#OromoProtests in Perspective

By Ayantu Tibeso

Image via Twin Cities Daily Planet

June 6, 2014 (warscapes) – Since April 25th, thousands of high school and university students across Ethiopia’s largest region, Oromia, have turned out in peaceful protest against a government land grab that stands to displace millions of indigenous peoples from their ancestral lands. Even though the country’s constitution theoretically allows for peaceful demonstrations, the student protesters, along with local populations in many cities and towns, have faced a ruthless crackdown from Ethiopian Special Forces, known as the Agazi Commandos. These forces have used excessive violence by indiscriminately shooting into crowds in an attempt to quash the protests. Children as young as eleven years old have been killed, according to statement issued by Amnesty International on May 13, and reports of fatal injuries, torture, imprisonment, disappearances and killings have been coming out of Ethiopia since then.

Reminder from Wikileaks Ethiopia Files: Ethiopia Bombs Itself, Blames Eritrea or OLF

by Thomas C. Mountain   |  September 16, 2011

Recently released Wikileaks Ethiopia files expose how Ethiopian security forces planted 3 bombs that went off in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa on September 16, 2006 and then blamed Eritrea and the Oromo resistance for the blasts in a case that raises serious questions about the claims made about the bombing attempt against the African Union summit earlier this year in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

In a report  from 2006 marked “Secret ; Subject: Ethiopia: Recent Bombings Blamed on Oromos Possibly the Work of GOE [Government of Ethiopia]” “Classified By: Charge [d’Affairs] Vicki Huddleston”, “An embassy source, as well as clandestine reporting, suggests that the bombing may have in fact been the work of the GoE security forces.” (Cable reference id: #06ADDISABABA2708.)

At the time, the western media reported the Ethiopian National Intelligence and Security Service (NISS) claims that the bombs were “part of a coordinated terror attack by the OLF [Oromo Liberation Front, the oldest national  liberation movement in Ethiopia] and  Sha’abiya (Eritrea) aimed at disrupting democratic development”.

#OromoProtests: Hunger-Strike in Seattle

June 5, 2014

An #OromoProtests Solidarity Hunger-Strike in Seattle, Washington, June 3, 2014 at 8am local time. The hunger-strike will continue until today, June 5, 2014.

Local Lutherans share concerns from Oromia region

By MDC Synod Communications

congregations  pray for Oromo children killed by Ethiopian regime

June 4, 2014 (Metropolitan Washington, D.C. Synod) — “I mourn the death of our youngsters,” says the Rev. Teka Obsa Fogi of dozens of casualties witnessed since April 25 among peacefully protesting students throughout Oromia Regional State by security force shootings and beatings.* Pr. Fogi is pastor of Oromo Resurrection Evangelical Church (“OREC”) in Kensington, Maryland, a worshiping community of the Metro D.C. Synod with direct ties to the region, one of nine ethnically-based states of Ethiopia. “OREC and all Oromo churches are praying for our young students, their parents and those the government wants to dispossess of their land,” he says. “Please pray with us.”

Protests, which began at universities in large towns throughout Oromia then spread to smaller communities in the region, erupted over the release in April of the proposed Addis Ababa Integrated Development Master Plan. The “Master Plan” outlines substantial municipal expansion of Addis Ababa to include more than 15 communities in Oromia according to Human Rights Watch, an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights.*

Statement of the United Activist and Members of the OLF ( UAM-OLF)

 May 30, 2014

Killing, torturing, mass arrest, and terrorizing the Oromo People will not stop the quest for Self determination, democracy and constitutional rights of the Oromo people.

Ambo story – shocking human right violations against Oromo people

 

June 3, 2014 (Tamiru Blog) — In a recent interview with a local media, Mr Abdulaziz Mohammed – the Vice President of Oromia Region stated that “No one is arrested and we don’t have any information about the arrest.” The Vice President’s single statement says two contrasting ideas at a time – denying the arrest allegations and ignorant about the arrest. In the first place it is a shame for the Vice President to deny the reality on the ground – where more than 49 people were killed and 800 people have been arrested, tortured and imprisoned.

These atrocities are in response to a series of demonstrations or protests by the Oromo people who demand the government to stop removing farmers from their ancestral homeland in the name of ‘development’. The demonstration at the initial stage was peaceful and in order before the government’s heavily armed security forces and the military started shooting and killing people.

Barataan Yuunivarsiitii Haramaayaa Hasan Huseen mana hidhaa mootummaa wayyaanee keessatti wareegame

Waxabajjii 03, 2014 Finfinnee

Ajjeechaan ilmaan Oromoo keessumaa barattoota Oromoo irratti xiyyeeffatamuun tarkaanfiin fudhatamaa jiru itti fufee jira. Yuunivarsiitii Haramaayaa keessatti gaaffii abbaa biyyummaa gaafachuudhaan Mana hidhaa mootummaa Wayyaaneetti darbamuu irraan darbuudhaan barattootni Oromoo mana hidhaa keessatti ajjeefamaa jiru. Barataa Nuuraddiin (Alsan) Hasan Barataa Computer science waggaa 2ffaa kan tahee fi dhalootaan Godina Shawaa lixaa magaala Baakkoo kan tahe mana hidhaa mootummaa Wayyaaneetti darbamuun dararaa jabaan erga irraan gahaa turee Gaafa 02/06/2014 mana hidhaa keessatti lubbuun isaa darbee jira. Mootummaan Wayyaanee dararaa ilmaan Oromoo irraan gahaa jiru daran jabeessaa dhufus ilmaan Oromoo gamtaan falmatti seenuun mootummaa abbaa irree bara baraan ilmaan Oromoo keessatti ammo dargaggoota Oromoo ajjeesaa, hidhaa fi biyya irraa ariiaa jiru dura akka dhaabbatu Barattootni Yuunivarsiitii Haramaayaa fi Qeerroon Oromoo waamicha Oromummaa dabarsa.

Student Nimona Tilahun Terminally Ill After Torture

(RAB, Waxibajjii 1, 2014) Mootummaan Woyyaanee Hegeree Biyyaa akkasitti karaatti hambisaa jira!

Oromo community in Tingvoll Norway writes letter to Tingvoll Admminstration

by Alemin Kelifa

Oromo community in tingvoll møre og Romsdal demonstrating to bring in the attention of Norwegian government what is going on in ethiopia, Oromia Region to put pressure on Ethiopian Dictatorial Regime.

We member of the oromo community in tingvoll, outraged with Ethiopian Government on going rekless attack on the oromo students that are peacefully demonstrating aganist irresponssible expansion of Addis ababa for the sole purpose of land Grabbing.

Oromo students at various universties and high schools across Oromia, Ethiopia have been staging non violent demonstration against the Mater plan that is set to expand Addis ababa into the surounding oromia region. The students were concerned by the fact that the so called master plan will inevitably displace millions of oromo farmers and destroy many communities and their livelihood.

Ethiopia:Benishangul Separatists Reportedly kills scores of Government troops

June 1,  2014 (Waagacusub.net) – Forces from Benishangul’s Separatist rebel group are reported to have killed scores of government soldiers in two days fighting-a renewed clash between Ethiopian Security Forces and Benishangul People’s Liberation Movement (BPLM), Western of the Country.

According to a report by  Ogaden Media Network,  which quotes  non-governmental organization worker in the Capital city of Addis Ababa, who declined to be named for fear of reprisal the secessionist rebel group killed 23 soldiers most of them hailing from the Tigray ethnic group.

According to the source,The Independence-seeking rebel group of Benishangul People’s Liberation Movement  (BPLM) have  escalated its fight against the government forces since its formation in 1990s in part of its efforts to gain full Independence from Addis Ababa.