Laetitia Bader, the Horn of Africa director at Human Rights Watch has published a series of Tweets on the current situation.
She then goes on to say:
This signals a deeper failure in the govt’s duty to protect and ensure the basic rights of its citizens, including one of the most essential rights, that to life.
Chilling reports today that scores of reportedly Amhara victims were killed in West Wollega after forces left area. Survivors told media & rights orgs they were called to a meeting at a school & later shot by armed attackers claiming to be OLA tinyurl.com/y3tgl4r4
The details of what happened are still emerging but PM Abiy issued a statement expressing his condolences to the victims and Oromia regional gov’t was quick to issue a statement blaming the armed OLF/Shene group and TPLF.
In last 2 years, activists, fed & regional forces conducted counterinsurgency ops against armed groups incl. OLF/Shene in western #Oromia where activists, rights orgs, & journalists documented how Oromo civilians have borne heavy brunt of the fighting.
Recent attack in West Wellega occurred after forces abruptly left area raising questions around why forces abruptly left the area.
The gov’t should immediately assist & protect survivors + ensure protection for witnesses, conduct an indpt investigations into attacks, including against officials & forces found negligent in duty to protect civilians, and bring all those found responsible to account.