January 2021 Report | Case Summary Of Extrajudicial Killings Of Innocent Civilians In Oromia Region, Ethiopia

February 24, 2021

January was another difficult month for the Oromia region of Ethiopia. Human rights atrocities continue and with no sign of abatement, February is poised to see dramatic escalations.

A number of prominent politicians and political activists from the opposition party, Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC), are in the third week of a hunger strike. Protesting the arrests of at least 80 supporters and family members, the hunger strike is entering into a grim phase. As of February 15, all participating in the hunger strike- including Jawar Mohammad, Bekele Gerba and Hamza Borana- have been hospitalized. Despite this, there is still no sign of compromise or acknowledgment from the Abiy government.

In response to this mass imprisonment of OFC supporters and the ongoing hunger strike, many protests have erupted in the Oromia region. On a single day – January 13 – OLLAA recorded 60 cases of civilian imprisonment. An additional 17 people have had security forces set fire to their homes. The targeted attacks and imprisonment of these opposition supporters represents a dangerous erosion to Ethiopia’s democracy, which is based upon respect for people’s “fundamental rights and freedoms”.

In Tigray, the situation remains dire, with new and damning information revealing the depths of human suffering in the region. A recent report published by the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) revealed that 108 cases of rape were reported over the last two months in Tigray. Considering the volatility of the current environment it is likely that the instances of rape are significantly higher.

A United Nation’s Children Fund (UNICEF) report indicated that severe acute malnutrition levels have surpassed the World Health Organization’s (WHO) emergency levels. Coupled with the ongoing global pandemic, this poses a grave threat to the future of the Tigrayan people. The long-term health consequences for Ethiopia’s children cannot yet be fathomed (UN News, February 12, 2021).

Amnesty International is leading a campaign to demand that the Abiy government permit humanitarian aid into the Tigray region, which continued to be blocked by the Abiy government This is in violation of international law, which asserts that states have the responsibility to meet the basic needs of their civilians – including the provision of humanitarian aid. Instead, this government continues to collude with security forces responsible for the suffering of thousands of Ethiopian civilians.

OLLAA unequivocally condemns the Abiy government’s failure to uphold the human rights of its citizens.

OLLAA calls for the immediate release of all political prisoners in the Oromia region, evoking the constitutional rights to political freedom and freedom of expression held by all Ethiopians.

OLLAA demands an end to the humanitarian suffering- the Abiy government must do everything in its power to alleviate this suffering and prevent any further harm towards its civilians.

OLLAA calls on the international community to bear witness to the suffering of the Ethiopian people and condemn the actions of the Abiy government. The international community must pressure Abiy to uphold Ethiopia’s democracy, the values enshrined in its constitution, and its obligations under international law.

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