Statement of the United Activist and Members of the OLF ( UAM-OLF)

 May 30, 2014

Killing, torturing, mass arrest, and terrorizing the Oromo People will not stop the quest for Self determination, democracy and constitutional rights of the Oromo people.

The TPLF led- government of Ethiopia that came to power by sheer force of gun twenty three years ago has continued to rule the country by keeping its citizens under constant fear and intimidation. Thousands of innocent citizens have been executed in the dark corners of hidden and known TPLF’s prison cells just for demanding to exercise their birth right and democratic rights granted by the constitution of the country. Tens of thousands are languishing in secret and known detention centers without any legal counsel to defend themselves. Most of these detainees have never been appeared in court for years. Independent journalists and bloggers have been detained, tortured and others exiled.

The enduring repression of democratic rights of individuals has grown into a larger scope to include the violation of constitutional rights of nations for self determination. Under the pretext of federal administration, the TPLF led-government of Ethiopia has redrawn the regional maps of its multinational states without any consultation from the local population just for the sole purpose of foaming animosity among different nationalities to extend its grip on power. The current turmoil that is going on in Oromia, the largest regional state administration in Ethiopia, that has started a month ago has claimed 105 innocent lives, wounded 575, caused mass imprisonment, scourge and torture of more than 50,000 Oromo students and others who showed up for peaceful demonstration to protest the illegal and unconstitutional annexation of Oromo territory to the city of Addis Ababa, the act that displaces millions of Oromo farmers who lead their livelihood on that land. The elderly, mothers and children of age eight to fourteen were among the massacred. Tens of thousands are driven to jails to face brutal torture ; tens of thousands are surrounded in their schools and university campuses cutting them of the larger population and their families, out of which a considerable number is taken daily to torture camps and disappear that causes the rest to live under what themselves called black terror.

The legitimate demand of Oromo students to resolve the crisis in a peaceful manner is met with the barbaric armed violence by a government that portrays itself as a democratic to the world community. But the obvious truth is that this dictatorial and fascistic regime stick to power with the full-fledged political, diplomatic economic and military backing of the western super powers for the last twenty three years. Therefore, unless due attention is paid to the current situation in Oromia regional state, by these powers all indications are that the crisis is growing into a larger scale genocide that targets the entire Oromo population. The horrific genocide we witnessed in Rwanda and former Yugoslavia in the last two decades is well in the making in Ethioipia in Oromia region in particular.

Taking this opportunity, we would like to remind the TPLF led-“federal”government of Ethiopia that suppression of the will of the people by restoring to naked brutal force that has proven futile for the last quarter of a century never works today and will never work in the future too.

Therefore, we strongly appeal to the UN, USA, UK, EU, Canada and international community at large to urgently:

• Make timely interference to stop the heinous bloodshed before the crisis develop in to a larger scale genocide,
• Pay close attention to the situation unfolding in Oromia:
• Condemn the wide spread killings, torture, rape of school girls, mass detention, kidnapping, army occupation , confiscating the properties of the peaceful demonstrators, terrorization and denial of movement of civilians out door to resume their daily activities:
• Revise your policy towards this dictatorial and fascist regime and stop your support until basic human and democratic rights of the people is respected,
• Put pressure on the tyrannical regime of TPLF led- repressive government of Ethiopia and puppet regional henchmen of Oromia to:
• Respect the Oromo people’s constitutional and democratic right to administer its own affairs,
• Immediately release those students and other demonstrators suffering in known and unknown detention makeshift camps, and in known prison cells in and outside of Oromia region.
• Organize independent inquiry commission monitored by the UN representative to investigate the crime against humanity,
• Bring the perpetrators to justice,
• Stop the implementation of the controversial so called “integrated master plan”,
• Immediately stop killing, detaining, torturing, kidnapping and terrorizing our people and
• Stop aggression and pull out the notorious Agazi occupation force and the brutal federal police all together from Oromia.

Finally, we call upon all Oromo political organizations, Oromo community organizations, civic organizations, academic associations, religious institutions leaders,feminine organization leadesr and youth associations leaders emergency meeting to chart out common strategies to deal with the biggest crisis ever faces our nation in the era of civilized world.

Freedom is our birth right !!

Oromia will never be sold to the China’s food security grant for the sake of staying on power.

United Activist and Members of the OLF (GQM-ABO)

*contact email:  bilisa1234@gmail.com

Ambo story – shocking human right violations against Oromo people

June 3, 2014 (Tamiru Blog) — In a recent interview with a local media, Mr Abdulaziz Mohammed – the Vice President of Oromia Region stated that “No one is arrested and we don’t have any information about the arrest.” The Vice President’s single statement says two contrasting ideas at a time – denying the arrest allegations and ignorant about the arrest. In the first place it is a shame for the Vice President to deny the reality on the ground – where more than 49 people were killed and 800 people have been arrested, tortured and imprisoned.

These atrocities are in response to a series of demonstrations or protests by the Oromo people who demand the government to stop removing farmers from their ancestral homeland in the name of ‘development’. The demonstration at the initial stage was peaceful and in order before the government’s heavily armed security forces and the military started shooting and killing people.

The harsh environment for the media in Ethiopia has made it absolutely difficult to get information about the depth of human right violations in Ethiopia. I was furious with the government’s intent to belittle the recent killings and human right abuses in many parts of Oromia – Ambo, Bale Robe, Adama, Bushoftu, Nekemte, Guder, Haromaya, Bulle Hora, Dire Dawa and many small towns in Western Oromia. I decided to visit the communities that have gone through these abuses and met with different people in a very cautious and careful way.

I made my first visit to Ambo – where the arrests and torturing are still taking place. I talked with mothers who have lost their children, and young men who have been beaten and tortured, and people who have survived dreadful bullet hits and bodily injury. Ambo stories are dreadful and shocking!

“My name is E.B. I am 18 years of age. I dropped out of grade 5 – to help my poor parents to make some income and buy food. I live in Ambo town – where I do a labor job. I joined Ambo University Student’s protest about the government’s decision to take away farmers land around Addis Ababa. The first day was peaceful. But on the third day of the protest – the morning of 30th April 2014 the government security men started shooting demonstrators. It was unbelievable and shocking to see the soldiers shooting at unarmed people. We started dispersing to save our lives. Everyone was running except some of the young men who were trying to turn and shout at the shooters. I was running when a young man before me fell into the ground. I stopped to help him. I kneeled down beside him and lifted him up from his head – his eyes were blinking too fast. He was bleeding from his head. He was hit by a bullet in the back of his head. While I was trying to help him, I felt a sharp sting in my back. I felt watered-down my lower chest. I left the dead young man there and I tried to run a few meters. I looked my bottom chest and saw that air was getting out through the bullet wound. The bullet hit me in the back and went through my lower chest. I was staggering and fell into the ground. I didn’t recognized what happened since then – before I regained my consciousness two days later in a local hospital. The room where I was lying was full of people who were wounded by bullets.”

E.B. was hit by three bullets in his back. His friends lifted him from where he fell and took him to hospital. One of the bullets went through his lower chest and two more remained in his belly. He had to go through operation – where the two bullets were removed with his infected pancreas. His parents covered the cost of his medication from their meager income – his father as a clinic security guard and his mother as a cook.

“The doctor told me that I shouldn’t do any labor job and be careful with my injury. He told me that as my pancreas has been removed, there is less likely to recover from any future wounds even if I am not even sure whether I am going to fully recover and survive the present injury. Oooops it is painful – can’t sleep comfortably. I am worried about my future as I still continue to depend on my parents since this young age or…?” Tear gushing down from his eyes…this shouldn’t have happened to me. We were protesting peacefully… we don’t deserve bullets in return!”

OMN: Oduu amma nu gahe

Dhalootni Qubee bu’aa QBO ti malee kan polotikaan gosaa dhalchee miti

Abdii Boruutiin | Waxabajjii 2, 2014

Yeroo hunda, dhimmi uummata Oromoo ykn waayeen qabsoo bilisummaa isaa yoo ka’u, Habashootni, waan kana busheessuuf jedhanii siyaasaa ykn polotikaa gosaa wajjin walqabsiisanii fedhii isaanii guuttachuuf carraaqqii akka godhan hubatama. Dhiyoo kana waayee Maastar Plaanii Finfinnee (MPF) ilaalchisee marii VOA sagantaa Afaan Amaaraa irratti godhame tokko akka tasaa dhaggeeffadheen ture. Habashootni, maqaa Oromootti yookaanis namoota Oromoo jedhamanitti fayyadamuudhaan kaayyoo dhokataa isaanii hojiirra oolchuuf shira dalagaa akka turani fi ammas itti jiran waan haaraa miti. Dhaggeeffattoota raadiyoonii isaanii afaanfaajjessuuf; dhimma kanas marii dhugaa fakkeessanii garuu isa kana keessatti dhaamsa qaban tokko dabarfachuuf jedhanii tooftaalee adda addaatti fayyadamu. Tooftaalee kana keessaa inni tokko, namoota Oromoo jedhaman garuu dhimma uummata Oromoo dhiisanii kan fedhii Habashootaa guutuuf carraaqan barbaadanii mariitti dhiyeessuu dha.

Dhimma MPF ilaalchisee, marii VOA irratti godhame sanarratti namoota Oromoo saditu dhiyaatan. Isaanis Dr. Bulcha Ta’a, Dr. Demissie Oluma fi Dr. Gizachew Tesso kan jedhaman turan. Akkan sabaa-himaalee adda addaarratti dhaggeeffadhetti, Dr Gizaachoon beekumsa fi ogummaa isaaniitti fayyadamuudhaan waayee dhimma MPF sirriitti ibsanii jiru. Jarreen lamaan hafan garuu, waanuma dhiyaataniif sanaayyuu yookaan hin hubanne ta’a yookaanis ammoo sababa kanaan dhiyaatanii dhaamsa biraa dabarfachuuf waan qophaa’an fakkaatu malee ibsi isaan lamaanuu kennan, akka hubannoo kiyyaatti, quubsaa ykn gahaa hin turre. Sirumaa, dhimma yaamamaniif dhiisanii waan biraa haasawuu keessa galanii turan. Ijoollee teenya, ijoollee Dhaloota Qubee, kan qabsoo kana keessatti dhalatanii guddatani fi dhimma saba isaanii hubatanii; mirga uummata isaaniitiif falmii gochaa, kuun ajjeefamaa, kuun dararamaa, kuun ammoo kan lakkoofsi isaani hin beekamne mana hidhaatti guuramaa otuu jiranuu; waayee kanarratti marii akka godhan kan affeeraman keessaa namootni lamaan qabsoo kana keessatti dhalachuu ijoollee teenyaatuu waan balaaleffatan fakkaatu. Kan nama dinqu, ijoolleen kun bu’aa polotikaa gosaa ti jechuudhaan dubbii gabaabsuu yaalanii turan.

Warra jara kana mariif affeeranis yoo ilaalle, akkuma yeroo adda addaa hubatamaa turetti, keessumaayuu gaazexeessituun Tizita Belachew jedhamtu, dhimmoota gara garaatti fayyadamuudhaan kaayyoo dhoksaa hojiirra oolchuuf tattaaffii godhaa akka turte waan beekamuu dha. Oromoota keessaa dhimma MPF sirriitti ibsuuf beekumsa, dandeettii fi ogummaa warri qaban otuu jiranuu; isaan kana dhiisanii warra fedhii Habashootaa calaqqisan barbaadanii mariitti dhiyeessuun, jarri kun kaayyoo maal akka qaban hubachuun waan nama rakkisu natti hin fakkaatu. Asirratti wanti hubatamuu qabu garuu, hammuma fedhan shira xaxuudhaan; warra fuudha fi heerumsaan yookaanis ammaao amantiidhaan Habashoota wajjin walitti-hidhannoo qaban; akkasumas warra ayidoolojiidhaan mataan isaanii naannaye barbaadanii akka meeshaatti itti fayyadamanii qabsoo keenyarratti duula godhuun, qabsoo kana dhaabuu ykn duubatti deebisuu akka hin dandeenye dha. Fuudha fi heerumsaan walittimakamuun Oromootaa fi Habashootaa akkasumas waliin hordofuun amantii Ortodooksii mirga hiree ofii murteeffachuu uummata keenyaa dhaabuu gonkumaa hin danda’u. Dhugaan kun firaafis ta’ee diina QBOtiif ifa ta’uu qaba.

Asirratti, olola oofuuf otuu hin taane, waan hubadhe tokkon ibsuu barbaada. Yeroo sochiin barattoota keenyaa biyya keessatti qabsiisamee akka ibiddaa boba’aa jirutti; yeroo sababa kanaan ijoolleen teenya irbaata rasaasaa ta’anitti; yeroo uummatni Oromoo biyya ambaa jiranillee yoomiyyuu caalaa tokkummaadhaan walbira dhaabbatanii sochii ijoollee teenyaa deeggaraa jiranitti; yeroo bakka-bu’ootni hordoftoota amantii hundaa walbira dhaabbatanii sagalee tokko dhageessisaa jiranitti, kan nama dinqu bakka-bu’ootni hordoftoota amantii Ortodooksii mul’achuu dhiisuu isaanii ti. Kun maal agarsiisa? Dhugaan lafarra jiru, amantiin Ortodooksii kun akka amnatii tokkootti qulqulluu ta’ee miidhaa ilma namaarra gahaa jiru balaaleffachuun silaa karaa Waaqayyo jaalatu ta’ullee; garuu har’as akkuma dur, amantiin kun kan Habshootni fedhii isaanii guuttachuuf akka meeshaatti itti fayyadaman ta’ee mul’ata. Kanaaf, Oromootni tokko tokko kan amantii kana hordofan, eenyummaa ofiitiif (Oromummaadhaaf) quuqamuu dhiisanii eenyummaa amantiitiif (religious identity) dursa kennuudhaan Habashootaaf meeshaa ta’anii argamu. Jiraachuu Oromiyaarra tokkummaa Itoophiyaatiif falmatu jechuu dha.

Ani walumaagalatti wantin jechuu barbaadu, Oromoo ta’anii dhalachuun qofaa gahaa hin ta’u. Yookaanis ammoo maqaa Oromoo qabaataniif Oromoodhaaf ykn dhimma saba keenyaatiif quuqamu jechuun nama rakkisa. Warri marii kanaa olitti tuqame sana keessatti affeeramanii dhiyaatanis,tokkoffaa, Oromoo qulqulluu ta’uun isaaniituu shakkisiisaa ta’uu mala. Lammaffaa, jarri kun akkuman armaan olitti ibsuu yaale, warra fuudhaa fi heerumsaan Habashoota wajjin maatii horatan ta’uus danda’u yookaanis warra karaa amantii Habshootaatiin (Ortodooksiitiin) eenyummaa kanaaf dursa kennanii fi dhimmi saba isaanii kan isaan hin quuqne ta’uullee malu. Sadaffaa, warra karaa ilaalcha siyaasaatiin ayidoolojiin tokkummaa impaayarittii sammuu isaanii guutee; sababa kanaan mirga hiree murteeffannaa sabootaatti hin amanne ta’uus danda’u. Kan ta’es ta’u, Habashoonni, keessumaayuu qopheessitootni VOA sagantaa Amaaraa, eenyummaa fi waayee jara lamaan sanaa sirriitti waan beekaniif; ejjannoon isaaniis maal akka ta’e waan hubataniif, isaan kana barbaadanii mariitti dhiyeessan. Shira dalaguuf yoo ta’e malee, beektotni fi kan ogummaa qaban hawaasa Oromoo keessaa dhabamaniitii miti jechuu kooti.

Dhumarratti, Habashoonni keessumaayyuu warri sirna durii dulloomaa sana deebisuuf carraaqan Nafxanyootni moofaan, waayee sirna Federaalisimii karaa danda’amu hundaan waan busheessuu yaalaniif, gaafiin mirga sabootaa, keessumaayyuu kan saba Oromoo yoo ka’u, kan dursanii lallaban waayee polotikaa gosaa, akka Afaan isaaniitiin jedhamu “Ya gosaa polotikaa” ti. Kanaaf, ijoollee keenya kan mirga uummata keenyaatiif wareegamaa jiran, isaaniif mararsiifachuun hafee siriidhaa isaan komachuudhaan, ijoolleen kun kan bara 1991 as dhalatan ykn Qubeedhaan baratan, bu’oota polotikaa gosaa ti jedhanii dhimma hin gaafatamneef deebii kennuu yaalu. Jarreen Oromoota jedhaman kunis ta’ee keessummeessitootni isaanii, otuu akka hawwii fi ilaalcha isaanii ta’ee, dhalootni Qubee kan har’a diina hamma funyaaniitti hidhate, faashistii Wayyaanee, dura dhaabbatanii mirga saba isaaniitiif falmatan kun, eenyummaa ofii dagatanii tokkummaa Itoophiyaa fi olaantummaa saba Amaaraaf kan dubbatan ta’ee, bu’oota polotikaa gosaa otuu hin taane, dhaloota biyya boonsisanii dha jedhanii ol ka’anii dubbatu turan. Haa ta’u malee, dhugaan hubatamuu qabu, Dhalootni Qubee, bu’aa qabsoo keenyaa ti malee, bu’aa polotikaa gosaa akka hin taane dha.

Galatoomaa!

Abdii Boruu: aboruu@gmail.com

Haala yeroo ammaa irratti hubannoo waldaa Hawaasa Oromoo magaalaa Wellington (New Zealand) fi waamicha Oromummaa

Waldaa Hawaasa Oromoo Wellington, New Zealand | Caamsaa 29, 2014

Nuti Oromoonni biyya New Zealand magaalaa Wellington jiraannu biyyaa fi mirga umamaa sarbamuu ummata keenyaa irraa kan ka’e dararaan motummaa abbaa irree Ethiopia ummata keenya irraan gahaa jiru hedduu nu dhukkubsa. Keessattu dhiheenya kana maqaa ‘Integrated Addis Ababa master plan’ jedhun Lafaa fi Magaaloti Godinaa addaa Oromiyaa jala jiran magaalaa ‘Addis Ababa’ ykn Finfinnee jala galchuuf motummaan abbaa irree kun karoora karoorfate mormuun hiriira nagaa barattoonni guutuu Oromiyaa keessaatti bahaniin ajjechaan, reebichi fi hidhaan barattootaa fi ummata Keenya irratti raawwatee fi raawwachaa jiru hedduu nu laaleessa. Haa ta’uti Barattoonni fi Ummaatni Keenya kabajamuu mirga abbaa biyyummaa keenyaaf jeettanii gotummaan motummaa abbaa irree dura dhaabbachuun keessan hedduu nu boonse.

Akkasumas maqaa ‘Integrated Addis Ababa master plan’ jedhamu kanaan Oromiyaa iddoo lamattti muruuf karoorri motummaa abbaa irree kanaan hujii irra oolfamuuf deemu hedduu nu yaaddeesse. Sababaan isaas jireenya biyya Oromoo Oromiyaa fi Oromummaa dhabamsiisuuf waan fuulleeffateefi. Walumaagalatti maqaa ‘Integrated Addis Ababa master plan’ jedhamu kanaan wareega qaaliidhaan adeemsa Bilisummaa fi Walabummaaf godhamaa Jiru keessatti mirgoota haga ammaa arganne haquuf kan aggaamame ta’un isaa hedduu nu yaaddeessa.

Sagantaa motummaa abbaa irree kana irratti mormii qaban hiriira nagaa bahun sagalee isaanii waan dhageessisaniif qofa ajjeechaa, reebinsaa fi hidhaa barattotaa fi ummata keenya irratti raawwatme nutis biyya jirrutti hiriira nagaa bahuun sagalee mormii dhageessifanneerra. Lubbuu Lammii keenyaa harka motummaa Abbaa irreetti dabree fi Lammii keenya motummaa kanaan dararaan irra gahaa jiru walitti qabamuun gaddaan yaadanneerra. Miidhaa Oromiyaa keessatti Lammii Keenya irra gahaa jiruu haga tokko yeroofis ta’u hadhaadhiyyuuf haga humna keenyaa maallaqa walitti qabaa jirra. Haa ta’uti biyya dhablummaa, bara braan ajjeechaa fi dararaa motummaa abbaa irree kanaan nurra gahu furmaata maayyii itti gochuuf maaltu mala isa jedhu yeroo lama walitti deebine mari’anne. Marii keenya kana booda murtiilee irra geenyee fi waamicha Lammii keenyaaf qabnu akka itti’aanutti dhiheessina;

A) Ummatni keenya Bilisummaa isaa gonfatee Oromiyaa Walaboomte keessa jiraachuuf qabsoo karaa Nagaa, qabsoo hidhannoo, fi qabsoo biyyoota alaatti godhamu waliin qindeessun gaggeessun murteessaa ta’uu hubanne. Keessattuu Oromiyaa keessatti qabsoon hidhannoo gaggeeffamu qindomina haaraan jabaatee utubamuun hedduu murteessaa ta’uu Isaa hubanne. Haluma kanaan qabsoo kallattii sadeenin karaa Nagaa, Hidhannoo fi biyyoota alaatti gaggeeffamu irraa qooda fudhachuuf murteeffanne,

B) Qabsoo kallattii sadeen olitti tuqneen gaggeessuuf dinagdeen qooda guddaa akka qabu hubanne. Haaluma kanaan buusii dhaabbataa gaaddisa Jaarmayaa Hawaasaa qabnu jalatti bufachuuf murteeffanne,

C) Nuti Oromoonni Oromiyaa ala jirru Beekkumsa, Sagalee fi Dinagdee qabnu waaltaa tokkko jalatti yoo qindeeffanne irra bu’a qabeessa ta’u isaa hubanne. Haaluma kanaan sadarkaa duraatti Oromoon biyya dhablummaa fi gidiraan Oromiyaa keessatti Lammii Keenya irra gahaa jiru kan isinitti dhagahamu hundi naannoo jirtanitti akka ijaaramtan kabjaa Oromummaatin waamicha isiniif dhiheessina. Itti aansunis Jaarmotin Hawaasaa Oromiyaa ala jiran hundi agobara tokko jalatti walitti dhufnee akka ijaaramnu waamicha Oromummaa insiniif dhiheessina. Isa kana milkeessuf carraaqqin Oromoo hundaa murteessaa ta’uyyu keessattu akkuma falmaa Oromiyaa keessatti gaggeeffamaa jiru adda durummaan abdii Keenya kan ta’an Qeerron gaggeessaa jiran Qeerron Oromiyaa ala jirtanis adda durummaan gaggeessun dirqama seenaan isin irra kaahe ta’uu hubattani dirqama kana akka baatan kabajaa Oromummaatin waamicha isiniif goona,

D) Dhaabbileen Oromoo maqaa Oromootin dhaabbattani jirttan hundi garaagarummaa isin giddu jiru dhiphisuudhaan rakkoo yeroo ammaa  Uummanni Oromoo keessa jiru fi fuldureen Oromummaa fi Oromiyaa balaa jala jiraachuu Hubattanii Oromummaa fi Oromiyaa Walaba taate ijaaruu irratti akka waliin dhaabbattan kabajaa Oromummaatiin isin gaafanna,

E) Waggaa tokko dura ABO- Shanee Gumii fi ABO – Qaama Cehumsaa adda fotoqquu isaanitiif sababaalee ta’an furmaata itti gochun walitti deebi’anii ABO tokkicha waliin ijaaruuf waliigalle jedhanii labsuun ni yaadatama. Labsiin kun qabsoo laaffate deebisee jabeessa abdii jedhuun Oromoota gammadan keessaa nutis tokko. Haa ta’uti waliigalteen kun yeroo gabaabaa keessatti xumurama jedhamee hogganoota gara lameeninu irra deddeebi’ame ibsamus haga ammaa xumura otoo hinargatiin jira. Haalli  kun dararaa ummata keenya irra gahaa jiruu fi tattaaffii diinni Oromummaa fi Oromiyaa dhabamsiisuf godhaa jiru waliin yeroo madaallu hedduu nu gaddisiisas nu yaaddessas. Kanuma irraa ka’un hogganni gara lameenuu akkuma ibsa keessan duraa keessatti waadaa sentanitti hatattamaan mooraa ABO iddoo tokkotti akka deebiftan kabajaa Oromummaatin isin gaafanna. Akkasumas hoggana bara dheeraaf qabsoo kana keessatti qooda fudhachaa turtaniif jaalalli fi kabajaan isiniif qabnu ol’aanaa ta’us qabsoo Bilisummaa fi Walabummaaf goonu qindomina haarawaan gaggeessun keessattu qabsoo hidhannoo jabeessun hedduu murteessaa akka ta’e isinis akka hubattan ni amanna. Kanaaf akkuma gaafa dargaggummaa keessanii qabsoon isin kaadhimmatte har’as qabsoon hidhannoo hoggana Dargaggummaa qabu humna haarawaan utubamuu feesisa. Isinis  kana hubattanii ba’aa hogganummaa yeroo dheeraaf ofirratti baadhattan Dargaggotti akka dabarsitan kabajaa Oromummaatin isin gaaffanna. Nuti karaa keenyaan qabsoo karaa hidhannootin godhamu daran jabeessuu irratti tattaaffii godhamuuf qooda nurraa eeggamu gumaachuuf qophii ta’uu keenya ibsaa Lammiin keenya marti milkaayina kanaaf akka waliin dhaabbannu kabajaa Oromummaatiin waamicha isiniif gonna,

F) Oromoonni bulchiinsa Oromiyaa keessatti sadarkaa adda addaattti tajaajila kennaa jirtan, miseensoonni fi hogganoonni OPDO, miseensonni Humna Polisa Oromiyaa fi miseensonni waraana  biyyaa  kanneen murannoodhaan dorsisa, hujii irraa ari’amun, hidhamuuni fi ajjeechaan gara jabiinaa Halagaa biyya keenya qabatee jirun nurra gahuu mala jettanii otoo hinsodaanne of kenniinsaan  karaa adda addaatiin Sabaa fi Biyya keessaniif dhaabbattan kabajaa Oromummaa isiniif qabna. Akkasumas warri isinitti fakkaatee yokan dantaa yerootiif jettanii diina Ummata keessanitti rorrisaa, qabeenya biyya keessanii saamaa, Oromummaa fi Oromiyaa balleessuf hojjataa Jiru wajjin dhaabbattan haa turuu haa dafuu Halagaan har’a waliin dhaabbattan qabsoo Sabni keessan tokkummaan godhuun akka buqqa’u hubattanii yeroon isin Ummata keessan wajjiin dhaabbattani mirga abbaa biyyummaa Oromoo deebisuuf falmattan amma Jenna. Asirratti makmaaksa Oromoo kan Qotiyyoolee sadeen Adii, Diimaa fi Gurraachaa isin yaadachiisuu feena. Bineensi Qotiyyoo Adii dura nyaate Diimaa ittiaansee Gurraachas hinhambisne. Humna Qotiyyoolee sanii bittinneesse dabareen nyaachuuf tokkoo isaaniitti waan firoome haa fakkaatu malee Bineensaaf sadeenuu Foonuma nyaatamu qabani. Alagaan har’a biyya Keenya harkaa qabus Oromoo hunda ija tokkoon akka ilaalu hubadhaa. Dabareedhaan nu nyachuuf yoo ta’e Male Oromoo kamiifu mararfannoo akka hinqabne hubadhaa. Kanaafuu kabajaa umamaan qabnu gonfanne biyya keenya irratti nagaa fi qananiin jiraachuuf nutis akka Oromootti waliin dhaabbannee akka falmannu kabjaa Oromummaatin waamicha keenya isiniif dhiheessina.

Tokkummaan qabsoofnee mirga sarbamne ni deeffanna !!!

Waldaa Hawaasa Oromoo
Wellington, New Zealand

Submission from the HRLHA 26th Regular Session of the Human Rights Council (10 – 27 June 2014)

May 27, 2014

Submission from the HRLHA 26th Regular Session of the Human Rights Council (10 – 27 June 2014)

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Item 3:Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development

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(Country- Ethiopia)

HRLHA is a non-political organization which attempts to challenge human rights abuses suffered by the peoples of various nations and nationalities in the Horn of Africa. HRLHA is aimed at defending fundamental human rights including freedoms of thought, expression, movement and organization. It is also aimed at raising the awareness of individuals about their own basic human rights and that of others. It focuses on the observances as well as the due processes of law. It promotes the growth and development of free and vigorous civil societies.

Executive Summary

This report covers mainly the gross human right violations in Ethiopia that have happened in the past twenty- three years in general, and the current human rights crisis in the Regional State of Oromia in Ethiopia in particular.

The EPRDF/TPLF Government has committed gross human rights violations against the people of Ethiopia since it came to power in 1991 after toppling the dictatorial Dergue regime,   contrary to the constitution of Ethiopia (1995) and international human rights treaties it has signed and rectified. It has continued to suppress the freedom expression, political and civil rights and, as a result, has sent dozen of journalists, bloggers, and hundreds of leaders and members of opposition political parties to jail. In violations of the right to protest and demonstrations, peaceful demonstrators have been shot at and killed, kidnapped and disappeared; hundreds have been arrested in mass and detained. A good case in point is the most recent very violent attack against unarmed and peaceful protestors of Oromo students of universities, colleges, and high schools in the regional state of Oromia.

Methodology

The information in this report is mainly based on HRLHA’s reports on human rights violations in Ethiopia as well as reports from other sources such as various international human rights organizations and civil society groups, and the US State Department annual country report of 2013.

Violations of Fundamental Rights

The current EPRDF government claims that the basic and fundamental rights of the citizens are respected in Ethiopia, and that the country is heading towards democracy. However, on the contrary, the basic  and fundamental rights  of citizens   enshrined in  the Ethiopian Constitution of 1995, under Chapter three  (fundamental rights and freedoms,  articles 13-28 and democratic rights ,articles 29-44)^[1]  which  guarantees civil liberty  and  life in peace and harmony has been extremely violated.  In the above articles are included individuals and common rights, such as equality before the law, freedom of speech and expression, freedom of association and peaceful assembly, freedom to practice religion. All are highlighted on paper only for the political consumption. In other words they are used as a cover-up for the gross violations of human rights..

Democratic Rights

After the first global expression of rights, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, to which all human beings are inherently entitled, has been adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948. The international, regional  and national  documents were created to enforce  the promotion of the rights enshrined in the declaration.  Peaceful assembly (Article 20(1)) in the UDHR, while often characterized by marches, rallies and mass demonstration, which obviously involves the presence of a number of individuals in the public places, has been echoed in international law, regional standards, and national constitutions throughout the world.

It becomes customary that in different parts of the world people are expressing their grievances/ dissatisfactions and complaints against their governments by peaceful demonstrations and assemblies.  When such nonviolent and peaceful civil rallies are taking, place it should always be the state’s responsibility to respect and guard their citizens’ freedom of peaceful assembly and demonstration. These responsibilities also should apply even during times of political protest, when a state’s power is questioned, challenged, or perhaps undermined by assemblies of citizens practicing in nonviolent resistance.

The 1995 Constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, articles 29 and 30 also grant these democratic rights to the Ethiopian citizens without distinction[2].  The Right of Thought, Opinion and Expression, The Right of Assembly, Demonstration and Petition are the rights of Ethiopian citizens through which they can express their opinions and dissatisfactions with the performances and activities of their government

However, in the past two decades the current Ethiopian government proved that peaceful assemblies and demonstrations, expression of thoughts are not tolerated. Since the current government came to power in 1991, thousands of citizens who held political agenda different from the ruling party’s were systematically jailed, abducted or killed. Those who criticized the government of Ethiopia including journalists, bloggers, universities and high school students and teachers who took to streets to demand their rights peacefully were beaten, arrested and detained or killed. The Human Rights League of the Horn of Africa has been reporting in different ways on the systematic human rights violations by the Ethiopian government and its security agents against peaceful demonstrators. These include the recent case of Oromo students from different universities and colleges. The Oromo students were discriminately targeted particularly in the past six years[3].  The current political crises in Oromia regional state of Ethiopia is the continuation of the above facts.  Peaceful protests against the so called the Master plan of  Addis Ababa, which is likely to cause the estimated eviction of around 6 million Oromo  peasants around the area and planed to be sold to the wealthy non-Oromos, should not be considered as  a criminal activity. Instead it should be tolerated and be considered as one of the ways that the citizens can express their thoughts and concerns on the development plan of the government in which they were not consulted and did not give their consent.

The Addis Ababa Expansion-related protests quickly spread around universities, colleges and high schools all over Oromia. And in response, contrary to the provisions in the constitution of the land and international basic and fundamental rights of the citizens, the Ethiopian government launched a brutal crackdown against peacefully demonstrating Oromo students in order to freeze the peaceful demand of the protestors. As a result of this brutal crackdown by special squads, more than 36 students were killed, hundreds wounded and thousands of others arrested and thrown into detentions. The protest against the expansion of Addis Ababa was not limited to students only, but also involved city dwellers, farmers and workers in Oromia. The most affected area was the Ambo Town and its surroundings where 16 University and high school students were killed, including the eight (8) year old boy.

The Ethiopian Government’s atrocities that targeted  the Oromo nation during the nationwide protest from April 24 to May 24, 2014 have been condemned by worldwide human rights organizations, public media, and other civic organizations..

The Human Rights Watch[4], Amnesty International[5], Oromia Suport Group[6], Human Rights League of the Horn of Africa[7], The guardian[8], BBC[9] , CNN[10] and  The Create Trust[11]   are among the organizations which  condemn and reported  the crime against humanity taken against the Oromo nation by Ethiopian armed force.

The Ethiopian Government has repeatedly implemented various excessive forces to dissolve peaceful protests in violations of international treaties it has signed and ratified. The responses to legal, constitutional and peaceful protests should not include actions that violate human rights, such as arbitrary arrests and detentions, even guns or other violence.  HRLH believes many atrocities, that were not reported on due to the tight controls, restrictions, and censorships on all local and international media, are taking place. The Ethiopian Government does not have any justification for the illegality of the protests for taking such brutal action against peaceful and unarmed students and other protestors.   An illegal protest may happen if the protest becomes violent or is in violation of the state’s laws of public order and civility.

Even if some peaceful protests include deliberate acts of civil disobedience, in which case it is permissible for states to make individual arrests of law offenders. However, as recognized by an HRC panel discussion on the matter (A/HRC 19/40)[12], the increasing use of criminal law against protest participants may ultimately contradict the states’ responsibility to uphold the right to peaceful assembly.  In this situation the Ethiopian Government clearly violated the right to legal peaceful protest.

Recommendation:

1. The Ethiopian Government first of all must respect and implement the rights of citizens enshrined in the constitution of the country (1995) and enforce the Ethiopian penal code of 2004
2. Ethiopia must avoid an excessive force in response to Oromo protests
3. The Ethiopian Government must abide by all international human rights instruments to which the country is a signatory
4. The Ethiopian Government must allow a fully independent, civilian-led investigation into the death of Oromo students and civilians including gross human rights violation in Oromia.

HRLHA

•  Address:-  994 Pharmacy Avenue,   M1R 2G7  Scarborough  Ontario, Canada
• Tel:-  (416) 492 2506 or (647) 280 7062,  E-Mail:-  hrldirector@mail.org
• Web site;-  www.humanrightsleague.com

^[1] Constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia 1995,http://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/text.jsp?file_id=193667
[2]  Constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia 1995,http://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/text.jsp?file_id=193667
[3] http://humanrightsleague.com/2014/03/14033/,  http://humanrightsleague.com/2013/03/ethiopia-academic-institutions-are-meant-to-teach-not-to-serve-as-political-tools/,   http://humanrightsleague.com/2013/01/ethiopia-beatings-arrests-and-detentions-at-addis-ababa-university/

http://humanrightsleague.com/2012/02/widespread-violence-against-students-in-ethiopia/,http://humanrightsleague.com/2012/01/continued-violence-in-academic-institutions/

http://humanrightsleague.com/2011/08/kidnappings-and-disappearances-of-university-students/

http://humanrightsleague.com/2011/05/ethiopia-a-generation-targeted-the-futures-of-a-nation-at-risk/#respond

http://humanrightsleague.com/2011/04/ethiopia-human-rights-league-of-the-horn-of-africahrlha-urgent-action-and-appeal-2/

[4] Ethiopia: Brutal Crackdown on Protests, http://www.hrw.org/news/2014/05/05/ethiopia-brutal-crackdown-protests

[5] ETHIOPIA: AUTHORITIES MUST PROVIDE JUSTICE FOR SCORES OF PROTESTERS KILLED, INJURED AND ARRESTED IN OROMIA, http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/AFR25/002/2014/en

[6] Press Release from the Oromia Support Group (OSG) on the Oromo demonstrators arrested, beaten and shot dead by the Ethiopian Agazi Security Forces, 7 May 2014,http://ayyaantuu.com/human-rights/press-release-from-the-oromia-support-group-osg-on-the-oromo-demonstrators-arrested-beaten-and-shot-dead-by-the-ethiopian-agazi-security-forces/

[7] Ethiopia: Ambo under Siege, Daily Activities Paralyzed HRLHA Urgent Action, 13 May, 2014
http://humanrightsleague.com/2014/05/ethiopia-ambo-under-siege-daily-activities-paralyzed-hrlha-urgent-action/
-ETHIOPIA: Region-Wide, Heavy-Handed Crackdown on Peaceful Protesters HRLHA Urgent Action, May 01, 2014
http://humanrightsleague.com/2014/05/ethiopia-region-wide-heavy-handed-crackdown-on-peaceful-protesters-hrlha-urgent-action/
-Ethiopia: Worrisome Situations in Detention Centres HRLHA – Urgent Action, May 24, 2014
http://humanrightsleague.com/2014/05/ethiopia-worrisome-situations-in-detention-centres-hrlha-urgent-action/
[8] Ethiopia crackdown on student protests taints higher education success,http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/poverty-matters/2014/may/22/ethiopia-crackdown-student-protest-education
[9]Ethiopia protest: Ambo students killed in Oromia state, http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-27251331
[10] Ethiopian Security Forces Open Fire on Students, http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-1125264
[11] When Enough is Enough: Rise up People of Ethiopia, May 23, 2014
http://thecreatetrust.org/

[12] Summary of the Human Rights Council panel discussion on the promotion and protection of human rights in the context  of peaceful protests prepared by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

http://www.ohchr.org/Documents/HRBodies/HRCouncil/RegularSession/Session19/A-HRC-19-40_en.pdf

oromo demonstration in bergen against human rights violation in ethiopia...