By: Abigia Abel
In the heart of our growing city, Addis Ababa, families are losing everything—not to war or disaster, but to bulldozers backed by government plans. The Corridor Development Project (CDP), a large-scale urban initiative spreading across Ethiopia, promises modern infrastructure, improved housing, and economic opportunity. But for hundreds of residents—many of them my friends’ families—this project has meant homelessness, trauma, and silence.
As a 16-year-old student, I never imagined writing about evictions. I thought urban development meant better lives, not broken ones. But I’ve seen students disappear from school after their homes were demolished. I’ve listened to stories of parents who were given only a few days’ notice before losing everything they built over decades. These are not just statistics—they are lives, memories, and futures destroyed without fair warning or compensation.
The Amnesty International report released earlier this year revealed that over 870 people were evicted from Bole and Lemi Kura sub-cities in Addis Ababa in November 2024. Some were homeowners, others were renters. None received proper consultation or legal protection. Many had houses legally recognized under Ethiopia’s “Sened Alba” system—homes tied to land acknowledged by government institutions but lacking formal titles. That technicality was used as an excuse to deny them any form of compensation.
How is it just that families who lived peacefully for years are pushed out with no alternative shelter, no support, and no answers?
What’s even more troubling is the fear spreading across the city. Thousands of residents in areas marked for development now live with the daily anxiety of being the next target. Even speaking out has become dangerous—journalists are threatened, and human rights groups face increasing pressure.
This isn’t the Ethiopia I want to grow up in. Yes, cities must grow. But growth must not come at the expense of human dignity. There is a right way to develop—and it starts with inclusion, not demolition. Communities must be genuinely consulted, alternatives must be explored, and when relocation is truly necessary, people must be compensated fairly and treated with respect. Development is not just about buildings. It’s about people.
As a young Ethiopian, I believe we need to raise our voices louder. Youth must speak up—for our classmates, for our neighbors, for the parents who now sleep in rented corners of unfamiliar neighborhoods. We need justice, not just roads. We need homes, not headlines.
Our leaders make sure every eviction follows the law and international human rights standards if not pause. Listen to those affected. Rebuild not only infrastructure, but trust. My call to my fellow young people is that we are not too young to care. If our generation doesn’t stand for what’s right, who will?
The streets of our city may be changing, but our values shouldn’t. Justice, fairness, and compassion must always be the foundation of any true development.
#ዘመቻአንድነት ፡ መኪናውንም፣ ልጁንም ይዞ ወደ ጦር ግምባር የወረደው የጄ/ል አሳምነው ፅጌ ጓደኛ የነበረው አርበኛ ዋኘው! #MerejaTV pic.twitter.com/oUe7RsZAAH
— Mereja TV (@merejatv) April 17, 2025
yOU ARE THE MOUTH OF THE OPPONENT GROUPS WHO ARE ALWAYS DEFYING OUR TRUE IMAGE. tHE CAMELS WILL CONTINUE GOING WHILE THE DOGS ARE BARKING. pROSPERITY PARTY AND OUR GOVERNMENT WILL NOT STOP TRASNFORMING THE NATION. oNE DAY YOU ADN YOUR ALLIES WILL FACE THE JUDGMENT OF OUR PEOPLE. sO STOP BARKING IN TEH NAME OF A TEEN GIRL