Ethiopia: Jawar Mohammed, a prominent opposition politician, today accused the Ethiopian government forces of conscription and kidnapping for ransom. Jawar Mohammed, after his release from prison in January 2022, has been staying abroad. He is Deputy Chairman of the Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC). OFC is one of the main political parties in Oromia.
“Over the past year, alarm has been mounting over the worsening crisis of kidnappings for ransom by armed groups in Ethiopia. Although these crimes are often attributed to non-state actors, reports have also implicated government forces in colluding with various armed groups and sharing in the profits,” he said.
He accused the security of forcibly recruiting youths. “Amid ongoing civil wars, the government is increasingly relying on forced conscription to fill its ranks. Initially, the primary targets were underprivileged youth, particularly day laborers working far from their home villages. However, the focus has recently shifted to youth from wealthier families,” he claimed.
He said that local security officials are detaining young men as they return from school or social venues and forcibly transporting them to temporary detention facilities. Ransom ranging from 100,000 to 500,000 birr, depending on the family’s wealth is demanded for the release of abductee youths. He painted a scary picture of the current situation by saying that “scared of being the next victim, many young men have gone into hiding abandoning their studies and jobs.”
Jawar Mohammed claimed to be in possession of evidence about his claim. “This is not merely based on reports from across the country—a family I personally know had to pay 300,000 birr to secure their son’s release just a few days ago. Such extortion, at a time when the cost of living has become unbearable, is cruel,” he claimed.
The accusations by Jawar Mohammed, a popular politician from Oromia Ethiopia, are not new. Several other sources have also been reporting that kidnapping for ransom in Ethiopia, especially in Oromia, is turning into a business with involvement of government officials.
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