporting the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA). OLLAA reports instances of security forces discovering mass graves, arresting children as young as five, and burning villages since the current government assumed power five years ago.
In another alarming report, OLLAA uncovers that eight civilians en route to Kemise were taken out of the bus and murdered by Amhara Fano militia in the Oromia Special Zone of the Amhara region. According to the Addis Standard, three women were returning to their families after working as maids in the Middle East, while another was a local teacher. The military command post alleges that “extremists have committed murder, kidnapping, robberies, and other crimes against innocent passengers” and plans to take action. These attacks by Amhara militias are not isolated incidents but part of a disturbing pattern of violence against civilians since the current prime minister assumed power in 2018. The initial surge in attacks is linked to the Amhara regional government’s discontent with the terms of the peace agreement between the TPLF and the Ethiopian government in 2022. Notably, Fano has been endorsed by the Ethiopian federal government, with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed calling Fano a source of pride for the Amhara people and Ethiopia on July 8, 2022. Local military and Fano have collaborated in the past to commit ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity against Tigrayan and Oromo civilians accused of sympathizing with OLA or the Oromo people.
On another note, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) revealed that Galindo, a journalist working for Indigo Publication, and Bettee Urgessa, a member of a legally registered opposition party, were apprehended by security forces. According to an OLF spokesperson, Bettee, an Executive Committee for Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) member, was arrested on the preceding Tuesday after participating in a joint council meeting of political parties in Addis Ababa at the Sky Light Hotel. According to the Addis Standard, the government alleges that they are being held in the Bole division of Addis Ababa city administration, accused of “conspiring with two armed groups, OLA-Shane and Fano Milia, to incite unrest in the capital.” It’s critical to highlight that Mr. Urgessa was released only when he reached a critical state of illness, having been diagnosed with Hepatitis B that brought him perilously close to death after years of imprisonment. While he was eventually released for treatment and has since recovered, numerous senior OLF members remain unjustly denied access to proper medical care within the confines of prison.
OLLAA urgently calls upon the Ethiopian government to honor its commitment to human rights, prioritize the safety and well-being of all individuals, and promptly implement measures to address the continuing human rights abuses and violence within the country. OLLAA strongly urges the international community to stand together in condemning these violations and to advocate for an independent investigation into not only the current situation but all instances of human rights abuses occurring in various parts of Ethiopia. Furthermore, OLLAA emphasizes the importance of upholding and respecting human rights in Ethiopia as a fundamental cornerstone of a just and equitable society.
OLLAA is an umbrella organization that represents dozens of Oromo communities around the world