Category Archives: Koronaa
Two journalists and a driver arrested, held without charge in Ethiopia
(Nairobi, March 18, 2020) Authorities in Ethiopia should immediately and unconditionally release journalists Dessu Dulla and Wako Nole and media worker Ismael Abdulrzaq, and let them work freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
ONN Journalist Dessu Dulla
ONN Journalist Wako Nole
On March 7, police arrested Dessu, deputy director of the privately owned Oromia News Network broadcaster, Ismael, a driver for the station, and Wako, a reporter with the Sagalee Bilisummaa Oromoo radio broadcaster, in Burayu, a town in the Oromia region, according to Muhammed Regassa and Betie Urgessa, two Oromia News Network employees who spoke to CPJ via messaging app, and an eyewitness to the arrests who spoke to CPJ on the condition of anonymity, citing safety concerns.
Betie told CPJ that the three appeared in court on March 10, and that police were granted 14 days to hold them in custody, but said they were not charged with any crime.
“Holding journalists for weeks without charge is a violation of their basic rights and a clear effort to intimidate the press; Ethiopia must release Dessu Dulla, Wako Nole, and Ismael Abdulrzaq immediately,” said CPJ Sub-Saharan Africa representative Muthoki Mumo. “Journalists must be allowed to cover regional politics without official interference or fear that they will be arbitrarily arrested.”
Police arrested the journalists and driver shortly after they left the Burayu police station, where they had traveled to speak with Abdi Regassa, a senior member of the opposition Oromo Liberation Front political party, who was detained there, according to Muhammed, Betie, and the eyewitness. Two Oromo Liberation Front party members who were visiting Abdi were also arrested, those sources said.
The eyewitness told CPJ that he heard a police officer shouting that the journalists had taken pictures on their phones before they arrested them and added that officers were likely uncomfortable with the journalists visiting Abdi Regassa. Prior to 2018, Abdi was a commander in the liberation front’s armed wing while it operated from exile and was designated a terror organization; police initially denied having him in custody, according to a report by the privately owned news site Addis Standard.
The Oromia News Network vehicle was involved in a minor road accident at the scene, but those sources told CPJ that it was unrelated to the arrests. Police are still holding the vehicle, Betie told CPJ.
The Oromia News Network, which operated in exile until 2018, primarily covers politics and is targeted at an Afaan Oromo-speaking audience; Sagalee Bilisummaa Oromoo, which broadcasts some of its programming on the news network, hosts programming that is supportive of the Oromo Liberation Front and also covers regional news, according to Muhammed and Betie, as well as CPJ’s review of the broadcasters’ content.
In a phone interview on March 10, Oromia regional government spokesperson Getachew Balcha told CPJ that he did not know anything about the journalists’ arrests. Getachew later acknowledged their detention in an interview with the U.S. Congress-funded Voice of America broadcaster, but said that they were arrested due to prior offenses.
Getachew referred CPJ to the head of the Oromia Peace and Security Bureau, identified as “Mr. Jibril,” for comment. Jibril told CPJ in a phone interview yesterday that he did not know about the journalists’ cases.
Barattoonni Oromoo Gargaarsa Hatattamaa Barbaadu.
(Finfinnee, 29 Bitootessa 2020) Barattootnni Oromoo yunivarsitiiwwan addaa addaarraa gara maatii isaaniitti deebi’aa jiran rakkinaaf saaxilaman.
Oduun Finfinnee irraa nu dhaqqabe akka ibsutti, yeroo ammaa kana barattoonni hedduun sababa dhibee koronaavaayirasiitiin gara maatii sianaiitti deebi’aa jiran.
Haata’u malee,barattoonni Oromoo naannoo qunnamtiin bilbilaa uggurame irraa dhufan maatii waliin walqunnamaa wana hin turreef maalalqa ittiin galan dhabanii buufata konkolaataa Askootti rakkachaa jiru.
Barattoonni Oromoo kunneen bakka bulan dhabanii hanga namoota 60 tahanii otobuusii keessa buluuf dirqamanii jiru.
Kana birattis, waan nyaatan dhabanii gargaarsa barbaadaa akka jiran beekameera.
Barattoonni kunneen dhaamsa dabarfataniin namoonni dandeettii qaban barataa tokkollee yoo ta’e maatii biraan gahuudhaan qooda lammummaa akka bahan gaafataniiru.
*Barattoonni Yunivarsitiiwwan addaddaa irraa gara maatiitti deebi’aa jiran kunneen gargaaruu yoo barbaaddan adaraa karaa email: info@advocacy4oromai.org nu qunanmaa!
Open Appeal Letter Regarding the Missing Oromo Political Leader
(A4O, Appeal Letter, 29 March 2020) Advocacy for Oromia is deeply concerned by reports of the diappreance of Mr. Abdi Regassa, the leader of Oromo Liberation Front who disappeared from Burrayyu Police station, Oromia, since 20 March 2020.
The letter sent to Ethiopian Prime Minster today by Advocacy for Oromia expresses its deep concern regarding Mr Abdi Regassa’s current state: detained without charges and with out access to the outside world, his colleagues and his family, since 29 February 2020.
The letter demands PM administration to ensures Mr Abdi Regassa has immediate access to a lawyer of his choosing and can communicate with his family.
For full appeal letter: Appeal Letter Abdi Regassa 29 March 2020
Blocking information during this critical time is a violation of human rights.
We condemn the internet and phone service shutdown by Ethiopia gov’t in Western and Southern Oromia. To prevent the spread of Corona Virus information is very crucial.
Blocking information during this critical time is a violation of human rights. The Ethiopian government should unblock the internet and phone service shut down before it is too late. The people should not be left in the dark for death.
#ReconnectTheWestETH
#COVID19
#Ethiopia
Dhimmi Jaal Abdii Raggaasaa maatii fi hiryoota yaaddeesse; mootummaan Jaal Abdii dhoksee jira.
(Oromedia, 28/03/2020) Maatiin jaal Abdii Raggaasaa yaaddoo fi dhiphina guddoo keessa akka jiran ibsan.
Maatiin akka dubbatanitti Jaala Abdii Raggaasaa erga ijaan arginii torban tokkoo ol ta’ee jira.
Maatiin akka himutti Jaal Abdiif torbaan tokko dura gaafa gaafa 20/03/2020 GC ykn 11/07/2012 EC mana hidhaa inni duraan keessa ture Buraayyuutti ciree fi laaqana geessaniifii turan. Haata’uutii, galgala akka lakk biyyattiitti 12:30 Jaal Abdiin fudhamee bakka hin beekamne geeffamee jira.
Erga torban tokkoo as maatiin bakak halle iyyaafataa jira. Garuu “haga yoonaatti eessa akka geessan hin beeknu; bakka jiruyyuu qaamni nuuf ibse hin jiru,” jedhan maatiin Jaal Abdii.
Haala Jaal Abdiin keessa jiru “manni murti Burrayyu illee hin beeku,” kan jedhan maatiin Jaal Abdii, yeroo ammaa kanas maatiin marti dhiphuu guddoo keessa akka jiru dubbatu.
“Abban keenya baadiyaa jiraatan rifaatuu irraa kan ka’e dhukkubsatanii sireerratti hafanii jiru; nutis takkaa gadi hin teeny; barbaacha isaatif dhibee CORONA kanaf ille akka nun sababne nu soodachisa,” jechuun haala keessa jiran ibsan.
Maatiin Jaal Abdii hanga hardhatti waajjira Poolisii magaalaa Buraayyuutti deddeebi’anii gaafataa jiran. Waajjirri Poolisii magaalaa Buraayyuu garuu “jaal Abdiin as hin jiru; Finfinneetti fudhatame” ittin jedhan.
Eenyu akka isa fuudhee fi eessa akka jiru immoo qaamni maatiitti hime hin jiru.
Haalli kun immoo maatii yaaddessaa jira. “lubbuun jiraachuu fi jiraachuu dhiisu isaayyuu wanti beeknu hin jiru; hanga ammatti qaamni mootummaa ‘bakka akkasi jiraa, hin yadda’inaa’ nuun jedhe hin jiru; erga guyyaa sana inuma barbaanna.” jedhan.
Kana malees, dhimmi fayyaa isa ahedduu akka isaan yaaddessu maatiin Jaal Abdii hin dhoksine. “Nuti waa’ee fayyaa isaaf hedduu yaaddoo qabna; mootummaan dhugaadhuma waanta isaaf barbaachusus ni guutaaf jennee irraa amantaa hin qabnu; Jaal Abdiin dhukkuba asmii dhukkubsachaa jira.” jedhu.
“Uffata jijjirraas dhugumaan mootummaan ni kennaaf jennee hin amannu; yeroo hamtuu kanatti beekaadhuma akka rakkinaaf saaxilamuuf nu jalaa dhoksan; kana biraan dhibeen #Corona nama hunda yaaddeesu akka isa hin tuqne waanti beeknu hin jiru.” jechuun dhiphina maatiin qabu nuuf ibsanii jiru.
Akka odeeffannooa rgannetti, baallamni mana murtii jaal Abdii gaafa 18/07/2012 ture. Garuu dhaddacharratti hin dhihaanne.
Inumaa poolisiin magaalaa Buraayyuu “dhimma kana qaama biraatti dabarsine waan ta’eef galmeen nuuf haa cufamu,” jechuu isaa maddi keenya gabaaseera.
Abukaatoo, Maatii fi jaallan isaa yeroo ammaa kanatti yaaddoo guddoo keessa jiran.
Jaarmyooti mirga dhala namaaf falman ibsoota baasaniin mootummaan Itoophiyaa qabiinsa mirga namoomaa Jaal Abdii akka fooyyessu gaafachaa jiraachuun beekamaadha.
Itoophiyaan addunyaa kana irratti dhiitinsa mirga namoomaan sadarkaa duraatti galmooftee jirti. Biyyattii keessatti nama harka poolisii jiru tokko, keessumaa Oromoo yoo ta’e, abukaatoo fi maatii jalaa dhoksuun, dhiittaa mirga namoomaa irratti raawwachuun mootummichaa kan addunyaan ifatti beekuu dha.
How can we prevent the spread of COVID-19?
Good hygiene can prevent infection. The most useful steps you can take are:
Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub
Cough or sneeze into your sleave or a tissue. Throw used tissues in the bin and wash your hands.
Try and keep a 1.5-metre distance between yourself and others: avoid large public gathering, minimise physical contact such as shaking hands, and stay at home when you are unwell.
If you been diagnosed with COVID-19, you must stay at home to prevent it spreading to other people.
Advocacy for Oromia 