EHRC forced to quit investigation over the assassination of politician Obbo Bate Urgessa

 Commission ‘forced to quit’ Meki investigation into Bate Urgessa's assassination after gathering witness testimonies implicating security forces

EHRC's witness statements revealed a chilling detail of accounts, including testimonies that after Bate left the Pension he was staying in at approximately 5:30 PM on same night he was shot and killed, a vehicle pulled into the same Pension’s compound, and four security personnel “armed with weapons”, wearing security uniforms commonly called ‘Ranger’, [military camouflage] and “red bonnet” dismounted the vehicle with “two officials” who appeared to be accompanied by the security personnel. A total of six people rented bedrooms in the same Pension, the letter chronicles.

Unlike other days, around 5:45 PM on the same day, the security forces of the city started “preventing the movement of three-wheeled vehicles (Bajajs) and pedestrians.”

On the same night, at a location outside the city where Bate’s lifeless body was found, one camouflage-painted, double-cabin pick-up vehicle “sped and exited the main road” and stopped without turning off its lights at around 12: 00 midnight, according to EHRC’s accounts gathered from eyewitnesses. Four men wearing ‘Ranger’ uniforms, red bonnets, and armed with weapons got out of the vehicle, dragged one person from the back of the vehicle, shot the person repeatedly, and left, the letter revealed. On the morning of 10 April Bate’s body was found with his hand “tied behind his back, shot in the head, chest, and abdomen areas.”

EHRC’s team continued its investigation, and on 11 April tried to contact the same witnesses the team spoke to earlier to ask additional questions, but “learned that the witnesses have been arrested by the police.” The police said they had detained the witnesses “for their safety.” However, the Commission was barred from speaking to the witnesses.

EHRC’s letter further stated that although the Commission made “great efforts to ensure the safety of our witnesses” during the investigation process, the police did not only arrest the same witnesses whom the Commission’s investigators spoke to but when the Commission’s team moved around in the city of Meki to carry out the investigation, “unidentified people and vehicles followed the investigation experts and disrupted the movement…”. Furthermore, the police also detained Bate’s family members who were cooperating with EHRC’s investigation.

The OLF has condemned the “brutal murder” of Bate, describing him as “eloquent, selfless, and brave Oromo soul.” it also appealed to “all human rights organizations and peace-loving people to undertake an immediate neutral and impartial investigation.”

Several countries, including the US and the EU, issued similar calls calling for investigation into the killing.

Among the calls was a statement issued by U.S. Senator Ben Cardin, Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. “The killing of Bate Urgessa on Tuesday night was shocking and upsetting. I offer my deepest condolences to the family for their loss and urge Ethiopian authorities to allow a credible, neutral international body to conduct a thorough investigation into Bate’s death,” Senator Cardin said.