Land confiscated after over 400 people were evicted

ESAT News

November 20, 2014

After 470 people were inhumanely evicted from their lands from Kebele 11, Kombolcha Woreda of South Wello Zone in the name of investment, the land has been sold for 1 birr and 26 cents per meter.

After the mounting pressures, a meeting between members of the public and the cabinet revealed that they have sold the land through corrupt methods. Habtom, the Liaison Officer in the Woreda said that Abera Abere, the local Administrator had bought land in Bahir Dar and Addis Abeba, rents out dozers while his Deputy had built houses in different places and over 8 million Birr was found in his account. Habtom himself was accused by others of owning two houses in Kombolcha town and owns a land in Mekelle. The officials have only been suspended from their work.    Whistleblower farmers have been forced to live in exile and hunger for lack of listeners.

Similarly, over 100 farmers have been evicted from their lands in Gurafarda, Southern Ethiopia. The farmers have been told to pay 4500 Birr to get land security certificate but they refused saying that they have been paying taxes. As a result, they have been evcicted from the lands and the land is being sold to investors who have shares in the companies with local government officials, which according to many is the cause of the conflicts in the area.