The Oromo Liberation Front statement on the passing away of Former OLF Chairman Mr. Gelasa Dilbo

 The Oromo Liberation Front statement on the passing away of Former OLF Chairman Mr. Gelasa Dilbo

Jaal Galaasaa Dilboo

It is with the deep sorrow that the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) learned the sudden death of the OLF former Chairman, Mr. Gelasa Dilbo. Mr. Gelasa had contributed immensely to the Oromo people’s struggle for many years.

Mr. Gelasa was born in in Eastern Wallaga, Naqamte, Oromia. Mr. Gelasa started Oromo struggle at an early age and involved in the OLF struggle at various stages including serving as a chairman. He contributed hugely to the Oromo movement for freedom and democracy. He made a lot of scarifies throughout his life including participating in armed and political struggles. He lived through difficulties of Oromo freedom struggle journey that involved many ups and downs. His contribution has enlightened several Oromo people to fight for their freedom and his legacies live with the Oromo people forever.

After the OLF had been pushed out of the Ethiopian Transitional Government in 1992, Mr. Gelasa was targeted by the ruling regime and escaped to Djibouti and then to the United Kingdom. He lived in the United Kingdom for many years. In 2018, Mr. Gelasa returned to his home country, accepting the call of Government of Prosperity Party led by Dr. Abiy Ahmed. He continued his contribution in the Ethiopian political spectrum and was serving as a member of the parliament of Ethiopia until the day he passed away. Mr. Gelasa passed away on March 30, 2022, at his home in Finfinne, Oromia.

The OLF would like to pass its condolences to his family and friends. We wish strength and comfort for families, friends, and relatives of Mr. Gelasa Dilbo as well as to the Oromo people.

March 31, 2022

OFC calls for all-around ceasefire, peace talks between OLA, and Abiy's Party PP

 The Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC) issued the first-ever statement after holding its general assembly last weekend. The party urged the federal government to hold talks with the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA).  The statement stressed the need to start negotiations with armed groups and remove all legal obstacles that prevent their participation in the planned dialogue. 

“We urge the federal government to commit without delay to ending the conflict with the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) through peaceful means, in the same way it extended an olive branch to the Tigray region. We underscore that it is impossible to guarantee peace and stability in Ethiopia without an Oromia that is at peace,” the statement read. OFC also called for the release of political prisoners including members of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF). 

Full Statement 

We, the participants in the 2nd Convention of the Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC), held March 17-18, 2022, in Finfinne, have deliberated on various issues concerning our party and country. Having considered the struggle the Oromo have waged for half a century, assessed the progress OFC has made in the last twenty-five years, evaluated the success and failures of the process of change in the last four years, and deliberated on the challenges that have befallen our country and our people, we have formulated a strategy and direction for our party’s struggle in the coming years. At the end of our convention, we have issued the following statement.

1.  We had hoped that the change that the Oromo qeerroo and qarree brought with their sacrifices would transition our country to a new dispensation of democracy and peace. Unfortunately, the transition has been scuttled. As a result, the hope of a democratic transition has now given way to despair, civil war and the specter of disintegration. This has deeply saddened us. The mistakes of the last four years and the negative consequences that followed testify that, to save the country from falling apart, returning our country to the path of building a democratic multinational state is a choice without alternative. Even though we paid a high price for it, the turn of events has vindicated the correctness of the political stand our party and leadership took.

2.   We are deeply disturbed by the civil war of the last three years that has claimed the lives of innocents, destroyed properties, and violated the dignity of citizens. We welcome the government’s decision to shift its approach from beating the drumbeats of war to seeking a peaceful solution to the civil war. We call on both the federal government and the Tigray regional government to move from the rhetoric of peacemaking and immediately reach an agreement for the cessation of hostilities to allow unfettered humanitarian access and commit to not reignite the conflict. 

3.     Even though we are heartened by the effort to end the conflict in the northern part of the country, we are disappointed that the civil war that has been waged in Oromia for more than three years has not received the attention it deserves. Therefore, we urge the federal government to commit without delay to ending the conflict with the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) through peaceful means, in the same way it extended an olive branch to the Tigray region. We underscore that it is impossible to guarantee peace and stability in Ethiopia without an Oromia that is at peace.

4.   Our party has been imploring the government to convene a national dialogue to resolve the very political differences that led to the ongoing civil war. No one bothered to heed our counsel. Today, after thousands of lives had been lost and properties worth millions of dollars had been destroyed, the government has conceded the need for a national dialogue. Nevertheless, as we have announced in a series of press statements, the prevailing situation is not conducive for conducting a successful national dialogue in the midst of a raging civil war. We do not believe that a national dialogue that does not include all stakeholders and is led by a neutral body can resolve all outstanding issues facing the country. Yet, if there is a will and determination to conduct a successful national dialogue, the following issues must be addressed. 

a.   End the hostilities and reach an agreement for a permanent ceasefire in all regions of the country.

b.   All political prisoners without preconditions, specifically the leaders of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) and the OFC who are currently languishing in prisons must be released.

c.  The government must enter into negotiations with the forces that are currently engaged in a civil war to end the conflict, remove all legal obstacles that prevent their participation, and must be invited to participate in the dialogue. 

d.   The proclamation that authorized the national dialogue must be prepared by a consensus and the commissioners leading the dialogue must be selected by the potential participants.

5.  At the moment, millions of our fellow compatriots are displaced and exposed to the dangers of famine. We urge the Ethiopian government to work in coordination with international humanitarian organizations to deliver much needed humanitarian assistance to save lives. At the same time, we urge international humanitarian organizations to ensure that the aid they generously donate reaches the victims without being embezzled or diverted to private interests.

Finally, we call on our Oromo compatriots to work assiduously to strengthen their unity and their solidarity with other nations.

OLLAA says detention of OLF PR without charges, denial of medical treatment violation of international laws

 

Justice must be served!

The Oromo Legacy Leadership Advocacy Association (OLLAA) says detention of #OLF PR without charges, denial of medical treatment violation of international laws

On March 20, 2021, Bate visited several of his OLF colleagues who were detained in Burayu prison. At that time, he and his driver were detained by police. When he was brought before the court, the court granted him bail, but the police refused to release him, claiming that they were following orders from above.

The statement noted that Batee was released on Friday, March 11, 2022 in order to receive medical care. The OLLAA quoted sources as saying that he was only released because there was no hope of recovery for him in prison and that he may need to receive treatment from abroad. The OLLAA recalled that Batee became critically ill during a hunger strike alongside several other OLF leaders. “It was here that Bate was diagnosed with Hepatitis B, although our sources reported that officials still refused to let him see his lawyers or doctors,”

#Justice #Freedom #Democracy

Full Statement 

Following recent reports that Bate Urgessa, the Head of OLF public relations, had been diagnosed with Hepatitis B after being detained without charges for close to a year, OLLAA has spoken to credible sources, including a family member and a former colleague, in order to learn more about his condition and the circumstances surrounding his detention.

Bate Urgessa (39) was born in Meqi, East Shewa zone, although he was living in Finfinnee/Addis Ababa at the time of his arrest. He received his first BA from Bahir Dar University and later studied business administration before joining the OLF, where he works as Head of public relations.  Apart from his work as a leading figure for the OLF, Bate is also a devoted husband and father, and his continued detention has kept him from his wife and four children, including the youngest, who was only a year old at the time of his arrest. 

Bate has a long history of political advocacy, including participating in protests during the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front’s (EPDRF) regime.  It was during one of these protests that Bate was grievously injured by police, who beat him badly before taking him into custody.  During the assault his leg was broken so severely that he needed surgery in order to be able to regain mobility.

On March 20, 2021, Bate visited several of his OLF colleagues who were detained in Burayu prison.  At that time, he and his driver were detained by police.  When he was brought before the court, the court granted him bail, but the police refused to release him, claiming that they were following orders from above.  

On May 15, 2021, Bate was transferred to Awash Melkasa prison. Sources report that there are over 4,000 people detained in this prison, including many leaders of the OLF, its members, and supporters. Those prisoners who have been released from Awash Melkasa report deplorable conditions in the prison, including that they were kept in a private chicken coop, and that lice from the hens caused the prisoners to contract a variety of illnesses. In addition to the unhygienic conditions at the facility, our sources claim that, while imprisoned here, Bate faced numerous threats from the guards, including claims that they, “have been given the right to kill”, all prisoners from the OLA, including Bate. Bate was also physically assaulted by guards, leaving him with a head wound and a spinal disk injury. Our sources suspect that he contracted Hepatitis B at this time, and report that he did not receive access to medical care following this assault, or for the majority of his time in detention.

After six months, Bate was transferred to the Galan Sololia Oromia Special Forces camp. In early February, he and other leaders of the OLF launched a hunger strike in order to protest their unlawful detention, denial of due process rights, and detention conditions.  Among their complaints were the denial of access to medical care and to counsel.  

During the hunger strike, Bate, alongside several other OLF leaders, became critically ill and was taken to a hospital.  It was here that Bate was diagnosed with Hepatitis B, although our sources reported that officials still refused to let him see his lawyers or doctors.  

On Friday, March 11, 2022, it was announced that, at long last, Bate Urgessa would be released on bail in order to receive medical care.  Our sources report that he was only released because there was no hope of recovery for him in prison, and that he may need to receive treatment from abroad. 

International Legal Standards

Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) set out that the right to liberty protects citizens from arbitrary arrest and detentions, which are arrests and detentions that are not in accordance with the procedures established by law.  The continued detention of an individual without charges or a trial has been found to constitute arbitrary detention. 

Under international law, States have the duty to ensure that persons deprived of their liberty are treated with respect for the inherent dignity of the person (ICCPR article 10) and are not subjected to toture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. Torture has been defined under the Convention Against Torture as “any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted on a person for such purposes as obtaining from him or a third person information or a confession, punishing him for an act he or a third person has committed or is suspected of having committed, or intimidating or coercing him or a third person, or for any reason based on discrimination of any kind, when such pain or suffering is inflicted by or at the instigation of or with the consent or acquiescence of a public official or other person acting in an official capacity.” 

The right of detained persons to access medical care has its basis in the right of all persons deprived of their liberty to be treated with humanity and respect to the inherent dignity of the person (ICCPR article 10), as well as in article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and article 12 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, which sets out that all persons have the right “to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health.” In addition, the UN Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (Nelson Mandela Rules) set out that States have a responsibility to provide health care for its prisoners, and that “Prisoners should enjoy the same standards of health care that are available in the community, and should have access to necessary health-care services free of charge without discrimination on the grounds of their legal status.” 

Finally, the Nelson Mandela rules also lay out several principles that are also relevant to the treatment Bate Urgessa experienced while detained, including, but not limited to:

• The right of prisoners to communicate with their family at regular interviews, including by receiving visits from their family (Rule 58); 
• The opportunity to consult with legal counsel (Rule 61);
• All accommodation provided for the use of prisoners and in particular all sleeping accommodation shall meet all requirements of health, due regard being paid to climatic conditions and particularly to cubic content of air, minimum floor space, lighting, heating and ventilation (Rule 13).

The Head of OLF public relations Bate Urgessa was diagnosed with Hepatitis B but is denied access to healthcare according to sources close to his family.

 The Head of OLF public relations Bate Urgessa was diagnosed with Hepatitis B but is denied access to healthcare according to sources close to his family

. 

Dirribi Demissie, the president of the Macha-Tulama association, told that Bate was diagnosed with Hepatitis B and the police are denying him access to medical treatment. 

The detainees who are also prominent members of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF)  Mikael Boren, Kenessa Ayana, Dawit Abdeta, Lemi Begna, Geda Gabisa, and the PR Bate Urgessa who were reportedly on a hunger strike for over a week and were rushed to the hospital in Addis Abeba last month. 

Dirribi added, “While Bate who is diagnosed with Hepatitis B and his condition remain to be seen,  Kenessa who is suffering from hypertension and diabetes and others who were rushed to the hospital are recovering.”

In February, Dirribi quoted the doctors as saying “The detainees are unable to eat and that they were to be resuscitated by IV fluids”. However,  the interim party’s PR, Lammi Gemechu told that the doctors refused to admit the detainees citing fear of taking responsibility for their lives. “They were brought back to the hospital this morning from Burayu,” Lammi said, adding, “Family members and lawyers are prevented from seeing them.” 

According to the interim PR Kenasa Ayana is unconscious while both Michale Boran and Bate Urgessa were in critical conditions when they were rushed to the hospital last month.  Batte Uregssa’s wife, Beza Haile told  at the time, “I have no idea about the condition. My husband is in. I am very anxious.”  

According to Lammi, family members and lawyers are not allowed to contact the detainees. Family members,  added that they didn’t have full information about their conditions and were denied visits.

The OLF  issued a statement detailing the conditions of its senior leaders whose health conditions deteriorated following the week-long hunger strike. Family members are prevented from visiting the detainees, the statement said.  OLF accused the ruling party of torturing its jailed members and said that its pleas with the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) to address the human rights violations were to no avail.

Court overrules police request for more days, orders investigation results on two Associated Press journalists

 The Federal First Instance Court Arada branch has today overruled police’s request for more days and ordered the investigation results on two Associated Press (AP) journalists – journalist Amir Aman and cameraman Thomas Engida.

The police requested judges for 14 more days to remand the journalists and complete the investigation. On 22 February, after initially requesting 14 days, police was given nine days to complete police investigation. However, the court ordered the police to finish the investigation and adjourned the next hearing until Monday 08 March.

Journalism is not a Crime!

In a statement this week, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) acknowledged that “Journalists Amir Aman Kiyaro, Thomas Engida and Tamrat Negera are still detained since they were arrested late last year in the context of the state of emergency. RSF calls on the authorities to stop this harassment and to release them immediately.”