News: Four Civilians Killed, Three Seriously Injured in Guji Zone, Oromia; Government Blames Rebel Group Oromo Liberation Army (OLA)
By Siyanne Mekonnen @Siyaanne
Addis Abeba, November 03/2020 – Four civilians were killed in Southern Oromia in Gujii Zone Gumi Eldalo Wereda on November 01, 2020. The victims were construction workers who were working on a bridge that connects Gujii to Borana. The assailants threw a grenade at the construction workers according to the Gujii Zone Administrator Taadalaa Uddoo who spoke to Addis Standard. He said that the assailants are members of OLA who want to disrupt the development of the zone. He said security forces have been hunting down these assailants and “clearing up” the zone. “Their only mission is terrorism and it wasn’t targeted on a specific ethnic group”, said Taadalaa.
On the other hand, Gumii Naywe a resident of Negele Borana told Addis Standard that their community was looking forward to the construction of the bridge and expressed his discontent at the government pending its completion for a while. He accused the Oromia regional government of “perpetuating conflict” by impeding the building of this bridge that connects the people of Borana and Gujii. “This attack is also a result of the longstanding dispute between the government and the OLA”, said Gumii. He condemned both the OLA and government for “gambling with the lives of innocent people” by indulging in acts of attacking and defaming one another. AS
