Borkena
Toronto – The Coalition for Ethiopian Unity (a coalition of four opposition parties) called on the international government to investigate if the ongoing religious and identity based attacks is channeled through government structure and if the government is systematically involved in it.
The coalition vehemently condemned the inhuman killings and expressed wishes that members of the community in Arsi – for whom massacre is almost a daily experience – find strength and consolation.
In a statement released on Saturday, the Coalition said “watching the recurring massacres in silence amounts to collaboration. Furthermore, it said “it is like the principle of accountability has been missing from our Ethiopia that anarchy is reigning and the massacre of citizens has been rife. “
The statement came days after the latest round of massacre of 24 Orthodox Tewahedo followers in the Arsi area of the Oromia region. The tragedy has been dominating social media and some media outlets. A toddler and a 70 years old man were among the victims of the massacre.
The Coalition tends to see the recurring massacres in many areas of the Oromia region as a manifestation of ethnic cleansing. Also, it said that there is a possibility for the attack to be that the latest killing is beyond OLF Shane – to whom the government links the massacres – arbitrary killing. It expressed concern that the killing could be related to regional terrorist groups. Groups like Alshabab operate in the region.
Over the past seven years, militant ethnic Oromo nationalists have been intensifying ethnic and religious based attacks mostly in different parts of the Oromia region. However, it has also launched attacks in Benishangul, Amahra, central and South Ethiopia regions. Before the coalition parties, activists and political observers in the country, as seen on social media, have been expressing concern that the massacres were designed in a way to trigger massive displacement of other ethnic and religious groups.
The President of the Oromia region of Ethiopia, Shimeles Abdisssa is said to have stated recurring remarks that tend to highlight hate towards a particular ethnic and religious identity group.
Leaked audio clips purported to be leaked from meetings in various meetings he led were often cited as a reason for suspicion about possible involvement of government structures in the massacre of ethnic Amhara and Ethiopian Orthodox Church followers. However, these stories are not explicitly highlighted in the statement from the coalition.
The coalition shared information from this week’s massacre of Orthodox Christians in Arsi. It cited sources from the area to report that 16 Orthodox Christians were killed in an Orchestrated manner in East Arsi zone Merti district. Four of the victims were from the same family. In Sherka district, three were killed and seventeen others abducted. In Holonko Wake district, three were massacred.
The hope that the government would protect citizens from massacre and attacks seems to be dashed. The coalition advised residents in the Arsi zone to not rely on protection from government structure in the area and organize ,and protect themselves.
It vowed that those who are in the government structure and security officials and state-owned media outlets who ignored the massacre will be held responsible when justice reigns in the country.
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