Mota Keranyo : Ethiopian government soldiers killed seven civilians
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Credit : Mota town government communications
Extrajudicial killings of civilians in the Amhara region of Ethiopia seems to be ceaseless. In the same week that Ethiopian government forces took out dozens from Goh Hotel in Jiga town in West Gojjam and executed them outside of the hotel, another seven civilians were killed in Mota town in East Gojjam zone.
There are still restrictions for journalists and human rights advocates in the region despite the state of emergency imposed in the region came to an end over ten days ago.
VOA Amharic, on Friday, reported about the Mota incident. It happened right after Fano forces launched an attack on government forces, as was the case in Jiga and many other cases of extrajudicial executions.
In the case of Mota, the death scene was a Debre Keraneyo Holy Savior church premise. Residents who claim to be an eyewitness and a minister who serves at the church have confirmed the story to VOA Amharic.
The victims were preparing a grave for a monk who died the day before ( June 13, 2024) when they were shot and killed by government forces. Six of the victims were members of Beale Egziabher Edir (a sort of community association) and one of them was a theology student at the church ( they are called in the church tradition Ye Abinet Temari). The student was standing a bit far from them, according to a witness.
VOA Amharic said it spoke to Mamaru Aynabeba, head of Enese District in East Gojjam zone. He is cited as saying “he can not give an answer [to the inquiry from the news source].”
The Bahir Dar Branch of Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has confirmed that it has received a report about the killing and is investigating it.
Amhara Association of America – a U.S. based Amhara advocacy organization – published an update on its website confirming the killings in Motta and Keraniwo. According to its report, two other civilians were killed in Keraniwo.
It said “AAA has verified that in separate incidents on June 13th and 14th, 2024, Abiy regime forces executed more than nine civilians and injured another in the towns of Motta and Keraniwo in Hulet-Eju-Enese Woreda.”
Source: borkena.com
