Weekend hunger strike staged at state Capitol for Oromo student relief

By John Brewer

“My people are getting killed in Ethiopia — mothers, fathers, children. That makes me cry,” said Samira Ahmed who wipes her eyes while listening to a speaker at a rally of the Oromo community in Minnesota at the state Capitol on Friday, May 9, 2014. (Pioneer Press: Jean Pieri)

May 13, 2014, MN (Twin Cities) — More than 100 people staged a four-day hunger strike on the front steps of the state Capitol over the weekend, drawing attention to Ethiopian government violence against Oromo students.

VOA Afaan Oromo on Woyane killings in Wallaga University; San Francisco Oromo Protests

VOA Afaan Oromo on Woyane killings in Wallaga University	San Francisco Oromo Protests (2 parts)

OromoProtests FDG: Renewed Anti-Land-Grabbing Students Protests at Wallaggaa University. Four Oromo Students Reported Dead; Several Hundred Oromo Students Injured

May 14, 2014 (gadaa) — #OromoProtests FDG continued at Wallaggaa University in the Nekemte Campus on May 14, 2014 to demand that the Addis Ababa Master Plan be annulled, and to demand for the institutionalization of the Special Interests of Oromiyaa over Finfinnee per the Constitution. The Addis Ababa Master Plan is termed as the Master “Genocide” Plan by Oromo activists as it aims to evict millions of Oromo farmers around Addis Ababa (whose Oromo name is Finfinnee), and hand out the land to local and foreign land-grabbers – with the Chinese being main actors of the ongoing land-grabbing campaigns in Oromia/Ethiopia.

According to sources, three Oromo students were reported dead at the Wallaggaa University May 14,

#OromoProtests FDG: Renewed Anti-Land-Grabbing Students Protests at Wallaggaa University. Four Oromo Students Reported Dead; Several Hundred Oromo Students Injured

#OromoProtests FDG continued at Wallaggaa University in the Nekemte Campus on May 14, 2014 to demand that the Addis Ababa Master Plan be annulled, and to demand for the institutionalization of the Special Interests of Oromiyaa over Finfinnee per the Constitution. The Addis Ababa Master Plan is termed as the Master “Genocide” Plan by Oromo activists as it aims to evict millions of Oromo farmers around Addis Ababa (whose Oromo name is Finfinnee), and hand out the land to local and foreign land-grabbers – with the Chinese being main actors of the ongoing land-grabbing campaigns in Oromia/Ethiopia.

What can nationals do to help the struggle back home? Sabboonoti qabsoo ummataa biyyatti gargaaruuf maal gochuu danda’u?

By Ibsaa Guutamaa | May 14, 2014

Finfinnee is founded in Oromiyaa and so is indisputable part of it. Oromiyaa is under occupation for over a century. Finfinnee was turned into headquarters of the occupying force where Oromo was forced to serve with sweat and blood rather than getting benefit out of its formation.  After the overthrow of Darg the state of Oromiyaa and the interest it has in Finfinnee was formally recognized by the occupying regime and a sort of administrative structure was created for it.

Finfinneen Oromiyaa keessatt bu’uurfamte kanaaf qaama see ta’uun wal hin falmisiisu. Oromiyaan jaarraa oliif qabaa halagaa jala jirti. Finfinneen akka battala human qabateetti tajaajiltuu waan taateef Oromoon too’annoo bucuullee irraa hin qabu. Finqiclha Dargii duuba Oromiyaan humna qabatee jiruun kan fakkeessaa ta’us ifatt beekamtee caasaan bulchaa dhaabbateefii jira. Waan hariirtii ulee falfalaa fakkaatuun empayerittiin Federeeshinatt jijjiiramte. Kanaaf finnooti federeeshinaa hundi ijaaruu fi gaggeessuuf  gumaacha walqixee qabu jedhamee yaadama. Kanaaf finnaan federaalaa tokko kophaa ba’aa baatu hin qabatu jechuu dha.

ETHIOPIA: AUTHORITIES MUST PROVIDE JUSTICE FOR SCORES OF PROTESTERS KILLED, INJURED AND ARRESTED IN OROMIA

13 May 2014

Amnesty International condemns the use of excessive force by security forces against peaceful protesters in a number of locations across the Oromia region during the last two weeks, which has resulted in the deaths and injuries of dozens of people including students and children. Many hundreds of protesters are reported to have been arbitrarily arrested, and are being detained incommunicado and without charge. Detainees are at risk of torture.

The Ethiopian government must immediately instruct the security forces to cease using deadly force against peaceful protesters, and to release any person who has been arrested solely because of their involvement in peaceful protests. These incidents must be urgently and properly investigated, and suspected perpetrators should be prosecuted in effective trial proceedings.

Ethiopia: Ambo under Siege, Daily Activities Paralyzed

HRLHA Urgent Action

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

13 May, 2014.

The brutal attempts of crackdown against Oromo protesters by the Agazi Special Squad continuing unabated in different parts of the regional state of Oromia, reports coming from Ambo in central Oromia indicate that the town and its surrounding has come under virtual seizure by the Agazi Federal Armed Force, daily movements and activities becoming almost impossible.

According to information obtained by HRLHA (this morning) form its correspondents, the Agazi Special Squad has been deployed in Ambo Town and its surrounding in much larger number than before and engaged in indiscriminately kidnapping the local people from along the streets and throwing them into detention centres in the area. There are also reports of widespread rapes being committed against female detainees.

Atrocities and Mass Eviction Can Only Be Curbed by Resistance

(OLF Statement – May, 12, 2014)

– Afaan Oromo version
– Amharic version

The insistence of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) regime on escalating the use of violent and brutal means to respond to the peaceful and legitimate demand of the Oromo people triggered and intensified wide uprising in Oromia. In this uprising that involved the youth and the others from all walk of life, tens have been murdered, hundreds wounded and thousands detained and dismissed from school. This brutal action of the fascistic dictatorial regime in front of the Ethiopian peoples and the rest of the world once again exposed its hatred for the Oromo people.

Even though the regime could not deny the glaring atrocity, its 23 years history shows that it will concoct its usual boring stage show to create escape goat for its atrocities as evidenced by the following episodes.

Effect of Hunger Strike: Resolution passed by state of MN supporting #OromoProtests and the Oromo Community

Full Statement is attached below.

Reports: World Wide Oromo Community Rallies Against Ethiopian Tyranny

1. Switzerland demonstration
2. Summary Report of 09052014 Berlin Germany protest
3. Oromo Community Rally in Italy
4. Kibba Africa Keessatti Hawaasni Oromoo
5. Hiriira Stockholm, Sweden Caamsaa 9 2014
6. Dhugaan Oromo ni baati – Hawwii Olani
7. Congressman Ellison letter
8. Short Speech at the Oromo Nation Demonstration – HRLHA
9. An Oromo Girl Demonstrates in Michigan at the State Capitol, 09/05/2014
10. Norway, Bergen, 09/05/2014
11. Norway, Nesna, 09/05/2014
12. Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 09/05/2014
13. Manchester, UK, 10/05/2014
14. Foreigners Paticipate in Demonstration, 09/05/2014
15. Oromo Community in Minnesota on Hunger Strike
16. The Netherlands and Belgium at The Hague, 09/05/2014
17. Tokkummaa Baqattoota Oromoo, Hawaasa Baqattoota Oromoo, Yaman Sana’aa , 09/05/2014
18. Victoria and Vancouver, BC Oromo community protest, 09/05/2014
19. Cairo, Egypt second round of protest, 11/05/2014