(Advocacy for Oromia, 10 January 2019) Advocacy for Oromia, a non-profit advocacy organisation working to ensure that the Oromo people’s rights and wishes are respected, is highly concerned at the intimidation, the violence and the wave of arrests that have taken place during the week end in Oromia.

Advocacy for Oromia understands the security concerns of the regional and the Federal Government and the steps taken to protect the people who live in the country. The Ethiopian military established a buffer zone in Moyale town and deployed a large number of military forces in western Oromia. However, we have been informed that several innocents individuals are arrested and held at various camps and stations in a very harsh and poor condition.

The brave Chaltu Takele and other people have reportedly been detained in the town of Shambu, Oromia, on January 8, 2018. Chaltu was imprisoned by the TPLF regime multiple times, for several years over all, for having legitimately resisted the tyrannical rules of TPLF.

Furthermore, the door to door operation has involved breaking the houses of more than 500 Oromo women, elders and youth from Naqamte, Gimbi, Najjo, Dambi Dollo, Begi, and Mandi, beating them up cold-heartedly, and treating them in heartless manner and robbing their properties. However, none of the government bodies have initiated any inquiry into the matter which continues to violate human rights.

Advocacy for Oromia believes that such widespread human rights violations perpetuated against the people are one of the major contributing factors that have been destabilizing the peace of the region. Advocacy for Oromia, therefore, requests the urgent intervention to ensure that the law enforcement agencies and military forces to uphold the rights of all those arrested and to treat them in a humane and non-discriminatory manner.

Advocacy for Oromia also requests the Ethiopian government to immediately stop this recurring abuse of Oromos and release those detained, return their robbed properties and provide them the protection they deserve. The officers involved must also be subjected to internal investigations for the breach of national and international law and orders.

Advocacy for Oromia further requests the government to unconditional release and ensure that their cases proceed in a manner consistent with Ethiopia’s obligations under international law, in particular internationally recognized standards of due process, fair trial, and free expression; and to ensure their well-being while in custody, including access to legal counsel and family.

Advocacy for Oromia

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