Ethiopian Opposition Politician Jawar Mohammed today urged the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) to release investigation about Battee Urgeesssaa’s murder.
Battee Urgeessa, a senior leader of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF, an Ethiopian opposition political party, was assassinated last month in his home town, Meki East Shewa Oromia. Human rights organizations and international community have been urging the Ethiopian government to conduct a transparent inquiry into Battee Urgeessaa’s murder.
Today it was revealed that the EHRC had halted its inquiry into the OLF’s leader murder due to threats from security forces in the Oromia region. The EHRC has reportedly written a letter to the Oromia govt and police commission demanding assurance about the safety of its investigators in Oromia. Moreover some witnesses interviewed by EHRC have been abducted allegedly by security forces. All that led to the decision by the commission to suspend its inquiry.
But Jawar Mohammed, deputy chairman of the Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC) who himself remained in prison in 2021, today urged the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission to release its investigation into Battee’s murder.
“This report confirms what was long suspected by many. Why is the EHRC not releasing its investigation into Battee’s killing? They need to urgently disclose what they have learned from eyewitnesses, who have since then been to disappeared”, Jawar posted today on his Twitter account.
The day Battee was murdered, Jawar Mohammed in a social media message implied that no transparent investigation will be conducted. Oromo Liberation Front and Oromo Liberation Army both directly accused the Ethiopian federal and Oromia regional government of having killed Battee.
In June 2020, iconic Oromo singer Hachalu Hundessa was shot dead in the Gelan Condominiums area in Addis Ababa. Hachalu’s murder is still a mystery. Riots broke out in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia, more specifically in the hot spot of Addis Ababa, Shashamene and Ambo after Hachalu’s death. Jawar and some other politicians were arrested in July 2020. Jawar Mohammed was released from prison in January 2022.
It seems Battee Urgeessaa’s murder is another in a series of political assassinations in Ethiopia. Ethiopian government is being accused of having a hand in this murder. The chances of a transparent investigation are very slim.
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