In-depth: Farm or Fight: Farmers in Oromia’s Horro Guduru Wollega zone struggle against forced conscription under Gachana Sirna

Addis Abeba – Dechasa Gurmu (name altered for safety reasons) is a farmer living in the Guduru district of the Horro Guduru Wollega Zone, located in the Oromia region.

Before the start of the current harvesting season, Dechasa, a father of five, was preparing his land for planting crops to provide for his family.

However, events did not unfold as he had hoped.

One day, while returning from the local market with other vendors, he was stopped by the police for an identification check.

In an interview with Addis Standard, Dechasa recounted, “Out of the seven of us, the police detained five, leaving two women behind. We were then taken to Kombosha, a city in the Guduru district.”

He continued, “After three days there, we were transported to Shambu City, located in the Horro Guduru Wollega zone. Upon our arrival, we were informed that we had been conscripted for militia training.”

According to the farmer, the police initially claimed the training would last only a few weeks.

“However, that training was unexpectedly extended to two months,” he emphasized. “This entire ordeal occurred without my consent.”

Due to the prolonged time Dechasa was forced to remain in training, he highlighted that the land he had plowed and prepared for planting remained barren, with no crops sown.

The legal and administrative framework that facilitated the involuntary participation of individuals such as Dechasa in militia training is officially known as Gachana Sirna.

Following its endorsement by Caffee Oromia, the legislative council of Oromia Regional State, the proclamation facilitating the implementation of Gachana Sirna in the region came into effect in March 2022, officially.

According to the proclamation, Gachana Sirna refers to a system in which the people of the region can be organized according to the culture and norms of the Geda system to protect and defend their interests, benefits, and rights.

As outlined in the legislation, the implementation of Gachana Sirna “has become essential to enhance and bolster the valuable experience through which the Oromo people have upheld the peace and stability of their surroundings and interests, as organized within the culture and values of the Geda system.”

The legislation further states that the law is intended “to enable the people in the region to be aware, organized, and armed, thereby effectively protecting their peace and security.”

Gachana Sirna’s heavy toll on communities

Requesting anonymity for security reasons, a human rights lawyer and researcher working for a local non-governmental organization that investigates human rights violations in the Horro Guduru Wollega Zone provided details about the implementation of Gachana Sirna at the grassroots level.

“Those undergoing militia training are primarily men, with very few women participating, and without their consent,” he explained.

According to him, each district in the Horro Guduru Wollega Zone is expected to fulfill its recruitment quotas for militia members.

“Gachana Sirna is being implemented throughout Oromia,” he stated. “However, its correlation with human rights violations is particularly pronounced in Western Oromia, especially in the Horro Guduru Wollega Zone.”

The human rights lawyer reported that farmers and youth who refuse to participate in Gachana Sirna and militia training face imprisonment, coercive training, denial of access to fertilizers and pesticides, torture while incarcerated, and exclusion from other government services.

I took the militia training without my consent.”

A farmer living in the Guduru district of the Horro Guduru Wollega Zone

Although the proclamation does not specify whether recruitment for militia training is contingent upon individual consent, it does state that “the recruitment, organization, and administration of Gachana Sirna shall comply with the laws of the region and country, as well as international human rights conventions.”

The law stipulates that training for members of Gachana Sirna shall be provided periodically and may be either short-term or long-term in duration.

Regarding recruitment, the law specifies that “members of Gachana Sirna shall be selected by the residents of the Kebele.” To qualify as a member, individuals must have been residents of the specific Kebele for at least two years and be between the ages of 18 and 56.

The proclamation also grants members of Gachana Sirna the right to appeal administrative wrongs committed against them and to receive prompt decisions.

Additionally, it provides for leave entitlements for members who are employed while fulfilling their duties.

However, Milkessa M. Gemechu (PhD), a visiting assistant professor of political science at Albion College in the United States, recently shared his perspective with Addis Standard, characterizing Gachana Sirna as a form of “forced conscription.”

“This is because it compels the public to defend the regime militarily,” he argued. “However, it is unlawful to coerce individuals into undergoing military training or to defend the ruling party.”

Citing the nation’s constitution, Milkessa highlighted that citizens are permitted to enlist and become members of the Ethiopian National Defense Force (ENDF) as well as join federal and regional police forces.

“Except in a few circumstances, this can only occur with their consent and choice,” he emphasized. “They should not be compelled to participate in any military-related services without their permission.”

However, the experiences of numerous individuals in Horro Guduru Wollega Zone paint a contrasting picture.

Abune Dejene (name changed for security reasons), an educator residing in the Horo Buluq district of Haro Kebele, is among the many who have recently encountered disheartening realities regarding Gachana Sirna.

In an interview with Addis Standard, Abune recounted that on 23 July, 2024, regional authorities convened a meeting for all residents of Haro Aga kebele.

She described the events of that day, stating, “During this gathering, they announced that compensation would be provided to farmers displaced from their homes due to the construction of the Amerti-Nashe Hydropower Project. We attended the meeting with the expectation of receiving compensation, but it quickly became evident that this was not the focus. Instead, the purpose was to recruit young people for militia training.”

The teacher revealed that after the meeting, her 24-year-old son was taken and sent to Shambu City for militia training.

“My son has now been assigned to the Abay Choman district,” she stated.

Forced to choose

The human rights expert and researcher highlighted that individuals residing in Horro Guduru Zone who refuse to participate in this training face the risk of imprisonment, while others may be forcibly transported to Shambu City for involuntary training.

Beyond ordinary citizens, the human rights expert emphasized that under Gachana Sirna, training is mandatory for all farmers residing in Horro Guduru Zone.

“Those farmers who refuse to participate are denied access to fertilizers, pesticides, and other essential resources for their farming activities,” he explained.

Residents of the Horro Guduru Wollega Zone, particularly those involved in farming, report that regional authorities are coercing them into choosing between undergoing militia training or receiving agricultural inputs such as fertilizers and improved seeds.

One individual affected by this practice is Idosa Tarfasa (name changed for security reasons), a farmer in the Hababo Guduru district.

“I have 23 hectares of land that I prepared for planting grains in the current harvesting season,” he explained. “However, when I attempted to purchase fertilizers and improved seeds, the district’s agricultural office informed me that I would need to undergo militia training to obtain the necessary supplies for my farming.”

As the primary breadwinner for his family of 13, Idosa stated that he had no other option and therefore complied with the requirement.

“After two weeks of training, I graduated at Shambu City Stadium 45 days ago,” he explained.

The ordeal faced by farmers like Dechasa and Idosa does not conclude after completing military training.

According to Idosa, members of the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), also referred to by the government as “Shane,” who operate in the area, conduct nighttime interrogations by visiting the homes of farmers who have undergone militia training.

“Members of this armed group selectively abduct individuals who have undergone militia training and demand ransom for their release,” he explained.

The human rights lawyer concurs with Idosa’s observation.

“The abduction of individuals who have participated in militia training by the OLA has been reported in Horro Guduru Wollega, particularly in the districts of Hababo Guduru, Choman Guduru, and Haro Buluq over the past two months,” he revealed.

He also cited specific instances, such as a recent case in Baro Kebele, where eight farmers who had completed militia training were abducted by members of the armed group, who demanded 800,000 birr for their release.

Abune, the teacher residing in the Horo Buluq district of Haro Kebele, also expressed heightened concerns about the safety of her community and the potential for further human rights violations in an already fragile environment.

“With aggressive recruitment tactics in play, many of us are left feeling vulnerable and anxious about what lies ahead,” she explained.

Abune’s concern is supported by recent reports of violence and conflict that continue to ravage not only the Horro Guduru Wollega Zone but the entire Western Oromia region.

The district’s agricultural office informed me that I would need to undergo militia training to obtain the necessary supplies for my farming.”

A farmer living in the Guduru district of the Horro Guduru Wollega Zone who is also the primary breadwinner for his family of 13

Following the resumption of regular flights from Addis Abeba to Dambi Dollo, located in the Qellem Wollega Zone, in February 2024, officials reported a significant improvement in the security situation in Western Oromia.

Similarly, the recommencement of regular flights from Addis Abeba to Nekemte in the East Wollega Zone by Ethiopian Airlines in June 2024 has also been attributed to improved security and is viewed as a step toward normalcy.

Despite these developments, however, residents of Western Oromia, particularly in the zones of Horro Guduru Wollega, West Wollega, East Wollega, and Qellem Wollega, report a continued decline in security and ongoing armed conflict.

Two months ago, Addis Standard published an in-depth article highlighting how the people of Western Oromia have been deeply affected by the ongoing conflict between government forces and armed groups such as the OLA.

These conflicts, which also involve the Fano militia originating from the neighboring Amhara region, have resulted in displacement, limited access to healthcare and education, and a climate of fear.

While the conflict between armed groups and government forces persists in several districts across the four Wollega zones, the situation remains dire for farmers in the region.

As noted in the article, farmers continue to voice concerns about the security situation in Western Oromia, which they perceive as both persistent and worsening, interrupting their daily farming activities.

The human rights lawyer who recently traveled to East Hararghe Zone of the Oromia region highlighted that the extensive, involuntary recruitment of individuals for militia training, which has been notably observed in Western Oromia, particularly in Horo Guduru Wollega, is less prevalent in other parts of the region.

“In other areas of the region, especially in urban areas, individuals voluntarily join the militia training,” he remarked. “This is attributed to the fact that residents in regions outside of Western Oromia are less susceptible to interrogation, harassment, and abduction by armed groups such as the OLA.”

However, the lawyer emphasized that serious human rights violations are being committed in the Horo Guduru Wollega Zone under the pretext of implementing Gachana Sirna.

“These violations are primarily perpetrated by local officials and government administrators, rather than higher authorities,” he noted.

A council established at the Kebele level is empowered to ensure that the recruitment and selection of Gachana Sirna members are conducted in accordance with the criteria specified in the proclamation. This council is accountable to the Kebele administrator.

Additionally, a militia office established at each administrative level by proclamation in 2014 is entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring that Gachana Sirna members are selected according to the established criteria, as well as training, organizing, and arming them.

Despite the proclamation mandating regional authorities to establish an administrative structure to ensure the effective implementation of the law, Milkessa considers Gachana Sirna to be a “tool of oppression.”

“When individuals join these local militias, they become part of the ruling party’s institution and are subjected to its control,” he argued. “Under this system, no one in the community is permitted to remain neutral or oppose the ruling party.”

The lawyer urged the Oromia regional government to address issues of maladministration and to protect the rights of farmers who are being coerced into militia training without their consent and pressured to exchange training for agricultural inputs such as fertilizers and seeds.

“I also call upon the OLA to ensure that its soldiers refrain from abducting individuals who have undergone militia training,” he stated. AS