News: As violence in Fentalle persists, another Karayyu Gadaa leader died after heavily beaten by gov’t security forces – residents
Addis Abeba – Residents say Gobu Hawile a successor of the Karrayyu Gadaa leader who died during the 2021 massacre of the Karrayyu Gadaa leaders, died of injuries incurred when he was heavily beaten by government security forces over the last weakened.
The government forces had heavily beaten Gobu Hawile and other people who were with him in Tututi village in Fentalle district of East Shewa zone at a specific place known as Kaarra, a place where members of Karrayyu Gadaa leaders were massacred in 2021 a resident told Addis Standard.
The resident who asked to remain anonymous for safety reasons said Gobu Hawile then died of his injuries on Monday. He added the son of Hawas Mato Borra, a senior Karrayyu Gadaa leader who was gunned down two weeks ago by militants from the neighboring Amhara region is among the victims of the beatings and he is currently lingering between life and death in a nearby hospital.
According to the VOA, another local elder Boruu Jille who survived the beatings is also in critical conditions and receiving treatments in Wolanchiti hospital.
On 21 March Addis Standard reported that Hawas Mato Borra, the last remaining senior leader of the Karrayyu Michile Gadaa who survived the massacre of 14 Gadaa leaders in December 2021 was shot by Amhara militants on 12 March and died of his injuries two days later.
Speaking to Addis Standard, during then Roba Bulga Jilo, a Karrayyu native and an indigenous people’s rights advocate based in the US expressed his concern that coupled with the ongoing drought, and lack of incoming aid, the persisted insecurity in the area, may result in disastrous consequences for the Karrayyu community and threaten their existence.
Addis Standard‘s repeated attempts to get comment from Boruu Jiloo, administrator of the Fentalle district and other local and Oromia region government officials on the persisted violence in Fentalle district were unsuccessful. AS
