Rights group urges action after documenting 52 cases of enforced disappearances, arbitrary detentions

  Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has called for urgent action to ensure accountability and justice after documenting 52 cases of enforced disappearances and arbitrary detentions between July 2023 and October 2024, with detentions occurring in military camps and undisclosed locations outside Addis Abeba.

In a report released on 23 October 2024, the EHRC outlined cases from regions including Addis Abeba, and Oromia. The report detailed how individuals were taken from their homes or workplaces by security forces, often in unmarked vehicles and in the presence of witnesses.

According to the report, some detainees were moved from regular detention facilities to unofficial sites, even after court proceedings had started. Several individuals were reportedly transferred between locations, often blindfolded during transport.

“I was held in solitary confinement for 1 month and 20 days and saw around 60 other people detained in the same place,” said Mechemegeta Andualem, who was released in March 2024 after seven months in what he described as the “Russian Camp” military barracks.

The investigation uncovered a pattern of financial extortion, with some families reportedly paying large bribes to secure the release of detainees. The report highlighted instances where security officers, including one with the rank of major, demanded significant sums from detainees’ families.

The report further found that many detainees were held without formal charges and denied access to legal representation. Some described being confined in facilities lacking basic infrastructure, while others reported threats and physical abuse during interrogations.

Another former detainee, who requested anonymity, described being held in a 2×2 meter dark cell for 16 days without windows or lights, following his detention at Sar Bet Square. He was interrogated every two days regarding alleged links to opposition groups.

The report also documents the transfer of detainees to locations such as Awash Arba, where detainees faced extreme heat, insufficient food, and inadequate sleeping conditions. In several instances, families secured the release of detainees after making payments, often in remote areas.

One detainee reported being moved through multiple sites, including the Oromia Regional Office compound in Qera, and locations along the road to Mexico via Bulgaria Square, before reaching a final detention site.

The report indicates that the Commission’s repeated attempts to obtain responses from the Ministry of Defense regarding detentions in military facilities have been unsuccessful.

The Commission urged an end to the practice of holding individuals in unofficial detention centers, noting the lack of oversight and the inhumane conditions in these facilities.

These practices not only violate the human rights of the victims but also cause significant social and economic harm to their families.

Oromia's Guji zones ravaged by conflict, civilians trapped amid human rights abuses

 The Oromia region has been plagued by a militarized conflict for the past six years, with the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) and federal as well as regional security forces locked in a protracted battle. Despite two rounds of peace talks to silence the guns, the conflict shows no signs of abating, leaving local communities caught in the crossfire and many displaced.

The Guji and West Guji zones have become the epicenter of this violence, bearing the brunt of severe human rights abuses and widespread destruction. These areas have suffered some of the heaviest consequences since the conflict began, with extrajudicial killings, sexual violence, and mass arrests becoming disturbingly common.

The human rights crisis in the region has been further exacerbated by the government’s decision in February 2023 to restructure administrative boundaries, leading to widespread unrest. This decision resulted in the creation of the East Borana zone from parts of the Guji, Bale, and Borana zones and ignited protests that were met with violent crackdowns by security forces.

A recent report by the Center for the Advancement of Rights and Democracy (CARD) highlights the extent of these violations.  According to the report, government forces have engaged in cycles of violence.

Amidst this violence, the toll on ordinary lives is deeply felt by those affected, as personal stories unveil the broader human rights violations that afflict the region.

One such story is that of Dureti Jirma, an 18-year-old student who has twice been a victim of this conflict. In December 2021, while walking home from school in the Goro Dola district ,a former district of Guji now part of East Borana zone, Dureti was assaulted by members of government forces. “They attacked me so violently that I lost consciousness,” she recalls. Local women found her and rushed her to a nearby hospital, where she received emergency treatment.

The trauma of the assault forced Dureti to halt her education for nearly a year as she struggled to recover physically and emotionally. With the support of family and hospital staff, she eventually resumed her studies in October 2022, determined to move forward.

However, sexual violence is one of many harrowing human rights abuses that residents of the Guji zones endure daily. Across the the Guji and west Guji zones, civilians endure a broader pattern of abuse, including arbitrary detentions and brutal interrogations.

The story of Jarso Wako (name changed), a 28-year-old lecturer at Bule Hora University and resident of West Guji, illustrates the impact of this conflict on ordinary citizens.

On  07 July , 2024, his life was upended when police officers surrounded his rented home in Bule Hora town. “Two officers came inside and called me outside. As soon as I stepped out, one slapped me, and the other kicked me,” he recalled. The officers dragged him to a waiting Land Cruiser and took him to a military camp at Bule Hora University.

At the camp, Jarso endured hours of interrogation and mistreatment. “They accused me of organizing protests and inciting unrest, but the charges were completely fabricated,” he explained. After the camp, he was transferred to the Bule Hora City police station, where he was held for two weeks in harsh conditions.

When his case finally reached the district court, the judge ordered his release due to a lack of evidence. However, the police ignored the ruling and transferred him to the West Guji zonal court, where the same charges were reviewed. Once again, the court ordered his release, but Jarso remained in detention for a total of 65 days before he was finally freed.

According to CARD’s report, arbitrary detentions like Jarso’s are common, particularly among the youth, who are often held without due process in overcrowded detention centers. The conflict has created a climate of fear, where anyone can be detained or mistreated at any moment.

Marga Fekadu, a human rights researcher and lecturer at Wolkite University, has spent years documenting these abuses. He describes the region as scarred by the conflict, with human rights violations woven into the fabric of daily life.

“The region has experienced multiple states of emergency, both official and unofficial, creating an atmosphere of constant fear and instability,” Marga noted.

He stressed that the suffering of those living in the Guji zones often goes unnoticed by the outside world. “The consequences are far-reaching, yet too often ignored,” he said, drawing attention to the silence surrounding the crisis.

The impact of the conflict, however, extends to entire communities that have been profoundly affected, with many towns and neighborhoods disrupted since the outbreak of violence.

Media association calls for release of journalists imprisoned for over two years without verdict

 The Ethiopian Mass Media Professionals Association has called on the authorities to release journalists imprisoned for over two years without verdict, while also urging for more actions to ensure a more open media environment in Ethiopia.

The association issued a press release after its newly elected executives visited Kaliti and Kilinto prison facilities in the capital Addis Abeba, where they met several detained journalists, some of whom the association confirmed to have been detained for over two years without verdict.

“While the journalists did not raise concerns about their treatment in prison, they expressed concerns over how they were arrested and regarding the handling of their cases at the court,” the statement noted, emphasizing the urgent need for their trials to be free of political interference.

Many journalists are experiencing imprisonment or exile due to the ongoing political crisis in the country, posing serious risks to their safety and professional freedom, the association stated, reaffirming its commitment towards the protection and professional autonomy of journalists working under challenging conditions.

In April last year, the association called on the government to “immediately release” all media professionals that are detained by security forces “without any legal procedure”, listing at least six journalists.

Ethiopia has been ranked as the third-worst country in Africa for imprisoning journalists in 2023, trailing behind Eritrea and Egypt, according to a report by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). 

Farmers in Oromia’s Horro Guduru Wollega zone struggle against forced conscription

 Before the start of the current harvesting season, Dechasa, a father of five, was preparing his land for planting crops to provide for his family.

However, events did not unfold as he had hoped.

One day, while returning from the local market with other vendors, he was stopped by the police for an identification check.

Dechasa recounted, “Out of the seven of us, the police detained five, leaving two women behind. We were then taken to Kombosha, a city in the Guduru district.”

He continued, “After three days there, we were transported to Shambu City, located in the Horro Guduru Wollega zone. Upon our arrival, we were informed that we had been conscripted for militia training.”

According to the farmer, the police initially claimed the training would last only a few weeks.

“However, that training was unexpectedly extended to two months,” he emphasized. “This entire ordeal occurred without my consent.”

Due to the prolonged time Dechasa was forced to remain in training, he highlighted that the land he had plowed and prepared for planting remained barren, with no crops sown.

 A human rights lawyer and researcher working for a local non-governmental organization that investigates human rights violations in the Horro Guduru Wollega Zone provided details about the implementation of Gachana Sirna at the grassroots level.

However, its correlation with human rights violations is particularly pronounced in Western Oromia, especially in the Horro Guduru Wollega Zone.

The human rights lawyer reported that farmers and youth who refuse to participate in Gachana Sirna and militia training face imprisonment, coercive training, denial of access to fertilizers and pesticides, torture while incarcerated, and exclusion from other government services.However, it is unlawful to coerce individuals into undergoing military training or to defend the ruling party. Those farmers who refuse to participate are denied access to fertilizers, pesticides, and other essential resources for their farming activities,

However, the lawyer emphasized that serious human rights violations are being committed in the Horo Guduru Wollega Zone under the pretext of implementing Gachana Sirna.

The lawyer urged the Oromia  government to address issues of maladministration and to protect the rights of farmers who are being coerced into militia training without their consent and pressured to exchange training for agricultural inputs such as fertilizers and seeds.

WFP struggles to ensure safe and timely food deliveries to millions in Ethiopia amid conflict, inflation, and financial shortfalls

 The World Food Program (WFP) has expressed concern over the increasing challenges it faces in ensuring safe and timely food deliveries to Ethiopia’s most vulnerable populations.

According to the UN agency, these challenges are exacerbated by the ongoing conflict, rising inflation, and a widening funding gap for humanitarian efforts.

In its latest country brief, published on 23 August, 2024, the WFP highlighted Ethiopia’s dire food crisis, warning that the situation could deteriorate further without increased aid during the peak needs period from July through September 2024.

It further emphasized that the possibility of more severe outcomes is a stark reality if support does not intensify during this critical time.

WFP indicates that a staggering 15.8 million individuals across Ethiopia are in dire need of food assistance in 2024, primarily attributable to the ongoing drought.

However, the agency emphasized that the deteriorating security situation, particularly within regions such as North and Oromia, is giving rise to access challenges, jeopardizing the safety of its staff, and negatively impacting its operations.

A recent report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) also disclosed that 14 kidnappings of aid workers for ransom have occurred in 2024.

In its recent Food and Nutrition Security Update, WFP further highlighted that the depreciation of the birr, resulting from recent macroeconomic measures, is anticipated to have an immediate adverse effect on impoverished households.

‘The introduction of free-floating exchange rates and the subsequent depreciation of the birr are expected to exert an immediate detrimental impact on poor households,’ forecasted the UN agency. ‘Elevated food prices constitute one of the primary factors contributing to acute food insecurity by restricting economic access to food.’

In the aftermath of the recent government’s implementation of comprehensive macroeconomic reforms, the country, particularly the capital Addis Abeba, has witnessed a marked increase in prices for a variety of consumer goods, prompting a crackdown on businesses accused of price gouging and hoarding.

Beyond the security challenges and escalating food prices, the WFP has indicated that a funding gap is hindering the scale of its operations, limiting its ability to reach more vulnerable segments of the population.

The attack on Oromo people continues - Deadly attacks leave 15 dead in Oromia’s Horo Guduru Wollega Zone

 At least 15 individuals were reportedly killed in an attack by an armed group in the Abe Dongoro district of the Horo Guduru Wollega Zone, Oromia region, last week.

 Abdeta Tesfaye, a resident of Abe Dongoro, disclosed that on last week,  August, 2024, at approximately 8:30 AM, an attack took place in a location known as Miriga while people were traveling to the market.

“The assailants, identified as members of amhara extrimists, killed five individuals and wounded two others,” he recalled. “Traders fled the scene as soon as the gunfire erupted.”

Abdeta further reported that among those killed were two women: Hawi Kabada and Warkine Beyena.

He also mentioned a subsequent attack on the same day in Charu village, where eight people were killed by members  and individuals wearing uniforms resembling those of the Oromia Police.

Ahmed Ali, a resident of Haro Shote village in Horo district, reported  that an attack perpetrated by a “ armed group” occurred in the village on 09 August, 2024, resulting in the fatalities of two individuals. He further disclosed that multiple people remain unaccounted for.

Ali provided an account of another incident that transpired on 08 August, 2024, in Hanafare Darge village at a location known as Kata. During this event,  extremists group intercepted two buses en route to Shambu City, proceeded to pilfer mobile phones, clothing, and monetary possessions from the passengers, and inflicted no physical harm.

The security situation in Western Oromia, particularly in the Horro Guduru Wollega Zone, continues to deteriorate due to ongoing armed conflict.

Over 15 students held in Shashamene without court appearance amid OLA allegations

 More than 15 students have been detained at Shashemene Police Station for up to two months without appearing in court amid allegations of connections to the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA)

Kuni Dida  a friend of one of the imprisoned students who is pursuing an accounting course at Rift Valley University’s Shashemene Campus, informed that over 15 students, primarily from the Borana zone of the Oromia region, are currently detained at the Shashemene Police Station, commonly known as 81.

The source claims that the other detained students attend higher education institutions, such as Paradise College in Shashemene City, which is situated in the West Arsi zone of the Oromia region.

Additionally, the source disclosed that a student from Addis Ababa University who was traveling to the Borena zone via Shashemene is among those detained.

“The majority of these detained students reside in Shashemene city,” he disclosed. “They were arrested at different times, with some being detained for nearly two months.”

The names of some of the detained students include Yakob Godana, Guracha Abba Gudo, Culu Kenasa, Tulu Nama Duri, Halkano Jirma, Wako Dhenge, Kanu Jirmo, Abayo Galma Halake, Lami Bacha, and Abaduba Kuli Jilo.

According to the witness, the students were imprisoned based on recommendations from the Borana Zone Police Department regarding their alleged connection with the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA).

The source further explained that these students are active on social media platforms such as Facebook and TikTok, but they are not involved in politics and have no affiliation with any political party. “None of the students have appeared before a court, and their families have been unable to communicate with them since their imprisonment.”

Firaol Bacha, a family member of one of the detained students, shared  that his brother, Lami Bacha, was detained on 01 June, 2024. According to Firaol, Lami was a second-year computer science student at the Rift Valley University campus in Shashamane.

Firaol further explained that prior to his detention, the police have intimidated his brother, threatening to imprison him if he does not cease his activities on TikTok. “Additionally, a friend of Lami’s, who did not even have a TikTok account, was also arrested alongside him.”

Firaol recounted that the local police in Shashemene informed his parents, who traveled from the Borena zone, that an investigation was ongoing and evidence was being collected.

“However, no evidence has been presented by the police since last Friday,” he added. “Furthermore, the committee responsible for reviewing the case had not yet convened as of last week.”

Kalicha Jirma, a brother of another detained student, Halkano Jirma, informed  that his brother was arrested in Shashemene on 07 June, 2024, and is currently being held at the Shashemene Police Station.

He added that Halkano was studying surveying at Rift Valley University College in Shashemene.

“Until yesterday, he had not been brought before a court,” Kalicha indicated. “We have no information regarding the reasons for his detention; the police only state that they are conducting an investigation.”

A recent United Nations report has highlighted the troubling human rights situation in Ethiopia throughout 2023, particularly in  Oromia. The most frequent violations included arbitrary arrests and detentions, followed by civilian killings, torture, enforced disappearances, and attacks on civilian property.

The report documented 366 civilian deaths in the Oromia region, where clashes between government forces and the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) continued throughout the year. Among those killed in Oromia, 46 were women.