Daily Archives: April 10, 2025

OSG Report 69: A Call for Global Action on Oromia’s Humanitarian Catastrophe

10 April 2025 | Dr. Trevor Trueman, Chair, Oromia Support Group


Key Findings from the Report:

  1. Systematic Persecution of Oromo Youth (Qeerroo)
    • Extrajudicial killings by Abiy Ahmed’s forces (ENDF, regional police, militia) target the same youth who propelled him to power in 2018.
    • Documented cases: Massacres in Guji, West Guji, and urban centers like Adama.

    2. State-Sanctioned Economic Violence

      • Forced grain sales: Farmers compelled to sell crops to the government at below-market prices.
      • Predatory taxation: Villagers extorted for “construction fees,” “health insurance,” and militia supplies.

      3. Ethnic Cleansing by Fano Militias

        • Amhara ultranationalist ideology (“Make Amhara Great Again”) fuels attacks in Oromia’s border zones (Horo Guduru, East Wallega).
        • Looting and massacres: Fano operates from Oromia-based bases, displacing thousands.

        4. Militarized Conscription & Lawlessness

          • Child soldiers: Parents forced at gunpoint to surrender children to federal forces.
          • Militia terror: Undisciplined troops demand money, livestock, and “party membership fees.”

          The Bigger Picture: Ethiopia’s Existential Crisis

          • Abiy’s broken promises: The Prosperity Party falsely branded as an “Oromo government” while waging war on Oromia.
          • Amhara suffering: ENDF and Fano engage in reprisal killings, trapping civilians in a zero-sum ethnic war.
          • International silence: The UN/AU ignore atrocities, emboldening perpetrators.

          Urgent Calls to Action

          1. Global Advocacy

              • Pressure the UN Security Council to investigate crimes against humanity in Oromia.
              • Demand sanctions on Ethiopian officials and arms embargoes (e.g., via #SanctionAbiy campaigns).

              2. Humanitarian Response

                • Support OSG’s documentation efforts to evidence ICC cases.
                • Fund underground networks aiding displaced Oromo families.

                3. Media Amplification

                  • Share OSG’s findings with BBC, Al Jazeera, Reuters.
                  • Expose Fano’s ideology as akin to Rwandan génocidaires.

                  4. Diplomatic Pressure

                    • Lobby the U.S. State Department to revoke Ethiopia’s AGOA trade privileges.
                    • Push Kenya/Egypt to raise Oromia at IGAD/AU summits.

                    Why This Matters

                    “Ethiopia’s survival hinges on negotiating peace with Oromo and Amhara forces—not crushing them.”
                    Dr. Trevor Trueman

                    The world cannot afford another Rwanda-style genocide in the Horn of Africa.

                    🔗 Read the Full Report: [Oromia Support Group Website]
                    📢 Hashtags: #BreakTheSilence #OromiaUnderAttack

                    “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” – Martin Luther King Jr.