The good professor is in jail for speaking the truth

Professor Mararaa Guddinaa

Merera Gudina is a professor and politician in Ethiopia. He is the leader of the Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC), and an opposition coalition Medrek.

Merera began his college education at Addis Ababa University (AAU), but was imprisoned for seven years due to participating in protests against the dictatorship of Mengistu Haile Mariam. After his release, Merera went to Egypt to complete his education at the American University in Cairo.[1] Merera received his PhD in Political Science July 2002 from the Institute of Social Studies, at the Hague in the Netherlands

Merera founded the Oromo National Congress (ONC) in 1996, which became the largest Oromo opposition group by parliament seats after the 2005 national elections. His OFC had allied with several other parties to form the United Ethiopian Democratic Forces. Due to a court decision in 2007 which awarded the name of the ONC to a splinter group, the original ONC assumed a new name, the Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC)

Leading opposition leader Merera Gudina after he returned from a trip to Europe. Gurdina was arrested upon his arrival at the airport in the capital Addis Ababa, according to the English private magazine Addis Standard. Gudina had travelled to Brussels where he alleged, during a hearing at the European Parliament, that Ethiopian security forces had committed human rights violations during recent unrest in the country.

African Studies Centre Leiden(ASCL) worried about the arrest of Ethiopian politician Prof. Merera Gudina

Prof. Merara Gudinna

The African Studies Centre Leiden has noted with concern and astonishment the recent arrest on 1 December 2016 of Prof. Merera Gudina, political scientist and chairman of the Oromo Federalist Congress in Ethiopia, a legal opposition party.

Prof. Merera has been a visiting scholar to the African Studies Centre twice and has made major contributions to the understanding of Ethiopian and African political life. He has been a consistent voice for moderation, dialogue and transparent politics.

Before his arrest Prof. Merera had returned from a meeting on 9 November at the European Parliament in Brussels, where he had, upon invitation, briefed EP members on the situation in Ethiopia after the proclamation of the ‘state of emergency’ on 12 October 2016. Although Prof. Merera has been in prison (Ma’ekälawi Prison) for nearly a month, no charges have been brought, and the ground given for his arrest was “…trespassing the state of emergency rulings of the country", an apparent reference to the presence at the same meeting of a leader of the Ginbot-7 movement, a group seen as ‘terrorist’ by the Ethiopian government under its ‘anti-terrorism proclamation’ of 2009. This reason given for Prof. Merera’s arrest seems not very convincing, as Prof. Merera did not invite these members and did not organize the meeting: that was the European Parliament. Dr Merera cannot be reproached for having to meet and sit at the same table with other guests invited by the European Parliament.

Although we understand Ethiopian government’s concern with security, this arrest of Prof. Merera does not fit the picture. It is well known that he and his party OFC have no violent or insurrectionist agenda, and he has always been very open and clear about his position and that of his party. The activities of this party are consistently peaceful and aimed at political dialogue and accommodation.

In prison, Prof. Merera has so far neither been allowed to meet friends and relatives nor his lawyers.

The ASCL is disappointed by the imprisonment of Prof. Merera,

A LEADERSHIP IN CRISIS UNVEILED BY PROTESTS

It is now more than a year since the Oromo Protest for justice and democracy began in Ethiopia. It reverberated throughout Oromia and exposed the regime’s use of brutality to suppress and silence dissenting voices. But instead of waning, the struggle gained momentum when the Amhara youth in Gondar and Bahir Dar came out not only to demand justice for themselves but also carrying slogans asking the regime to stop the killings, arbitrary imprisonments, the torture and forced disappearances of  innocent Oromo civilians.

Such protest is not only the first of its kind to vehemently challenge the quarter century uncontested rule of the TPLF dominated EPRDF in Ethiopia, but also has significantly shifted the overall power balance, mindsets and political dynamics in the country.  It also inspired other peoples of Ethiopia to rise up for their rights and engaged all Oromo from east to west and from south to north irrespective of age, gender or religion. (The streets in Oromia were overwhelmed by hundreds of thousands of protesters including a 77-year-old grandmother who went out with her stick in a brave act of defiance against the regime’s brutality.)

Because the protest has, beyond its initial call against land dispossession, evolved into a struggle for freedom, a resistance against injustice, and a longing for a dignified life, no amount of force or of coercion was able to suppress it, let alone stop it. A year on, it is now safe to conclude that this nationwide protest has already planted itself in the hearts and minds of millions of oppressed people as the most significant event of the year.

The protests and the public debates that followed have also impacted others’ views on the long-standing plights of the Oromo and the Amhara, the two largest ethnic groups in Ethiopia. Prior to these protests hardly anyone understood, much less publicly recognized, the sacrifices paid by the Oromo and the Amhara to live a dignified life in their own country. Above all, it exposed how successive regimes in Ethiopia have marginalized, denied and robbed these two groups of their ability to develop and flourish as human beings in their own country.

What a demanding public exposed

Inspired by these protests, currently, Ethiopians all over the country are asking their government to protect and respect their economic, social and cultural rights as well as their civil and political rights. But at the same time, the government’s response is helping the people of Ethiopia to realize that it has almost no leadership capacity to respond to their demands. Ethiopians now see that their government is dysfunctional and its leadership in crisis; what exists and functions is a dissonant leadership that exacerbates conflict, driving the society into a downward spiral from frustration to resentment, and perpetuates antagonism and hostility.

Throughout the year, the ruling party has demonstrated no notable leadership capacity; not one political leader has spoken authentically to the hearts and the minds of the people in order to solve the common problem amicably. Instead of making an effort to lead through this crisis and face the challenge by creating an accommodating environment for all Ethiopians, the ruling party cliques have remained empty demagogues who keep on sending divisive messages and wielding their power by fear-mongering techniques.

Beyond the call for freedom and justice, the Oromo and Amhara protests, as well as the defiance in various parts of the country including from the people of Konso in the south and Tigray in the north, have exposed the truth about EPRDF’s leadership capacity, which was mystified by ‘*seventeen years of relentless struggle and tested leadership to defeat the largest military in Africa*’. It is now clear that it is nothing more than an empty ideological rhetoric and a means to frighten, belittle and silence people who ask difficult questions and challenge the system. But that doesn not mean than the rest of Ethiopians do not recognize and appreciate the sacrifices and the agony the Tigray people have paid for seventeen years to oust the military dictatorship. However, it is not hard to see that the TPLF, which was born out of this struggle and had led this protracted war to victory, and the regime it dominates, have turned out to be an authoritarian regime.

There for good or bad

 Although the yearlong nationwide protests led by the Oromo and the Amhara, as well as others to various degrees, have exposed the regime’s inability to bring in meaningful political leadership, for good or bad, the TPLF dominated EPRDF is the government in power which, for now, will determine the course of actions to respond to the current struggle for justice and democracy.

There is a possibility that the TPLF dominated EPRDF might take one of the following two courses of actions. Both have a potential to direct or misdirect the current call for democracy and justice in two mutually exclusive directions.

First course of action: road to democratization and peace

The first direction and course of action the TPLF dominated EPRDF may consider is the road to democracy and sustainable peace. However, reversing the current dire political condition and responding to the needs of the people requires it to recognize and understand the need for change; it requires embracing the change and transformation the people want to realize through a democratic process.

Hard as it may be, the following course of actions should precede any other course of action to start the democratization process.

Restore the constitution – build trust and confidence of citizens around the constitution by making it a practical document. Arguably, this means the regime itself should begin respecting the constitution and lead by example.

Scrap laws and policies which are against the constitution and which prevent citizens from exercising their democratic rights enshrined in the constitution. These include, but not limited to, scrapping the Anti-Terrorism Law, which is so far mainly used to silence citizens and violate their rights than persecute suspected terrorists; amending the draconian press law, which is so far used to violate citizens’ right to freedom of expression and access to information; scrapping the Civil Society and Charities Law, which is prohibiting the growth of independent civil society organizations which are the pillars of non-state actors in the development of democracy and human rights in the country.

Release all political prisoners unconditionally.  Obviously, once the laws and procedures, which often undermine the constitution, are lifted there is no reason to keep people in prison.

Reform, among others, the justice system, the police, security forces and prison administrations as well as the election board, the anti-corruption commission, the human rights commission, and the state-controlled media.

Possible impact

 The ruling party would lose nothing for taking this revolutionary action. In fact, it would help it to breath; to objectively address its current leadership crisis and reemerge as a legitimate political force. It would also provide it with the opportunity to think strategically.

Change is a natural state, which we cannot completely control or make predictable.  It is overwhelming and chaotic, but rewarding at the end. The most important step to start the process of change is by being bold, letting go of the old and rigid ways of thinking and governing. The regime in Ethiopia has to come out of its fear of change and see the bigger picture; it should relax its grips on old practices, which did not contribute to its own growth or to that of the rest of the country for the last 25 years.

There is no question that by taking such bold actions, the TPLF dominated EPRDF has a comparative advantage over other political groupings currently operating in the country. As it has shown in the past it can rehabilitate itself quicker than others and appear as a viable political organization in the years to come.

Above all, this action ensures the continuity of the democratization processes by engaging citizens to determine their own future and relieves the existing state-citizen tensions. If this is done, the healing process, as well as the peace and reconciliation process will be relatively easier.  Ultimately, this approach also guarantees the existence and continuity of Ethiopia as a nation home to all its citizens.

Implications for a protesting nation

This peaceful democratization process can bring change and transformation to the people of Ethiopia in general and the Oromo in particular, who are the largest ethnic group in the country and have been the driving force of the nationwide protests. As a result, the Oromo struggle for democracy and justice might fall under one of the following two scenarios.

First is the scenario in which Oromo elites, by the virtue of being a middle class, by affiliation to any Oromo-related organization, or by their prior personal experience come together and create a consortium, a democratic front, or a party to lead a meaningful struggle. This may, in turn, render irrelevant disorganized struggles, which often hamper or even take hostage the Oromo struggle for freedom and justice.

TPLF/EPRDF government arrests Oromo opposition leader after EU visit

Free all Political prisoners!!!

TPLF/EPRDF government arrests Oromo opposition leader after EU visit

The regime has arrested opposition leader Prof. Merara Gudina when he arrived home from a trip to Europe, local media is reporting.

The English-language Addis Standard says four of his relatives were arrested along with him.
Prof. Merara was in Brussels where he testified at the European parliament on the current political crisis and human rights violations in Ethiopia.

He had called for Ethiopia's parliament to be dissolved and for the establishment of a transitional government, Esat reports.

Media outlets affiliated with the government had been campaigning for his arrest, saying he had violated the current state of emergency by attending the hearing at the European parliament, it added.

በእነ ጉርሜሳ አያኖ የክስ መዝገብ 3ኛ ተከሳሽ በሆነው አዲሱ ቡላላ ላይ የዓ/ህግ ምስክር ተሰማ

የኦፌኮ ም/ፕሬዚደንት አቶ በቀለ ገርባን ጨምሮ በእነ ጉርሜሳ አያኖ የክስ መዝገብ የሽብር ክስ የቀረበባቸው 22 ሰዎች ላይ የፌደራል አቃቤ ህግ ያቀረባቸው ምስክሮች ቀርበው እየተሰሙ ሲሆን፤ ህዳር 14/2009 ዓ.ም ከሰዓት በኋላ አንድ የዐቃቤ ህግ የደረጃ ምስክር በ3ኛ ተከሳሽ አቶ አዲሱ ቡላላ ላይ ምስክርነታቸውን ሰጥተዋል፡፡

መዝገቡን እያየ ያለው የፌደራሉ ከፍተኛ ፍ/ቤት 4ኛ ወንጀል ችሎት ጠዋት ላይ ተሰይሞ የነበረ ቢሆንም የ2ኛ ተከሳሽ ጠበቃዎች በወቅቱ ባለመኖራቸው የምስክር ማሰማቱ ሂደት ለከሰአት ተዘዋውሯል።
የቂሊንጦ ማረሚያ ቤት አስተዳደር እያደረሰባቸው ያለውን ሰብአዊ መብት ጥሰት በተመለከተ ተከሳሾች በጠበቃቸው አማካኝነት አቤቱታቸውን በፅሁፍ ለፍርድ ቤቱ አስገብተው እንደነበረ የሚታወስ ነው፤ የማረሚያ ቤቱ አስተዳደር በበኩሉ አቤቱታው ከእውነት የራቀ እንደሆነ፤ እንዲያውም የተከሳሾች ጠበቃ የማረሚያ ቤቱን ስም የማጥፋት ስራ እየሰሩ መሆኑን በመጥቀስ ምላሽ በፅሁፍ አስገብተዋል።

በጠዋቱ ችሎት ተከሳሾቹ ያቀረቡት አቤቱታ የሚመለከታቸው የቂሊንጦ ማረሚያ ቤት ሃላፊ የሆኑት ሱፐር ኢንቴንደንት ጣእመ በችሎት ውስጥ በመገኘታቸው ዳኞቹ በአካል ቀርበው እንዲያስረዱ ተደርገው፤ ሃላፊው አቤቱታ አቅራቢዎቹ የሚሉት ነገር ከእውነት የራቀ እንደሆነ እና ስለ ጉዳዩ እንደማያውቁ ተናግረው ከሌሎች የስራ ባልደረቦቻቸው ጋር በመነጋገር ችግር ካለ እንደሚፈቱ ተናግረዋል።

FREE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS !!!

በተለይም 6ኛ፣ 7ኛ፣ 14ኛ እና 17ኛ ተከሳሾች (ገላና ነገራ፣ ጭምሳ አብዲሳ፣ ደረጄ መርጋ እና ገመቹ ሻንቆ) ለቂሊንጦ ማረሚያ ቤት መቃጠል እጃችሁ አለበት ተብለው ቀንና ለሊት እጃቸውን እና እግራቸውን በካቴና ታስረው እንደሚያድሩ፣ ከቤተሰብ እንደማይገናኙ፣ከውሃ እና ሳሙና አንፃር ከቤተሰብ እንዳይቀበሉ መደረጋቸው በፅሁፍ ካቀረቡት አቤቱታ በተጨማሪ በችሎት ውስጥም በምሬት ተናግረዋል።

አራቱ ተከሳሾች ጉዳዩ ይመለከተኛል ብለው ለችሎት ምላሽ የሰጡትን ሃላፊውን ጭራሽ አይተዋቸው እንደማያቁ እና የተናገሩትም ትክክል እንዳልሆነ ተናግረዋል። 14ኛ ተከሳሽ የሆነው አቶ ደረጄ መርጋ ካቴናው እጁ ላይ ከመክረሙ የተነሳ አልከፈት ብሏቸው ከእጁ ካቴናው ሳይወልቅ ችሎት እንዳስገቡት እጁን ከነካቴናው ከፍ አድርጎ ለችሎት አሳይቷል። በሰአቱ ዳኞች በአስቸኳይ እንዲፈታለት ለማረሚያ ቤት ፓሊሶች ቢያዙም፤ ፓሊሶቹ ካልተቆረጠ በቀር መክፈት እንደማይቻል አስረድተው ከነካቴናው ችሎቱን ጨርሷል። እንዲሁም 7ኛ ተከሳሽ ጭምሳ አብዲሳ ካቴናው እጁን ከማጥበቁ የተነሳ እጁ መቁሰሉን ለችሎት አሳይቷል። በካቴና ለ24 ሰአት ከመታሰር በተጫማሪ ያሉበት ክፍል 24 ሰአት ተዘግቶ አንደሚቀመጡ፣ በአንድ ጠባብ ክፍል ውስጥ 84 እረኞች ተጨናንቀው እየኖሩ እንደሚገኙ ተናግረዋል። 14ኛ ተከሳሽ አቶ ደረጄ “በቃጠሎ አላችሁበት ተብለን ሸዋሮቢት ተወስደን ስለ ደረሰብንን ድብደባ እና እንግልት እየተናገርን አይደለም፤ እሱን ታሪክ የሚጠይቃችሁ ይሆናል። በአሁኑ ሰአት ማረሚያ ቤቱ አስተዳደር የሚያደርስብን በደል ግን እንዲቀርልን፤ እንደ ሰው እንድንቆጠር ነው የምንጠይቀው።” በማለት ጥያቄውን አሰምቷል። ዳኞች ደረሰብን የሚሉትን የመብት ጥሰት ለማረሚያ ቤቱ የበላይ አካል የአመልክተው ያውቁያ እንደሆነ አራቱን ተከሳሾቹን ጠይቀው፤ ተከሳሾቹ 24 ሰአት የክፍላቸው በር ተዘግቶ እና በካቴና ታስረው ስለሚቀመጡ ለበላይ አካል ማመልከት የሚባለው ነገር የሚታሰብ አለመሆኑን አስረድተዋል። ዳኞቹ ረዘም ያለ ጊዜ ወስደው ሃላፊውን ሱፐር ኢንቴንዳንት ጣእመን፤ ተመሳሳይ አቤቱታዎችም በሌሎች መዝገቦች እየቀረቡ መሆናቸውን ጠቅሰው የተጠርጣሪዎቹን መብት መጣስ ማንንም እንደማይጠቅም እና እንዲህ አይነቱ ተግባር የሃገሪቱ የፍትህ ስርአት ላይ አሉታዊ ተፅእኖ እንደሚያመጣ ዘርዘር አድርገው አስረድተዋቸዋል፤ ተጠርጣሪዎቹ የተከሰሱበት ወንጀል በፍርድ ቤት የተያዘ ጉዳይ ስለሆነ ሌላ ቅጣት እና የመብት ጥሰት ተገቢም እንዳይደለ መክረዋል። በመጨረሻም ዳኞቹ ተከሳሾቹ በምስክር የመስማት ሂደት ተከሳሾቹን በየሚቀጣይ ቀናትም በተከታታይ የሚያገኟቸው በመሆኑ በቀረበው አቤቱታ ላይ የሚታዩ ለውጦች ካሉ እናያለን በማለት ሃላፊውን በነገው እለትም እንዲቀርቡ በማዘዝ የጠዋቱን ችሎት ዘግተዋል።

በከሰአቱ ችሎት አቃቢ ህግ ዳኞች ከተሰየሙ በኋላ ዘግይቶ በመድረሱ ዳኞች ሌላ ጊዜ እንዳያረፍድ አስጠንቅቀውታል። አቃቤ ህግ በበኩሉም ምስክሮችን ጥበቃ እንደቆየ አስረድቷል። አቃቤ ህግ በእነ ጉርሜሳ አያኖ መዝገብ 3ኛ ተከሳሽ በሆነው አቶ አዲሱ ቡላላ ላይ ሁለት የደረጃ ምስክሮች እንደቀረቡ አስረድቷል። ምስክሮቹ አቶ ታደሰ ታፈሰ እና አቶ አሸናፊ ደጀኔ እንደሚባሉ እንዲሁም ምስክሮቹ የሚመሰክሩበትን ጭብጥም አሲዟል። ጭብጡ— ጥር 17/2008 ዓም ቀን ከጠዋቱ 3:30 ላይ አዲሱ ቡላላ በፌደራል ወንጀል መመርመሪያ ማእከል ከፌስቡክ አካውንቱ ፕሪንት የተደረጉ መረጃዎችን የተከሳሽ ስለመሆናቸው የታዘቡትን በወቅቱ የታዘቡትን እንዲመሰክሩ ነው። አቃቤ ህግ የመጀመሪያውን ምስክር አቶ ታደሰ ታፈሰ የምስክር ቃላቸውን እንዲሰጡ ካስጠሯቸው በኋላ ምስክሩ ቃለ መሃላ ፈፅመው የአቃቤ ህግን ዋና ጥያቄ በመመለስ ቃላቸውን መስጠት ጀምረዋል። ምስክሩ ተነስተው ተከሳሹን አዲሱ ቡላላን በአካል እንዲያሳዩ በአቃቤ ህግበ ተጠይቀው 22ቱ ተከሳሾች የተቀመጡበት ቦታ ሄደው ሁሉንም ካዩ በኋላ አዲሱ ቡላላ ነው በማለት 8ኛ ተከሳሽ የሆነውን አቶ ጌቱ ግርማን አሳይተዋል። መሳሳታቸው በዳኞች ከተነገራቸው በኋላ ምስክሩ የተሳሳቱት ተከሳሹን ካዩት ረዘም ያለ ጊዜ ስለሆነ ነው ብለው ለማስረዳት ሞክረዋል። ጥር 17/2008 ዓም ከጠዋቱ 3:30 አካባቢ የፌደራል ወንጀል መመርመሪያ ማእከል ለስራ ከሌላ ባልደረባቸው ጋር (ባልደረባቸው በአዲሱ ቡላላ ላይ ሌላኛው ምስክር ናቸው) በሄዱበት ወቅት ቢሮ ቁጥር 31 ውስጥ አዲሱ ቡላላ ቢሮ ውስጥ የነበረውን ገመዶቹ ተነቃቅሎ የነበረ ኮምፒውተር እንደሰካካ እና እንዳበራ እንዲሁም የፌስ ቡክ አካውንቱን ስም እና የይለፍ ቃል በፈቃደኝነት አስገብቶ ከጃዋር መሃመድ ጋር መልእክት የተለዋወጠባቸውን ፅሁፎች 54 ገፅ ፕሪንት መደረጉን፤ ፕሪንት ከተደረጉ በኋላም አዲሱ ከፈረመባቸው በኃላ እሱ እና ሌላኛው ምስክር (የስራ ባልደረባቸው) መፈረማቸውን ተናግሯል። ስለ ፅሁፉ ይዘት ተጠይቀው በአብዛኛው በላቲን የተፃፈ በመሆኑ እንዳልተረዱት ነገር ግን በእንጊሊዘኛ ከተለዋወጧቸው መልእክቶች አዲሱ 38 የሚሆኑ እስረኞች በማረሚያ ቤት እንዳሉ ለጃዋር ሲነግረው ጃዋርም ለእስረኞቹ የሚሆን ብር እንደሚልክ የሚገልፁትን መልእክቶች እንደሚያስታውሱ ተናግረዋል። ፈረምኩባቸው ያሏቸውን ሰነዶችም ከሌሎች የማስረጃ ሰነዶች ውስጥ ለይተው አሳይተዋል። ምስክሩ ቃላቸውን በሚሰጡበት ወቅት “ያለበት ሁኔታ ነው ያለው” እና “እንትን” የሚሉ ቃላቶችን በተደጋጋሚ በሚጠቀሙበት ወቅት ዳኞች ምንም እንኳን የተለመዱ አባባሎች ቢሆኑም ገላጭ ባለመሆናቸው እንዳይጠቀሟቸው ቢያሳስቧቸውም፤ ምስክሩ በተለይም “ያለበት ሁኔታ ነው ያለው” የሚለውን ሃረግ የምስክርነት ቃላቸውን ሰጥተው እስኪጨርሱ ድረስ ይጠቀሙት ነበር። ምስክሩ በአቃቤ ህግ ስራቸው ምን እንደሆነ ሲጠየቁ የመንግስት ስራ እንደሚሰሩ ብቻ በመናገር ቢያልፉም የተከሳሹ ጠበቃ አቶ አመሃ የት እንደሚሰሩ እና የስራ ድርሻቸውን በጠየቋቸው ወቅት ልደታ ክፍለ ከተማ ወረዳ 6 አስተዳደር ውስጥ የስራ አስኪያጁ አማካሪ በመሆን እንደሚሰሩ ተናግረዋል። በተመሳሳይ መልኩ ከአቃቤ ህግ ለምን ጉዳይ ማእከላዊ እንደተገኙ ሲጠየቁ ለስራ ጉዳይ ብለው በደፈናው ከመለሱ በኋላ በጠበቃ አመሃ ለምን የስራ ጉዳይ እንደሆነ እንዲያብራሩ ሲጠየቁ ከፀጥታ ጉዳይ ጋር በተያያዘ ችግር ፈጣሪዎች ስለነበሩ የነሱን ጉዳይ ለመጠቆም እንደሆነ ተናግረዋል።

የአዲሱ ቡላላ የፌስ ቡክ በስሙ እንዳይደለ፣ ፌስቡክህን ክፈት ተብሎ መርማሪ ሲጠይቀው ዴካ አንበሳ የሚል ስም ያለው አካውንት እንደከፈተ እና ከጃዋር መሃመድ ጋር የተለዋወጡት መልእክትም በዚሁ አካውንት እንደሆነ ነገር ግን አዲሱ ራሱ የራሴ የምጠቀምበት አካውንት ነው ሲል እንደሰማው አስረድተዋል። ጠበቃ አመሃ ዴካ አንበሳ የሚለውን ስም እንዴት ሊያስታውስ እንደቻለ ሲጠይቁት በማስታወሻ ደብተር ይዞት እንደነበረ እና ለምስክርነት ሲጠራ ማስታወሻውን አይቶ እንደመጣ ያስረዳ ሲሆን ጃዋር መሃመድን ግን በዝና ስለሚያውቀው ስሙን ለማስታወስ እንዳልተቸገረ ተናግሯል። በዝና ስትል ምን ማለትህ ነው ተብሎ ከዳኞች ለቀረበለት የማጣሪያ ጥያቄ ፤ ጃዋር ከሽብር ጋር በተያያዘ በሚዲያዎች በተደጋጋሚ ስለሚቀርብ ነው የሚል ምላሽ ሰጥቷል። በወቅቱ የጃዋር መሃመድ ፕሮፋይል ፒክቸር ከማስተር ፕላኑ ጋር ተያይዞ ሴይ ኖ የሚል የተቃውሞ የመፈክር የሚነበብበት ምስል እንደሆን፤ የአዲሱ ቡላላ ዴካ አንበሳ የሚለው አካውንት ደግሞ የሴት ምስል እንደነበረው እንደሚያስታውሱ ተናግረዋል።

በተጨማሪም ምስክሩ ተከሳሽን ከተጠቀሰው ቀን በፊትም በኋላም እንደማያቋቸው፣ ቢሮ ቁጥር 31 እሳቸው እና የስራ ባልደረባቸው ሲገቡ ተከሳሹ አዲሱ ቡላላ እና መርማሪው ብቻ እንደነበሩ፣ ቢሮ ውስጥ ከሁለት በላይ ኮምፒውተሮች፣ ጠረጴዛዎች እና አንድ ፕሪንተር እንደነበረ እንደሚያስታውስ ተናግሯል።

ETHIOPIA COURT SENTENCES UNIVERSITY STUDENTS TO VARIOUS TERMS IN JAIL

The Federal High court 19th criminal bench has yesterday sentenced three of the five university students, who were arrested in April-May 2014 during the first #OromoProtests, to various terms in jail.

Six university students from various universities located in Oromia regional state were among the hundreds of students arrested during the April-May 2014 Oromo students protests against the now shelved Addis Abeba Integrated Master Plan. They were subsequently charged with violating various articles in Ethiopia’s sweeping Anti-Terrorism Proclamation (ATP). One of the six, Lenjissa Alemayehu, a third-year water engineering student at Jimma University, was acquitted by the court during the early days of the trial, although he has been in and out of prison since. The remaining five were charged for having connections with the outlawed Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), and for inciting violence during the students’ protests.

In December 2015, the federal high court 19th criminal bench found all the five guilty of the charges against them. Accordingly, the first defendant, Abebe Urgessa, was found guilty of being behind the May 2014 football stadium explosion that went off at Haromaya University, in eastern Ethiopia, killing one and injuring over 40. However, during the last two trials last week and this week, prison police have failed to bring Abebe from Showa Robit prison, some 200k northeast of Addis Abeba. The court adjourned the sentencing of Abebe until November 28th next week.

The 2nd, 3rd and 4th defendants, students Megersa Worku, Adugna Kesso and Billisuma Damana respectively, were found guilty of violating article 7/1 of the ATP, whereas the 5th defendant student Teshale Bekele was found guilty of violating article 257/A of the criminal code.

During yesterday’s hearing, the court sentenced the 3rd and 4th defendants Adugna Kesso and Billisuma Damana to four years and five months each.

BEKELE GERBA ET AL –FEDERAL COURT OVERRULES PROSECUTOR’S REQUEST FOR CLOSED WITNESS HEARING

In a rare and unexpected decision, the federal high court 18th criminal bench has today overruled prosecutors’ request for closed hearing of witnesses in the case involving senior opposition party members Bekele Gerba and Dejene Fita Geleta, first secretary general and secretary general of the opposition Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC). Accordingly, the court has decided to preside over all the judicial matters related to the case, under the file name of Gurmesa Ayano, in open court.  

On Tuesday, Nov. 15, prosecutors have submitted a letter to the court detailing their concerns for the safety of witnesses. In the letter, prosecutors have said that because of the seriousness of the case, their witnesses were under pressure.  The letter also stated that some of the witnesses were people who have participated in the alleged crimes are they were scared of appearing in person to testify. It also said some of the witnesses live in same areas where the defendants are from and therefore fear for the safety of their relatives.

The court overruled all the three points in the letter and has begun hearing witnesses’ testimonials as of this morning. Accordingly, four witnesses have testified against the 2nd and 3rd defendants, Dejene Tafa and Addisu Bullala, as well as the 8th and 12th defendants Getu Girma Tesfaye Liben, respectively. All the four witnesses were people who have been present during searches by police officers of defendants’ computers, emails, and Facebook accounts as well as houses and could only confirm their presences during the searches.

The court adjourned the next witnesses’ hearing against the remaining 18 defendants for the coming two consecutive days.

“እሰነጥቅሃለሁ ተብያለሁ ” አቶ በቀለ ገርባ | የአቃቤ ህግ ምስክሮች አልተሰሙም፤ የቂሊንጦ ማ/ቤት ተጠርጣሪዎችን አሟልቶ አላቀረበም

Free Bekele Gerba!!!

የፌደራል ከፍተኛ ፍ/ቤት ልደታ ምድብ 4ኛ ወንጀል ችሎት ዛሬ ህዳር 2/2009 ዓ.ም በዋለው ችሎት ላይ እንደተመለከተው በእነ ጉርሜሳ አያኖ የክስ መዝገብ ከተካተቱት ተጠርጣሪዎች (22 ሰዎች) መካከል 5ቱን ማ/ቤቱ አላቀረባቸውም፡፡ የቂሊንጦ ማ/ቤት አስተዳደር ህዳር 2/2009 ዓ.ም ለፍርድ ቤቱ በጻፈው ደብዳቤ እንደገለጸው ‹4ቱ ተጠርጣሪዎች በቂሊንጦ የደረሰውን የእሳት ቃጠሎ አደጋ ተከትሎ ሸዋሮቢት ማ/ቤት ተወስደው ስላልተመለሱ› ማቅረብ አልቻለም፡፡ ማ/ቤቱ ሸዋሮቢት እንደሚገኙ ያመለከታቸው ተጠርጣሪዎች ገላና ነጋሪ፣ ገመቹ ሻንቆ፣ ደረጀ መርጋ እና ቶምሳ አብዲሳ ናቸው፡፡

ሆኖም ግን ማ/ቤቱ በስም ጠቅሶ ሸዋሮቢት ስለሆኑ ማቅረብ አለመቻሉን ከጠቀሰው ሌላ አንድ ተጠርጣሪ ችሎት አለመገኘቱን በማጣራት ፍ/ቤቱ ተጠርጣሪውን ለምን እንዳላቀረበ የማ/ቤቱን ተወካይ ጠይቋል፡፡ ሆኖም የዕለቱ ጉዳይ አስፈጻሚ ም/ሰርጀንት ዘውዱ ወልደማርያም ተጠርጣሪው በእርግጥ የት እንደሚገኝ እንደማያውቁ ተናግረዋል፡፡ ይህ የት እንዳለ ያልታወቀው ተጠርጣሪ ጭምሳ አብዲሳ ይባላል፡፡
በዛሬው የችሎት ውሎ ተጠርጣሪዎች ብቻ ሳይሆኑ ጠበቆችም ተሟልተው አለመቅረባቸው ታውቋል፡፡ የብዙዎቹ ተጠርጣሪዎች ጠበቃ የሆኑት አቶ ወንድሙ ኢብሳ አልቀረቡም፡፡ ተከሳሾችም ጠበቃቸው ከቀጠሮ በፊት ደንበኞቻቸውን ለማነጋገር ወደቂሊንጦ ሄደው ማግኘት እንደማይችሉ ተነገሯቸው መመለሳቸውን ከማወቃቸው ውጭ በዛሬው ችሎት ለምን እንዳልቀረቡ እንደማያውቁ ለችሎቱ ተናግረዋል፡፡ በችሎት የቀረቡት ሌሎች ጠበቆችም ቢሆን ቂሊንጦ ማ/ቤት ደንበኞቻቸውን በነጻነት ስለጉዳያቸው ለማነጋገር እንዳይችሉ እንቅፋት እየፈጠረባቸው መሆኑን አመልክተዋል፡፡

ችሎቱ ዛሬ የተሰየመው የአቃቤ ህግ ምስክሮችን ለመስማት መሆኑን በመጥቀስ አቃቤ ህግ ከአጠቃላይ 42 ምስክሮቹ መካከል አምስቱ መቅረባቸውን በመግለጽ ምስክሮቹ ቀርበው እንዲሰሙለት ጠይቋል፡፡ ሆኖም ግን ተከሳሾቹ ሁሉም ተሟልተው ባልተገኙበት ሁኔታ ምስክር ሊሰማ እንደማይገባ ጠቅሰው ተቃውመዋል፡፡ ተከሳሾቹ በክሱ ላይ በጋራ የቀረበባቸው ፍሬ ነገር ስላለ በተናጠል ምስክሮች ቢደመጡ መብታችንን ይነካል በሚል በጠበቆቻቸው አማካኝነት አስረድተዋል፡፡

በሌላ በኩል አቶ በቀለ ገርባ አሁን ጉዳያቸውን እየየ የሚገኘው ችሎት በክስ መቃወሚያቸው ላይ ጉዳያቸው በፌደራል ፍ/ቤት ሳይሆን በኦሮሚያ ክልል ፍ/ቤቶች ሊታይ ይገባል በሚል ያነሱትን ህገ-መንግስታዊ የመብት ጥያቄ በጣሰ መልኩ ሐምሌ 25/2008 ዓ.ም መቃወሚያቸውን ውድቅ ማድረጉን በማስታወስ፣ በፍ/ቤቱ ገለልተኝነት ላይ ጥያቄ ስላላቸው ችሎት ቀርበው ክርክር ለማድረግ እንደማይፈልጉ ቀደም ብለውም ገልተጸው እንደነበር ጠቅሰው በዛሬው ችሎት ላይም ፖሊስ በጉልበት እየደበደበ እንዳቀረባቸው አስረድተዋል፡፡

አቶ በቀለ ሌሎችንም ተከሳሾች በመወከል እንዳስረዱት ከዚህም በኋላ ችሎት የሚቀርቡ ከሆነ ተገደው እየቀረቡ እንዳሉ ችሎቱ እንዲያውቅላቸው ጠይቀዋል፡፡ ፍ/ቤቱ ውድቅ ያደረገባቸውንና በክስ መቃወሚያ የጠቀሱትን ይህንኑ የህገ-መንግስት ጉዳይ ከጠበቆቻቸው ጋር ተመካክረው ወደ ፌደሬሽን ም/ቤት የመውሰድ ሀሳብ እንዳላቸውም ጠቅሰዋል፡፡

Politician Mr Bekele Gerba in court

ፖሊስ በጉልበት መኪና ውስጥ ካስገባን በኋላ ‹‹እሰነጥቅሃለሁ›› የሚል ዛቻ እንደደረሰባቸው፣ ይህን የተናገረውን ፖሊስ ችሎት ፊት ጠቁመው በማሳየት ጭምር ገልጸዋል፡፡ ሆኖም ግን ይህን ዛቻ ያደረሰውን ፖሊስ ችሎቱ አንድም ጥያቄ ሳያቀርብለት አልፎታል፡፡

በመጨረሻም ፍ/ቤቱ በዛሬው ውሎ ያልቀረቡ ተከሳሾችን ማ/ቤት እንዲያቀርብ፣ 7ኛ ተከሳሽ ጭምሳ አብዲሳን ማ/ቤት ለምን እንዳላቀረባቸው ምክንያት እንዲያስረዳ እንዲሁም የኦሮምኛና ስዋህሊ ቋንቋዎች አስተርጓሚዎች እንዲመደቡ ትዕዛዝ በመስጠት ተከሳሾቹ ተሟልተው ሲቀርቡ የአቃቤ ህግ ምስክሮችን ለመስማት ለህዳር 6/2009 ዓ.ም ተለዋጭ ቀጠሮ ሰጥቷል፡፡ ፍ/ቤት ማንኛውም ተከሳሽ በቀጠሮው ዕለት የፍ/ቤቱን ትዕዛዝ አክብሮ መገኘት እንዳለበትም ማሳሰቢያ ሰጥቷል፡፡

በዛሬው የችሎት ውሎ የኦሮምኛ ቋንቋ አስተርጓሚ ችሎቱ ባለማቅረቡ ከተከሳሾች መካከል አቶ በቀለ ገርባ በአጋዥነት ሲያስተረጉሙ ውለዋል፡፡

Crossing Arms: The Plight and Protest of the Oromo

 #OromoRevolution Crossing Arms: The Plight and Protest of the Oromo

We need freedom!!!

Accurate information on African politics and culture is extremely difficult to attain. Western countries routinely delegitimize African professionals and news outlets by sharing biased accounts of issues occurring in African countries to African people. I have done my absolute best to adequately research and interview inorder to offer the most accurate account of the political situation in Ethiopia and plight of the Oromo people.
Following a year of protests carried out by the Oromo people, the Ethiopian government announced a state of emergency in effect for at least six months. The reason cited as violence and unrest among the country’s largest ethnic group. However, the party conducting the offensive is in question. Members of the Oromo community claim that government forces are using excessive brutality to stamp down revolts following what they claim are violations of human and civil rights as well as unjust seizure of private land.

The Oromo community makes up nearly fourty million people, mainly residing within the borders of Ethiopia. The Horn of Africa, a pastoral hub, is continuously marred by its colonial history; one of the main factors creating ethnic, economic, political, and social instability today. Their colonization and fusion into Ethiopian society disrupted the established and independent, political structure of the Oromos while also placing a massive ethnic group in a subordinate position to two other smaller ethnic groups, the Amhara and Tigray.
The current political group in power, The Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), is facing scrutiny for its treatment of minority groups. Following the establishment of the 1994 Constitution, after Eretria’s secession and independence, local and international sources began to suspect that the members of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), later reorganizing into the EPRDF, manipulated the country’s constitution for its own aims:
“The TPLF-dominated EPRDF intentionally included Article 39 [The right to secession] in Ethiopia’s 1994 Constitution so that the Tigray region could loot Ethiopia of its resources, use the Ethiopian military to expand the borders of Tigray, and then secede from Ethiopia”.

Under the false impression that the TPLF/EPRDF are adequately democratic entities, the global community continues to uphold support and offer aid to the government. In the 2015 general elections, the ERPDF won one hundred percent of parliamentary seats. in the previous election the party won 99.6%. Election results like this one reveal that the government is, in all reality, authoritarian, masking their lack of democratic principles with elections as well as the elimination of rivaling civil society groups and independent media. Peaceful, anti-government protests erupted across the Amhara and Oromia regions following the election results. Between November 2015 and August 2016, at least 500 protesters were killed by security forces and thousands detained under terrorism charges.
Successive government leaders have been cited by Human Rights Watch and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) for human rights abuses as well as non-democratic and severe “iron-fistedness” against dissension; such as, “the Charities and Societies Proclamation of 2008. This restricts Ethiopian non-governmental organizations from embarking on any human rights-related work if they receive their funding from foreign source” according to Adeyinka Makinde of Global Research. The EPRDF has the capacity to stamp down any and all forms of dissension due to its “full control of the security apparatus, the military, the police force and the intelligence services, dominated by ethnic Tigrayans”. EPRDF also legitimizes the use of extreme force under its “vaguely drafted counter-terrorism laws”.

Why Now?

The most recent protests and government crackdown have entered international focus with figures such as Olympic silver-medalist Feyisa Lilesa crossing his arms in solidarity with the Oromo people during the Rio 2016 Olympics.

The Oromo people endured oppression for the past century; the question remains as to why, finally, the Oromo peoples’ protests have gained traction.

In an interview with Gemechu Mekonnen, an undergraduate student studying at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, an Ethiopian, and an Oromo, he explained that the oppression of the Oromo people reached a tipping point around a year ago when the government planned to enact what is coined “The Master Plan” to seize Oromia land. Farmers around the capital would in turn, lose their source of income with little to no compensation while the government sold their property, arguably for some the most fertile land in Africa, to foreign investors such as China.
The lack of representation, subjugation and oppression of the Oromo group by ethnic groups such as the Ahmara and Tigray resulted in an “unsurprising amount of frustration and resentment”. the Ethiopian government had, “already taken the dignity, voice, and lives of so many, [that] the Oromo people finally said ‘enough is enough’ to the government’s unjust actions”.

Understanding a country’s history and human rights record, while necessary, is not sufficient to comprehend the opinions, needs, and future of an ethnic group. Mekonnen’s insight offers a rare and intimate perspective on the plight of the Oromo people, their tenacity, and their unwavering battle for self-determination:
“The ‘why now’ really comes rooted in many different now. Whether it’s the influence of globalization revealing more of the world to Ethiopians [and to] Oromos, the emboldened and educated students and youth [who] question the status quo, or the blatant lack of respect for the land and life of their people, all these [factors] were important in catalyzing the active voices for change that now exist. The more the government tries to arrest journalist, suppress independent media, and kill opposition leaders, the more the people protest”.

The more pressure the international and domestic community puts on the government, the greater the voice the Oromo people have to advocate or their rights domestically and on a global stage. However, signs of progress are small and incremental. On October 2nd 2016, an estimated 678 civilians were killed and countless injured by government forces in what is now infamously known as The Irreecha Massacre. Nearly two million people from across Oromia assembled to celebrate Irreecha, a festival marking the changing of seasons. Irreecha, for many Oromo, is a setting for “resistance and reaffirmation of identity” where attendees sing revolutionary songs and denounce human rights abuses. Following what the attendees considered a politicization of the festival, an individual openly defied the organizers (who were affiliated with the government) and spoke out against the EPRDF. Security forces responded by firing bullets and tear gas on the unarmed participants. Repeatedly hearing news about the tragic loss of life of his people leaves Mekonnen feeling “a sense of hopelessness”. He describes “a recurring feeling dread, not for what could happen to me, but for what is most likely happening to the family I have in Ethiopia”.

The situation in Ethiopia reaches far beyond its borders. The Oromo peoples’ struggle, while inadequately understood by the rest of the world, is catalyzing what will be true, grass-roots changes. There remains much reform that needs to be done regarding Oromo self-determination

Indy Jay: Maal Gonee Bishoftu? Oromo music dedicated for lost of life on...

Maal Gonee Bishoftu?

People face five years in jail for posting on Facebook as 'state of emergency' rules set in Ethiopia

stop banning social media !!!

Ethiopians who post statuses on Facebook about the country’s growing political unrest could face up to five years in jail, as part of a series of measures under a “state of emergency” that grow more stringent by the day.

The government has imposed the longest blanket ban on mobile internet services in the capital Addis Ababa since protests began a year ago, and access to messaging platforms like WhatsApp has been heavily restricted.

The measures are designed to stifle people’s ability to organise protests, amid calls for greater political freedoms and recognition from the ethnic Oromo and Amharic groups.

Access to foreign-based media has also been restricted, including Deutsche Welle and Voice of America, which both have popular Amharic stations. Two TV stations run from the US for the Ethiopian diaspora, ESAT and the Oromia Media Network, have been banned.

And the new rules even seek to ban people from carrying out certain gestures “without permission”. They include crossing arms above the head to form an “X”, a political symbol that has become synonymous with the Oromo struggle and featured at the Rio Olympics and Paralympics.

UK rights charities are particularly concerns that under the emergency rules, which are expected to be in place for the next six months, foreign diplomats will have their movements heavily restricted.

The government says diplomats are not allowed to travel more than 40km (25 miles) from the capital, Addis Ababa, without permission, and say it is for their own safety.

But the rights group Reprieve told The Independent there are serious concerns this could limit the access Britons have to consular services. They raised the case of one UK citizen, father-of-three Andy Tsege, who is on Ethiopia’s death row and held at a jail some way outside the capital.

"Andy’s family in London, who cannot contact him, are sick with worry," said Maya Foa, a director at Reprieve. "Amid this crisis, it’s shocking that the UK continues to rely on Ethiopia’s vague, broken promises of regular consular access and a lawyer for Andy. Boris Johnson must urgently call for Andy to be returned home to his partner and kids in Britain."

Ethiopia is a key strategic ally for the US and European countries in the fight against Somalia’s Islamist insurgency, al-Shabaab, and Addis Ababa is the home of the African Union.

The global importance of the country’s stability has meant Western governments turning a blind eye to its authoritarian leadership. In June, the ruling Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front cut off nationwide access to social media - on the grounds of preventing exam result leaks.

The new ban on internet services has already made a noticeable impact on the flow of reports of unrest coming out of the country via on-the-ground activists.

Ethiopian state media reported that 1,000 protesters had been arrested in the central Oromia town of Sebeta since the state of emergency was declared on 8 October, and ahead of an investment conference in the town which began on Monday.

The emergency rules include a ban on using social media to contact “outside forces”, and Ethiopians risk jail if they communicate with any “anti-peace groups designated as terrorist”.

Seven things banned under Ethiopia's Six month state of emergency

We want regime change!!!

Ethiopia's government has declared a six-month state of emergency in the face of an unprecedented wave of violent protests.
Activists in the country's Oromia region has been holding demonstrations since last November, and protesters from the Amhara region have also joined in.
The deaths of at least 55 people at an Oromo religious festival on 2 October triggered fresh unrest, including the targeting of some foreign-owned businesses.
Rights groups say that at least 500 people have died during the protests overall and last week Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn said that could be an accurate estimate.
The emergency was announced earlier this month but the government has now made clear what this means in practical terms.
Here are some of the things that are restricted:
1. Social media
You cannot use social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, to contact what are called "outside forces". In fact, any attempt to communicate with "terrorist organisations and anti-peace groups designated as terrorist" is banned.
Protesters have been posting messages and mobile phone footage to social media and websites run by Ethiopian dissidents living abroad.
2. Broadcast Media
You cannot watch the TV channels Esat and OMN, which are both based outside the country. The government has described them as "belonging to terrorist organisations".
These broadcasters have become some of the major sources for people wanting to know more about the protests.

Stop denying people freedom of Expression!!!

3. Protests
You cannot organise a demonstration at your school or university, neither can you be involved in a political campaign that is "likely to cause disturbances, violence, hatred and distrust among the people".
University campuses were among the first places to be hit by the wave of anti-government protests.
4. Gestures
You cannot make a political gesture, such as crossing your arms above your head, or communicate a political message to the public "without permission".
The crossing-arms gesture has been seen widely at the protests in Oromia, and even made it to the Olympics when marathon runner Feyisa Lilesa used it as he crossed the line in second place in Rio in August.
5. Curfew
You cannot visit a factory, farm or governmental institution between 6pm and 6am the next day. If you violate the curfew than "law enforcement bodies have been authorised to take the necessary action"
6. Diplomats
If you are a diplomat you are not allowed to travel more than 40km (25 miles) from the capital, Addis Ababa, without permission. The government says that this is for your own safety.
In general, the diplomatic reaction to the protests and the state of emergency has been muted. The US has said that it is "troubled" by any restrictions on the freedom of expression in the state of emergency, but, like other western powers has called for peaceful dialogue to solve the country's problems.
Ethiopia is a close ally of the US against Islamist militancy in neighbouring Somalia.
7. Guns
If you have a gun, you cannot take it within 25km of the country's main roads out of Addis Ababa, and within 50km

OLF is the immune system of the Oromo nations

Oromo Revolution

OLF is an organization established in 1973 by Oromonationalists to culminate the uncoordinated resistance by brave sons and daughters of Oromo people against colonialist hegemony as well as oppression and suppression of the Oromo people and their culture and to promote self-determination for the Oromo people against “Abyssinian colonial rule”.  The birth of the OLF was a turning point in the history of Oromo people’s struggle for freedom. Now, nationally and internationally the Oromo people are intensifying the struggle for its rights more than any time in the history of the Liberation struggle.  Our struggle is now transforming from limited sector of the nation to the popular revolution.  The OLF articulated the Oromo national question and skillfully set the target for the Oromo national struggle. As an organization the OLF deserves all the credit for almost all political gains achieved by the Oromo people.

Why the OLF is the immune system of the Oromo people?  Firstly, what is immune system?

The immune system is made up of a network of special cells, proteins, tissues, and organs, defends people against germs and microorganisms every day in order to keep people healthy and preventing infections. The immune system is the body’s defense against infectious organisms and other invaders, through a series of steps called the immune response, the immune system attacks organisms and substances that invade body systems and cause disease.

The century long colonial power in Ethiopian empire have committed and still committing all inhuman atrocities, against Oromo people and other oppressed nations. These act of colonial rule create many challenges to form unity-in-diversity.  Namely:

• Challenge of our history: The Oromo peoples believes that we have to confess our past history to build a better future. There are times in our lives when we have to realize our past is precisely what it is, and we cannot change it. But we can change the story we tell ourselves about it, and by doing that, we can change the future.
• Challenge of Socio-economic inequalities
• Absence of appropriate constitutional settlement
• Absence of institutions for democracy and development

In order to solve those critical issues the Oromo peoples are promoting:

• Nations are able to manage their political and social disputes peacefully, without lapsing into conflict, or sustain economic growth without creating huge inequalities, critically depend on the quality of the relevant national institutions.
• Support the principles of democracy such as the forming of government based on the will of the majority, respect for the rule of law, and respect for basic freedoms.

Oromo peoples believes that there is no common agreement will be achieved while the nations are living such parallel lives:

• Colonizers are living as the killers while the oppressed nations are dying
• Colonizers are refusing to accept and respect the right for self-determinations while oppressed nations are crying for their right
• Colonizers are working to divide and rule while the oppressed nations are fighting for unity.
• Colonizers are looting and enriching their close families while oppressed nations are suffering from natural and man made disasters
• Colonizers are cheating while oppressed nations are believing

Most of us (The Oromo peoples, Oppressed nations, former colonizers) now agree that we do not want military rule, our visions and practice of democracy are not uniform, showing a fundamental lack of consensus on this important question as well.  That is why OLF is insisting on the basic demand of the Oromo people and other oppressed nations that is, full freedom to have a legal right on self –determination.  In order to achieve this goal OLF is fulfilling his tasks as immune system:

• Detecting the enemy plan and tactic in order to expose to the public and preparing action plan.
• Attacking the enemy plan and distracting their goal in order to empower our peoples struggle and oppressed nations for freedom.
• Leading our goal forward on the ground in multiple ways, Planning next step and promoting international diplomacy

What are the practical action of this fact:

• Strengthen our freedom fighters in all corners of our country
• Organizing the Oromo people from rural area to the heart of Oromia
• Strengthen our partners by empowering the oppressed nations. To give you an example, forming Peoples Alliance for Freedom and Democracy (PAFD).
• Promoting Oromo nations demand on the international arena. To give you an example of this fact and motivation of point number 3: let me give you one remark of the recent European union response on the roundtable discussion:

Rroundtable discussion of Oppressed Peoples of Ethiopia at the European Parliament

PAFD – a pan-Ethiopian alliance founded in October 2015 – to European policy-makers and other interested parties. To that end, representatives of PAFD presented the alliance’s goals and guiding principles and provided updates on the deteriorating human rights situation in Ethiopia.

Mr Abdirahman Mahdi, the PAFD International Relations Bureau, drew attention to the opportunities that PAFD can offer and elaborated on why it is only through the concerted effort of all of Ethiopia’s suppressed groups that democratic change and freedom for all Ethiopians can be brought about.

Dr Baro Keno Deressa, in turn, gave a chilling account of how the Ethiopian government continues to harass, forcefully disappear, torture and kill ordinary Oromo People, Ogaden people, Sidama people, Gambella and Benishangul peoples and other oppressed nations in Ethiopian Empire with impunity, stressing that urgent action and strong alliances are needed to put an end to the immense suffering of Oromo’s and other Oppressed nations in Ethiopia Empire.

Member of European parliament and various delegations:

• highlighted the importance of giving a voice to the voiceless and reiterated their commitment to support the Oppressed peoples.
• confirms the significance of alliances such as PAFD in order to overcome further crisis.
• Other influential delegate underlined urgency of the situation in Ethiopia.

Conclusions:

Nobody has right to tell us about peace because we Oromo people are nation of peace, nation of democratic rule, nation of justice and equality. We are always against all injustices and we are ready to defend all kinds of violations.

Nobody has right to tell us about generosity, because we are nation of love. We have helped and supporting innocent nations of Amhara’s, tiger’s when they come to our country to collect coffee or to work in the agriculture sector, we have treating them when they were sick, we have respected them as equal human being despite their social status, we are loving them us our families not as strangers.

Nobody has right to tell us about patriotism because we have nation of heroes, for century long there is no Ethiopian colonial rule survive without the patriotic act of Oromo sons and daughters.  But our price was humiliation and death  “when it comes to power and money Oromo’s are the last to touch the desk and when it comes to thehuman-right and equality Oromo’s are the first to be victim of the system”.  Now, when we say it is enough and it is time to build my country Oromia and regain my right as human being, individuals or groups with colonial system and mind have to setback and respect the demand of oppressed nations.  Refusing this fact and try to create all kinds of analysis, tactics and strategies will leads the Ethiopian Empire, horn of Africa and world in general to the hell of 21st century.   

US warns Ethiopia against emergency crackdown

US warns TPLF led regime against
emergency crackdown 

The United States warned its African ally Ethiopia on Tuesday not to abuse the state of emergency it declared this week to suppress dissent and welcomed talk of political reform.

Ethiopia declared an emergency on Sunday after six months of anti-government protests, but on Tuesday Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn promised that opposition voices would be heard.

US State Department spokesman John Kirby welcomed this offer from the government "to address some of the grievances raised by protesters such as land rights and electoral reform."

But he urged President Mulatu Teshome's administration to "clarify" how it intends to implement a state of emergency which authorized "detention without a warrant, limitations on free speech, prohibitions on public gatherings and the imposition of curfews."

"Even if these measures are intended to restore order, silencing independent voices and interfering with the rights of Ethiopians is a self-defeating tactic that exacerbates rather than address those grievances," he argued.

Ethiopia is facing its biggest anti-government unrest in a decade, with unrest among the majority Oromo and Amhara ethnic groups which feel marginalized by a minority-led government.

Tensions have been rising since an Oromo religious festival last week ended in tragedy when police fired tear gas on protesters, triggering a stampede that left more than 50 dead.

The declaration of a six-month state of emergency is unprecedented in the 25 years the current Ethiopian government has been in charge.

Declaring a state of emergency cannot reverse Oromo peoples’ struggle for freedom and democracy

OLF Press Release

Oromo Revolution!!!

Despite being the majority in Ethiopia, the Oromo people have been marginalized by the successive Ethiopian governments. Unimaginable atrocities have been committed against the Oromo during the campaign to create the Ethiopian empire and afterwards to upkeep it. In the process, the Oromo were reduced to third class citizenship status on their own land. Our people have been expressing their grievances at different times but the response from the ruling Ethiopian authorities have always been to violently suppress their demand.

When the current TPLF/EPDRF government came into power, the OLF participated in the transitional government hoping that it will end the cycles of oppressions and subjugations for all peoples in Ethiopia. Within a short period of time, however, it became apparent that the objective of the TPLF was not to create a democratic and all-inclusive system of government but to camouflage itself with a façade of democracy and create a government that serves a minority.

Hoping against all odds that the TPLF will listen to their grievances, the Oromo people continued raising their concerns peacefully at different times over the last 25 years. In the process, tens of thousands of Oromo students, farmers, professionals, and business owners have been killed, jailed, tortured, and disappeared. In the name of economic development, hundreds of thousands of Oromo families have been forcefully displaced from their ancestral lands with no, or very little, compensation. These unconstitutional displacements did not only make the families poor and destitute but negatively impacted their culture, language, identity, and general wellbeing.

Despite continued protests by Oromo students, farmers, and the general public against displacements of Oromo families, the TPLF/EPRDF government came up with the Addis Ababa Master Plan without any consultation with the stakeholders. The plan expands Addis Ababa’s border to 50-times of its current size, potentially displacing millions of Oromo people from their farmland. Historical marginalization coupled with TPLF’s illegal policy of displacements intensified the November 2015 Oromo popular protest. Instead of listening to the people and addressing their demands, the TPLF resorted to its violent rhetoric by killing over 800 people most documented by several human rights organizations.

These killings, however, did not deter the heroic Oromo people from continuing their struggle for their just cause. The protest expanded to all regions of Oromia and other regional states throughout Ethiopia, including the Amhara region. Frustrated by the unity of the oppressed peoples of Ethiopia, TPLF resorted to more killing in all regions. Over a thousand people have been killed in Oromia, Amhara, Gambella, and Southern regional states since July 2016. TPLF’s heinous crimes against the Oromo escalated to the highest level on October 2, 2016 when their army, accompanied by helicopters gunship, massacred over 678 people who came out to celebrate the Irrechaa, an Oromo thanksgiving festival. Angered by such atrocities, the Oromo people from every corners of Oromia and other regions of Ethiopia continued their peaceful demonstrations and took some actions against the TPLF in self-defense. The TPLF government has done everything in its power, including the creation of conflicts between different ethnic and religious groups within Ethiopia, to quell these protests. When its divide and-rule policy failed, the TPLF regime declared a state of emergency on October 9, 2016. It is to be remembered that Oromia is already under martial law since December 2016 and the state of emergency is not going to change the dynamics on the ground. This declaration is nothing but a license for the military to continue killing more people and reestablish the superiority of the minority Tigrean elites.

It is a mockery that the declaration states “the state of emergency will not breach basic human rights enshrined under the Ethiopian constitution” while in fact the TPLF has been violating the basic human rights of the Ethiopian peoples for the last 25 years. The Ethiopian peoples in general, and the Oromo people in particular, know well that the TPLF/EPRDF regime does not respect human rights and have demanded a fundamental change. The system is rotten and reshuffling political leadership within TPLF/EPRDF does not address the deep rooted causes of the problem. Instead of invoking articles that suites its cause from the constitution, TPLF needs to respect the constitution and abide by its rules.

Contrary to TPLF’s assertion that these protests are supported by external governments or groups, Oromo people’s struggle for freedom and justice is self-reliant for the last decades. It is TPLF’s character to use a neighboring state or group as a scapegoat every time people ask legitimate questions and it is not different this time. Unfortunately for the TPLF, the Ethiopian peoples have known their lies for the last quarter of a century and will never give them the legitimacy that they are seeking by pointing fingers to foreign elements.

The OLF strongly believes that the only choice that is left for the TPLF at this juncture is to relinquish the power and be accountable for crimes they have committed against the Oromo and other peoples in Ethiopia. The OLF has an obligation and responsibility to defend the Oromo people from TPLF’s killing machinery by any means necessary. The OLF would like to use this opportunity to once again call upon the Oromo people not to be distracted by the declared state of emergency and redouble their struggle to remove this terrorist government once and for all. We would also like to call upon the oppressed nations and nationalities in Ethiopia to ignore the divide-and-rule tactics of the TPLF and stand with the Oromo people to free yourselves from the yoke of oppression. We remind again the Ethiopian Peoples that this is not only Oromo People’s problem; it is a serious concern to all and we have to stand together to solve it once and for all by removing this fascist regime.