Ethiopia: Instability in Oromia and Amhara
Feature image: refugee camp in Kumer in Amhara, Source: ANHCR.
The killing of nine police officers of the federal Ethiopian forces near the refugee camp of Kumer was reported on July 17. The attack was perpetrated by a group of armed men. There are also reports on the life conditions in the refugee camp, were 1.000 refugees, mainly from Sudan, had to abandon the encampment due to the lack of security conditions and inadequate services. Previously, attacks, stealings and extortion by the militias were reported. However, the plan of ANHCR is still to continue filling up more and more the camp with more refugees, wanting to reach 12.000 people in next months.
In Shashamene City, 15 students were detained accused of being part of the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA). Some of the students, which come from different areas, are detained for two months. According to the police, these youths supply information to the guerrilla. One of the detained, who is already released, explains that police previously harassed his brother with threats, such as prosecute him if he did not stop his activity in social media. However, police hast not presented any proof, but it declares that an “investigation” is carried out. The ones who are still detained cannot contact anyone, including relatives and friends.
On Thursday, the regional government of Amhara denounced in a statement the brutal execution of at least four elder people. Even though officially it is only four, it is suspected that there could be eleven killed. These executions were supposedly done by the armed group Fano, and it is believed that the elderly were part of the regional council for peace.
Additionally, other thirteen elderly were captured together with the killed and they are still with the kidnappers. The elders are receiving “inhumane punishment and torture” according to the statement itself.
A day after this brutal new, the regional government of Amhara, specifically the head of the Peace and Security Bureau, has stated that “order is being reestablished”, even though he added that peace was still not reestablished. Clearly, Amhara, Oromia and other regions of Ethiopia continue with a great instability, mainly marked by the attacks and massacres perpetrated against the people. We previously reported on this topic:
