An investigation published by Reuters has uncovered the activities of a secretive committee responsible for human rights violations in Ethiopia, named Koree Nageenyaa. The committee, whose existence has now been exposed for the first time, has been active since 2019 in efforts to suppress the Oromo Liberation Army- Oromo Liberation Front (OLF-OLA), a group that identifies as a political organization working towards equality and self-determination within the region.
The Ethiopian government labelled the OLF-OLA as a terrorist group in 2021, a designation that is not shared by most other countries. The OLF-OLA has been active amidst political and social tensions that have resulted in protests around the area.
According to the Reuters report, the Koree Nageenyaa has orchestrated numerous arrests and killings linked to suspected OLF-OLA members and supporters. The group has also allegedly been involved in the massacre of 14 shepherds in the Oromia region last year, a crime that had been previously blamed on OLA fighters. Detainees have reported instances of torture, a treatment starkly out of line with legal due process.
The investigation’s findings were submitted to the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, which, in response, issued a press release demanding an immediate end to human rights violations, compensation for victims, and peaceful dialogue towards a lasting resolution.
Previous reports by Amnesty International have provided details of the human rights violations by Ethiopian Security Forces in Oromia. Notably, the OLF-OLA was offered a peace agreement by the government and was removed from the list of designated terrorist groups. However, the organization refused to disarm and cease operations. Despite this, the government blames the OLF-OLA for civilian massacres and attacks, a claim that OLF-OLA vehemently denies. Instead, it alleges that the government’s militias are responsible.