What you can do?

By Seenaa G-D Jimjimo

1. If you live in Australia or the west, please contact your elected officials. Ask them to condemn violence against Oromo civilians—instruction on how or what to do is ready to be utilized.

2. If you’re a member of churches or mosques, reach out to your pastor/Rev/Sheihk. Ask them to speak out and urge their members to do the same. If your pastor/rev/sheik refuses to act, shame them. Perhaps you can share the latest videos. They have a moral duty to speak for innocent victims facing atrocities. They act by writing letters to their local representatives and media and calling rallies and other campaigns. We cannot go too far if our faith leaders continue to look the other way. It is not fair for certain groups to fight while others do nothing.

3. Make sure your local community leaders are also speaking about this situation. Please help them by attending the meeting and joining the upcoming rallies. To be honest, the situation in Oromia is awful, 1000s worse than you think you know, from human rights to terrorist acts by fano to hunger ravaging millions. They need your voice.

4. Reach out to OPDO/PP (passive friends) and share the latest videos.

5. Thousands of Oromo work in different offices from the UN to the US, EU, and other governments. Ask them to speak up.

6. Finally and above all, our political party leaders must act. Oromos are dying one way or the other. Oromo political parties should not just watch, ideally. The world is looking at your.

7. Believe in yourself that you can make a difference

Note: attached (below) is sample email and letter you can use (adapt) to reach out your local MP or your representatives in your area.

Make sure you replace the highlighted yellow part with your personal information before sending

[Put below message on your email body]

Hello, my name is [ ]. I am a constituent of [Inset legislators name] calling about recent drone strikes and other attacks being carried out throughout the Oromia region of Ethiopia, leading to the death of civilians.

As you may be aware, over the past few weeks, there have been multiple reports of drone attacks throughout central and western Oromia, leading to the deaths of countless civilians. In addition, the Amhara militia group known as Fano has recently escalated its attacks against Oromo civilians throughout Oromia.

I believe it is important for your office to condemn these drone strikes, militia attacks and to call on the Ethiopian government to protect civilians’ lives. The Australia government must urge Ethiopia to seek peaceful means to address conflicts throughout the country.

This issue is very important to me, and I thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

[Your Name, Your Address]

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[Use this sample as your main letter]

Dear Representative/Senator [insert last name]

My name is [ insert], and I am one of your constituents. I am writing to you regarding the increasingly dire situation for Oromo civilians throughout the Oromia region of Ethiopia, particularly in light of recent drone attacks and attacks against civilians perpetrated by Amhara militias.

There have recently been reports of an escalation of violent attacks being carried out by the Amhara militia group known as Fano throughout Western Oromia, including in Anger Gutin, and Kiremu, in the East Wollega zone, the East Showa zone, and in Horo Guduru Wollega zone, where a video showing several members of Fano speaking in front of the decapitated heads of individuals from Jardega Jarte began circulating online. Reports indicated that more than 350 people had died and 400,000 had been displaced due to this violence.

Over the past few weeks, there have also been multiple reports of drone attacks throughout western Oromia.

These drone attacks have been reported most frequently in the West Wollega, West Shewa, and North Shewa zones, leading to the death of civilians. In one of these attacks, which took place on November 2, 2022, a witness told AP News that dozens of people had died, and hundreds were injured in Bila. West Wollega zone. Most recently, I have heard reports of a drone attack in Wara Jarso, North Shewa zone on December 2nd, leading to the death of 80 civilians, and airstrikes in Sassiga, East Wollega zone on December 4th. Social media reports have also been circulating of airstrikes in the Begi, Gidami, and Togo districts of West Wollega and Kellem Wollega zones on December 5th.

I know that the US government has played a leading role in calling on the Ethiopian government to peacefully resolve conflicts in Ethiopia. In my opinion, failure by the US to condemn drone attacks and other attacks against Oromo civilians will only serve to heighten conflict and tensions throughout the country.

Therefore, I respectfully urge you to publicly condemn attacks against Oromo civilians in recent weeks, by all parties. I also ask that you call on the Ethiopian government to seek peaceful means to address conflicts throughout Ethiopia, as it has done with the TPLF in northern Ethiopia.

This issue is very important to me, and I thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

[Your Name, Your Address]