Militant Oromo Nationalist Forces Shifting Scenes of Massacre to South West Ethiopia

April 26, 2021

Militant Oromo nationalist forces undertaking another massacre – this time in South West Ethiopia – seemingly to push “imagined border” in the South West. They are believed to have support from government structures

Borkena

The mess from the Oromo Liberation Front attack in North Shoa and South Wollo is not cleaned up yet. Over 250,000 people displaced from those areas to other parts of the region did not still receive emergency food. It is uncertain how long it would take before they return to their places. 

Death tolls from those attacks are said to be well over 200 albeit the government (both at the Federal and Provincial levels) are yet to disclose official numbers – weeks after the attack. 

Meanwhile, the militant Oromo nationalist group is regularly shifting scenes of the massacre targeting ethnic Amhara. 

Weeks after waging days of wars in North Central Ethiopia, it took the attack to South West Ethiopia where scores were killed over the weekend. 

On Sunday, the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC)announced on its social media page that it has received reports of attacks by armed groups in Limu Kosa district of Jima zone and Amaro Special District. 

It confirmed that at least six people were killed. The Commission seems to have anticipated that more attacks could happen ; it urged authorities in the region to prevent further attacks on civilians.  

The commission also expressed concern that attacks on civilians are recurring frequently. “The Commission understands that the increasingly frequent nature and spread of these attacks calls for an overhaul of the rapid prevention and preparedness capacity of the security mechanisms,” EHRC recommended. 

The incident is not covered by state media at this writing. 

Adebabay Media, US based Ethiopian Broadcaster, on Sunday reported about the similar incident. Based on Adebabay report which cited residents from the area, the attack targeted followers of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. In Atnago locality of  Limu Kosa district 26 people were killed. Some were hacked to death. Others were riddled with bullets. Nine other people sustained life-threatening injury , and reportedly were admitted at Jimma hospital. The bodies of those killed were found in the forest. 

Militant Oromo Nationalists have been targeting ethnic Amhara and followers of Ethiopian Orthodox Church.

Residents of three Kebeles, local administrative units, were displaced fearing for their lives.  About four churches were vacated. 

Furthermore, the source added that the Ethiopian Defense Force was deployed to the area. But it did not take long before authorities withdrew the forces from the area.