At least six civilians were killed, and more than 12 people were wounded in a clash over the location selected for erecting a statue in Goba, a town in the Bale Zone, as reported by Addis Standard. The statue is of Haji Adan Saddo, a historical figure respected by the local Oromo community.
The plan to erect the statue at a roundabout that already has twin Red Fox statues met with opposition from some residents. According to locals who spoke with Addis Standard, the location is where the followers of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church celebrate epiphany.
As detailed in the report, the controversy, followed by misinformation on social media, fueled ethnic and religious tension between community members in Goba and those from the surrounding kebeles. On Saturday, July 23, hundreds of youth who were flocking from outside the town in the previous days started to take down the Red Fox statues, leading to violence that claimed lives from both sides.
According to the mayor of Goba, Zainaba Taha, there was opposition to the statue from the very beginning, and there were also those who wanted the statue. She added that the administration made several attempts to bring the two groups to an agreement, but they didn’t succeed. For the full report click here.
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