The Addis Ababa Media Council
MEMORANDUM OF COMPLAINT
TO:
• United Nations (UN)
• The African Union (AU)
• United States Department of State
• The European Union (EU)
• Amnesty International
• Human Rights Watch
• Genocide Watch
SUBJECT: Urgent Appeal for an Independent International Investigation into Targeted Massacres, Ethnic/Religious Cleansing, and Human Rights Violations in East Arsi Zone, Oromia Region, Ethiopia.
1. Executive Summary & Incident Overview
The Addis Ababa Media Council hereby submits this urgent appeal to the international community regarding a coordinated and systematic campaign of violence targeted against civilian populations in the East Arsi Zone of the Oromia Region, Ethiopia. On May 31 and June 1, 2026, coordinated attacks were launched against innocent civilians, specifically targeting Orthodox Christian believers and ethnic Amharas residing across three distinct districts (woredas): Aseko, Sheka, and Endole Wabe. Based on verified, direct monitoring and firsthand documentation from the ground, the Council reports the following preliminary casualty and damage assessments:
Fatalities: More than 52 innocent civilians were extrajudicially executed.
Injuries: Over 47 civilians sustained severe, life-threatening physical injuries.
Enforced Disappearances / Missing Persons: More than 190 individuals remain unaccounted for, raising grave concerns regarding further undocumented casualties.
Displacement & Property Destruction: Over 310 homes were deliberately incinerated, including two prominent community churches. This targeted destruction resulted in the immediate, forcible displacement of more than 500 residents who are currently without shelter, food, or medical security.
2. State Complicity, Misinformation, and Retaliatory Arrests
Following the atrocities, the ruling regime issued an official statement attributing the massacres to a joint operation between Amhara Fano forces and the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), referred to by the state as “Oneg/Shene”. The Council categorically rejects the state’s assertion regarding Fano’s involvement, classifying it as a deliberate fabrication designed to obfuscate accountability. Concurrently, the regime dispatched an internal “investigative team” to the region. The Council has verified that this team is engaged in producing a biased, state-sanctioned documentary aimed at controlling the narrative, rather than conducting a transparent, forensic inquiry. The Council strongly condemns the regime’s deceptive actions, which strongly indicate institutional complicity.
Scapegoating and Internal Deflection: While publicly blaming external actors, regional state authorities have arbitrarily detained approximately five local administrative officials—including the East Arsi Zonal Police Commissioner—alongside various district and neighborhood (kebele) leaders. This internal purge demonstrates that the state possesses direct awareness of internal facilitation and a structural failure to protect civilians.
Suppression of Material Evidence and Free Speech: In a direct effort to suppress
eyewitness testimony and silence reporting, the regime has carried out retaliatory arrests of civil society members and religious figures who witnessed or reported the crimes.
Notably, this includes the arbitrary detention of Dr. Mezgebu Kassa, a prominent figure who spoke out regarding the true nature of the attacks.
3. Key Findings: Individual Accountability and State-Sponsored Ethnic/Religious Cleansing
The field investigation conducted by the Addis Ababa Media Council has yielded the following conclusions: A. Command Responsibility and Individual Accountability
The Council asserts that these massacres were perpetrated through a functional coalition of state security apparatuses and non-state armed actors. We identify the following high-ranking officials as holding direct or indirect command responsibility, either through explicit operational directives or willful institutional oversight:
1. Shimelis Abdissa (President of the Oromia Region)
2. Demelash Gebremichael (Federal Police Commissioner)
3. Ararsa Merdasa (Oromia Region Peace and Security Bureau Head)
4. Col. Abebe Geresu (Deputy Head of Oromia Peace and Security Bureau)
5. Sintayehu Tilahun (high-ranking regional security coordinator)
Furthermore, consistent firsthand accounts from survivors, eyewitnesses, and victims’ families explicitly implicate the armed group known as “Oneg/Shene” (OLA) in the physical execution of the May 31–June 1 attacks, operating with apparent structural impunity and logistical coordination.
B. Patterns of Systematic Atrocities (Genocide Campaign)
This incident does not represent an isolated outbreak of violence. In the calendar year 2026 alone, four separate, large-scale massacre campaigns have been executed within the Arsi zone using identical operational patterns. The structural, targeted nature of these assaults indicates a broader, continuous campaign of demographic and religious cleansing. These operations specifically target Orthodox Christian believers and ethnic Amharas residing within the Oromia region, including established communities in Welega, Bale, Harar, Shewa, Jimma, and Arsi.
4. Formal Requests
In light of the total collapse of domestic legal remedies, the weaponization of state-led “investigations,” and the imminent threat of continued violence, the Addis Ababa Media Council formally requests that the listed international organizations and sovereign governments urgently intervene through the following mechanisms:
1. Mandate an Independent International Investigation: We urge the United Nations, the African Union, and international human rights bodies to immediately dispatch an independent, third-party fact-finding mission to East Arsi to secure forensic evidence, map mass graves, and safely document eyewitness testimonies.
2. Investigate and Sanction Designated Personnel: We request that the five individuals listed above, alongside OLA field commanders, be formally investigated under
international law for crimes against humanity and command responsibility in targeted ethnic massacres.
3. Ensure Victim Protection and Humanitarian Aid: We call for immediate international oversight and protection mechanisms for the displaced populations in Arsi, ensuring the safe delivery of emergency humanitarian assistance without state interference or diversion.
4. Demand the Immediate Release of Material Witnesses: We urge immediate diplomatic pressure to secure the unconditional release of Dr. Mezgebu Kassa and all citizens, journalists, and religious figures currently detained for reporting on these atrocities.
The Addis Ababa Media Council reiterates its unwavering commitment to truth, journalistic integrity, and solidarity with the victimized public.
Respectfully,
The Addis Ababa Media Council
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