2. Oktober 2016: Eine Tragödie bei einem Fest in Oromia

October 2, 2016: A Tragedy During a Festival in Oromia

On October 2, 2016, protests broke out during a festival in Oromia, Ethiopia. Dozens of people were killed. This event was part of the Oromo protests, a period of protest and resistance from 2014 to 2016. The first actions began on April 25, 2014. Many people opposed the Addis Ababa Master Plan. It would expand the capital into the Oromia special zone. Oromo farmers feared losing their land and being displaced. Protests began again on November 12, 2015, when university students and farmers acted in Ginchi, about 80 kilometers southwest of Addis Ababa. The plan was later dropped, but protests continued. People demanded social and political reform. They spoke about human rights abuses, mass arrests, land seizures, killings of civilians, and the marginalization of opposition groups. The October 2 event was especially notable because a public festival and a deadly protest happened at the same time. The Oromo protests focused on land, rights, and political participation.