Nearly a hundred suspects where put on trial today in the Ethiopian city of Shashame, in connection with the infamous displacement of ethnic Gedeo’s in 2018, according to a report published by the Amhara branch of DW Germany.
Sergeant Kemal Elemo, the west Guji zone police Chief stated that 222 people where arrested for the killings and displacement of ethnic Gedeo’s in the Guji zone. Out of the 222 that where arrested a total of 89 where handed prison sentences ranging from 2 to 20 years. The police chief went on to say 41 more suspects are still under investigation for there role in the indiscriminate killings and displacement of miniority ethnic Gedeo’s.
The trials where held at a series of courthouses in the city of Shashame. During prime minister Abiy Ahmed’s first year in office over 900,000 ethnic Gedeo’s where displaced from there land in the Guji zone. The displacement and violent onslaught that followed was carried out by the ruling OPDO Junta and there allied militias and paramilitary forces.
The 900,000 ethnic Gedeo’s displaced by violent Oromo Militia groups in 2018 account for a staggering 81% of the total Gedeo population in Ethiopia. The plight of the ethnic Gedeo’s came to the worlds attention, following a bombshell article published by the Guardian earlier this year, detailing a systematic ethnic cleansing campaign being waged against the minority Gedeo’s.
We will keep you updated with the latest developments from the region.
Halgan Media.
