Extrajudicial Killings Continue in South Shewa Zone of Oromia

OLLAA has received a credible report of the extrajudicial killing of a man named Mr. Amanteen in Gabra Gurraachaa town of South Shewa Zone, Kuyyu district, where he was a resident. 

According to a BBC Afaan Oromo report on November 23rd, 2021, Mr. Amanteen was a 70 year old farmer.

According to this credible report, Mr. Amanteen was arrested two weeks ago on the allegation of one of his sons being a member of the outlawed Oromo Liberation Army (OLA). The police also accused him of providing food, medicine and other necessities to OLA personnel operating in the region – an allegation the late Mr. Amanteen denied multiple times, according to his family members who were interviewed by BBC Afaan Oromo. Amanteen was detained in an Oromo special police compound in Gabra Guraachaa two weeks earlier, according to the report. Prior to this, he had been harassed and intimidated by Oromia Special Forces several times at his home, recounted his son who spoke to BBC Afaan Oromo.

According to his son, Mr.Amanteen was taken out of Gabra Guracha Oromo Special Forces detention center early morning on Friday, November 19th, 2021, and extrajudicially executed. His body was then dumped on the street in the town. Mr. Jaallee Amanteen further narrated to BBC Afaan Oromo that his father was shot several times in the forehead by his alleged killers.

Mr. Jaallee Amanteen told BBC Afaan Oromo that since his brother joined the Oromo Liberation Army two years ago, his family has experienced harassment and intimidation from well-known local administrators on several occasions. Mr. Jallee, who is currently staying in Addis Ababa, told BBC Afaan Oromo that he and his family’s safety is at risk as government officials continue to intimidate them because of the personal, independent decision of their elder brother.

Mr. Jallee also told BBC Afaan Oromo that their brother joined OLA two years ago without the family’s knowledge, and stated that the police should stop harassing him and his family because they cannot think and act on the behalf of their brother.