Hachalu Hundessa

OLA expansionFrom southern and western strongholds OLA has expanded its reach in Oromia especially after the June 2020 murder of Hachalu Hundessa a revered Oromo nationalist musician (AC Vol 61 No 14 The pride of lions)...

Surge in supportFollowing the June 2020 assassination of Hachalu Hundessa a much-loved Oromo singer support for the OLA surged as many blamed state agents for the killing...

They also demanded an independent investigation into the death of the Oromo singer Hachalu Hundessa in 2020 and for the immediate and unconditional release of other political prisoners as well as of 'those detained in ethnically targeted raids under the State of Emergency' (AC Vol 61 No 18 Regions take on the centre)...

After the killing of the popular Oromo singer Hachalu Hundessa in June 2020 Abiy used the chaos to arrest the region's leaders such as Jawar Mohammed Bekele Garba and Hamza Borena from the Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC); and Gemechu Ayana Michael Boran and Dawud Ibsa under house arrest since April this year from the OLF...

State retaliationViolent protests in early July triggered by the unsolved murder of singer Hachalu Hundessa saw Oromo groups kill local minorities and burn their property and united Oromo people...

This month the Prime Minister deployed security forces across Oromia to quell protests after the murder of Hachalu Hundessa a top Oromo musician on 29 May...

Addis's relations with Cairo were already tense when Oromo activist and singer Hachalu Hundessa was murdered on 29 June and Abiy raised the spectre of possible Egyptian involvement...

In one recent incident Oromo and their youth groups known as qeerroo reacted angrily to an online video showing Hachalu Hundessa a well-known Oromo musician being harassed by Amharic-speaking people resentful of the Oromo presence in the capital...