“The fact that this was done by a suspect (who shot the video) demonstrates a sense of impunity, that they can get away with it. And I believe it is important that the Ethiopian government keeps those responsible for these crimes accountable… for what seem to be extrajudicial killings.”
CNN spoke with ten people who said they had lost loved ones in Mahibere Dego or were acquainted with some of the young men who were taken away by soldiers and are believed to have been killed near the town.
Several residents compiled a list of those who went missing – as many as 39 men – in an effort to spread the word about what happened to them. The names of the men, as well as photographs of 18 of them, were given to CNN directly. CNN has confirmed some of the 18 men’s identities but has not identified whether they are the same men seen in grainy video footage from the cliff.
According to three separate reports, 39 men remain missing from Mahibere Dego. Soldiers can be seen rounding up hundreds of men in one video, while the bodies of at least 11 men are piled on a hillside in another. CNN has been unable to ascertain if the two men are the same.
According to Dawit and other locals, Ethiopian troops were fighting in another nearby town prior to arriving in Mahibere Dego. According to some locals, soldiers were exacting revenge by attacking young men, assuming they were members of the TPLF forces or affiliated local militias.
However, family members and locals believe that the town has never had a militia. Dawit said that neither his brother Alula nor his neighbors, eight of whom were also taken from their homes and are believed to have been killed, were fighters.
Dawit and other residents claimed that based on the landscape and vegetation, they recognized the location depicted in the video. “When I re-watched the video, I realized I recognized the spot, which is not far from our small town and village. Ela is the name of the location “‘He said.
According to Dawit and other locals, the Ethiopian army is still closely guarding Mahibere Dego, where they have built a temporary military base in the local high school. Relatives and locals have been unable to visit the site to locate a mass grave due to a blockade of the area.
Dawit and his siblings remain unable to return to Mahibere Dego nearly three months later. Dawit said that they wish to personally inform their mother about what happened to Alula and to hold a memorial, but it is too risky while the soldiers remain in town.
“Expressing my bitter sorrow is extremely difficult,” Dawit said, adding that his brother was well-loved.
“There are no adequate words to express how I feel about losing my brother in this manner.”
