ONM-ABO, March 23, 2025
Reports from Nageelle Arsi district in the West Arsi region indicate a sharp increase in the abuse of civilians under the pretext of constructing offices for the ruling Prosperity Party (PP). Local PP cadres are forcibly mobilizing residents to build these offices, compounding the suffering of a population already burdened by years of systemic oppression.
On March 22, 2025, troops deployed from the district to rural villages began coercing residents to contribute funds for military operations. This demand comes at a time when the community is grappling with severe inflation, widespread hunger, and a lack of basic necessities. Children in the area are particularly affected, facing acute malnutrition and dehydration, while the broader community struggles to meet its most urgent needs.
The PP-affiliated soldiers, notorious for their history of human rights violations, are now extorting salaries from the very people they have repeatedly victimized. This monthly financial demand has exacerbated the economic despair among the Oromo people, who once thrived but now face relentless hardship under the current regime.
A local resident, speaking to ONM, expressed the community’s anguish: “The Oromo people are enduring unimaginable suffering. The regime’s demands are pushing families to the brink, stripping them of their dignity and hope.”
The ongoing exploitation and abuse by the PP cadres and military forces highlight the deepening crisis in the region, as the Oromo community continues to resist systemic oppression under the Abiy Ahmed-led government.
