August 29, 2024
borkena
Toronto – The conflict in Meskanena Mareko district of what is now Central Ethiopia has been going on for two years and it does not seem to be ending. Reports indicate that the situation is getting worse and that there is a killing of civilians on a daily basis.
According to Ethiopian Media Service(EMS), at least seven people were killed on Wednesday in a renewed conflict. Most of the victims are the same family members including children and women.
There has been speculation about government involvement in the manufacturing of conflict in the area.
In a phone interview with EMS, Awol Tibiso, a member of Ethiopian parliament, openly alleged that what is happening in Meskanena Mareko as “state terrorism.”
He added that the attack on civilians is orchestrated by government forces.
The dispute over kebeles in the district started about two years ago. So far, over 350 civilians are reportedly killed from the district. On the surface, the conflict seems to involve ethnic Silte and Gurage but there appears to be more to it. Political parties operating in the Guraghe zone have been speaking out about it for over a year now.
EMS reported that there are similar security situations in Hadiya and Kembatta.
North Shoa Dera
Meanwhile Dera area in Shoa is also reported to have a tense situation due to Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) forces who are said to have controlled over 20 kebeles. Only 7 kebeles are said to be outside the control of OLA.
Dera is mostly ethnic Amhara and they are reportedly facing potential massacre from the radical ethnic Oromo nationalist group. They are said to have support from Oromia regional state structure in the area.
The Ethiopian government has been claiming, even this week, that its campaign against OLA is still ongoing and that the group is weakened, which does not appear to be the case.
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