By Dabessa Gemelal

Many of us may not value what we have on our own. This is a common occurrence in our lives. Many things become worthwhile, when we are self-sufficient. When we are very thirsty, the price of water is high; especially when you don’t have it on your hands, it’s even more expensive.

For those of us who live in a peaceful country, peace is not much boasted. But, in those in a war-torn country, the price of peace is expensive; The message delivered at a brief ‘peace journey’ event in Melbourne on 27 May 2023 is also our greatest testimony. During the short peace journey on this day, a great message was conveyed, and the experience gained proved that peace is precious.

Heaven Culture, World Peace, Bring Back the Light (HWPL), the International Youth Peace Group (IPYG) and the International Women Peace Group (IWPG) held to commemorate the 10th Anniversary of the Declaration of World Peace and Peace Walk in Melbourne on Saturday, May 27, 2013, at the King Edward VII Memorial. The participants held various peace signs to express the preciousness of peace and loudly conveyed the importance of peace to the participants and the world.

About 200 people from the multicultural community, leaders, and youth attended the event to create awareness on the importance of peace. The event included speeches by Mr Keith Wolahan, Federal Member for Menzies and Brigadier Bob Slater former AM RFD Lieutenant Colonel from ARA, who shared their messages and hopes for peace. In his speech, he mentions that the military culture of conflict resolution comes at a high cost and heavy sacrifices, and strongly urges the world to practice peaceful ways of resolving conflicts.

Advocacy for Oromia is well aware of the violence being experienced by the Oromo people because of the lack of peace in Oromia. The largest peace-loving Oromo people in East Africa have not been living a peaceful and prosperous life since their peace was disrupted in the late 1880s; their truth was betrayed, and they were subjected to severe oppression and persecution. The people have lost many human lives in the nearly 150-year struggle to regain the violated peace; the brave Oromo have talent; those who had knowledge to develop the country and eradicate poverty were sacrificed prematurely because of the lack of peace; many properties were destroyed. Oromia is still bleeding without returning to the peace it longs for.

The peacekeeping work being done through HWPL also attracted A4O because it is a good and blessed work that the Oromo people want to promote. HWPL aims to achieve a culture of peace in the world and restore peace and light to the global community. The organization aims to organize and conduct peace education, multicultural peace festival and peace trips available. During the year, A4O participated in the organisation’s events: peace education, multicultural peace festival and peace trip and shared from the experience; it is also ensuring that the peacekeeping efforts of the organization are successful and supported, and that the culture of peace is further entrenched.

Peacemaking is vital today for three main reasons. First, conflict and violence cause great harm. Many lives are being threatened by conflict and chaos in the world we are seeing. Second, military responses to political problems alone do not work. Military forces can be deployed to prevent emergencies, but they cannot fundamentally solve political, social and economic problems and sustain peace. In fact, it can sometimes make the job even more complicated. Third, conflict destroys lives; it also hinders growth. Currently, more than 1.5 billion people live in countries affected by violent conflict. Currently, 59.5 million people are forcibly displaced worldwide, of which 19.5 million are refugees, half of them children. This shows that if there is no peace, human life will be in greater danger.

We can save our day many things. However, it is very blessed to spend our days in peacemaking and promoting a culture of peace; it will have many benefits. Without peace, nothing we do will be useful. If we contribute our part to bringing peace wherever we are, if we spend our time working for peace at certain times of the year, the peace we desire and seek will last. Peace is precious; it is necessary to participate in peacebuilding and contribute our part to sustain this precious peace.

(Melbourne, 21 Maya 2023) Melbourne Oromo community celebrates Irreecha Arfaasaa Festival at Dandenong Hill today.

A few minutes of remembrance was held for the victims of the Irreecha Birraa festival in 2016.

On October, 2, 2016 the TPLF regime opened fire indiscriminately on crowds celebrating Irrecha and killing at least 700 people.

In particular, the late Haji Biiftuu Fayyisaa, who passed away yesterday, was also commemorated.

A memorial service was also held for the teachers of Madda Walaabu University who died in a car accident on May 20, 2023.

Oromo fathers, mothers, youths and children dressed in traditional Oromo clothes and holding wet grass also celebrated under a large tree on the hill.

Irreecha is a strong and rich Oromo cultural identity and Oromo wherever they are should strengthen this culture.

The festival started with the blessing of the elders.

(Melbourne, 6 May 2023) The Oromo community in Victoria, Australia has been awarded a certificate of appreciation for their contribution to spreading the message of peace around the world.

Members of the community were especially thanked for their participation in the Multicultural Peace Day organized by HWPL this year through the Oromo youth living in Melbourne.

On the Multicultural Peace Day celebration, the Oromo youth and the Oromo community were participated to promote the Oromo culture of peace, Oromo love and respect for human beings and the Oromo struggle to restore peace in Oromia.

Also, the Oromo mothers of Melbourne, Victoria were further appreciated for their support for the promotion of peace in the world by celebrating International Women’s Day this year.

The members of the Oromo community who participated in the peace education and completed the education will also expected to contribute to the development of a culture of peace in the existing social life.

Advocacy for Oromia was awarded certificates for its contribution to the organization of the Oromo community, Oromo mothers and Oromo youth in Victoria.

Advocacy for Oromia would like to thank all the members of the Oromo community for their contribution to the blessed and honorable work of promoting a culture of peace.

(News, April 20, 2023) A team led by the Election Board that went to Burrayyu this morning to investigate the case of the detained OLF leaders returned unsuccessfully.

The group visited the Burayyu police headquarters today to investigate the condition of the political prisoners and OLF leaders who are being tortured in the Burayyu police headquarters.

However, according to the group, they were unable to see and interview the OLF political prisoners.

“When we got there, we were told that the head of the Burayyu of Police headquarters had gone to a meeting,” the group said.

Adding that the criminal investigator who spoke to the team told them that he was new to the position and that he was unaware of their appointment.

As a result, a team that went to Burrayyu to investigate the case of the OLF leaders’ detainees was unsuccessful.

Insiders said the government, deliberately trying to thwart the investigation, has been hiding the OLF political prisoners since yesterday.

The whereabouts of the OLF leaders and officials in Burayyu prison are still unknown.

OLF Public Relations head Lemmi Gemechu told #AddisStandard that the missing party officials are Executive Committee members Abdi Regassa and Michael Boran, Central Committee member Kenasa Ayana, OLF Gulele main office head Gada Oljira (PhD) and senior officials Dawit Abdeta, Lemmi Begna and Gada Gebissa.

On 11 April, the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) said in a statement that its imprisoned officials were suffering from different diseases and their health condition was deteriorating from day to day.

The group that was comprised OLF leaders Jaal Daawud Ibsaa and Lammii Gammachuu from the ABO side and Mr. Xurunee Gamtaa from the OFC side was established by the National Election Board on April 18/2023.

Peace and Harmony (fitting with the values and traditions of Oromummaa)

Acknowledgement
Soreti: We acknowledge and pay respect to this nation’s traditional owners and custodians
of past present and future. We would also like to thank HWPL for allowing us to have this
opportunity to come together to represent and share our culture. Today we have Magartu,
Arusa, Roba and myself, Soreti representing the Oromo community.  

Nagaa

Today we are here to talk about Oromo culture and its alliance with peace and
harmony. The Oromo people have a rich history and traditions around maintaining peace
also known as “nagaa” in Afaan Oromo. The concept of “nagaa” is highly valued within the
Oromo community and is something we continuously fight for. Today we’re going to touch on
who the Oromo people are and the systems that were put in place to uphold nagaa within
Oromia.

Who are the Oromo people you may ask? 

The Oromo people are a Cushitic ethnic group native to the Oromia region. We
are the largest ethnic group in the horn of Africa. Despite the large numbers Oromia’s history
is largely ignored and skewed and we hope to change that with occasions like today where
we can display our beautiful heritage and identity. 

Oromia is considered the richest region of the Horn of Africa because of its abundant
agriculture and natural resources. For example, the Coffee, known worldwide today can
trace its heritage back to Jimmaa in the Oromia region. Coffee plays an important role in
fostering social unity within the Oromo community regardless of religious, economic, or
social boundaries.  

Neighbours gather for coffee ceremonies where they would not only enjoy and
embrace each other’s company but also discuss and solve any conflict within the
community, to maintain peace and harmony.  
 
Gadaa system
As mentioned, Oromia has many systems that are put in place to maintain “Nagaa”
or peace within the community. One of the most significant systems of governance is known
as “The Gadaa system”. The Gadaa system is a complex system of governance. This
system was the basis of Oromo culture. It helped Oromos maintain democratic, political,
economic, social, and religious institutions by dealing with conflict resolution, reparation and
protecting women’s rights for many centuries. 

The Gadaa system has various institutes and procedures of conflict resolution and
mechanism of dealing with social and political issues. For example, “Guma” is a conflict
solution institute in which a person who inflicts loss or damage compensates the victim,
much like today’s legal system. This highlights how developed and forward the Oromos are
even centuries before today, in their ability to uphold peace and harmony within the
community. 

In saying this however, today, the Oromo people are struggling for the opportunity to
rule themselves in a state that will reflect the Gada system. To be governed by a system that
upholds equal participation in social, economic, political, and religious aspects. 

Oromo women

Oromo women had a parallel institution known as ‘Siinqee’. This institution promoted gender
equality in the Oromo society. Siinqee is an Afaan Oromo word that represents the stick a
married woman holds, given to her by her mother during the marriage ceremony. 
An Oromo woman who carries Siinqee commands respect and can’t be touched or harmed.
Therefore, if a husband disrespects his wife, the women in the village gather holding siinqee
and singing until the elders meet to resolve the conflict.

Oromia flag and Odaa

The Odaa, which is a sycamore tree is a core symbol of the Oromo people and
Oromo land. The Odaa tree is unique for its immense durability and rapid growth and
expansive root system, making it perfect to be used as a representative symbol for the
Oromo people. Odaa is customarily believed to be the most respected and most sacred tree.
It is the central office of Gadaa government, where important meetings and ritual practices
were held by the Gadaa assembly. The odaa is also the central representation on the
Oromo flag we can see in front of us today. 

Peace is not complete unless a harmonious relation with nature is maintained. This
shows Oromo people value and respect peace and coexistence. Oromo people established
harmony on norms and principles that respect peace (nagaa) and morals (safuu). Oromos
respect their elders and value social responsibility. Knowledge of history and culture is
admired.

Thank you for listening and thank you for having us today. Thank you for the opportunity to
tell our truth rather than the current narrative based on biased opinions.

(Melbourne, 11/03/2023) Melbourne Australian Oromo youths promote Oromo and Oromia at the Multicultural Peace Festival.

The Multicultural Peace Day was a celebration that brought different communities and cultures together in Melbourne.

As part of the 7th commemoration of the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW), HWPL invited communities, cultural groups to perform, share, celebrate each of their own cultures!

The Oromo youths who participated in the event wore Oromo clothes and ornaments and introduced on stage what Oromo have such as the Oromo culture of peace, Gada, conflict resolution under the Odaa and the Siinqee power, which protects women’s rights, and the tradition of respecting human rights.

In thier speech at the forum, the Oromo youth expressed that the Oromo people have great respect for peace. “There is a rich history and traditions around maintaining peace also known as “nagaa” in Afaan Oromo.

“The concept of peace is highly valued within the Oromo community and is something we continuously fight for.”

Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL) is an international NGO committed to attaining the shared goal of humanity—establishing peace and ceasing wars.

Founded in 2013, Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL) is a non-profit, non-governmental organization associated with the UN DGC and in consultative status with the UN ECOSOC.

HWPL is committed to the achievement of world peace and cessation of war through its main initiatives: enactment of an international law for peace, alliance of religions to promote interfaith harmony, and integration of peace education.

It has over 70 branches in Korea and another 100 branches around the world including the Philippines.

Accounts from 83 Oromo refugees in Cairo

The difficulties faced by 10,000 Oromo refugees in Egypt, however severe, may seem trivial compared to the horrors currently experienced in Ethiopia as the focus for government and Amhara nationalist forces has shifted from their genocidal war in Tigray to Oromia Region, where over 45 million Oromo civilians have been subjected to mass killings, forced displacement, ethnic cleansing and man-made famine.

Nonetheless, the telling of the stories of Oromo interviewees in Cairo is an important insight into the pattern of increasing abuse and oppression of Oromo and others of the marginalised majority of Ethiopia’s population for over a century which has been documented for the last three decades by the Oromia Support Group. Their histories are a distillation of human rights violations perpetrated by the TPLF-led EPRDF government from 1991 to 2018 and the accelerating abuses under the Prosperity Party government led by Abiy Ahmed since 2018.

Summary

57 Oromo refugees were interviewed in Cairo in September/October 2022, of whom 56 told of their history in Ethiopia. Another 26 were interviewed in May 2013. Their stories have hitherto remained unpublished. Thus, 82 first-hand accounts of abuses in Ethiopia are published for the first time in this report.

There has been at least a five-fold increase in the number of Oromo fleeing to Egypt in the last decade. All interviewees fled from severe, widespread human rights abuses in Ethiopia.

Interviewees in 2013 reported the killing of 76 civilians, of whom 33 were their parents or siblings. There were 38 summary executions, 29 of which were in 1992 and 1993. Another 20 close relatives who disappeared in detention are now believed to be dead. In 2022, the killing of 100 civilians and detainees was reported, including 15 family members and 84 detainees in Hamaresa military camp, E Hararge, in 1999. In addition, 40-50 captured Tigrayan soldiers were witnessed being murdered by lethal injection between January and June 2022.

Extraordinarily high rates of torture and rape of detainees, reported previously by Oromo asylum-seekers in the UK and refugees in Kenya, Djibouti, Somaliland and South Africa, were corroborated. Overall, 59 (72%) of 82 interviewees in Cairo reported being tortured – 77% of the 77 former detainees. Of 54 men, 45 (83%) were tortured – 88% of the 51 who had been detained. 14 out of 28 women (50%) were tortured – 54% of the 26 former detainees.

No fewer than 20 of the 28 women (71%) were raped by Ethiopian security forces – 77% of the 26 who had been detained. One male was also raped in detention.

Barbaric treatment by people-smugglers and traffickers who trade refugees as commodities on their journeys to Egypt has evolved from torture, enslavement and organ-harvesting to a more sustainably profitable business involving extortion, enforced by violence and rape after refugees arrive in Cairo.

Despite comprising the majority of Ethiopian refugees in Cairo, community-based Oromo organisations have no contact with UNHCR or its partner organisations. Although the Oromo Elders Union represents Oromo of all faiths and from all zones in Oromia Region, it is not trusted or accepted as such by UNHCR and NGOs, since corrupt practices by previous Oromo organisations and their contacts in NGOs were exposed several years ago. There is no longer any body which represents Oromo interests that has influence with UNHCR or other organisations in Cairo. UNHCR has not reached out to the Oromo community.

Xenophobia and hostility to refugees is very common. Although disputed by members of the NGO community, Oromo refugees reported that this was particularly directed at them because of the dispute between Egypt and Ethiopia over the building of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile. Egyptian government employees, health care professionals and UNHCR local staff and guards told them so. Police are corrupt and prey on refugees.

In Cairo, rates of street violence, especially sexual violence, are as high as or higher than anywhere else in the world. It is a growing problem. Whereas seven incidents of rape, robbery, beating, kidnap and attempted abduction were reported by 26 interviewees in 2013, there were over 70 such incidents reported by 57 interviewees in 2022. Other organisations corroborated this huge increase in violence and sexual violence in the last decade.

Apparently random street violence and targeted attacks by Ethiopian embassy operatives were commonly reported but the majority of violence and sexual violence was perpetrated by interconnected criminal gangs of people-smugglers and job brokers, to extort money demanded by traffickers taking refugees across Sudan to Egypt.

Very few refugees and their families have any regular income, relying on outside help and occasional casual work, usually cleaning or manual labour. Financial help from NGOs was reported in 2013 but only three of the 57 interviewed in 2022 received direct assistance, notwithstanding medical assessment and care, legal advice and counselling provided by national and international NGOs.

Several schools are available to refugee children but most, if not all, attract a small fee which some are unable to afford. Higher education facilities are not accessible, leaving young Oromo and their parents frustrated because of their lack of prospects.

Fear of random street violence and attacks by Ethiopian embassy operatives and people-smugglers prevented refugees, especially those interviewed in 2022, from working, seeking work, taking children to school or even mixing with other children to play.

Those who are not registered asylum-seekers and those who have been refused refugee status by UNHCR are particularly vulnerable because they are liable to detention and deportation.

Severe mental illness, suicides and attempted suicides were reported by interviewees in 2013 and 2022.

UNHCR is understaffed, underfunded and disinterested. The organisation is failing refugees, especially Oromo. There are serious and increasing delays in registration, refugee status determination and in hearing appeals against unjust and ill-informed refusals. Translation at interviews is inaccurate and inconsistencies are used to challenge the credibility of refugees.

UNHCR’s ability and willingness to protect refugees from detention and deportation has reduced in recent years.

UNHCR is virtually inaccessible to Oromo refugees and asylum-seekers, and their advocates.

The majority of Oromo asylum-seekers are refused refugee status by UNHCR. The refusal rate is increasing according to local NGO personnel.

Less than 1% of refugees in Egypt are resettled to a third country each year. More than 20 families experienced delays, disappointments and last-minute cancellations according to interviewees in 2022.

Amhara’s Fano militia group, which has been fighting Tigray forces alongside the Ethiopian federal forces and allied Eritrean troops admit committing a widespread atrocities in Ethiopia’s northernmost Tigray region.

A leaked video seen by The East African Daily shows a Fano leader confessing to various war crimes the Amhara forces committed during the two-year conflict in the Tigray region.

The footage exposed Fano members explicitly accepting the grave crimes including rape and gang-raping they committed against women and girls in Tigray.

“Haven’t a Tigrinya women been gang-raped for three. Didn’t you rape?” The Fano leader says collectively accuses his colleagues at a meeting addressing a crowd of Fano members.

https://www.facebook.com/fedhessa/videos/587775663361503

In 2021, an Amnesty International report accused the Ethiopian military and its allies including Fano militia forces of being responsible for widespread sexual violence against women in Tigray, using rape as a strategy of war.

The report then said the scale of violations in Tigray amounts to war crimes.

According to the human rights group’s findings, one Tigrayan woman was gang-raped in front of her children.

In a debate in front of the British parliament, Labor Party politician Helen Hayes estimated that at least 10,000 women in Tigray have been raped since the beginning of the war.

In the leaked video, the Fano leader also speaks about a large sum of money and food grains looted from Tigray.

“I possess in my hand evidence of 21 million ETB (roughly $ 400,000) looting by our members” he said adding “We will not let them get away with it”

“Didn’t we loot Teff grains?  86 quintals of food grain was looted from a house of one farmer.”

The looting of food grains was taking place as 80 % of Tigray’s estimated 7 million people were in urgent need of food and other humanitarian aid.

According to the Fano leader’s testimony, public schools and hotels were also among victims of looting.

The leader is seen confronting sharply wrong doings by members of the group.

He further accuses the Fano members for putting the looting blame on Tigray forces.

“46 laptops were looted from one school, not by TPLF, it is my friends who stole sold and shared the money”

“Didn’t we loot fridges? Haven’t an entire fridges and bed sheets been looted from a hotel?, TPLF didn’t loot Timuga school. Tell me who did?” the Fano leader asked the crowd who were listening in a mood of guilt.

“I am carrying all these crimes in my heart” he told the crowd.

He further spoke on incidents how Fano members slain each other over disagreement in the proportion of looted items to be shared among themselves.

The circulation of the leaked video comes only few days after Addis Ababa said Amhara forces were withdrawing from Tigray.

Ethiopia’s military last Thursday said members of the neighboring Amhara forces had left the Tigray town of Shire and surrounding areas two months after a peace agreement in the Tigray conflict.

The Amhara forces, like those from neighboring Eritrea, were not a party to the November, 2022 peace agreement signed between the Ethiopian government and Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).

Hence their continued presence in Tigray has been a major challenge to the implementation of Pretoria peace deal.

Fighting broke out in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region in November 2020 after the central government accused Tigrayan fighters of attacking a federal army base and send forces to the region to depose Tigray leaders.

The bloody civil war may have killed as many as 600,000 people, making it one of the world’s deadliest conflicts of recent times, according to the African Union’s lead mediator in the peace talks that ended the two-year conflict.

“The number of people killed was about 600,000,” former Nigerian president and African Union envoy Olusegun Obasanjo told the Financial Times in an interview this week.

He recalled that on November 2 last year, the day the peace agreement was signed in Pretoria, Ethiopian officials said: “We have stopped 1,000 deaths every day.”

(The East African Daily)