Hundessa Bonsa, Hachalu ‘s father, wants the Ethiopian government to bring the murderer to justice.
borkena
July 1, 2020
Voice of America Amharic service reporter in Ethiopia, Nakor Melka, spoke to the father of Ethiopia’s singer who was killed on Monday in the evening in the capital Addis Ababa.
Asked how he heard about the news, Ato Hundessa Bonsa said “My elder son was hanging out behind my bedroom in the evening [when Hachalu was killed]. I asked, what happened? Did they kill my son? I asked. Then his mother started crying and neighbors came and were crying all night long.”
He also said about the circumstances he was killed. In a country where I was born and grew up, to kill children with bullets and litter them is not Ethiopian, he added.
“Man is created in the image of God and should not be killed in such a manner and be littered. That is not Ethiopian” He said Ethiopians would not do that.
“God will answer to the blood of my son,” he added but he wants the government too to hunt the perpetrators and bring them to justice.
The funeral is planned for Thursday in Ambo town, the birthplace of the singer, although groups who claim to be advocates of “Oromo people’s right,” struggled to lay the singer in the capital Addis Ababa against the will of his parents and family.
(The Internet is shut in the country and the Audio file from VOA Amharic was recorded from a long-distance phone call between producers and VOA Amharic reporter in Ethiopia) Audio file Copyright: VOA Amharic service Cover photo: screenshot from VideoFurther killings in Oromo region of Ethiopia
There had been a reported clash between security forces deployed in the city and those who tried to take the body back to the capital Addis Ababa. In the ensuing exchange of fire, Hachalu Hudnessa’s uncle was shot dead which government links to the groups.
Based on other sources, more than 81 people, including three members of special police forces, were killed as protest broke out in different parts of the country following news of Hachalu Hundessa’s killings. Those killed are mostly civilians including elders and women. According to citizen’s reports emerging on social media, they are mostly killed on grounds of their ethnicity and religion.
Extremist ethnic Oromo activists based in the Diaspora have been vigorously inciting protests on social media by linking the killing of Hachalu Hundessa to what they call Neftegna (a word they use for ethnic Amharas).
Police have not released an official report regarding the identity of the killers. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said on Tuesday the killings are orchestrated by internal and external enemies of Ethiopia but declined to name names.
There are also unconfirmed reports on social media that extremist radical ethnic Oromo nationalists and TPLF are behind the killing of Hachalu Hundessa.
The government has announced that it has arrested Jawar Mohammed and thirty-four others and seized several assault rifles used during a clash with security forces in Addis Ababa as Jawar’s followers were trying to snatch Hachalu Hundessa’s body claiming that he has to be buried in the capital Addis Ababa.
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As a father of a wonderful son myself, I feel the agony, the hurt and the grinding grief by the loving father of that young man whose Allah Blessed life was cut down by assassins’ bullet. Then his defenseless body was not even given dignified handling by connivers incited mobs. His sacred body was desecrated when it was tossed into the front door of the ruling party. Where did these demonic creatures come out from? Has that glorious country, that country of Allah fearing people all of a sudden has become an incubator of monsters? Where such corpse tossing brutes come from? Don’t you dare tell me they are from my Oromia!!!! Don’t you dare tell me they are from the equally God fearing people of Amharas!!! Don’t even think about it!!!
The news I am getting from the old country is depressing and heart breaking. Bigots are working overtime to spark an all out ethnic bloodbath between my Oromos and their dear Amhara neighbors. Let’s not assist them in their wicked act by using inciting ethnic slurs. It is extremely obvious that there are no ‘Oromo or Amhara extremists’. But the reality on the ground tells us there are extremists who happen to be born to Oromo or Amhara parents. Let’s quit once and for all this habit of broad brushing ethnicity as a whole. Let’s make it our standard protocol in calling such demons for who they are as persons without the need giving them ethnic handles. Also, let’s not give platforms to these hatemongers to hurl their deadly poison around. I know the dear editors of this esteemed website an excellent job in weeding out these miscreants. Now I am begging them to have a constructive pow wow with their contemporaries who are also editors/owners of other similar websites and forums to do the same. After pleading and begging for similar vetting but to no avail. I was left with no other options but to give up. I have stopped visiting or commenting on those websites. The last time I took a peek, internet warriors were duking it out with each other using nasty and derogatory terms. I doubt even if they are from the old country. As I have opined umpteen times before that every website is accessible to millions others among whom there are many of those who lack the sophistication to look thru every word they read in comments and articles. These elements tend to be gone into uncontrollable rage when they read or hear terms denigrating them. These gullible mostly young people can be the most docile at one moment and can turn into destructive mobs in a jiffy. The old country has plenty of them at the disposal of these demonic bigots.
Kudos to the editors of this esteemed website for their vigilance.
@Ittu Aba Farda.
I quote ”The news I am getting from the old country is depressing and heart breaking”.
Since when was ethiopia a good news?!?. why are you lying to yourself?
Since the birth of Ethiopia it has neither been a democratic nor a united country. So many years of misery by menelik, another decades of Haile sellasie, 20 years of Mingistu, 30 years of Melez. it has always been a habesha nazi rule. Today the good news is it will either be the Oromo way or no way. there is no going back.
Everything you disagree with is ” extremists” keep up the good work. Your ethno nationalists are silent. Abiy is doing a good job for you. I got to admit all the other nationalities under estimated the so called ” Neftegna”. It is a matter of time before they get rid of Abiy and occupy the entitled “Menelik palace”.
How can he be so stupid (Abiy) and plan his own demise.
Solomomic Dynasty will be back ! ! ! !