06/02/2026
SUBJECT: 16 Orthodox Christians and Amharas Massacred in Arsi❗
LOCATION: East Arsi Zone, Oromo Region, Ethiopia
DATE OF INCIDENT: Ongoing starting from May 31, 2026 (Ginbot 23, 2018 E.C)
VICTIM STATUS: 16 victims deceased, verified information available for 13 victims
We received information on June 1, 2026 (23/09/2018 E.C.) that 16 Orthodox Christians were killed in three districts of Zone, Region, . Two Orthodox Christians were killed in Woreda/District, two in Woreda/District, and ten in Woreda/District. It is alleged that all of these killings are being carried out through government structures under the direction of the ruling Oromo Prosperity Party. See attached report for more information. On June 2, 2026, we received a follow up report that further verified details about 13 of the 16 fatalities, details can be found in the report below.
GPE EXECUTIVE NOTE: THE INTERSECTION OF RELIGIOUS AND ETHNIC PERSECUTION IN ARSI ZONE
Identity-based violence across the Arsi zones of Ethiopia's Oromia region operates through a dual-framework of religious persecution and ethnic targeting. While the primary visibility of these attacks suggests a singular focus on religious affiliation, closer field investigation reveals a structural intersection between faith and ethnicity.
Religious Persecution: The violence predominantly targets members of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (EOTC). Historically, this pattern has occasionally expanded to include elements of the Protestant Christian minority.
Ethnic Targeting: Forensic cross-analysis of victim demographics demonstrates that the vast majority of those targeted are ethnically Amhara.
The intention of the attacks is to alter the demography of the area. The demographic landscape of the Arsi zones features an Oromo majority that is largely non-Orthodox. Perpetrators exploit this composition to achieve a specific geopolitical outcome:
The operational objective of these attacks is systematic displacement and forced removal of both ethnic Amharas and EOTC followers from the Arsi zones. Understanding this specific socio-religious matrix is critical to identifying the true intent of the perpetrators.
This assessment does not diminish or disqualify the clear, malicious intent directed at the EOTC as an institution. Rather, it serves to highlight a complex, systemic "double targeting" mechanism. Victims in this region face heightened vulnerability as they sit at the precise intersection of a targeted ethnic minority (Amhara) and a targeted religious minority (Orthodox Christian).
End
Report: Organized Attacks Against Orthodox Christians and Ethnic Amharas in East Arsi
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1v37z2I1g6kNeiQQAAVJAXO8vDpVz2EU4/view?usp=drive_link
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