Oromia regional state continues destruction of homes, arbitrary detention and assault of Amharas in the newly established town of Sheger.
Findings
The Amhara Association of America (AAA) has conducted new investigations into the ongoing targeted demolitions of homes belonging to ethnic Amharas on the outskirts of Addis Ababa city which were incorporated by the Oromia Regional State under the newly established Sheger city administration. The demolitions were carried out by a task force from the Sheger city administration (Oromia Regional State) in collaboration with Oromia Special Forces (OSF), Oromia police, and local Qeerro (ultranationalist Oromo youth). The Oromia Region security forces were also implicated in various abuses against residents including arbitrary arrests and bodily injuries. In the forced demolitions between January 9 and 31, 2023:
Over 5,885 houses belonging to non–Oromo owners (mostly ethnic Amharas) were demolished. The number of homes being demolished are expected to increase.
While dozens of Amhara civilians were injured by the acts of the Oromia Region security forces, an unknown number of individuals were arbitrarily arrested.
The demolition of homes were concentrated in the areas of Lencho Sefer, Lideta, Jemo Terara Medhanialem, Fanuel Church Legetafo, and Ertu-Teklehaymanot on the outskirts of Addis Ababa city (under the new Sheger city administration).
Following the demolition of homes in the Jemo Terara Medhanialem, Fanuel Church, and Lencho Sefer areas only, over 7,800 Amharas are living without a home on the fields in dire condition. Overall, the number of displaced residents are expected to reach the tens of thousands of Amharas following the demolitions.
Overview
AAA previously reported on demolition of homes belonging to non-Oromo residents (predominantly ethnic Amharas) between January 1st and 10th, 2023 on the outskirts of Addis Ababa (under the newly established Sheger city administration). The perpetrators initiated a second-round of demolitions following a two day lull during the Ethiopian Christmas holiday on the outskirts of Addis Ababa city. In their second-round demolition of homes, they covered large areas under the newly established Sheger city administration including clustered areas named Sebeta, Burayu Legetafo, Lededadi, Gelan and Sululta sub-cities. Formerly, most kebeles of these sub-cities were part of Addis Ababa city before they were incorporated into the Oromia Region in August 2022 by the decision of Addis Ababa and Oromia Regional Government administrations without proper consultation or consent from residents in these areas.
Following the annexation of areas on the outskirts of Addis Ababa, the Oromia Regional State in collaboration with the Addis Ababa city administration established a new city administration named Sheger city. In these areas, the majority of residents are ethnic Amharas residing who resided in the area for decades owning homes. But after the Oromo expansionists within the government demarcated the area to the Oromia Regional State, they started demolishing houses belonging to non-Oromos, displacing Amharas and looting properties for the purpose of cleansing Amharas from these mentioned areas. The ongoing acts of demolishing homes, arbitrary detentions, and beating of innocent Amharas are an extension of the Oromization of Addis Ababa city.
