“The Oromo nationalists must stop dreaming that Team Lemma who hijacked the Oromo protests and came to power could bring something fundamental in Oromo politics.
Team Lemma has now replaced with Team Abiy who on the very first day of his speech as a Prime Minister of Ethiopia reopened the wound of Oromo and added salt to it. Team Abiy composes of individuals who deny the crimes committed against Oromo at Anolle and turns deaf ear to the Oromo demands and even working to destroy achievements made so far including the continuation of Oromia as one state of the FDRE.
As an Italian political scientist Gaetano Mosca said, “If tolerance is taken to the point where it tolerates the destruction of those same principles that made tolerance possible in the first place, it becomes intolerable”.
Dr. Abiy’s Government project to take Ethiopia back to pre-1991, even to pre 1974, by undermining or changing the current constitution and the federal arrangement already reached intolerable stage in one year.”
Assefa Abebe Lemu
Director, Office of Acquisition & Assistance (OAA) The Role of Elites in Ethiopian Politics
Read the article from: https://advocacy4oromia.org/articles-2/the-role-of-elites-in-ethiopian-politics/
(A4O, 8 May 2019, Press Release) We have confirmed that Benshangul Gumuz civilians are increasingly targeted and executed by the highly armed and well-trained Amhara militia. They were trained, radicalized and fully armed with modern machine guns by a National Movement for Amhara (NAMA).
According to the eye witnesses, over 500 Shinasha people in Benshangul-Gumuz Region, Jawi Woreda, were suddenly executed; tens of thousands of civilians were also made to flee their own villages for their lives between May 1 and 2, 2019. The main victims were civilians including children, women and elderly. Homes were also torched in that outbreak of violence.
We have also observed that the civilians are getting killed for no apparent reasons by a highly armed Amhara regional special force in Benshangul Gumuz regional state. This armed group is not only targeting solely indigenous and legitimate owners of the land; but also, hundreds of children and elderly are getting summarily executed for a simple reason of being different from their killers in the aspect of their culture, skin colour and political beliefs.
The Ethiopian Government neither condemn the killings of civilians nor asked for apology for failing to safeguard them. Although some authorities claim the restoration of the order, this is far from the truth as the Government hasn’t so far take any justifiable action against the killers and forces behind these tragic executions.
Background information
Recently, the Amhara Special force further threatened the Oromo people in relation to the ownership claims of Finfinnee (Addis Ababa). These group further vowed to repeat their success in Benshangul in Wallo and other parts of Amhara-Oromia borders.
In 2003, for instance, between 430 and 500 unarmed civilians were massacred by those who colonised their land for a simple reason of silencing them whilst expropriating their resources and land in Gambella region. The same massacre is now unfolding in Shaka zone on a Shakacho people by the same highlanders. Tens of thousands of Oromo, Ogaden Somali and Sidama civilians were executed in the last 27 years alone.
Call of Action
Advocacy for Oromia, a non-profit advocacy organisation working to ensure that the people’s rights and wishes are respected, has deeply admired much of the work done by both regional and federal government to restore peace and stability in the region.
In fact, political differences may divide some of the regional states in the country. But upholding human rights is in the interest of every state. Peoples of these regions also seek a common agenda: rights, peace, security, justice, freedom, and sustainable development.
We firmly believe that human rights are a powerful medicine, which heals wounds and develops resilience. Thus, we show our consistent and unrestricted solidarity until justice is served on their behalf by bringing those who have killed and maimed their sons and daughters to an independent justice.
Advocacy for Oromia, therefore, unanimously condemn with the strongest possible terms such barbaric actions toward the unarmed civilians, children, women and elderly of Benshangul Gumuz.
Furthermore,
1. We urge the Amhara’s regional state to exercise utmost restraint and lawfully handle its anarchically behaving special forces that has been primarily trained to maintain law and order. There won’t be any peace and security as long as some groups are fighting to dominate and dehumanise fellow mankind.
2. We demand the federal government to immediately intervene and stop the on-going execution of powerless civilians whose lives are put at the mercy of their barbaric assailants.
3. We urge the federal government to immediately investigate and bring those responsible for such horrific and inhumane actions to civilians to justice.
4. We advise the international human rights group and western countries politicians to earnestly bring this unsettling massacre of civilians to the attentions of obliviously sleeping Ethiopian authorities by urging them to take meaningful and corrective measures as a matter of urgency.
5. We call up on all Ethiopian peoples to unconditionally condemn such barbarism and demand the Amhara regional state to stop its inhumane actions to the unarmed civilians.
We will always continuously work for and speaks up for the voiceless people.
Press Release by Advocacy for Oromia,
May 8, 2019.
For PDF format:Press Release 8 May 2019
(A4O, 20 Finfinnee 2019) The Ethiopian ODP-led EPRDF regime continues its persistent genocidal actions against innocent and unarmed civilians of Oromos who attempt to exercise their democratic rights.
Documented human rights violations record showed that increase in human rights abuse correlates closely with increase in political cases. Regarding the Oromos documented human rights violations committed to it includes mass massacre, extra-judicial killings, arbitrary arrests, torture, displacement and forced conscription remained non-ending war.
Lammii Beenyaa, an Oromo human rights activist, compiled lists of 210 Oromos who killed in different parts of Oromia since the controversial State of emergency was reinstated on 16th February, 2018.
(Compiled by Lammii Beenyaa, an Oromo human rights activist)
For more information: Lists of people killed Partial Lists of people killed in different parts of Oromia
Oromia Support Group Australia
Issue 2, April 2019
Oromia Support Group Australia (OSGA) grievously worries about the severe human rights violation in Guji area, State of Oromia. The Ethiopian military forces, regional and zonal administrations are, in collaboration, committing a grave violation of human rights that include mass killing, incineration of people alive, mass detention, burning of villages, and confiscation of properties, torture and starvation of villagers. The action of brutality has been carrying out only in the name of stamping out OLF (Oromo Liberation Front) forces from the area.
Since December 2018 right after the deployment of Ethiopian military to the area, there have been many atrocities committed by the army and the zonal administration forces in the area. For instance:
1. 28 December 2018, thirteen innocent civilian from Finchawa town, Dugda Dawa district and six civilians from a village called ‘Maxxaarrii’ in Galana Abaya districts were brutally killed. The same day, around 10 pm local time many people were injured some of which died later due to their injuries. What made the killing so horrendous was that it happened at a time when the village was peaceful, and the residents of the town were on their regular daily routine. The residents in the area unsuspicious as to what was going to happen even to take a cover to avoid the spontaneous raining bullets and heavy machine guns that burned everything it hits (vehicle, motorbike, house, tree) including human being.
As a human being, no one thinks would enjoy the sight of tarred corpus and can easily imagine what the family and society would feel seeing their beloved torched in broad daylight without his or her sin.
2. Similarly, on 15 January 2019, an elderly woman who was sitting in her hut was incinerated after the door of the shelter she was living in was locked from behind and torched while she was alive. What made this killing too shockingly inhuman was the brutality of the soldiers that waited to make sure the elderly that was burning to ashes was completed and fled the scene pinching their noses due to the roasting flesh that smoked the area. This brutal killing has happened after the soldiers had indiscriminately killed at least ten and injured many in and around Karcha town and killed many unaccounted along their way including an elderly man who was riding a horse 100 meters away from the house they torched with the elderly woman.
Besides these significant incidents, without any late up, the killing rampage of two, three, five, ten, here and there across the area has continued to date including burning of villages, displacement of villagers, confiscation of properties and killing of anyone who rides a motorbike without any impunity.
3. On 19 February 2019, for instance, an indiscriminate shooting on artisanal gold miners in the Dakara village in Arero district killed six civilians on the spot and injured many who run into the thorny bush and ragged rocks that further harmed women and children.
4. Gujii area is totally under siege. Motorbike, the only means of transportation for remote villagers, is prohibited. Much of it is confiscated as such people have to walk a day or so on foot to access markets. In some areas, even those markets are restricted. The amount of food one carries is limited to less than five kilos yet if one has to have a family of ten or more which is common in Gujii area.
5. Night curfew is imposed in the rural and urban areas. One can’t walk in the night to reach the village, and he or she has to walk in the scorching sun to avoid the killing and detention that comes due to the breach of the night curfew. No one can complain about why someone is arrested and why someone is shot. The number of people who moved to the concentration camp has increased by the day. At the time of this report conducted more than two hundred and fifty people from Bule Hora, ninety-four from Qarcha, fifty-five from Malkaa Soda and many more from various areas of Gujii are on course to be transported in addition to thousands who have already been transported to some undisclosed harsh concentration camp. People have to run to bushes with their children to avoid capture. It is so hostile beyond human imagination.
6. Just recently as if all the atrocities committed by the military are not enough they have trained local militias whose task is to burn properties of families of suspected sympathisers of the rebel groups as such many suspects’ properties in many places in the area are burned to ashes. Those who objected to the tactic are taken to concentration camps. While that is one thing what is worrying is the identity of those who are burning properties. As stated these militias are locals and they are known, people. At the same time, those of who whose properties are destroyed are locals. They know who is doing this. Guji community is known for its cooperation along its lineage. If the family or sub-clans of those whose properties are destroyed respond to the action of the local militias and the families or sub-clans of the local militias counter, it is not hard to imagine what would happen in the area.
Oromia Support Group Australia urges all the concerning bodies to pay immediate attention to these grave human rights violations and instantly call for the cessation of these brutal collective punishments. All the breadwinners of their family should be released from concentration camps. Peace and stability need to be restored in the area through civilised negotiation instead of resolving the differences through military means. Those who have committed grave crimes should be brought to justice for the accountability of the evil they have committed.
For more information:OSGA April 2019 Statement on Grave Human Right Violations in Guji – State of Oromia
(OSGA Statement ,15th April 2019) It is sorrowful and distressing for the Oromia Support Group Australia (OSGA) to hear the deliberate action of poisoning the Oromo ex-freedom fighters in the Xolay military camp, Oromia Region, on Sunday, the 14th April 2019.
Based on information obtained from the OSGA informants, and at the time of this statement is produced, more than hundred and twenty, (120), people are in a critical condition without proper and insufficient medical care, and fighting for their lives.
The well planned and targeted action of poisoning these innocent fellow citizens is not only a tragic for the families, colleagues and the entire Oromo nation and peace supporters, but it also contributes to reverse the peace initiatives yet claimed in the country. It is utterly reprehensible an act of murder.
To that end, the Oromia Support Group Australia urges the Ethiopian Government to take essential steps to disclose the outcome of the investigation publicly and ensure that operations dealing with members of the ex-Oromo Freedom Fighters comply with the international human rights and humanitarian law.
For more information:Poisoning Innocent is a Crime – OSGA Issue April 2019
(A4O, Finfinnee, 19 April 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.
We are writing this letter to draw attention to gross and disturbing human rights violation in Gujii area, Oromia Regional state where Ethiopian military, regional and zonal administrations are committing grave violation of human rights that include mass killing, incineration of human being, mass detention, burning of villages, confiscation of properties, torture and starvation of villagers in the name of stamping out OLF (Oromo Liberation Front) army from the area.
Hence, on behalf of Guji people who have endured such brutality thus far we hereby beseech all concerned body to heed these grave human rights violation and immediately; call for the cessation of these brutal collective punishment, release all the bread winners of their family from concentration camps, work to restore peace in the area through civilized negotiation with OLF instead of resolving the differences through military means and finally bring those who have committed grave crimes to justice.
For more information: Human rights violation Gujii 2019
(A4O, Press Release 19 March 2019) Advocacy for Oromia, a non-profit advocacy organisation working to ensure that the Oromo people’s rights and wishes are respected, requests SOLIDARITY AND SUPPORT for Colonel Gammachuu Ayyaanaa in every way you can: going to the court house, changing your social media profile, campaigning for justice, and doing everything that is orderly and peaceful.
The organisation says in today’s press release, more than 10,000 Oromo individuals are imprisoned because of their bold stand against in justice in Oromia.
Event: Gamachuu is scheduled to appear in a court for a hearing. Show your SOLIDARITY AND SUPPORT for him in every way you can: going to the court house, changing your social media profile, campaigning for justice, and doing everything that is orderly and peaceful.
When: March 25, 2019 (Megabit 16, 2011)
(A4O, Press Release 12 March 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 Western Oromia (four zones of Wollega) and Southern Oromia (Borana, Goji Zones) and deployed huge number of military forces in Oromia.
Over the last three months, more than 200 Oromo people have reportedly been detained in Xoolay and Sanqallee detention camps. Furthermore, the door to door operation has involved breaking the houses and 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.
For detail information: Press Letter 12 March 2019
Advocacy for Oromia 