More than 200 employees of Finchaa Sugar Factory in Oromia’s Horo Guduru Wollega Zone have been held for over a month without court appearances, facing accusations of unauthorized farming on factory land. Families and colleagues have voiced concerns over the detentions, calling for clarity and accountability.
According to relatives, the workers had been cultivating crops such as corn and sesame within the factory compound for years, supplementing their low wages with management’s tacit approval. A family member stated that the arrests have caused significant hardship for the workers’ dependents, who are struggling to cope in their absence.
Reports indicate that the detainees are being held at a former Defense Force facility in Sulula Finchaa town. Allegedly, the arrests were carried out under false pretenses, with workers summoned for a routine meeting before being detained.
Colleagues claim that approximately 5,000 quintals of crops cultivated by the workers were confiscated without explanation, raising questions about the handling of the produce. Some have also accused factory management of selectively targeting low-income workers while ignoring similar practices by higher-ranking staff.
According to Addis Standard Ethiopia news platform efforts by family members to seek accountability have been met with conflicting responses, with neither district nor factory administrators taking responsibility. Finchaa Sugar Factory, one of Ethiopia’s largest producers, has faced operational challenges in recent years, including halted production since mid-2023 due to equipment issues and economic pressures.