An Oromo singer goes missing from police custody, family accuses Oromia region police of extrajudicial killing

 

Oromo singer Damiso Mosissa has gone missing after spending more than a year in police custody, a family member told, adding that his families were unofficially informed by a member of Oromia police that the singer was killed. They accuse Oromia security forces of extrajudicially killing him, the family member added.

Oromia police arrested Damiso on 06 June 2021, shortly after he attended the launching ceremony of his friend’s book in Nekemte city, in East Wollega Zone of the Oromia Regional State. Family members of the singer were unable to visit the detainee since his detention due to police’s refusal to disclose his whereabouts, according to the family member who spoke on conditions of anonymity.

“The information about the death of Damiso came from a member of the Oromia police who had contacted with his family. According to the information, Damiso was moved with another prisoner to a military camp located in Arjo Dhedhesa and then killed by members of the police three or four months ago,” the source said.

A friend and colleague of Damiso who also asked to remain anonymous told that the singer’s family have been desperately trying to locate him since he was arrested. “His parents have tried their best to search for their son. They repeatedly requested the Oromia police force. They even traveled to Addis Abeba in case he was transferred to another detention center. However, they couldn’t uncover any information about him,” he said.

His families are unable to recover Damiso’s body, even after they were informed about his death.

The police did not officially press charges against Damiso or explain the reason of his arrest. “We don’t know why he was arrested, and police did not accuse him of any crime explicitly,”his friend added.

Singer Damiso was a musician and poet who rose to fame with his music album called ‘Lafee dhugaaf cabe’ which can be roughly translated as ‘bones broken into pieces for the sake of truth’. His song, Ha Birmannuuf Kaanee, carry a message that call on the Oromo people to rise up fight against oppression. Addis Standard learned from friends and sources that following the release of his album, he had been receiving criticisms and threats from security forces.

The Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), said on 06 November 2022 that the group’s fighters broke into Kumsa Moroda, a museum turned-military camp and prison in Nekemte city, where Damiso was believed to have been detained at and set over 100 prisoners free on 06 November 2022, after which Damiso’s disappearance was noticed.

#StopKillingOromo #StopTheKilling #Justice #Freedom #StopDroneAttackInOromia  #FreeAllPoliticalPrisoners 

Abiy's regime drones attacked innocent Oromo civilians in an open market in Mendi killing many. Stop killing innocent Oromo civilians!

 

Witnesses say new fighting in Ethiopia’s Oromia kills dozens

Intense fighting between Ethiopian government forces and Oromo Liberation Army rebels in the country’s Oromia region has led to “several dozen” casualties in the past week, witnesses tell The Associated Press.

A witness in the West Wollega area town of Bila said he saw bodies scattered on the ground following an alleged aerial attack on Nov. 2 by what he described as a “small flying plane” or possible drone.

“It was a market day, and students were leaving school,” the witness said, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution. “I have lost count of the dead, but several dozen people were killed and injured.”

Witnesses in recent attacks in Oromia have blamed Ethiopian forces.

A priest in Bila said his church members buried 11 victims of what he described as a drone attack. He said hundreds of people were injured and sent to nearby hospitals.

The attack was followed by heavy fighting Sunday morning between Abiy's PP forces and the OLA in the town of Nekemte in the East Wollega area.

The spokesman for the Oromo Liberation Army, Odaa Tarbii, tweeted that the rebel group’s fighters “rescued over 120 political prisoners” during an operation in Nekemte on Sunday. It claimed “several regime military installations” there were destroyed.

The OLA asserts that it stands for the security and self-determination of the Oromo people.

Dr.Ali Birra from 1947- 2022 .'The light in our Dark Times'

 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗱 Dr. 𝗔𝗹𝗶 𝗕𝗶𝗿𝗿𝗮 was born in 𝗘𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗵𝗲. OROMIA

Dr Ali Birra

Ali Birra born in 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘄𝗮 (𝗚𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮 𝗞𝗼𝗿𝗲) born Sep 29, 1947 is a famous Oromo singer, composer, poet and nationalist. He was born in Ganda Kore village in the city of Dire Dawa, Ethiopia.

Ali Birra was born in Dire Dawa (Ganda Kore).

His parents were separated when he was three years old, after which he was brought up by his father. He attended Arabic school as a child where he learnt Arabic language. He then enrolled in local academic school and pursued his education till the sixth grade.

In his early years, Ali used to do small on-street business so as to support himself as a means of livelihood. When he was 13, he joined Afran Qallo cultural group which was then oprerating unofficially to promote the Oromo music and culture. The first song that he sang on stage was called "Birra dha Bari'e" so that the people nicknamed him "Ali Birra," meaning "Ali the Spring". The Haile Selasie regime banned the group in 1965 and arrested some of its members. Ali escaped arrest and moved to Addis Ababa.

After he settled in Addis Ababa, he was engaged in different activities along with singing. On this occasion, Ali came to know the nationalist Ahmad Taqi, and the latter bought him a guitar so that Ali could sing more widely. His fame increased dramatically throughout the city. He had ability to sing in Amharic, Arabic, Harari, and Somali languages, in addition to Oromo, his mother tongue. This had gained him appreciation from different personalities including Eyoel Yohannes, at the time the head of Kibur Zebegna, so that Eyoel recruited him as a solo singer in Oromo. He joined other famous singers such as Mahmoud Ahmed, Tilahun Gessesse and Bizunesh Bekele.

While he was within the group, he could travel to all regions of the country and show his talent to his admirers. He also traveled to the Sudan repeatedly and sang with well known celebrities like Mohammed Wardi. When he was in Addis Ababa, he would perform in large venues such as Hager Fiker and Ras Teyater, but following a discussion with his father, he left Addis Ababa. In the early 1970s, at the breakout of the Ethiopian revolution, Ahmad Taqi was killed in eastern Ethiopia while fighting the government army. Ali Birra mourned deeply and sang metaphorically,

Yaa Hundee Bareeda

Yaa Finxee Midhaga

(Hundee was another name for Ahmad Taqi.)

Ali Birra continued his career both as a musician and a composer. He produced his first album in 1971, the first in the history of Oromo music. He then recorded successful hits such as "Hin Yaadin", "Asabalee", "Ammalelee", and "Gamachu". His albums included Sudanese songs such as "Al-Habib Ween" and Harari songs such as "Yidenqal".

A Swedish admirer of Ali Birra, who had been a vice-secretary at the Swedish Embassy in Addis Ababa, asked him for marriage. Ali agreed and married her in 1985, her name was Birgitta Åström born in Stockholm, Sweden (21 July 1942 – 13 September 2009). In 1986, Ali's wife was transferred to Saudi Arabia, and Ali accompanied her to the country. But Ali faced difficulties in Saudi Arabia, and proceeded to Sweden, where he lived for two years. In 1988, he went to the United States to attend the Los Angeles Arts Academy. He graduated in 1990, and by 1992, he had released his first two albums outside of Ethiopia amid increasing international fame. He also conducted many concerts and festivals in many countries, including the 2005 Enkutatash (Ethiopian New Year) celebration at the Addis Sheraton.

The distinctive of Ali Bira’s music is his culturally embedded lyrics which deployed to inform, educate, mobilize and lead the Oromo nation into unity, liberty and cultural pride. His lyrics always speak to the moment, explaining events and processes, counseling restraint when times are tough and encouraging protest when political impact seems possible. The theme of Ali’s songs always focused on the exalation of the Oromo nation and the liberation of the people from oppression. As such, his lyrics celebrated everything Oromo: the nation, the land, and the indigenous cosmology. Here is the English rendition of some of his influential songs include:

Galma adda kenya eega seenaa keenya:

The repository of our culture, the protector of our history

The vanguard of our unity, and foundation of our liberty

The Oromo language, the root of Oromo identity.

Barnoota, barnoota ammas barnoota:

Knowledge, knowledge, and knowledge again

Self-knowledge is the Oromo destination

Authentic knowledge is rooted in history

Its source is our national heritage and the shared culture

The Oromo language is the center pole and the peak

It is self-knowledge that will set us free.

As of August 2009, Ali Birra reported that he had recently been treated for colon cancer, but planned to continue performing music, in spite of reports that his most recent album would be his last.

Awards

In 1995, Ali received the Toronto African Merits Award. In 2010, Ali received an honorary doctorate from Jimma University.

Rest in Peace, Adeeroo!

The Tyranny, Oppression and Killings of the Oromos by the Abiy's Regime that Stuck to power at gunpoint must end.

 The Tyranny, Oppression and Killings of the Oromos by the Regime that Stuck to power at gunpoint must end.

The Oromo people’s struggle that the precious sons and daughters have spearheaded has been betrayed and usurped by those power mongers when it was on the verge of achieving its final objectives.

The Oromos lost their freedom through guns; they continue to suffer under the gun. A people like the Oromo, whose struggle is sabotaged by conspirators; and who continues to suffer under the inhumane and abusive regime, should fasten its belt to free itself from tyranny.

The Oromo Liberation Front strongly condemns all forms of repression, killings of unarmed civilians, unlawful detention, disappearances, and displacement of the Oromos, a citizen of Oromiya and all Ethiopians.

The Oromo Liberation Front has decided to wage a struggle through peaceful means and returned to Oromiya in 2018. Our proposal for the problem of the country through political and peaceful means was rejected by the party in power. Yet the problem of the country went from bad to worse.

The Oromo people continued to suffer. The regime continued to protect its power through the burel of the gun than searching for a peaceful political solution.

On October 20 2022, the Ethiopian Air Force, commanded by the Prosperity Party, launched air strike in Western Showa Zone, 70 km from Finfinnee, in Meta Walqite District, Minare town, killed more than 70 civilians on the spot.

On October 22 and 23, 2022, in Eastern Showa Zone, Fantalle District; Western Showa Zone, in Metta Waliqixxe, Chobi, Gindeberete Districts; Eastern Wollega Zone, Nuunnuu Qumba District conducted an air raid and killed more than 100 people, and money other wounded.

On November 01, 2022, in Western Oromiya, Mana Sibu District, in Waama Tobar, another air raid was conducted, and a civilian death was recorded. Civilians named Elias Abdulkadir, Shiek Jafar Kedir Atomsa, Mujahid Kedir, Nazir Ahmed, Zamira Adem, Qasim Nagasa and Qannoo Jireegna were instantly killed by the air raid. In the same zone, Qiltu Karra District and Gori kebele, a massive bomb was dropped to terrorize the people.

On November 02, 2022 a deadly air raid was conducted in Western Oromia, Najo District, Bila town, and more than 80 civilians were reported killed.

The urges the International Community, Human Rights groups and the UN should break their silence and condemn such barbaric acts by the regime in power. It is incumbent on all peace-loving individuals and groups to act against such inhumane behaviours.

Last but not least, we call upon all Oromos everywhere to act in unison and end the age-old abuse, killings, and suffering that have become a daily occurrence in Oromiya.

Victory to the Masses!

Oromo Liberation Front

November 2022

Finfinnee.