Sagalee Bilisummaa Oromoo (SBO)

Barattootni Shawaa Lixaa Magaalaa Amboo Keessatti Suuraa Barattoota Wareegamanii Baachuun Yaadannoo Taasisan, Manneen Barnoota Garagaraa Keessattis Fincilli Itti Fufe!

Odeessa Qeerroo magaala Amboo, Bitootessa 5/2015
Lixa shawaa, aanaalee fi magaalota keessatti guyyaa lama dura barattootni kanneen akka Midaa Qany, Geeddoo, Xiqur Incinnii fi kkf barumsa dhaabuun yaadannoo wareegamtootaaf taasisanii jiru, kun itti fufuudhaan har’a akka odeessi Qeerroo magaala Amboo irraa addeessutti suuraan barattoota bara darbe Ebla 11/2015 kaasee magaala Amboo fi waluma gala godina shawaa lixaa keessatti gaaffii mirgaa gaafataniin wareegaman mara suuraa isaani bittimsuun, baachuudhaan barattootni olii gadi sochii taasisaa turan akkasuma:

- OPDO hanga yoomitti saba keenyatti taphattii, kan sabaaf hin taanee nurraa ka’i,
- Gumaa barattoota keenyaa baasuun amma malee bor miti,
- Maqaa misoomaan qote bulaan keenya gowomfamuun haa dhaabbatu, kan jedhu qabachuudhaan barattootni magaala Amboo keessatti daandiitti bahuudhaan socho’uudhaan tika fi humna mootummaa dhokataa uummata keessa faca’ee jiru mufachiisuun dhagayame.

Akkasuma akka odeessi kun ibsuttis sochii barattootaa kana tasgabbeessuuf humni mootummaa irraa ergame barattooni har’as ni bahu kan jedhuun mana barumsaa Future Generetion fi mana barumsaa Ayyoomee 01 akkasuma mana barumsaa Liiban Maccaa sadarkaa 2ffaan dhagaa darbachuudhaan humna mootummaa gara sanatti argame poolisoota ariyuun beekame. Kunis sa’a 8:00 irraa kaasee kan eegale barattootni sirboota qabsoo dhageessisaa fi dhaadannoo akkasuma barruulee hojii mootummaa wayyaanee saaxilu bittimsuu fi babarreessuu odeessi Qeerroo addeessa.

Statement of the Executive Committee of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF)

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The Executive Committee (EC) of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) held its meeting from February 19th to 23rd, 2015. This meeting was the first for the newly formed Executive Committee at the reunification of the two groups – OLF Shanee Gimii and OLF-Transitional Authority.

At this meeting, detailed report and analysis on the general situation of the Oromo people’s liberation struggle and the Oromo masses, the situation of the regime and the region as a whole was presented by the OLF Chairman. In addition, the heads of the various departments reported on activities of their departments. Likewise, the chairman of the Coordinating Committee of the planed National Congress has presented detailed report on the progress of the work of the Committee. The meeting has thoroughly assessed the various reports and passed relevant decisions.

The EC conducted a thorough analysis and review of the performance of the organization and its leadership. Hence, it took important decisions aimed at transforming the day to day management of the work of the struggle. In addition, the EC addressed the situation of the Oromo people in general, the brutality of the Ethiopian regime against the Oromo people and others, peace and stability in the Horn of Africa and global issues and laid down vital directives to intensify the liberation struggle.

The EC discussed the recent detailed reports of a number of human rights organizations and government agencies on the violation of Oromo human rights. It is realized that in spite of the systematic human right violations being committed against Oromo individuals and the nation in general, the Western governments that are sustaining the Ethiopian brutal regime continue to provide military, diplomatically and financial support to it.

Particular attention was also given to the so called “Addis Abeba Master Plan” aimed at dismembering Oromia and the appropriation of farm lands and the destruction of virgin forests that house unique and rare animals and plants. Some of the areas include holy sites.

The EC call on members of the Front:
The meeting solemnly remembered all the martyrs and those members and other suffering in the hands of the enemy. The EC has commended the progress of our struggle and the steadfastness and dedication of the members. The EC asks the members, both inside the country and outside to redouble their efforts to bring to an end the sever oppression and exploitation of the Oromo people.

Call on the Oromo People:
We greatly admire and proud of the recent intensified mass movement of the Oromo people, particularly the struggle that lead by the youth(Qeerroo). As long as the regime continuous to violate the Oromo people’s right to self-determination, a right that is part of the international law, the Oromo people has only one choice – to intensify the liberation struggle.

The EC venerates those Oromo men and women working in the colonial administration for their awareness and resistance against the alien rule. We call on these Oromo nationals working in the police force, army and the bureaucracy of the ruling party, etc., to organize yourselves and actively participate in the ongoing liberation struggle of our people that is fast gathering momentum.

Every Oromo at home and abroad must be conscious of the danger facing the Oromo people at this moment and stand against it in all manners. In particular, the continued enemy sinister plot and manipulation to divide our society on regional and religious grounds so as to weaken our struggle and continue its brutal rule must be exposed to the international community. Therefore, the EC calls upon all Oromo at home and abroad to stand up to this, combat it and expose the atrocious intentions of the regime. We also continue to appeal to all friends and others concerned to show their solidarity with our suffering people.

Demand#12 of the Oromo Students at Jimma University: "Free Oromo & Other Political Prisoners"

Recently (March 2, 2015 to be exact), Oromo students at Jimma University sent an appeal letter detailing their demands of human rights to the Jimma University administration, to offices of the State of Oromia, to the people of Oromia all over the world, and to national and international human rights organizations.

Today, we feature DEMAND#12 from the Oromo students’ demands of human rights:

“12. We demand that all political prisoners of the country be released without any precondition.”

Be the voice of the Oromo Revolution for Freedom (Warraaqsa Bilisummaa) | #StopAbayTsehaye

Appeal Letter of Oromo Students of Jimma University

Appeal Letter of Oromo Students of Jimma University

To: The Administration of Jimma University

Jimma 

We, the Oromo students of Jimma University, are deeply disturbed by the multifaceted repression, subjugation, political marginalization, economic exploitation, and mass and indiscriminate killings that the Oromo people are subjected to by the current TPLF/EPRDF government and profoundly distressed by the endless insults, harassment and humiliations we are facing from the remnants of the old and neo-nafxanyas (gun carriers who settled on our land by force) here in our university and in the Ethiopian empire at large. To add insult to our injury, Abay Tsehaye, one of the prominent leaders of the Ethiopian regime and one of the founders of the Tigrean People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), has demonstrated his contempt of the Oromo people by his current provocative and inflammatory remark. It has been exposed on several independent media outlets that Abay Tsehaye arrogantly stated that, the so-called Addis Ababa Master Plan, which was met with fierce opposition from the Oromo public, “will be realized whether you like it or not” and bragged that anyone who opposes the Master Plan “will face severe punishment.” Basically, this Tigrean chief, who is currently serving as the “advisor” of the TPLF-led government, undermining the power of the people, arrogantly stated that the Oromo people have no right to oppose the evil plan that the Tigrean led Ethiopian regime has put forward.

Abay Tsehaye’s contemptuous and disrespectful remark is a clear testimony of the attitude of the entire TPLF gang who has been using the so called OPDO “Oromo organization” as a tool to subjugate the Oromo nation and not in any measure an equal partner in the EPRDF coalition as they try to mislead the public. We consider his disdainful and condescending remark as remorseless and callous act of ridiculing of the blood and graves of our fallen brothers and sisters who he and his cohorts have murdered in broad day light for no crime other than showing opposition to this so called “Master Plan” they have designed in order to loot Oromo land and subjugate the great Oromo nation.

We recall that, last year, on April 11, 2014, we have submitted an appeal letter containing questions about our democratic rights and the rights of the Oromo nation for self-governance of their country Oromia. At the time, since we did not get any response for our appeal, we were forced to stage a peaceful Revolt Against Subjugation (Fincila Diddaa Gabrummaa).

Following the protests the government unleashed its Federal and Agazi armed forces and fired live ammunition on peaceful protesters and students who have nothing on their hand other than their pens and notebooks. Hundreds of our peers have been brutally murdered; tens of thousands others have been jailed and tortured. Those who have been jailed still languish in different prisons in the empire. The response to our peaceful questions has been mass killing which amounts to genocide, widespread arrest, severe injury and death as a result of brutal beating and inhuman treatment in prison cells. Those members of the regime who ordered and/or committed those crimes have never been accountable for their actions. To the contrary, many who committed those crimes, including Abay Tsehaye, have been rewarded and promoted. The Oromo people and other peoples of the country agree that it is the Agazi, Federal Police, and other mercenaries of the regime who are responsible for all loss of lives and the damaged property in Ambo and some other Oromian towns during the 2014 Oromo student protests. However, the regime is currently forcing the people of those areas to pay money for the damaged property. Overall, the government of Ethiopia monopolizes every aspect of political and economic power of the country.

Amnesty International Report 2014/15

Freedom of expression continued to be subject to serious restrictions. The government was hostile to suggestions of dissent, and often made pre-emptive arrests to prevent dissent from manifesting. Independent media publications were subject to further attack. Peaceful protesters, journalists, and members of opposition political parties were arbitrarily arrested. The Charities and Societies Proclamation continued to obstruct the work of human rights organizations. Arbitrary detention and torture and other ill-treatment were widespread, often used as part of a system for silencing actual or suspected dissent.

Background

Economic growth continued apace, along with significant foreign investment including in the agriculture, construction and manufacturing sectors, large-scale development projects such as hydroelectric dam building and plantations, and widespread land-leasing, often to foreign companies.

The government used multiple channels and methods to enforce political control on the population, including politicizing access to job and education opportunities and development assistance, and high levels of physical and technological surveillance.

The politicization of the investigative branch of the police and of the judiciary meant that it was not possible to receive a fair hearing in politically motivated trials.

Federal and regional security services were responsible for violations throughout the country, including arbitrary arrests, the use of excessive force, torture  and extrajudicial executions. They operated with near-total impunity.

Armed opposition groups remained in several parts of the country or in neighbouring countries, although in most cases with small numbers of fighters and low levels of activity.

Access to some parts of the Somali region continued to be severely restricted. There were continuing reports of serious violations of human rights, including arbitrary arrests and extrajudicial executions. There were also multiple allegations of the rape of women and girls by members of the security services.

Excessive use of force ‒ extrajudicial executions

In April and May, protests took place across Oromia region against a proposed “Integrated Master Plan” to expand the capital Addis Ababa into Oromia regional territory. The government said the plan would bring services to remote areas, but many Oromo people feared it would damage the interests of Oromo farmers and lead to large-scale displacement.

Security services, comprising federal police and military special forces, responded with excessive force, firing live ammunition at protesters in Ambo and Guder towns and Wallega and Madawalabu universities, resulting in the deaths of at least 30 people, including children. Hundreds of people were beaten by security service agents during and after the protests, including protesters, bystanders, and parents of protesters for failing to “control” their children, resulting in scores of injuries.

Thousands of people were arbitrarily arrested. Large numbers were detained without charge for several months, and some were held incommunicado. Hundreds were held in unofficial places of detention, including Senkele police training camp. Some detainees were transferred to Maikelawi federal police detention centre in Addis Ababa. Over 100 people continued to be detained in Kelem Wallega, Jimma and Ambo by security service agents after courts ordered their release on bail or unconditionally.

Many of those arrested were released after varying detention periods, between May and October, but others were denied bail, or remained in detention without charge. Others, including students and members of the Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC) opposition political party, were prosecuted and convicted in rapid trials on various charges relating to the protests.

Freedom of expression, arbitrary arrests and detentions

2014 saw another onslaught on freedom of expression and suggestions of dissent, including further targeting of the independent media and arrests of opposition political party members and peaceful protesters. Several attempts by opposition political parties to stage demonstrations were obstructed by the authorities. The Anti-Terrorism Proclamation continued to be used to silence dissidents. Opposition party members were increasingly targeted ahead of the 2015 general election.

In late April, six bloggers of the Zone 9 collective and three independent journalists associated with the group were arrested in Addis Ababa, two days after the group announced the resumption of activities, which had been suspended due to significant harassment. For nearly three months, all nine were held in the underground section of Maikelawi, denied access to family members and other visitors, and with severely restricted access to lawyers.

In July, they were charged with terrorism offences, along with another Zone 9 member charged in their absence. The charge sheet cited among their alleged crimes the use of “Security in a Box” – a selection of open-source software and materials created to assist human rights defenders, particularly those working in repressive environments.

Six of the group said they were forced to sign confessions. Three complained in remand hearings that they had been tortured, but the court did not investigate their complaints. The trial continued at the end of 2014.

Early in 2014, a “study” conducted by the national Press Agency and Ethiopian News Agency and published in the government-run Addis Zemen newspaper targeted seven independent publications, alleging that they had printed several articles which “promoted terrorism”, denied economic growth, belittled the legacy of former Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, and committed other “transgressions”. In August, the government announced that it was bringing charges against several of the publications, causing over 20 journalists to flee the country. In October, the owners of three of the publications were sentenced in their absence to over three years’ imprisonment each for allegedly inciting the public to overthrow the government and publishing unfounded rumours.

The OFC opposition party reported that between 350 and 500 of its members were arrested between May and July, including party leadership. The arrests started in the context of the “Master Plan” protests, but continued for several months. Many of those arrested were detained arbitrarily and incommunicado. OFC members were among over 200 people arrested in Oromia in mid-September, and further party members were arrested in October.

On 8 July, Habtamu Ayalew and Daniel Shebeshi, of the Unity for Democracy and Justice (UDJ) Party, and Yeshewas Asefa of the Semayawi Party were arrested in Addis Ababa. Abraha Desta of the Arena Tigray Party, and a lecturer at Mekele University, was arrested in Tigray, and was transferred to Addis Ababa. They were detained in Maikelawi and initially denied access to lawyers and family. In late October, they were charged under the Anti-Terrorism Proclamation. Yeshewas Asefa complained in court that he had been tortured in detention.

The Semayawi Party reported numerous arrests of its members, including seven women arrested in March during a run to mark International Women’s Day in Addis Ababa, along with three men, also members of the party. They had been chanting slogans including “We need freedom! Free political prisoners!” They were released without charge after 10 days. In late April, 20 members of the party were arrested while promoting a demonstration in Addis Ababa. They were released after 11 days.

In early September, Befekadu Abebe and Getahun Beyene, party officials in Arba Minch city, were arrested along with three party members. Befekadu Abebe and Getahun Beyene were transferred to Maikelawi detention centre in Addis Ababa. In the initial stages of detention, they were reportedly denied access to lawyers and family members. In late October, party member Agbaw Setegn, was arrested in Gondar, and was also transferred to Maikelawi, and held incommunicado without access to lawyers or family.

On 27 October, editor Temesgen Desalegn was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment for “defamation” and “inciting the public through false rumours”, in the now-defunct publication Feteh, after a trial that had lasted more than two years. The publisher of Fetehwas also convicted in their absence.

People were detained arbitrarily without charge for long periods in the initial stages, or throughout the duration, of their detention including numerous people arrested for peaceful opposition to the government or their imputed political opinion. Arbitrary detention took place in official and unofficial detention centres, including Maikelawi. Many detainees were held incommunicado, and many were denied access to lawyers and family members.

Numerous prisoners of conscience, imprisoned in previous years based solely on their peaceful exercise of their freedom of expression and opinion, including journalists and opposition political party members, remained in detention. These included some convicted in unfair trials, some whose trials continued, and some who continued to be detained without charge.

Access to detention centres for monitoring and documenting the treatment of detainees continued to be severely restricted.

Torture and other ill-treatment

Torture took place in local police stations, Maikelawi federal police station, federal and regional prisons and military camps.

Torture methods reported included: beating with sticks, rubber batons, gun butts and other objects; burning; tying in stress positions; electric shocks; and forced prolonged physical exercise. Some detention conditions amounted to torture, including detaining people underground without light, shackled and in prolonged solitary confinement.

Torture typically took place in the early stages of detention, in conjunction with the interrogation of the detainee. Torture was used to force detainees to confess, to sign incriminating evidence and to incriminate others. Those subjected to torture included prisoners of conscience, who were arrested for their perceived or actual expression of dissent.

Defendants in several trials complained in court that they were tortured or otherwise ill-treated in detention. The courts failed to order investigations into the complaints.

In several cases, prisoners of conscience were denied access to adequate medical care.

Oromia region

Ethnic Oromos continued to suffer many violations of human rights in efforts to suppress potential dissent in the region.

Large numbers of Oromo people continued to be arrested or remained in detention after arrests in previous years, based on their peaceful expression of dissent, or in numerous cases, based only on their suspected opposition to the government. Arrests were arbitrary, often made pre-emptively and without evidence of a crime. Many were detained without charge or trial, and large numbers were detained in unofficial places of detention, particularly in military camps throughout the region. There was no accountability for enforced disappearances or extrajudicial executions during 2014 or in previous years.

Oromos face chilling oppression in Ethiopia

Columnist Debasish Mitra from India*

In Ethiopia they live like animals, relentlessly persecuted, hunted down like games, killed at will and incarcerated en masse. No mercy is shown even to women and children. They are the Oromos — the largest ethnic group, the most marginalised in Ethiopia and arguably one among the most oppressed people in our planet. Despite their numerical majority, the Oromos, much like the Palestinians, are facing xenophobic oppression.

Amnesty International’s report on the state of existence of the Oromos, published last year, has been damning. It painted a chilling picture of the brutality unleashed by Ethiopian government on the hapless community to which the country’s President, Mulatu Teshome, belongs. The rights group, based in London, said: “At least 5,000 Oromos have been arrested based on their actual or suspected peaceful opposition to the government”. And most of them have been “subjected to treatment amounting to torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment”.

Amnesty researcher Claire Beston has been scathing. She said, “The Ethiopian government’s relentless crackdown on real or imagined dissent among the Oromo is sweeping in its scale and often shocking in its brutality. This is apparently intended to warn, control or silence all signs of ‘political disobedience’ in the region”. Beston, in her report, said in no uncertain terms that she saw “signs of torture, including scars and burns, as well as missing fingers, ears and teeth” on those Oromos she interviewed.

The scenario in the country is perhaps far more terrifying. The United States, in its 2013 Human Rights Report, has pointed out that at least 70,000 persons, including some 2,500 women and nearly 600 children are incarcerated with their mothers, in severely overcrowded six federal and 120 regional prisons. “There also were many unofficial detention centres throughout the country, including in Dedessa, Bir Sheleko, Tolay, Hormat, Blate, Tatek, Jijiga, Holeta, and Senkele,” the report added further.

Plurality, respect for basic democratic values and tolerance for dissent have never been the fortes for which Ethiopia is known in the world. It is for reasons on the contrary the country has already earned a massive notoriety internationally. Corruptions are rampant and behind the façade of development the government in Ethiopia is infamous for selling out the country to the western world and foreign corporations and, of course, for its blatant violation of basic human rights.

What defines Ethiopia today is the greed and corruption of its politicians, especially those in power. The brazenness with which the government is trying to sell out Omo Valley to foreign corporation is a shame and a heinous crime. Twice the size of France and UNESCO World Heritage Site, Omo Valley is known as the ‘cradle of mankind’ which, according to ancient-origins.net, has the world’s largest alkaline lake as well as the world’s largest permanent desert lake.

The Ecologist says, Lake Turkana in Omo Valley was a prehistoric centre for early hominids. Some 20,000 fossil specimens have been collected from the Turkana Basin. Anthropological digs have led to the discovery of important fossilised remains, most notably, the skeleton of the Turkana Boy, (or Nariokotome Boy). Finding Turkana Boy was one of the most spectacular discoveries in palaeoanthropology. His reconstruction comes from the almost perfectly preserved skeleton found in 1984 at Nariokotome near Lake Turkana.

Turning the Table on Abaye Tsehaye and the TPLF Gangsters: The Oromo Master Plan for National Survival

At stake in that God- forsaken land known as Ethiopia today is the survival of
Oromos as a national entity. The clique at the helm of the Tigrean People’s Liberation
Front, TPLF, has declared an all-out war on Oromos and is hell bent to commit physical
as well cultural genocide against us. The so-called Addis Ababa Master Plan—better
designated as the Master Plan for Oromo Genocide— is the grand TPLF scheme intended
to evict Oromo farmers, seize Oromo land, loot Oromo resources, all with ultimate goal
of establishing a permanent Tigrean domination and hegemony in rural Oromia.

This thinly-veiled attempt at neo-colonization and carried
out in the 21 st century no less has been characterized
as an act springing out of naivety and ignorance by some.
But there is no doubt it is an act arrogance of arrogance
 bordering on insanity.

Naive and ignorant because, having been numbed and
blinded by the amount of loot and comfort they have come
 to wallow in during the last quarter century of their reign,
 Abaye Tsehaye and his TPLF cohorts have become oblivious
 of the existence of other peoples around them. The TPLF fat
 cats are apparently incapable of rational thought and are
unable to see, or do not care less, about the long term consequences of the crimes they
are committing against the Oromo people on a daily basis. And insane and arrogant
 because, having most entirely relied on coercive power to keep the “peace” and to
perpetuate their tyranny over the millions in the country, those TPLF gangsters have
lulled themselves into believing their own hype that there is no force in the universe
that can move, let alone remove them. In their own small minds they are good to extend
 their tyranny ad infinitum.

Hence Abaye Tesahaye’s stupid bravado and superciliousness in declaring that TPLF
would proceed with their Master Plan for Oromo Genocide come what may and the
accompanying threat directed at Oromos that they would be dealt with harshly if they
dare stand in TPLF’s way. This is most outrageous but not surprising coming from
one of the leaders of the Ethiopian a fascist state.

The Oromo answer must be unequivocal and clear: the table will be turned and the TPLF
strategy to literally eliminate us from the face of our land will only add fuel to the fire of
the Oromo war for liberation. While Abaye Tsehaye’s contemptuous utterances to push
ahead with their Master Plan will represent a watershed in the Oromo struggle in so far
 as it galvanizes the Oromo nation, the same blunder will come back to haunt the TPLF
 and will forever be a source of regret.

That Oromos have the legal as well as the moral right to wage a war of resistance
against TPLF aggression is beyond dispute. It’s a fact  that no one can deny, not
even the Western countries who have chosen friendship and cooperation with a
government led by the TPLF gangsters over the observance of human rights, the
rule of law and the fundamental principle of self-determination for a people facing
the danger of mass extermination.

The Western countries have been looking the other way when tens of thousands of
Oromos are languishing in Ethiopian jails, hundreds of school children, as young as nine
 years old, were massacred by the TPLF soldiers for the crime of demonstrating peacefully
 in protest of government policy and millions of Oromo farmers are being evicted of their
 lands. All this crime is being committed against Oromos just because they are Oromos ,
a people constituting the single largest majority in Ethiopia and occupying a good chunk
of it.  It’s a sad footnote in the history of the Oromo struggle that Western countries
are continuing to bankroll the TPLF junta in Ethiopia despite the fact they are fully
aware that hundreds of Oromos have already perished as a result of eviction and
displacement caused by the government’s land grabbing and urban expansion. Partly
duped by the cunning posture of the Ethiopian governments posing as the champion
of the fight against terrorism and undoubtedly driven by short sighted self interest,
Western governments are overlooking the fact that the very policies of the Ethiopian

government that they are bankrolling—repression, political murders, looting,
detention without due process …etc is fast turning Ethiopia into failed state and a
 breeding ground for terrorism. Another Somalia is right round the corner. And the
story of the so-called opposition operating legally in Ethiopia makes for no better
reading. For in all their protestations and noise they are making against the TPLF junta,
 the Habasha have elected to be mute when it comes to the plight of Oromos. It’s almost
 as though the mere mention of the name “Oromo” was going to cause the instant
break-up of what is left of the rump state.