Police kill four as protest continues in Oromia

At least four people were killed in the last two days as protest by the people of Oromia against government’s new Master Plan for Addis Ababa, which erupted last week, has spread to all over Oromia region. Civil servants, high school and university students and even members of local administrations in some areas have taken part in the protest.

Murad Abdi Ibrahim, a student at Bati Secondary School in Haromaya, was one of the victims of police brutality. Bekele Hundie Seboka, a student at Inchini preparatory school was shot dead by the police today. A raging conflict between the residents and police took place after the residents found out about Bekele’s death. Similarly, Ebsa Tujo, a father of four and an employee at Fincha Sugar Factory, was killed at Hora Gudru. Bekele Seifu, an 11^thgrade student, was also murdered by the regime’s security forces.

A furious opposition against government’s use of lethal force and the Master Plan was reported in several towns and villages of Oromia. In Bekoji, Arsi, residents requested the local administrators to fly the flag at half-staff. When the administrators refused, the residents took matters in their own hands and lowered the flag to half-staff. In addition, the residents of Bekoji town in Weliso blocked the main road to Addis Ababa with stones. The people of Guliso town dissolved the local Kebele administration and formed a transitional administration that comprises four people. The residents were reportedly enraged by the Agazi squad (a special government killing squad), which killed Gutu Abera and Karasa Chala. The video of bodies of these innocent young people were trending on Ethiopian social media recently.

Residents in Oromia region told ESAT that the protest has attracted thousands of students, government workers, and residents in every village in Oromia. To quell the protest, the government has deployed thousands of troops to many parts of Oromia including Ambo, Haromaya, Wellega. An eyewitness told ESAT that many university campuses in Oromia looked like military camps.  “Solders clad with Agazi uniform were roaming in university campuses,” he said.

The government has deployed regular army in many towns of Oromia and all over the universities across the country.

Insiders told ESAT that the government has planned to make frequent power cut in the pretext of dried dams and lack of rain to block communication and deny people access to social and dissident media. This would be particularly implemented in Oromia and Amhara regions, the insiders said. Members of OPDO and opposition parties are reportedly under severe scrutiny for passing information to ESAT and the Oromo Media Network (OMN), sources disclosed.