Federal Police kill at least 8 in Afar region

ESAT News

April 22, 2014

Local residents and human rights organisations say that Ethiopia’s Federal Police force has killed at least eight people in Kurkura area of Afar, Eastern Ethiopia following the inter-clan conflict between the Afar and the Somali people last week. The Afar People Party (APP) on its part says the number of people killed amounts to twelve.

The local people near Awash Sebat Kilo have blocked transportation to Djibouti port for 12 hours after the police took the actions.

Although the officials of Afar region travelled to the area to talk to the people, the people responded saying that they do not represent them.

The blockade reportedly stopped after three officers of the Ethiopian Defense Forces promised the people that the problems will be solved within ten days.

A resident of the area told ESAT in a phone interview that she witnessed the killing of eight people including an eighty-five years old elderly. She said another pregnant woman who was crying for her killed son was severely beaten.  She said although the government has gone to Somalia to do ‘peacekeeping’, it has completely forgotten its own citizens here.

Gaas Ahmed, Chairman of the Afar Human Rights Organisation, said he has gotten the list of the deceased. He said there is also a meeting now underway in Dire Dawa to demarcate the borders of the two regional states.

Gaas said the Afar people have to fight for their rights. He asked all parties and international human rights organisations to stand with the people.

ESAT’s efforts to speak to government officials regarding the issues has not been successful.