In Wollo Oromo Special Zone, Dawa Cafa Woreda, Cirat Walbata Village, the Ethiopian security forces ruthlessly opened fire on two brothers, Muhammad Yusuf Ali and Musa Yusuf Ali, killing Musa and injuring Muhammad. Muhammed and Musa, who each have four and six children, respectively, have been supporting their families through farming.
According to our source, on October 1, 2023, government forces launched a security operation to track down the OLF in their village. The two brothers were at the farm when a group of government soldiers shot them from behind and knocked them to the ground. Musa passed away immediately, while Muhammed miraculously survived the attack despite suffering serious wounds on his right leg. After the incident, the security forces grabbed two lawfully owned firearms from them and left them abandoned. Such activities are common in that area as the Fano militia and government security forces have murdered, imprisoned, and abused the people of Wollo Oromo.
For further information on the systemic and ethnic cleansing of Wollo Oromo, please read OLLAA’s exclusive report here: https://ollaa.org/the-endangered-enclave/.
International Law
The right to life is one of many rights recognized by international human rights law, including the UDHR, ICCPR, CRC, and ACHPR, to which Ethiopia is a signatory. Extrajudicial executions, which entail the willful killing of people by state agents outside of any legal framework, are a breach of this right. As a result, the Ethiopian security forces must take responsibility for their conduct, which resulted in the deaths and injuries of innocent people as well as the obstruction of justice. They have a duty to accept accountability for Musa’s passing and Muhammad’s injuries. The government must prioritize protecting human rights, including making sure that offenders are brought to justice.