The Regime of Prosperity Party relentlessly has continued massacring of Oromo civilians in retaliation of its loss in fighting with OLA.
OLF Statement- May 7, 2022
The Oromo people and Oromia citizens are under non-stop war since Dr. Abiy Ahmed came to power and vowed to breakdown the Oromo people to unrepeatable stage; huge civilian lives lost, and properties destroyed. The recent widespread war of aggression against Oromo people is immense and motivated by expansionist policy and annexation of Oromo land. The coordinated war by the Prosperity Party defense force, Eritrean Army and Amhara Militia and Fano terrorist group is undertaking unimaginable massacres on Oromo civilians.
We issued statements on recent civilian massacres in Wallo, Gindabarat, Horro Guduru, Guji, West Arsi, and Ambo just to mention a few. Most of these civilian massacres took place after the regime forces loss in the fight with OLA.
It is sad again we witness other fresh civilian massacres in Warra Jarso Woreda, in North Shoa and East Shoa zones. According to tangible information we received from local communities in Jarso Zone, 18 people, three from Jimjimela kebele and 15 people from Aware Golje kebele were arrested on the night of Sunday, 01 May, and Monday 02 May 2022, taken by ENDF and local government militias and were executed a day after their arrest. The bodies of the victims are denied being collected and the bodies lie in a ditch until now. Families who tried to collect the bodies of their loved ones were arrested. The executions were led by the son of police officer Kassa Reta who was killed in armed combat with OLA in Bustilo Dhera a few days before. Similarly, Yesterday May 6, 2022 several Civilians in East Shoa zone, Bosat, Bolle Village were killed including by Drone strike. On the same day an Oromo civilian has been shot dead in Ambo, Gomosa Saxo Kebele, by the regime armed soldier. Similar civilian massacres had happened repeatedly in Metakel Zone.
The killings of Oromo civilians are ethnically targeted and indiscriminate aimed to uproot the civilian. For example, in the Warra Jarso massacres the regime killing squads were saying publicly that ‘anyone who speaks Afaan Oromo is associated with OLA and must be killed.
The Prosperity Party regime is trying to undermine the Oromo people and Oromia citizens by conducting protracted and multifaceted war including indiscriminate killings, burning civilians homes along with livestock, grains, and crops with a war of attrition designed to drive Oromo people, children and families from their land.
The OLF denounces this summary execution of Oromo civilians and act of aggression and would like to urge the Prosperity Party regime to immediately stop civilian killings and withdraw its invading forces from Oromia. We would like to caution the Prosperity Party regime that killing innocent civilians in retaliation of the loss you sustained in the war with freedom fighters cannot be a solution to the crises in Ethiopia.
Rather we still compel you to take the peaceful route of solving the political crises in the country. The Prosperity Party regime led by Dr. Abiy Ahmed is accountable for the loss of lives of Oromo civilians and destruction of properties.
We would like to warn the collaborating forces such as the Amhara regional government forces, Eritrean Government Army, and others regional state militias are equally accountable for the repeated mass killing and destruction in Oromia.
We ask the wider Oromo community and Oromo people abroad to support your brothers and sisters in different parts of Oromia who are victims of the expansionist and colonizing powers.
Finally, we would like to remind the Oromo people and Oromia citizens inside and outside the country to stand up in unison in supporting each other and defend their rights of existence and overcome these difficult times.
Once again, we appeal to the silent international community and international human rights organizations on Oromia issues to discharge your duty and put pressure on the Ethiopian ruling group to stop gross human rights violations, territorial expansion and protracted war on peoples to stay in power at the cost of human lives and destruction of the country.
Victory to the Masses!
Oromo Liberation Front
May 7, 2022
Finfinne