Abbay Media
Shiberu Tamerat
Top Oromo military officers at the department of defense are removed from their post of direct command over combat troops and relegated to functionless low skilled posts elsewhere in the military.
In the wake of the protest that started in the Oromia region of Ethiopia, top military officers of Oromo decent are being replaced by officers who hail from Tigrean People Liberation Front (TPLF) army for fear that the Oromo officers might sympathize with the protestors. The majority of the rank and file of the army come from the ethnically diverse population of Ethiopia. The government of Ethiopia is concerned that these high ranking Oromo officers would either join the protestors or use their power to influence and mobilize the military against the TPLF led government. In order to thwart their influence in the military, the government of Ethiopia is moving some of these officers away from their commanding post. Those moved from their posts were Brigadier General Shuma Abedeta head of 24th infantry division, who was “promoted” to a position of a non-commanding officer post as a vice administrator of the Southeastern command post and head of human capital. Brigadier Shuma was replaced by Colonel Yemane Gebremichael from the TPLF army. Brigadier General Kedir Arrarsa was similarly moved from his post as the head of 13th infantry division to lesser role as the vice administrator of the central command post and ahead of human capital. Head of the 6th mechanized infantry division, Brigadier General Kefyalew Amde was also moved from his post. Head of the 21st infantry division, Brigadier General Wagnewe Amare was moved from his post to a lesser role in the Military Engineering Agency. Vice head of the special forces, head of Agazi commando unit, and head of operations, Brigadier General Mulate Geldu was moved from his post to be a director of discipline in the ministry of defense, where he has no direct relations with the military.
Similar tactics are being employed by the government to remove high ranking military personnel of Amhara and Oromo decent from their top position in the military. The government of Ethiopia is doing everything in its power to prevent the military from joining the ongoing protest in Oromia region. The military leaders, who appeared to be sympathetic to the plight of the people are being removed from their post of leadership, under the guise of promotion to a lesser role in the administration where they have no commanding position.
