Oromia Special Zone and North Shewa Zone Conflict

Last updated: 29/09/2023

Oromia special zone and North Shewa zone are neighboring zones in Amhara region. The Oromia special zone in Amhara was founded as a response to pressure from the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), which had been demanding autonomy for the Oromo-speaking population during the early transition period from 1991 to 1992.¹Sarah Vaughan, ‘Ethnicity and Power in Ethiopia,’ University of Edinburgh Doctoral Thesis, July 2003, p.240 Due to its status as a special zone, political leaders in Oromia special zone in Amhara region have exercised considerable autonomy since its creation in 1995. Under special zone provisions in Ethiopian law, ethnic Oromo inhabitants administer the zone despite falling within Amhara region boundaries – often placing them in direct contestation with Amhara regional authorities.²Angela Raven-Robert, ‘Special zones and special histories: conflict and collaboration in Northern Shewa,’ Ethiopia Insight, 21 May 2021 As an important location along the A2 highway, the area is subject to historical claims by the Amhara, Oromo, and Afar ethnic groups. These competing claims over the territory and its administration by ethnic Oromos, under Amhara region, have been drivers of regular conflict. Conflict between ethnic Oromo and Afar pastoralists over grazing land is also frequent.

Since 2018, several rounds of violence have erupted in the area, resulting in the destruction of infrastructure, displacement of civilians, and loss of life (see map below). With the recent rise in ethno-nationalism and opening of political space after the removal of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) as leader of the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), clashes have occurred between some Oromo ethnic militias and Amhara special forces responsible for security in areas surrounding the zone. This fighting has coincided with dangerous divisions between the Oromo and Amhara wings of the ruling Prosperity Party (PP). Pushed by local ethno-nationalist movements, Amhara and Oromo political entities have accused each other of instigating the conflict. Citing the use of heavy weapons by the groups opposing Amhara regional special forces, Amhara regional officials have blamed the OLF-Shane for the violence,³Amhara Communications, ‘A statement from the Amhara National Regional Government,’ 21 March 2021 while Oromo officials have blamed Amhara forces.⁴BBC Amharic, ‘Controversy in the Amhara and Oromia Prosperity Party Branches Statements,’ 24 March 2021

Conflict in the area worsened in 2021 and 2022 due to the expanding ethnic friction that raised tensions countrywide, an incursion by the TPLF, and the alignment of local ethnic Oromo militias with OLF-Shane militants. The spring of 2021 saw heavy fighting between Oromo ethnic militias and Amhara special forces across several locations in North Shewa zone. Reports indicated that Oromo gunmen believed to be militants from the OLF-Shane and local Oromo militias had temporarily taken control of Ataye town, the capital of Efratana Gidem woreda in North Shewa zone in Amhara region, overwhelming security forces in the area.⁵BBC Amharic, ‘The attack is a dangerous and serious crime, Amhara region,’ 20 March 2021 Violent clashes and ethnically-targeted killings led to at least 350 reported fatalities and 328,000 people being internally displaced⁶Deutsche Welle Amharic, ‘More than 328,000 people were displaced by the attacks in Ataye and Kemise,’ 22 April 2021; Africa News, ‘300 killed in March outbreak of Ethiopia ethnic violence, says official,’ 9 April 2021; Reuters, ‘Death toll from clashes between Ethiopian Amhara, Oromo groups rises to 50 -residents,’ 20 April 2021 (for more, see EPO Weekly: 27 March-2 April 2021 and EPO Weekly: 10-16 April 2021). The violence and displacement sparked a chain of demonstrations in Amhara region, where participants urged the government to fulfill its responsibility to ensure the safety of citizens and bring the perpetrators of the attacks to justice. While most demonstrations remained peaceful, they contained anti-government messages and Amhara ethno-nationalist slogans accusing the Oromo Prosperity Party of perpetrating violence in Ataye and the surrounding area. Some demonstrations expressed anti-Oromo sentiment, with demonstrators holding signs reading, “Destroy Oromuma.”⁷Oromuma is an Afan Oromo term that can refer to Oromo ethno-nationalist sentiment, Oromo one-ness, a joining of Oromo community into a single purpose, Oromo self-governance ambition, etc. Some Oromo politicians, Abbaa Gadaa leaders (Oromo traditional elders),⁸Oromia Communication Bureau, ‘Some of the slogans heard at the recent demonstrations in Amhara Region are extreme: Abbaa Gadaa of Oromia,’ 24 April 2021; Oromia Media Network, ‘Anti-Oromo movements,’ 21 April 2021; Taye Dendea Aredo, ‘Death of a star,’ 20 April 2021 and the Amhara regional government condemned such acts⁹Amhara Communications, ‘“We will overcome the challenges we face by preserving our true public spirit” Amhara Prosperity Party,’ 21 April 2021; Amhara Communications, ‘Statement made by the Head of the Government of Amhara Region, Agegnehu Teshager, on current issues,’ 23 April 2021 (for more on these demonstrations, see EPO Weekly: 17-23 April 2021).

Violence escalated again in October and November 2021, as TPLF forces along with allied OLF-Shane fighters took control of Kemise and other major towns in Oromia special zone. These joint operations – the only ones recorded throughout the course of the northern conflict – resulted in the OLF-Shane and TPLF taking control of Kemise on 31 October 2021, Bati on 2 November, and Senbete on 14 November.

Soon after, as the TPLF withdrew, the ENDF, Amhara regional special forces, and associated Fano militias cracked down on the local Oromo population as they retook control of the zone. In December 2021, members of the ENDF and allied Amhara militiamen reportedly executed 30 people in the Entoli area in Dewa Cheffa woreda, after pulling them off a truck and accusing them of being members of the OLF-Shane.¹⁰Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, ‘A video circulating on social media shows several people being forced out of a car and killed in mass,’ 18 June 2022

In April 2022, clashes re-ignited along the border areas of North Shewa and Oromia special zones, as competing claims about the actors involved initiated the armed clashes. According to the Efratana Gidem woreda administrator, fighting erupted after the OLF-Shane attacked and killed a farmer in the woreda. This account was refuted by the head of the Jilye Tumuga woreda communication, who blamed Fano militias for shooting at herders in the woreda¹¹BBC Amharic, ‘The local authorities blamed OLF-Shane and Fano for the recent conflict in North Shewa’, 21 April 2022 (for more details on these clashes, see EPO Weekly: 16-22 April 2022).