The Oromia region of Ethiopia continues to be engulfed in violence as the Prosperity Party (PP) militia, under Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s rule, escalates killings, abductions, and human rights violations against the Oromo people. Reports from the Oromia National Media–Arrata Biyyoolessaa Oromiyaa (ONM-ABO) reveal a surge in state-sponsored brutality across multiple zones, targeting civilians, farmers, and youths with impunity.
West Arsii: Arbitrary Killings and Disappearances
In Adaabbaa district, West Arsii Zone, PP forces have intensified their campaign of terror. On March 16, 2025, in Hunxee Aloolaa village, three civilians were ambushed while heading to the market. Abduljabbaar Haajii Fattoo, a father of ten, was executed that night, while his brother Saadiq Haajii Fattoo and Maammaa Goduu were abducted and have since disappeared. Two days later, PP forces abducted four more civilians and detained them in Adaabbaa town, where they are reportedly subjected to torture. These actions blatantly violate the Ethiopian Constitution and international human rights agreements, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR).
East Arsii: Execution of an Oromo Youth
In Martii district, East Arsii Zone, a similar pattern of extrajudicial killings unfolded. On March 16, 2025, in Golagotaa town, PP’s security forces abducted Kadir Haajii Kamaal, a private worker, at 3:00 AM. He was falsely accused of supporting the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), summarily executed, and denied burial. His murder mirrors state-sanctioned violence seen in other oppressive regimes worldwide, as Ethiopia’s government continues to violate Article 15 of its own Constitution, which guarantees due process.
East Wallagga: Oromo Farmer Executed
The wave of executions continued in Haroo Limmuu district, East Wallagga Zone. On March 18, 2025, in Sagiroo Guddinaa village, PP militia stormed the home of Mulgeetaa Nagaash Dhugumaa, a father of five, dragged him out, and shot him dead. His crime? Being Oromo. His murder, like others, was justified under baseless accusations of “funding the OLA.” Similar to tactics used in Honduras and Sierra Leone, this execution was meant to instill fear. Multiple villages—including Uchaa, Dangee, Barisoo, Sugee, Kalalaa, and Sankooraa—have become hotspots for PP’s ethnic cleansing, as civilians are killed, displaced, and brutalized en masse.
Growing Defections: PP Soldiers Abandon Regime, Join OLA
In a significant development, 17 PP soldiers defected from the Ethiopian government forces between March 18-20, 2025, in Central Oromia Zone, bringing their weapons to the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA). The defectors, armed with 17 AKM rifles and full gear, denounced the regime’s atrocities, stating:
“Our camps throb with murder, looting, and crime—orders to butcher our Oromo kin. We couldn’t bear it.”
This mass defection follows over 50 similar defections across Oromia in recent weeks, signaling growing discontent within PP’s ranks and a weakening grip on power.
A Call for Justice and International Accountability
These escalating crimes—executions, enforced disappearances, torture, and mass displacement—amount to grave human rights violations. Despite international legal frameworks banning arbitrary killings and unlawful detentions, Abiy Ahmed’s regime continues its unchecked campaign against the Oromo people. The Oromo community has condemned these atrocities, calling for global attention and accountability.
With Ethiopia’s government showing no regard for constitutional or international law, the humanitarian crisis in Oromia demands urgent international intervention to halt these violations and bring justice to the victims.
