The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has launched an investigation into the killing of at least 48 individuals in the Oromia region, Ethiopia’s largest and most volatile region. The horrific incident, described as a deadly ambush, took place last week in the North Shewa district, situated west of the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa. The EHRC has pointed the finger at the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), an armed rebel group seeking regional autonomy for Oromia.
The ambush resulted in the tragic loss of a district official, and several other individuals were also kidnapped. The exact number of those abducted remains unclear. “The situation in the area is very volatile at the moment,” Ato Badassa, regional head of the EHRC, told AFP. This attack serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing conflict in Oromia, which has been plagued by political disputes, land issues, and deeply rooted ethnic tensions.
The OLA, designated a terrorist organization by the Ethiopian government, has been accused of carrying out massacres in its decades-long struggle for regional autonomy. However, the OLA has vehemently denied responsibility for the recent violence. Meanwhile, the Ethiopian authorities are accused of conducting indiscriminate crackdowns on suspected OLA sympathizers, further fueling resentment and grievances among the Oromo population.
The Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), the political wing of the OLA, has been advocating for Oromia’s autonomy since its formation in 1973. After briefly joining Ethiopia’s transitional government in 1991, the OLF has continued a low-level insurgency. Despite a recent surge in the OLA’s ranks, estimated to be several thousand strong, observers remain skeptical of its capacity to pose a significant threat to the Ethiopian government.
Over the past six years, there have been two attempts to broker peace between the Ethiopian government and the OLF. However, these efforts have been unsuccessful. While a peace deal was signed in 2022 to end the war in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region, violence persists in various parts of the country, including the Amhara region. The ongoing conflict in Oromia, underscored by this latest massacre, presents a formidable challenge to Ethiopia’s stability and its efforts to achieve peace and reconciliation.
