Demolitions of Houses, Killings, and Bodily Injury of Amharas in the Newly Established Sheger City

( of Oromia Region by Oromia forces )

Findings

The latest investigation from the Amhara Association of America (AAA) found that since January 2023, Oromia Special Forces, Oromia Region police, government representatives, and local youth intensified ethnically motivated demolitions of houses belonging to non Oromo residents (and especially ethnic Amhara residents) in the newly established Sheger city administration of the Oromia Regional State (areas demarcated to the Oromia Region which were formerly part of Addis Ababa city by unilateral decision from the ruling Oromo Prosperity Party). The investigation found in this ethnically motivated targeting:

• At least 3,415 houses belonging to non-Oromo owners (most of them belonging to Amhara owners) were demolished. This figure is expected to increase as homes are still being demolished.
  

• At least 62 individuals were injured after they were severally beaten by the Oromia Regional security forces.
  

• Dozens of individuals were arbitrarily arrested and their whereabouts have been unknown to relatives.
  

• At least three individuals were killed by security forces.
  

• Demolition of homes was concentrated in Jemo Terara Medihanialem, Fanuel Church (Alem Bank), Anfo Mariam, Gersebo, Korki Sefere (Lencho), and Enku-Gabriel areas within the newly established Sheger city administration (formerly areas of Addis Ababa city).
  

• Following the destruction of homes, tens of thousands of people have been left homeless and are living in dire conditions.

Background

AAA’s investigators have verified from sources that starting from January 1st, 2023, the newly established Sheger city administration with the help of the Oromia Special Force (OSF) and the Oromia Region police started forceful demolition of homes belonging to non-Oromo owners. The newly established Sheger city includes the areas of Sebeta, Burayu Legetafo, Lededadi, Gelan and Sululuta sub-cities. Formerly, most kebeles of these sub-cities were part of Addis Ababa city before they were given to the Oromia Region in August 2022 by decision of the Oromo expansionist ruling party.

Following this development, on the outskirts of Addis Ababa, the Oromia Regional State in collaboration with the Addis Ababa city administration established a new city administration called Sheger city.

In these areas, the majority of residents are Amharas who have resided for decades holding their houses. But after the Oromo expansionist took hold of the area, they started demolishing houses belonging to non-Oromo residents, displacing Amharas and looting properties for the purpose of Oromizing the areas. The ongoing act of demolishing houses, arbitrary detention, killing and beating of innocent Amharas are an extension of their program of Oromizing Addis Ababa. Starting from January 1st, 2023, the Oromia security forces launched an organized destruction of houses belonging to non-Oromo residents and particularly targeting ethnic Amhara residents. The details of the incidents are documented by the subsequent paragraphs of this investigative report.

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