Coffee Investors in Ethiopia’s Gambella Region Face Ongoing Attacks by Armed Groups in Majang Zone

Coffee Investors in Ethiopia’s Gambella Region Face Ongoing Attacks by Armed Groups in Majang Zone

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – In Ethiopia’s Gambella region, coffee investors in the Majang Zone’s Mengeshe woreda, Dubeti kebele, have reported that they are under attack by armed groups. Speaking to Borkena, the investors claim they have been targeted with attacks ranging from murder to robbery and physical assault over the past six months in an area known as Waji or Abiy. 

The investors stated that despite reporting the incidents to district and zonal leaders, the security challenges have not been addressed. They have rather been worsening, according to the sources.

Meron (name changed for safety reasons), a coffee investor in the area, told Borkena that she has owned a six-hectare coffee farm for ten years and employs dozens of people. Despite being a successful and active tax-paying business owner, she said her situation has turned “gloomy” due to persistent attacks by what she describes as “illegal armed groups.”

Meron alleges that for the last six months, these armed groups have been calling her private number and demanding large sums of money, often hundreds of thousands of birr. “We will either kill you or set your coffee harvest on fire unless you pay what we demand,” she recounted the frequent phone calls and text messages she received from the alleged armed group.

She recalled an incident about three months ago when the armed groups swarmed her land, burning a storehouse full of coffee, kicking employees, and looting valuable equipment. Meron says she reported these incidents, including the phone threats, to local government officials, but despite promises, no action has been taken. “The armed groups are freely moving in the areas,” she added.

Another investor, Shambel (name also changed for safety reasons), corroborated Meron’s claims, stating that armed groups have been operating in the area for the past few months, despite numerous reports to government officials. He said the groups kidnapped two of his employees and demanded a large ransom. He paid some of the money, but not the full demanded amount, to secure their safe release. According to Shambel, the released employees were heavily injured and required medical treatment.

Shambel also stated that the armed groups have consistently demanded a minimum of 300,000 birr from him, threatening to kill him if he didn’t pay. He says his reports to local officials have not yielded any practical action. He added that two employees on another investor’s land were recently killed by the armed groups.

Borkena  attempted  to verify this specific incident with the other investor but was unsuccessful due to phone connection issues.

According to Shambel, over 100 hectares of coffee ready for harvest, along with storehouses and other property, have been abandoned by investors. He says the investors have left everything behind, their employees are displaced, and the armed groups have taken over.

Meron, along with her six children, has left the area. “I have spent every penny I earned in that land, and my dreams, my kids’ future have shattered. I have nothing left but bad memories,” she lamented.

Shambel and his family have also left the area and relocated to central Ethiopia. He said hundreds of employees have lost their jobs, and many investors have been displaced, with their properties damaged. “It’s very painful to let your dreams and investment go like that. My entire life has been working on the coffee investment in this area, and it’s so sad to lose everything,” he said.

Borkena attempted to contact the Majang Zone Administration for comment but was unsuccessful. When Borkena spoke with the Gambella Regional Government Press Secretariat Office, they said they were unaware of the issue but would work with regional security officers to handle the matter.

Borkena

Date: 13-AUG-25

Source: Borkena