#Ethiopia: Clarifications on Jawar Mohammeds photo. -------------------------------//-------------------------------------------- Yesterday, Jawar posted a photo of two people hanged in a town square. He was evidently too absorbed by the sensational value of the photo that he forgot to cross-check even the name of the town. In fact, he is now posting poems of freedom struggle alongside the photo. The incident took place last month in North Shewa Zone, Gundo Meskel town and my source identified the two men as Ketema and a former soldier recruited by Ketema. Ketema and his partner are not known for any political agenda. In fact, the area is not known as a base of any insurgent group. Rather, banditry is a frequent problem due to the geography feature of the area. The two men were notorious in the locality for violent robbery and for raping women, among others. Recently, in November, Ketema killed a certain resident of the town in the process robbery. The deceased had a brother employed at the Revenue agency in the town. Since blood-feud killings are common in the area (as well as the adjacent districts of Amhara region), it appears Ketema was concerned the deceaseds brother will attempt to take revenge. Coupled with his sense of impunity, Ketema decided not only to kill the brother, but also to do it in broad daylight at the revenue agency office - my source narrated. The incident was the last straw to the town residents.Infuriated and feeling cornered, they immediately started chasing Ketema and his partner. They found them - one after another - in nearby rural areas and killed them on the spot. Later brought them to town and put them in the square. It is possible militia men (volunteer armed rural guards) and police officers might have taken part in the man-hunt process. But the entire operation was a sort of street justice owned and executed by the enraged public. This is the information I gathered from well-informed sources. If necessary, I can inquire further details. Jawar said a public display of the bodies was barbaric. I ask: Is it civil to further abuse the dead by posting their photo four times? And, without verifying the facts? But I would rather not blame the residents of Gundo Meskel. Instead the administration, for not cracking on the banditry soon enough.
Posted on: Mon, 26 Jan 2015 21:53:54 +0000
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