"The unit has specific detail to trail their eyes on Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) and the
Oganden National Liberation Front (ONLF).
Oganden National Liberation Front (ONLF).
Last week, the Human Rights League of the Horn of Africa (HRLHA) wrote to President Uhuru
Kenyatta expressing its deep concern regarding the safety of four Oromo refugees from Ethiopia
who were arbitrarily arrested by Kenyan anti-terrorist squad from Isili area in Nairobi on different
dates of operations and taken to unknown destinations.
According documents in our possession, Mr. Tumsa Roba Katiso, (UNHCR attestation
File#: NETH033036/1) was arrested by people claiming to by a team of Kenyan police,
who arrived at the scene in two vehicles, on February 1, 2014 at around 10:00 AM from 2nd
Avenue Eastleigh Nairobi on his way home from shopping. The other three refugees,
Mr. Chala Abdalla, Mr. Namme Abdalla, and the third person whose name is not
known yet were picked up from their home which is located in the same vicinity."
who arrived at the scene in two vehicles, on February 1, 2014 at around 10:00 AM from 2nd
Avenue Eastleigh Nairobi on his way home from shopping. The other three refugees,
Mr. Chala Abdalla, Mr. Namme Abdalla, and the third person whose name is not
known yet were picked up from their home which is located in the same vicinity."
By Kasembeli Albert
Anxiety has gripped the Kenyan corridors of power and the National Police Service
Commission (NPSC) after it emerged that Ethiopian National Intelligence and
Security Service (NISS) has infiltrated the Kenya police service and established a
unit within, which pays allegiance to NISS and executes orders from Addis Ababa.
Commission (NPSC) after it emerged that Ethiopian National Intelligence and
Security Service (NISS) has infiltrated the Kenya police service and established a
unit within, which pays allegiance to NISS and executes orders from Addis Ababa.
Security pundits consider this an act of treason on the part of Kenya police
officers involved.Despite notification from the Kenya spy-master – National Security
Intelligence Services (NSIS), sources intimated to The Sunday Express that nothing
had been done to avert the lurking threat to the national security by such infiltration
by a foreign agency.“This guys are operating with impunity as though they are no
longer officers of the National police Service,” said a senior police officer at Vigilance
House.When contacted the Inspector General, David Kimaiyo denied knowledge
of such a unit operating under his arm bit. “Am not aware of that. In fact am hearing
it from you,” said Kimaiyo.Though officials at the Ethiopian Embassy in Nairobi
declined to comment on the matter only referring as to Addis Abba, our sources
within the embassy divulged that 50 polices officers are on the pay roll of the
officers involved.Despite notification from the Kenya spy-master – National Security
Intelligence Services (NSIS), sources intimated to The Sunday Express that nothing
had been done to avert the lurking threat to the national security by such infiltration
by a foreign agency.“This guys are operating with impunity as though they are no
longer officers of the National police Service,” said a senior police officer at Vigilance
House.When contacted the Inspector General, David Kimaiyo denied knowledge
of such a unit operating under his arm bit. “Am not aware of that. In fact am hearing
it from you,” said Kimaiyo.Though officials at the Ethiopian Embassy in Nairobi
declined to comment on the matter only referring as to Addis Abba, our sources
within the embassy divulged that 50 polices officers are on the pay roll of the
Ethiopia Government.
 |
| David Kimaiyo, Kenyan Inspector General of Police. |
The officers under the command of senior police officer based in Nairobi received a total
monthly payment of 900,000 Ethiopia Birr (KSh4.5 million) monthly minus the allowances
and money meant to facilitate specific operations. The officers are said to live a lavish life
and are accessible to top of the range cars.Even as Ethiopia appears to be using the old
spying system. Questions are emerging as to why the government has never taken stern
measures against officers involved including charging them with treason because it is clear
espionage.Security analyst Simiyu Werunga attributes this to poor pay and deplorable
working conditions, leaving the officers more vulnerable to corruption and bribery.
“The government should take a stern action against the suspects for having taken part in
criminal activities against their country even after taking an oath,” he said.It is worth noting
that NISS is a very powerful and dreaded organ of Ethiopia’s totalitarian government. It is
to protect national security by providing quality intelligence and reliable security
services. Under the plans presented, it is accountable to the Prime Minister.
The agency has a wide permit to lead intelligence and security work both inside and
outside Ethiopia.“The unit specifically compiles intelligence reports as to specifics
missions as requests made by Addis,” said asource privy to operations of the unit.
The unit too specifically monitors the operations of Ethiopian dissidents and refugees
living in Kenya.The unit is also said to be responsible for kidnappings of Ethiopian
refuges and dissidents and their subsequent repatriation to Addis Ababa where they
face death, brutality and long prison sentences. The unit has specific detail to trail their
eyes on Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) and the Oganden National Liberation Front (ONLF).
Last week, two police officers appeared in court charged with alleged abduction of two ONLF
leaders in Nairobi.On January 26, two top officials of ONLF were abducted from outside
a popular restaurant in Upper Hill, Nairobi.The two who were identified as Mr Sulub Ahmed
and Ali Hussein were members of the ONLF negotiation team that was in Nairobi for
a proposed third round of talks.It is claimed security agencies from Ethiopia and
Kenya were involved in the kidnapping. They were abducted by men who were in
three waiting cars. One of the cars, a black Toyota Prado was seized and detained
at the Turbi police station on Monday but the two were missing amid speculation
they had been taken across to Ethiopia. The ONLF officials were invited by the
Kenyan government for peace negotiations.The two officers charged, a Chief Inspector
Painito Bera Ng’ang’ai and Constable James Ngaparini are attached to Nairobi Area
CID. He added the officers had been identified by witnesses as having participated in the
abduction of Mr Sulub Ahmed and Ali Hussein who were members of the ONLF
negotiation team that was in Nairobi for a proposed third round of talks.Last week,
the Human Rights League of the Horn of Africa (HRLHA) wrote to
President Uhuru Kenyatta expressing its deep concern regarding the safety
of four Oromo refugees from Ethiopia who were arbitrarily arrested by Kenyan
anti-terrorist squad from Isili area in Nairobi on different dates of operations
and taken to unknown destinations.According documents in our possession,
Mr. Tumsa Roba Katiso, (UNHCR attestation File#: NETH033036/1) was arrested
by people claiming to by a team of Kenyan police, who arrived at the scene in two
vehicles, on February 1, 2014 at around 10:00 AM from 2nd Avenue Eastleigh
Nairobi on his way home from shopping. The other three refugees,
Mr. Chala Abdalla, Mr. Namme Abdalla, and the third person whose
name is not known yet were picked up from their home which is located
in the same vicinity.They are alleged to have been picked by the special police
squad on the payroll of Addis Ababa. The whereabouts of those Ethiopian-Oromo
refugees is unknown until the time of going to press.The HRLHA is highly suspicious
that those Ethiopian-Oromo refugees might have been deported to Ethiopia. And, in case
those Ethiopian-Oromo refugees have been deported, the Ethiopian Government
has a well-documented record of gross and flagrant violations of human rights,
including the torturing of its own citizens who were involuntarily returned to
the country.The government of Ethiopia routinely imprisons such persons and
sentences them to up to life in prison, and often impose death penalty. There have
been credible reports of physical and psychological abuses committed against
individuals in Ethiopian official prisons and other unofficial or secret detention
centres.Under Article 33 (1) of the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees
(189 U.N.T.S. 150), to which Kenya is a party, “[n]o contracting state shall expel
or forcibly return a refugee in any manner whatsoever to the frontiers of territories
where his life or freedom would be threatened on account of his . . .
political opinion.”This obligation, which is also a principle of customary
international law, applies to both asylum seekers and refugees, as affirmed
by UNHCR’s Executive Committee and the United Nations General Assembly. By
deporting the four refugees and others, the Kenyan Government will be
breaching its obligations under international treaties as well as customary law.
Though some government officials denied it is official government policy,
the Kenyan Government is well known for handing over refugees to the
Ethiopian Government by violating the above mentioned internationalobligations.
Engineer Tesfahun Chemeda, who died on August 24, 2013 in Ethiopia’s grand
jail of Kaliti due1 to torture that was inflicted on him in that jail, was handed over
to the Ethiopian government security agents in 2007 by the Kenyan police.
Tesfahun Chemeda was arrested by the Kenyan police, along with his close
friend called Mesfin Abebe, in 2007 in Nairobi, Kenya, where both were living
as refugees since 2005; and later deported to Ethiopia. The Ethiopian government
detained them in an underground jail in a military camp for over one year, during which
time they were subjected to severe torture and other types of inhuman treatments
until when they were taken to court and changed with terrorism offences in
December 2008. They were eventually sentenced to life imprisonment in
March 2010.“The Human Rights League of the Horn of Africa (HRLHA) is highly
concerned about the safety and security of the above listed refugees who
were recently arrested by the Kenyan anti-terrorist forces; and for those who are still
living in Kenya,” said a communiqué petitioning President Kenyatta to intervene.It urges
the government of Kenya to respect the international treaties and obligations,
and unconditionally release the arrested refugees, and refrain from handing
over to the government of Ethiopia where they would definitely face torture and
maximum punishments. It also urges all human rights agencies (local, regional and
international) to join the HRLHA and condemn these illegal and inhuman
acts of the Kenyan Government against defenseless refugees.HRLHA requests
western countries as well as international organizations to interfere in
this matter so that the safety and security of the arrested refugees and those
refugees currently staying in Kenya could be ensured.In the recent past, the
rendition of Oromo refugees has been in the news. Kenyan authorities
have been accused of illegal rendition of Oromo refugees to Ethiopia
under the pretext of cracking down on the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) militias.
While in Ethiopia, the individuals are allegedly arraigned before special courts
where they are handed heavy jail sentences ranging from death to life in
prison.The fundamental objective of the Oromo liberation movement is to
exercise the Oromo peoples’ right to national self-determination and
end centuries of oppression and exploitation. The OLF believes the
Oromo people are still being denied their fundamental rights by Ethiopian
colonialism. According to Terfa Dibaba, head of the Oromo Relief
Association (ORA) based in Germany, 21 Oromo refugees have
been adducted in Nairobi and Moyale and illegally shipped to
Addis Ababa where they have been locked in custody.Some of the people
abducted in Nairobi and Moyale and clandestinely whisked to Ethiopia
and languishing in jail include: Jatani Kuuno, Liban Wario and Milki Doyo.
These, ORA alleges, were abducted in a friend’s house in Moyale by
Kenyans enlisted by the Ethiopia authorities and ferried in two
Kenya government’s Land Rovers to Ethiopia.Others are Dabaso Kutu,
Libani Jatani and Deban Wario. They are currently on trial in
Ethiopia. Impeccable source have confided that a Kenyan,
Abrhim Dambi, the head of the head of Ethiopian Spy
network detailed to track down political dissidents has
now fled to Addis Ababa where he is hosted by the
government after he was exposed.
monthly payment of 900,000 Ethiopia Birr (KSh4.5 million) monthly minus the allowances
and money meant to facilitate specific operations. The officers are said to live a lavish life
and are accessible to top of the range cars.Even as Ethiopia appears to be using the old
spying system. Questions are emerging as to why the government has never taken stern
measures against officers involved including charging them with treason because it is clear
espionage.Security analyst Simiyu Werunga attributes this to poor pay and deplorable
working conditions, leaving the officers more vulnerable to corruption and bribery.
“The government should take a stern action against the suspects for having taken part in
criminal activities against their country even after taking an oath,” he said.It is worth noting
that NISS is a very powerful and dreaded organ of Ethiopia’s totalitarian government. It is
to protect national security by providing quality intelligence and reliable security
services. Under the plans presented, it is accountable to the Prime Minister.
The agency has a wide permit to lead intelligence and security work both inside and
outside Ethiopia.“The unit specifically compiles intelligence reports as to specifics
missions as requests made by Addis,” said asource privy to operations of the unit.
The unit too specifically monitors the operations of Ethiopian dissidents and refugees
living in Kenya.The unit is also said to be responsible for kidnappings of Ethiopian
refuges and dissidents and their subsequent repatriation to Addis Ababa where they
face death, brutality and long prison sentences. The unit has specific detail to trail their
eyes on Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) and the Oganden National Liberation Front (ONLF).
Last week, two police officers appeared in court charged with alleged abduction of two ONLF
leaders in Nairobi.On January 26, two top officials of ONLF were abducted from outside
a popular restaurant in Upper Hill, Nairobi.The two who were identified as Mr Sulub Ahmed
and Ali Hussein were members of the ONLF negotiation team that was in Nairobi for
a proposed third round of talks.It is claimed security agencies from Ethiopia and
Kenya were involved in the kidnapping. They were abducted by men who were in
three waiting cars. One of the cars, a black Toyota Prado was seized and detained
at the Turbi police station on Monday but the two were missing amid speculation
they had been taken across to Ethiopia. The ONLF officials were invited by the
Kenyan government for peace negotiations.The two officers charged, a Chief Inspector
Painito Bera Ng’ang’ai and Constable James Ngaparini are attached to Nairobi Area
CID. He added the officers had been identified by witnesses as having participated in the
abduction of Mr Sulub Ahmed and Ali Hussein who were members of the ONLF
negotiation team that was in Nairobi for a proposed third round of talks.Last week,
the Human Rights League of the Horn of Africa (HRLHA) wrote to
President Uhuru Kenyatta expressing its deep concern regarding the safety
of four Oromo refugees from Ethiopia who were arbitrarily arrested by Kenyan
anti-terrorist squad from Isili area in Nairobi on different dates of operations
and taken to unknown destinations.According documents in our possession,
Mr. Tumsa Roba Katiso, (UNHCR attestation File#: NETH033036/1) was arrested
by people claiming to by a team of Kenyan police, who arrived at the scene in two
vehicles, on February 1, 2014 at around 10:00 AM from 2nd Avenue Eastleigh
Nairobi on his way home from shopping. The other three refugees,
Mr. Chala Abdalla, Mr. Namme Abdalla, and the third person whose
name is not known yet were picked up from their home which is located
in the same vicinity.They are alleged to have been picked by the special police
squad on the payroll of Addis Ababa. The whereabouts of those Ethiopian-Oromo
refugees is unknown until the time of going to press.The HRLHA is highly suspicious
that those Ethiopian-Oromo refugees might have been deported to Ethiopia. And, in case
those Ethiopian-Oromo refugees have been deported, the Ethiopian Government
has a well-documented record of gross and flagrant violations of human rights,
including the torturing of its own citizens who were involuntarily returned to
the country.The government of Ethiopia routinely imprisons such persons and
sentences them to up to life in prison, and often impose death penalty. There have
been credible reports of physical and psychological abuses committed against
individuals in Ethiopian official prisons and other unofficial or secret detention
centres.Under Article 33 (1) of the Convention relating to the Status of Refugees
(189 U.N.T.S. 150), to which Kenya is a party, “[n]o contracting state shall expel
or forcibly return a refugee in any manner whatsoever to the frontiers of territories
where his life or freedom would be threatened on account of his . . .
political opinion.”This obligation, which is also a principle of customary
international law, applies to both asylum seekers and refugees, as affirmed
by UNHCR’s Executive Committee and the United Nations General Assembly. By
deporting the four refugees and others, the Kenyan Government will be
breaching its obligations under international treaties as well as customary law.
Though some government officials denied it is official government policy,
the Kenyan Government is well known for handing over refugees to the
Ethiopian Government by violating the above mentioned internationalobligations.
Engineer Tesfahun Chemeda, who died on August 24, 2013 in Ethiopia’s grand
jail of Kaliti due1 to torture that was inflicted on him in that jail, was handed over
to the Ethiopian government security agents in 2007 by the Kenyan police.
Tesfahun Chemeda was arrested by the Kenyan police, along with his close
friend called Mesfin Abebe, in 2007 in Nairobi, Kenya, where both were living
as refugees since 2005; and later deported to Ethiopia. The Ethiopian government
detained them in an underground jail in a military camp for over one year, during which
time they were subjected to severe torture and other types of inhuman treatments
until when they were taken to court and changed with terrorism offences in
December 2008. They were eventually sentenced to life imprisonment in
March 2010.“The Human Rights League of the Horn of Africa (HRLHA) is highly
concerned about the safety and security of the above listed refugees who
were recently arrested by the Kenyan anti-terrorist forces; and for those who are still
living in Kenya,” said a communiqué petitioning President Kenyatta to intervene.It urges
the government of Kenya to respect the international treaties and obligations,
and unconditionally release the arrested refugees, and refrain from handing
over to the government of Ethiopia where they would definitely face torture and
maximum punishments. It also urges all human rights agencies (local, regional and
international) to join the HRLHA and condemn these illegal and inhuman
acts of the Kenyan Government against defenseless refugees.HRLHA requests
western countries as well as international organizations to interfere in
this matter so that the safety and security of the arrested refugees and those
refugees currently staying in Kenya could be ensured.In the recent past, the
rendition of Oromo refugees has been in the news. Kenyan authorities
have been accused of illegal rendition of Oromo refugees to Ethiopia
under the pretext of cracking down on the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) militias.
While in Ethiopia, the individuals are allegedly arraigned before special courts
where they are handed heavy jail sentences ranging from death to life in
prison.The fundamental objective of the Oromo liberation movement is to
exercise the Oromo peoples’ right to national self-determination and
end centuries of oppression and exploitation. The OLF believes the
Oromo people are still being denied their fundamental rights by Ethiopian
colonialism. According to Terfa Dibaba, head of the Oromo Relief
Association (ORA) based in Germany, 21 Oromo refugees have
been adducted in Nairobi and Moyale and illegally shipped to
Addis Ababa where they have been locked in custody.Some of the people
abducted in Nairobi and Moyale and clandestinely whisked to Ethiopia
and languishing in jail include: Jatani Kuuno, Liban Wario and Milki Doyo.
These, ORA alleges, were abducted in a friend’s house in Moyale by
Kenyans enlisted by the Ethiopia authorities and ferried in two
Kenya government’s Land Rovers to Ethiopia.Others are Dabaso Kutu,
Libani Jatani and Deban Wario. They are currently on trial in
Ethiopia. Impeccable source have confided that a Kenyan,
Abrhim Dambi, the head of the head of Ethiopian Spy
network detailed to track down political dissidents has
now fled to Addis Ababa where he is hosted by the
government after he was exposed.
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