Sayido Abdulahi, 19, was born and raised in Guji Zone, Wadera Woreda, in a place called Laga Boko. A married man, he was the sole breadwinner for both his own family and for his parents. Unfortunately, his life was cut short this autumn.
On October 5, 2023, a firefight took place between the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) and the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) at Handoya Haro, Laga Boko, and Handoya Kino. The government security forces fired from the Laga Boko School – which is located near Sayido’s home. From 1:00 PM until the evening, fighting raged. Sayido, home during this clash, was hit by a bullet fired from the security forces. He died instantly.
According to an OLLAA informant, the government has stationed more than 1800 security forces in this area. Whenever there is a battle between the two forces, it often happens among civilians. It has been more than three years now since the resumption of hostilities between the government security forces and the OLA. As a result, the local community is hungry for peace and the chance to lead a normal life.
International Law
Ethiopia is a state party to different international human rights and humanitarian laws including the UDHR, ICCPR, ACHPR, the Four Geneva Conventions, and the FDRE Constitution. The right to life is a fundamental human right recognized under these instruments. Furthermore, there are basic principles of International Humanitarian Laws with the status of customary international humanitarian laws such as:
- the distinction between civilians and combatants,
- the prohibition of attacks against those hors de combat,
- the prohibition on the infliction of unnecessary suffering,
- the principle of proportionality, and
- the notion of necessity.
Though both the government security forces and the OLA fighters are responsible for the death of Sayido, the government as a state party shall take the full responsibility for not abiding by the aforementioned international human rights and humanitarian instruments, and the IHL principles.