Borkena
Toronto – Government is facing increasing doubt on publicized Dera incident from August this year.
The Ethiopian Federal government and the Oromia region have described the alleged killing of a youth in Dera, North Shoa, Oromia region, as a “purposefully committed cruel act.”
Legesse Tulu, Minister for Government Communication Services, attributed the killing to what he called an “extremist group” [Fano]. He stated, “This action, which is absolutely unexpected from a human being, must be condemned.” He further remarked, “The motive of this horrific action is to incite one ethnic group against the other so that violence occurs…”
Hailu Adugna, head of the Oromia region Communication Service, echoed similar allegations, pointing to Fano forces as responsible.
The claims are based on purported video footage (from two clips) that do not actually show the alleged killing. One video, circulated on social media over the past week, shows a man with a knife approaching a young man lying on his back. The young man is seen pleading for his life. Another young man appears in a separate video clip.
Neither of the clips depicts acts of beheading or shows the body of the “beheaded” young man. In one video, the alleged perpetrators are heard speaking in both Amharic and Oromo.
The identity of the individual allegedly involved in the “beheading” has not been established, although the person did not wear a mask.
Another striking aspect is that the killing reportedly took place in August of this year. However, the family of the “victim” only came forward this week after the unverified videos went viral on social media among Ethiopians. Both Federal and Oromia regional state officials addressed the incident for the first time this week.
Father’s Testimony
VOA Amharic reported speaking with Amare Assefa, the father of one of the young men seen in one of the videos. He confirmed that his son was killed in August this year in Dera district, Gerbo Kebele. He said, “My son Dereje Amara was 14 years old. He was coming from Chuka district in Dera to his home. Then Fano forces kidnapped him on the way and took him. Later, we heard that he was killed in Selelkul town.”
It remains unclear when the video footage was recorded. The government has not launched an investigation into the alleged incident, nor has it explained how it determined that “Fano forces”—who primarily operate in the Amhara region—are responsible for the killing in Oromia.
Protests in Oromia Universities
Meanwhile, the alleged killing has triggered protests in some universities in the Oromia region. Students at Ambo University and Metu University organized protests against the alleged killings.
According to a VOA Amharic report, police dispersed the protest at Ambo University after about 30 minutes (held between 8:30 a.m. and 9:00 a.m.).
The report also cited students who claimed that many were injured during clashes with police. Some of the injured are reportedly receiving treatment in hospitals, while others remain in their dormitories.
Political Mistrust
As the Federal government and Oromia regional state attempt to present themselves as advocates against civilian killings by highlighting the Dera incident, skepticism from activists suggests that the government itself may be behind it.
Some see it as a tactic to divert attention, given that the armed struggle by anti-government forces is gaining traction, and the image of these groups may need to be tarnished.
It remains to be seen whether the government will commit to an independent investigation into the incident which Fano forces have been calling for.
People in Dera itself have reportedly protested opposing killings. They pointed fingers at the government.
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Same ol’ same ol’! Innocent angelic young man is savagely murdered and as always finger point is going in every direction. We used to hear that during the late 1970’s, the entire 1980’s and 90’s. When I asked people I knew here in the USA, who did this cruel act or that, I used to be told ‘It wasn’t us. It was the other guys’. When I asked ‘Who started killing?’ The answer was always ‘It was not us. It was them guys’. In these days of Deepfakes, it is difficult to believe anyone. But there is one fact we can not be deceived about. Innocent citizens are being savagely murdered both in Oromia and Amhara regions. That is a proven fact. That is why I am urging The ICC At The Hague to issue arrest warrants to the leaders of all fighting factions including top civilian and military leaders ruling the country. They all have Allah Blessed human blood in their hands.