Jawar Mohammed Implicates Government in Kidnappings for Ransom
Borkena
Toronto – Jawar Mohammed, a former radical ethnic Oromo activist who is allegedly linked to several incidents of violence, is speaking out against forced conscription in Ethiopia’s Oromia region.
“Amid ongoing civil wars, the government is increasingly relying on forced conscription to fill its ranks,” he posted on social media.
Jawar, who was arrested in 2020 in connection with violence that claimed hundreds of lives in Oromia, has been a controversial figure. Most of the victims were non-ethnic Oromo Ethiopians. He was released after a year in prison and left the country soon after.
Following the end of the war against the Tigray People’s Liberation Front, which reportedly claimed nearly one million lives, Abiy Ahmed’s government has intensified a mechanized military operation in the Amhara region to disarm Fano forces. Meanwhile, a prolonged conflict against Shane continues in Oromia.
Jawar’s post suggests that conscription has also become a source of revenue for officials involved. According to him, families pleading for the exemption of their sons—often forcibly taken from the streets—are required to pay exorbitant amounts, which are unmanageable given the high cost of living.
“While the captured youth await transportation to training camps, brokers approach their families, offering to secure the release of their sons in exchange for substantial payments. These ransoms range from 100,000 to 500,000 birr, depending on the family’s financial situation. Officials and brokers can easily access income data from banks and tax records, which enables them to determine how much each family can afford to pay,” Jawar stated.
For families who cannot afford the ransom, options are limited to borrowing from friends or organizing fundraising efforts through local associations, such as Edir.
Despite his diminished political influence in Oromia, Jawar is still believed to maintain connections with key figures in both the regional and federal governments.
Regarding how the government facilitates what Jawar calls “ransom” payments, he explained that “officials and brokers can easily access family income data from banks and tax records.” This suggests that authorities are freely requesting bank account information to assess families’ ability to pay.
Jawar also alleged that government officials are directly involved in the region’s widespread kidnappings. Kidnappings occur across Ethiopia, including in the Tigray region, but the issue is particularly severe in Oromia. Prior to Jawar’s comments, the Oromo Liberation Army had accused the regional government of involvement in kidnappings; however, the group itself has been linked to many of these incidents.
Borkena reported about forced conscription last month.
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