Oromo: UN Independent Expert on Minority Issues Commences Visit to Ethiopia

2006-11-28
Below is a press release issues by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights:

Ms. Gay McDougall, the United Nations Independent Expert on minority issues, will undertake a country visit to Ethiopia from 28 November until 12 December 2006 to consult on issues related to her mandate. The mandate of the Independent Expert was established in 2005 to promote implementation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities.

The Independent Expert will consider a wide range of minority issues while in Ethiopia. Ms. McDougall will visit Addis Ababa, and will also undertake visits to regions including Oromia, Gambella and Benishangul Gumuz, to gather first-hand information from a range of sources. She will hold meetings including with representatives of the Government, non-governmental organizations and community members, and United Nations officials. The visit offers an opportunity to consider policy and practice relating to minority communities, and consult on issues including measures to alleviate poverty and achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for members of minority communities.

Ms. McDougall welcomed the opportunity to travel to Ethiopia, the first visit of the mandate to an African State. Following her visit, the Independent Expert will present a report containing her findings and recommendations to the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva.

Ms. McDougall, the first Independent Expert on minority issues, was appointed by the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms. Louise Arbour, in July 2005. A former member of the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) and the Sub-Commission on Human Rights, Ms. McDougall was Executive Director of the NGO Global Rights until April 2006. She is currently Scholar in Residence at the American University, Washington.

For further information regarding the visit of the Independent Expert on minority issues, please contact the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. For more information about the role and function of the UN Independent Expert,

please also visit the homepage:
http://www.ohchr.org/english/issues/minorities/expert/index.htm
Source
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights

Ethiopia zoo killing lions to save cost

ADDIS ABABA: A major zoo in Ethiopia is poisoning rare lion cubs and selling the corpses to be stuffed because it doesn't have enough money to care for the animals, which are the national symbol, the zoo's administrator said on Wednesday.

"These animals are the pride of our country,'" Muhedin Abdulaziz of the Lion Zoo said. "But our only alternative right now is to send them to the taxidermist.

" Ethiopia's lions, famous for their black manes, adorn statues and the local currency. Wildlife experts estimate that only 1,000 Ethiopian lions, which are smaller than other lions, remain in the wild.

The Lion Zoo has poisoned six cubs so far this year, Abdulaziz said. He added that the poisoning has been going on at least since he arrived two years ago; the total number of cubs killed was not clear. Federal wildlife officials monitor the poisoning, which is painless, according to Abdulaziz.

The federal officials did not immediately return calls for comment. The Lion Zoo is a popular attraction in Ethiopia, although international wildlife organisations have expressed concern about its ramshackle facilities. Said American radio Afaan Oromo Today.

Oromo Artist Usmayo Musa died.

By Abera Oluma

Oromo Artist Usmayo Musa, fighter of Freedom died.

Artist Usmayo Musa died in East Oromia Ciro town on 18 11 2006. Artist Usmayo is known Oromo artist and loved Oromo nationalist.

Artist Usmayo was an Oromo nationalist gave priority to his people than him self. Because of this he suffered a lot. He kept in jail 8 years in a harsh Ethiopian person with no crime he committed. He was tortured and suffered a lot by the brutal TPLF. He gat sick in prison because of redundant torture he faced.

His death has an attachment to the result of torture and harsh conditions he faced in prison.
His funeral took place on 19 11 2006 in Ciro with a large crowd, in keeping with Oromo tradition.

Though an Oromo nationalist and artist Usmaayyoo Muusaa is rest in peace now, his legacy is beyond his grave and he passed on the torch of freedom to be pursued by million of Oromo and will burn the enemy till the freedom he and others fellow Oromo’s are aspired for is reigned.

We promise to follow the path of freedom you pursued your whole life and millions of Oromo are in line to fulfil the God given of Oromo right, to be the mater of there destiny.

This is not the first time Oromo citizens have fallen as the result of victim of torture of TPLF; many are fallen silent in the hands of TPLF murderer’s government agents. Those who have killed our people and will keep killing every single day and they will pay dearly price and let it be known that the demise of these butchers is on the horizon and to be witnessed by entire world soon.

6 Ethiopia soldiers killed and wounded 20 others in Somalia

Somali Islamic fighters ambushed an Ethiopian military convoy on Sunday, killing six Ethiopian soldiers and wounding 20 others, eyewitnesses said, in the first known skirmish between the rival forces manoeuvring for control in Somalia. AP reported on Sunday.

Two Ethiopian trucks were destroyed by land mines before Islamic fighters opened fire on the convoy, which eyewitnesses told The Associated Press was made up of more than 80 vehicles and headed for the Somali government town of Baidoa, 250 kilometres (150 miles) west of the capital, Mogadishu.

Islamic courts spokesman Sheik Abdirahim Ali Mudey told the AP that four Ethiopian trucks were destroyed and some soldiers were killed, but denied that his group was responsible for the attack.

He said it was "a popular uprising" by village residents opposed to Ethiopian troops inside Somalia. Ethiopian officials were not immediately available for comment.

There has been a heightened tension in Somalia and fears that an all-out war could engulf the region. Ethiopia backs the transitional government, whose authority has been severely challenged by an Islamic movement that has taken over the capital and much of southern Somalia since June.

source:SomaliNet

Ethiopia, Eritrea reject border proposal

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia 21 November 2006

Ethiopia and Eritrea on Monday rejected a proposal put forward by an independent boundary commission as a way around a four-year impasse over the demarcation of their shared border.

The Horn of Africa neighbours fought a war from 1998 to 2000 over a frontier area of dusty villages and scrubby plains during which 70 000 people were killed.

Although a 2000 agreement ended the conflict, the peace process ground to a halt after Ethiopia rejected the border as set out by the boundary commission in April 2002 while Eritrea refused to consider any changes.

In hopes of ending the deadlock, the commission said earlier this month that it would demarcate the border on maps and leave the two countries to establish the physical boundary themselves. It invited both sides to a November 20 meeting in The Hague to discuss procedure.

Ethiopia, however, said it would not recognise any demarcation of the contested border, telling the commission its plans would be illegal and "must be rejected".

"Ethiopia calls upon the commission to withdraw its letter and to cancel the proposed meeting," Ethiopia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement, insisting the commission could not "redefine its mandate at this point" without both sides' agreement.Eritrea, for its part, said it could not accept the decision to schedule a meeting to reconsider how the boundary should be marked out.

"Eritrea maintains that it is appropriate that the commission face the problem of Ethiopia's non compliance directly rather than searching for ways to skirt the issue," Lea Brilmayer, legal adviser to Eritrea's president, wrote to the commission.

Under the peace agreement ending their war, both sides agreed to accept the boundary commission's ruling mapping the 1 000km border as "final and binding".But after the ruling was issued, Ethiopia objected to the placing of the border village of Badme on Eritrean soil, and demanded further negotiations.But Eritrea dug in its heels, insisting the ruling could not be altered. – Reuters

Source: Mail & guardian on line.

Ethiopia says it will reject Eritrea border ruling

Ethiopia says it will reject Eritrea border ruling
Source: Reuters

ADDIS ABABA, Nov 20 (Reuters) - Ethiopia said on Monday it would not recognise any demarcation of its contested border with rival Eritrea, telling an independent commission its plans would be illegal and "must be rejected".

The Horn of Africa neighbours fought a 1998-2000 war over a frontier area of dusty villages and scrubby plains, in which 70,000 people were killed. Although a 2000 agreement ended the conflict, the peace process soon ground to a halt after Ethiopia rejected the commission's border.

Earlier this month, the commission said it would demarcate the border on maps and leave the two countries to establish the physical boundary themselves. It said it had invited both sides' to a Nov. 20 meeting in The Hague to discuss procedure.

"Ethiopia calls upon the commission to withdraw its letter and to cancel the proposed meeting," Ethiopia's Foreign Ministry said in a statement, saying the commission could not "redefine its mandate at this point" without both sides' agreement.

"Ethiopia has informed the commission that its proposal, if implemented, would result in a decision void of any legal force or effect and therefore must be rejected," it said in a statement.

The ministry urged the commission to cancel its demarcation decision which it said was illegal and contrary to the Algiers Agreement, which ended the war between Ethiopia and Eritrea.
"Such an act would be a dramatic departure from the demarcation the commission was mandated to fulfil."

Under their peace deal, both sides agreed to accept an independent boundary commission's ruling mapping the 1,000-km (620-mile) border as "final and binding".

The peace process ground to a halt after Ethiopia demanded further following the commission's 2002 ruling that the border village of Badme belonged to Eritrea.

Adda bilisummaa Oromoo jechuun uummata Oromoo jechuu dha. Dhibamsiisuunis ta'e adda baasuun hin danda’amu!!!

By Abara Oluma

Uummanni Oromoo biyyi isaa Oromiyaan harka gabroomfattuu Habashootaa edda galtee kaasee guyyaa inni itti diinota isaatiif jilgeenfatee, gabruummaa tole jedhee use akka hin jirre seenaa irraa hubachuun ni danda’ama. Gabrooffattuun Habashootaa kun garuu duulli isaan Uummata keenya irratti taasisan kan inni qindaawee fi deggarame, qondaaltota lolaa biyyoota alaa fi meeshaawwan duulaa hammayyaa biyyoonni ambaa hedduun isaanii gumaachaniif; akkasumas tooftaa fi gorsa biyyoota ambaa kana irraa argataniin kan deggaraman waan ta’eef; uummanni Oromoo duula jaarraa tokkoo oliif godhamaa jiru kana irra annuu hang ammaa hindandeenye.

Sodaa guddaa dhaa fi diinummaa ummata Oromoo irraa kan qaban ilmaan Habashootaa kun, uummata Oromoo guutummaatti dhibamsiisanii biyyaa isaa humnaan qabatan kana dhuunfachuun gaaffii malee jiraachuudhaaf yakkii isaan hin raawwanne hinjiru. Minilik irraa kan eegale yakki isaanii sanyii duguuggaa Hayilasillaasee, Mangistuu hanga gartuuwwan Tigrootaa har’a jiraanii Mallasitti, haaluma wal fakkaatuu fi meeshaa hammayyan deggaramee caalaa tooftaan haguugamee itti fufee jira.

Akkuma kaleessaa har’a illee diinni Oromootaa kun kan isaan hirree isaanii ittiin cimsatanii uummata Oromoo dhura ittiin dhaabbatan gargaarsaa fi gorsa biyyoota alaa fedhii ofii isaanii Empiratti irra qaban biyyoota hanbaatiini.

Fakkeenya yoo fudhanne Minlikiin meeshaa fi yaadaan kan deggaran biyyoota Awuroophaa keessattuu kan akka Inglisfaa turani. Yeroo sanattii fedhii fi hawwii biiyyoota Afriikaa qooddachuuf qaban irraa kan maddeen dorgommii waloo isaaniin tasisaniin, tokko tokkoon isaanii dadhabsiisuun fedha isaanii guuttachuuf; Habashoota firoomfachuu tooftaa waan godhatanii turaniif; Habashoonnis caarraa kanatti fayyadamuun uummata Oromoo ittiin cabsuuf itti mayii bahanii itti milkaawanii jiru.

Tooftaa abbootii isaa irraa argate kana faana kan bu’e gartuun hoggantuu Habashootaa Hailasillaaseenis maqaa Kiristaanummaan biyyoota ambaa kana, caalaatti gowwoomsuun gargaassa karaa hundaa irraa argachuun aangoo gabroomfattummaa issaa fi empirattii ittiin eeggachuuf itti fayyadamee darbee jira.

Mootummaa Dargiitis yoo hubannee maqaa Socialismiitiin sagantaa polotikaa isaa kaasee hanga seena bulchiisa isaa fi humna loltuu isaatti fuulleetti ajajaa fi deggarsa warra Raashaatiin harkisamee empirattii abbootii isaa irraa fuudhe humnaan tursuuf itti fayyadama turuun isaa ragaa dha.

Gartuun ilmaan Tigrootaa har’a jiraaniis humnoota ambaa empirattiitti fayyaddamuu fedhaniin deggaramanii; qawween aangoo abbootii isaanii kaleessaa irraa haa fuudhan malee; edda taayitaa irraatti deggarsumma biyyoo ambaa kanaan muudamanii kaasee, hamma ammaattii kan isaan deggaraamaa fii ajajamaa jiran, humna alaatiini yoo jenne ragaan waan mul’atu ifa dha.

Egaa kaleessa edda ilmaan Habashootaa Oromiyaatti duulanii kaasee, hanga ammaatti Oromoo empirattii keessatti gabrummaa jalatti eeguuf motummaa qabanne jechuun mul’atan hundii isaanii; oftultummaan haa ololan malee Oromoo irratti kan duulanii fi duulaa jira irra keessatti, meeshaa waraanaan hammayyaatiin, qondaala humna waraanaatiin, tooftaa siyaasaa tii fi gorsa hogganummaatiin kan qooda irratti qabaachaa turee fi jiran, dureeyyota biyya ambaa bu’aa fi dantaa empiratti irraa argatanii fi argachuuf fedhani dha.

Oftuultonni ilmaan Habashootaa kun Afriikaa keessatti ’’biyyii hingbroomin jiru nu qofa’’ jechuun waan hinjirreen haa baannatan malee; seenaan biyyaattii hundi kan iinni nu agarsiisu garuu, Empayrattiin edda Minilikiin humnaan ejaaramtee kaastee, hanga ammaatti harka lafa jalaa fii ifatti gartuuwwan dureenyii biyyoota ambaatiin akka bitamaa jiraatee fi jirtu nu hubachiisa.

Qabeenya Oromiyaa xuuxuu duwwaa irratti hundaawanii kan nutti duulan ilmaan Habashootaa kun, Oromoo gutuudhaa gutuutti dhabamsiisuun abjuu isaanii sana dhugoomfachuuf yakki isaan ilmaan Oromoo irratti hin raawwatin hin turre. Ilmaan Oromootaa irraa garajabinaan harka muranii, aayyolii fi shamarran Oromoo irraa harmma muranii, daa’imman Oromoo irraa nafa muruun; qomoo balleessuuf sanyi duguuggaan isaan kaleessa raawwatan utuu hin irraanfatamin; ha’a illee haaluma sanaa gadi hintaaneen tooftaan kan haguugame yakka hiriyaa hin qabne raawwachaa jiraachuu isaanii Oromoo hunduu kan beekuu fi adduunyaan illee kan hubataa jiru dha.

Diddaa gabruummaa fi gaaffii abbaa biyyummaa isaaf Oromoon yeroon inni itti usee, diina kanaaf nagaa kenne hin jiru. Edda biyyi isaa ilmaan Habashootaan qabatamtee kaasee Oromiyaa mara keessatti bakka adda addaa fi yeroo adda addaatti falammiin lubbuu hedduu gaafate Oromoon taasisaa turuu isaanii seenaan ni mul’isa.

Qabsoo diddaa gabrummaa yeroo dheeraaf addaan hincitin Oromiyaa mara keessatti haala faffaca’ee fi hingurma’inni deemsifamaa ture kan walitti fuduun haala gurmaa’ee qindaawee fi tooftaa wayyuun walqabsiisuun murteessaa akka ta’e kan hubabatan gootowwan ilmaan Oromootaa yeroo addaa addaatti dhama’uun isaanii hin oolle.

Haala akkasii kana keessatti kan bu’ureeffame Addi Bilisummaa Oromoo bara 1973 bu’ureeffamuun sagantaa fi kaayyoo tokko lafa keewwachuun haalaa Oromota hundaa kutaa Oromiyaa hundaa irra walitti dhufan bilisummaa Oromootiif of kennan waltumsuun haala qindaaween sochii eegaluun isaa ni beekama.

Qabsoo ilmaan Oromootaa bara dheeraaf utuu addaan hincitin dhufe kana bifa haaraa fi tooftaa haaraan qindeessuun of ijaaree uummata of cina hiriirsee qabsoo diina irratti kan eegale Addi Bilisummaa Oromoo, Falammii fi wal’aansoon inni godhaa turee fi itti jiru gartuu ilmaan Habashootaa qofa waliin osoo hintaane; akkuma kaleessaa humoota alaa ilmaan Habashootaa kana hoggananii fi deggaraniin waliins waan tureef; salphaa ta’uu hin dandeenye.

Haata’u malee falammii abbaa biyyuumaa deebifachuuf godhamee fi godhamaa jiru keessatti injifannoo gurguddoo hedduu kan galmeesse Addi Bilisummaa Oromoo, ilmaan Oromootaa Ormomiyaa keessa jiran mara kaayyoo tokko jalatii hiriirsuu fii Sabboonummaa Oromootaa dagaagsuun qabsoon inni godhee fi godhaa jiru diina abdii kutachiisuu irra taree, galma ga’uu kaayyoo isaatiif bu’uraa fi wabii guddaa waan uumee jiruu injifannoowwan galeesse keessaa isa guddeessa.

Addi bilisummaa Oromoo qabsoo hidhannoo diina irratti deemsisu cina aadaa fi seenaa uummata Oromoo addunyaatti beeksisuun, Afaan Oromoo arfii ykn Qubee mijawaa dhaan katabamee akka inni afaan barreeffamaa ta’u irranti qorannoo guddaa gochuun miijessee, hojii irra oolchuun; kitaabawwan seenaatiif adda addaa ittiin barreessuun afaan Oromoo afaan hojii gochuun dalagni dhaabni kun dalage meeshaa waraanaa guddaa ta’ee, har’a diinota Oromoo fi Oromummaa balleessuuf dhama’aa jiran akka ibidda cidii keessaa itti ta’ee isaan gubaa jira..

Kana malees ijifannoowwan gurguddoo hedduu kan galmeesse Addi Bilisummaa Oromoo biyyi Oromiyaa jedhamtu jiraachuu ishee addunyaa irratti barsiisuu irra darbee daangaan ishee akka beekamu gochuu galmee seenaa fi sarara adduunyaa keessatti akka kaawwamtu injifannoon galmeessee jira.

Kaayyoon isaa fi dalagni isaa kabjamaan kun ilmaan Oromoo mara biratti jaalalaa fi kabaja kan isaaf uume Addi Bilisummaa Oromoo kun Oromoota hunda dhaaba kana cina hiriisuun qabsoo ilmaan Oromoo adda addaan deemaa ture sana fuula tokkotti deebisuuf dhaaba milkaawedha.

Har’a ABO jechuun uummata Oromoo Oromiyaa keessa jiru mara ta’uu isaa fira qofa osoo hintaane; diinnii keenya utuu hin hafin dhugaan isaan dirqee ragaa ba’anii jiru.

Egaa haala kana sirriitti kan beektu eegduun Empayerattii ilmaan Tigroota har’aa, diraqama abbootii isaanii irraa fuudhanii fi ajaja gooftoliin isaanii warri ambaa itti kennan ba’achuuf, duula abbootii isaaniin Oromoo irratti labsiin eegalame, har’as labsaatuma jiru.

Dhiiga ilmaan Oromoota qulqulluu kumaatamaa dhangalaasuun, kumaatamaan kan lakkaawan ukkamsanii gara dhabarsuun, kumaatamaan kan lakkaawwaman hidhaan dararuunii, ta’e jechuun miliyoonaan kana lakkaawwaman beelessuun fixuun gara jabinaan uummata Oromoo irratti raawwachaa jiru.

Yakka isaanii kana adduunyaa guutuun yennaa argaa jiru kanatti; diinummaa uummata Oromoo irraa qabanii fi tuffii seera mirga dhala namaaf qaban agarsiisuuf yeroo hammaa ifatti uummatta Oromoo irratti duula haaraa labsaa jiru.

Presedaantii Empirattii kan ofiin jedhu Mallas Zeenawii torban lamaan kana mana maree isaanii keessatti yakka kanaan dura uummaata Oromoo irratti raawwatan caalaatti, amma kan irra hammaatu raawwachuuf saba Oromoo hidhaan, ajjeechaan, dararuuf qophii irra akka jiran dhoksaa fi qaanii malee addunyaaf ifa baasee jira.

Sodaa isaanii guddaa kan isaanitti ta’e Addii Bilisummaa Oromoo guutuu ilmaan Oromoo kan haammatee fi uummata Oromoo ta’uu kan beekan gartuun ilmaan Tigrootaa TPLF kun haqa kana hubatanis; gochaanii fi kaayyoon isaanii, uummata kana dhibamsiisuu waan ta’eef; maqaa Adda Bilisummaa Oromootiin uummata Oromoo dhibamsiisuuf dalagan illee milkaayuu hin daandeenye. Har’as dubbiin Mallas kun ifatti arrabaan dubbachuu isaa irraa kan hafe, ilmaan Oromoo hidhuu; ajjeessuu fi duraanuu yakka inni hojjechaa turee fi hojjechaa jiru ta’uu uummanni Oromootis ta’ee adduunyaan waan beeku dha.

Yeroo hammaa kanatti qabsoon bilisummaa ilmaan Oromoo sadarkaa dhaamuu fi duubatti deebi’uu hindandeenye irra ga’ee jira. Kun sodaa fi wareera abjuu kan itti ta’ee jiru gartuuwwan gabroomfattuu Tigrootaa TPLF kun har’a utuu kumaatamaan Oromoo fixanii; kumaatamaan hidhanii; qabsoo ilmaan Oromootaa godhan kana duubatti deebisuu fi ABO dhabamsiisuu waan hin danda’iniif abdii kutachuun duula afaaniinis sodaachisuu mana maree isaanii keessatti utuu hin hafin, har’a akka haaraatti labsachuudhaaf dhama’aa jiru.

Gochaaniif dubbiin Mallas Zeenawii kun mana maree issaaniitiif yokaan yoo ilmaan Tigrootaatiif haaraa ta’ee malee uummaata Oromootiif haaraa ta’uu hindanda’u. Ajjeechaan, hidhaan, ukkaamsuun, dararuunii fi tooftaa adda addaan uummata Oromoo fixuun Malla kun addunyaa guutuu irratti yeroo adda addaatti qaamota dhimmi isaa ilaaluun galmeeffamee dubbiifamee ifa ba’ee jira.

Uummanni Oromoo doorsisa afaan diinaa mitii qawwee diinaatuu hin sodaanne; hin sodaatus. Adda bilisummaa Oromoo fi uummata Oromoo addaan baasuunis ta’ee dhabamsiisuun hindada’amnes hindanda’amus.

Injifannoo Uummata Oromoof!!!

Oromoota Swiss.

Ethiopian government slammed for actions since 2005 elections.European Parliament (press release),

European Parliament (press release), EU

Info
Human rights - 16-11-2006 - 18:57
At the close of this week's plenary session in Strasbourg, Parliament as usual adopted three human rights resolutions: on the ongoing crisis in Ethiopia since the 2005 elections, the situation in Bangladesh ahead of the elections scheduled for early 2007 and the deterioration in human rights in Iran over the past year.

Ethiopian government slammed for actions since 2005 elections.

In its resolution on Ethiopia, Parliament looks at the crisis following the 2005 elections and the serious human rights violations that have taken place in the country since then, including the reports of continuing arrests, harassment, arbitrary detention and intimidation of opposition politicians, civil society activists, students and others. In the circumstances, MEPs deplore the invitation to the Ethiopian prime minister to address the European Development Days being held this month in Brussels.

Unconditional release demanded for all political prisoners.

According to the resolution, "111 opposition party leaders, journalists and human rights defenders are still in custody and are facing trial on charges including 'outrage against the Constitution', 'inciting, organising or leading armed rebellion' and 'attempted genocide'". A number of "post-election political detainees" are listed by name.

Against this background, MEPs call on the Ethiopian Government "to immediately and unconditionally release all political prisoners, whether journalists, trade union activists, human rights defenders or ordinary citizens, and to fulfil its obligations with respect to human rights, democratic principles and the rule of law". They also call on the Government to disclose the total number of persons detained throughout the country, to allow visits by the International Committee of the Red Cross and to allow all detainees access to their families, legal counsel and any medical care that their health situation may require.

MEPs also deplore the expulsion of two EU officials, Bjorn Jonsson and Enrico Sborgi, from Ethiopia "on the alleged grounds that they tried to help Ms Yalemzewd Bekele, a lawyer and women's rights campaigner, working for the European Commission in Addis Ababa, to get out of the country".

Call for publication of report on killing of 193 people

The resolution refers to the Ethiopian government-backed Commission of Inquiry set up in November 2005 to investigate the killing of 193 citizens following demonstrations in June and November 2005. However, it points out that members of the Commission of Inquiry have been pressured by the Ethiopian Government to alter the findings and three of them have left the country after refusing government orders to do so.The European Parliament therefore "calls on the Ethiopian Government to publish unamended and in its entirety, and without any further delay, the final report of the Commission of Inquiry; calls for the relevant courts to be supplied with the report, and urges them to take due account of it so that fair trials can be conducted".

EU invitation to Ethiopian prime minister criticised

In a strong message from MEPs to a fellow EU institution, the resolution "deeply regrets the EU Commission's invitation to Prime Minister Meles Zenawi to address the European Development Days" (being held from 13 to 17 November 2006 in Brussels), "especially on governance issues, a decision which sends out the wrong signal with regard to EU policy on respect for human rights, democratic principles, the rule of law and good governance".

Lastly the resolution points out that Ethiopia is a signatory to the ACP-EU Cotonou Agreement, "which stipulates that respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms is an essential element of ACP-EU cooperation". It therefore "asks the Commission and Council to closely monitor the situation in Ethiopia, and considers that development cooperation programmes under the Cotonou Agreement should be contingent on respect for human rights and good governance".

Oromo students are hunted for just being born and identified as Oromo persons

By Abera Oluma
The back warded Ethiopians colonized the Oromo land Oromia during the Europe Scrambling for Africa in 1880s.

Since then the Oromo people have been victims of open and systematic genocide polices of successive Abyssinian coloniser settlers. Historical records have been indicating that the Oromo people have been living in environments characterized by unabated killings, repression, and oppressions orchestrated by successive tyrant and dictatorial Ethiopian regimes for more than a century.
The successive Abyssinians military and political powers supremacies are basically rooted in technical, material, and financial aids of foreign countries in particular UK and others in 1880s.

Since then the successive tyrants and regimes emerged in Ethiopia all they have shared common characteristics: i.e. they all intended and committed them self to concentrate to eliminate the Oromo language, culture, tradition, religion, history and in general the Oromo people identity by all possible means. They all exploit the resources of Oromo people and their land Oromia.


They all try to avoid the Oromo people from civilization by all means they can. They are doing all possible imposes on the Oromo’s not to get education and not to have awareness. Especially the present TPLF government is working hard than the past empire governments to avoid Oromo students from school.

Accordingly Accordingly the TPLF regime dismissed more than 350 Oromo students from Addis Ababa University and jailed them with out any crime they committed in year 2004.

Frome Gonder collage more than 40 Oromo students dismissed and the others detains in year 2006. One Mekele University Oromo student killed and in the same year also more than 40 Oromo students deprived their certificate after they graduated.

September 6, 2006 more than 42 Oromo students have been dismissed from the Haramaya University.

Ddeliberately and officially the TPLF government allocated his cadres like those Mr Sintayehu Kassaye in Mekele University and ordered and authorized to write what ever they like and insult the none semantic people in the empire; especially the Oromo people. A history instructor at Mekelle University Mr. Sintayehu Kassaye Wrote a textbook for History 102 class of freshman students. The textbook, which apparently received a generous support from the University administration to be published in 2005, is a mockery of the missions of education and academia for one important reason: driven by extreme tribal fanaticism and hateful politics with which we are very familiar from the gloomy past of the country, the author resorted to outright insult of a people - unbecoming of member of an academic institute.

The history instructor has deliberately and shamefully taught deceit about the same people demonstrating his abhorrence towards Oromo students, the Oromo and other people of the region, and also the Moslem religion. As a result, the book and the lectures of Mr. Kassaye have caused distress and widespread anger among Oromo students of Mekele University and elsewhere.

It is indeed deeply troubling that even university level instructors continue to spread religious intolerance, tribal animosity, and racial supremacy so openly and blatantly, even at a risk of reinforcing the looming danger of war and ethnic conflict that have kept the country so immensely impoverished.

To quoting some of Kassaye’s writings below:
Considered uncivilized and inferior, even compared to the plateau’s Muslims …Inevitably, the pagan Galla heroes… (’’Galla’’ is insulting name that the Ethiopian gave to the Oromo people) …when they began their great migration to the plateau seemed even more inferior in the eyes of semetized Christian elites than the Somalis and Danakils.(page 145 par 2 line 1-5).

of the kings mistaken sequence of priorities and distorted perception of the Galla migration and the contempt in which he and Ethiopian society in general held these ‘uncouth and wild’ pastoralists (Page 153, par 1, lines 3-7).

… Writing his monograph about 1593 the monk Bahrey already found it difficult to comprehend how the numerically and culturally inferior Galla were able to overcome the numerous Ethiopians (Page 166-167, par 4, line 4).…, lacking a sense of mission and generally uninterested in proselyting togetherwith the ruling class, rejected the “uncouth galla” and despised them (Page 169,par 2, line 11).These are just a few of the quotes from the book which page after page delivers insults and derogatory diatribe to the Oromo and other people and religion of the region.

At this time Mekele university is being the place ware the Oromo students are killed detained and tortured. The university has become the killing ground of Oromo students. Oromo students travel thousands of kilometers away from south, west, east and central Oromia to go to Mekele University. It is a government university that takes students assigned by the Ministry of Education of Ethiopia. The University takes students from other nationalities in the country. But only Oromo students are discriminated and murdered. This is a hot spot where government’s policy of discrimination against Oromos is strongly implemented.

Oromo students are hunted for just being born and identified as Oromo persons. Student Shibiru Demissie was murdered in cold blood after electric power on campus was cut off on a doorstep to his dormitory on November 4, 2006. Shibiru Demissie was a third year history student. The killing of Oromo students has become a norm in Tigray’s Mekele University. Another student, Sime Terefe was murdered earlier at the same place for being an Oromo. His corpse were taken outside Mekele town and dumped into a river. It was found after a few days of search.

Oromo students are hunted for just being born and identified as Oromo persons. According to my information student Shibiru Demissie was murdered in cold blood after electric power on campus was cut off on a doorstep to his dormitory on November 4, 2006. Shibiru Demissie was a third year history student. The killing of Oromo students has become a norm in Tigray’s Mekele University. Another student, Sime Terefe was murdered earlier at the same place for being an Oromo. His corpse were taken outside Mekele town and dumped into a river. It was found after a few days of search.

The attacks that Oromo students face at Mekele University and different campuses are only the government’s extension of the policy of discrimination and persecution followed against the Oromo people. All this happened because of the regime rulings objective is intended to eliminate the Oromo students from school. Its final intention is to eliminate Oromo intellectuals.

Therefore, the Oromo people Should have to hold hand to hand to each other frome every corner to resist and to fight this apartheid TPLF regime and to keep up to appeal to the democratic governments and the international communities to support the struggle of the Oromo people particularly coordinated by the genuine Oromo Liberation Front in order to realise people’s aspirations for justice, peace, freedom and democracy.

Oromia will be free!

Abera Oluma

Oromo: Children of Ethiopian Minorities Ignored

The 43rd Session of the Committee on the Rights of the Child was held from 11 to 29 September 2006. The Committee is a UN Human Rights Treaty Body constructed to monitor the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. All ratifying States must submit regular written reports to the Committee, which examines and responds to these, making recommendations where necessary.

The last session of the Committee considered amongst others the report of Ethiopia. Though noting some areas of recent progress with respect to the rights of Ethiopian children, the Committee also notes with some concern that issues relating to minority groups remain entirely ignored. The Committee draws particular attention to the persecution and stigmatisation of Oromo children:

“Children belonging to a minority or indigenous group

79. The Committee notes the absence of information on ethnic minorities in the State Party’s report and is concerned over the situation of children belonging to minorities, in particular Oromo and Anuak, as they suffer stigmatisation and persecution by the armed forces, including torture, rape and killings, due to the presence of opposition groups within their territories.”

“80. The Committee urges the State party to;

(a) respect the life of the members of minorities groups and in particular that of children, taking into due account the humanitarian law principle of protecting civilians;

(b) pay due attention to children of ethnic minorities in the next periodic report.”

The Oromo in Ethiopia are represented by the Oromo Liberation Front, an organisation aiming to address this prevailing reality in many areas of Ethiopian society, including the rights of children. They have been members of UNPO since 2004.

Source
Committee on the Rights of the Child

Today in Ethiopia , democratic and human rights are grossly violated, the rule of law is trampled upon by none other than the ruling party.

Press Release by Dr. Getachew Jigi

MP of House of People’s Representatives of Ethiopia

To introduce my self, I am MP of the House of People’s Representatives of Ethiopia, run and elected as candidate of the Oromo Federal Democratic Movement (OFDM) from Mana Sibu-Kiltu Karra district of Western Wallagga, Oromia region. I am one of the founders of this organization and a member of its Executive Committee.

We, the founders of OFDM had high hopes and aspiration that by participating in the legal political forum of Ethiopia we would contribute to the democratization process and bring stability and development. It was with strong belief that the Constitution of the land will be respected and supremacy of law will prevail, that we decided to join the legal political system. It was also our firm belief that democracy and working federation would solve the problems of Ethiopia . Unfortunately all our aspirations were dashed, hopes turned sour and our morale crashed within few months after May 2005 elections. We learned in the hard way that there is no democracy or supremacy of law in Ethiopia .

In this statement, I want to give my honest and sincere testimony of the conditions currently prevailing in Ethiopia and particularly since May 2005 elections. This testimony is in no way intended to defame the ruling party and its cohorts. The main purpose is to expose the hidden realities in Ethiopia and in Oromia in particular.

Today, there is no peace and stability, democracy, and rule of law in Ethiopia . What really exists is dictatorship of one party and gross violations of democratic and human rights. The regime carried out mass killing of civilians in Gambela, Sidama, Shaka Mazengir, Oromia and CUD supporters in Finfinne. In all of these incidents the perpetuators were not brought to justice. The ruling party has two very contradicting political images that it uses according to time, place and its audiences. In and around the capital city -Finfinnee- the ruling party shows the image that it is democratic and respect rule of law. This semblance is targeted to diplomats of donor countries to gain their support to finance and strengthen its other hidden image. For any foreign dignitary that visits Ethiopia and discusses with the Prime Minister, Ethiopia is really a promising democratic state. Elections are conducted periodically, there is ¨private¨ press, there are opposition parties with seats in the parliament, etc. These are facades to attract and win the sympathy of donor countries. The reality on the ground is completely to the contrary.

November 11, 2006 — The other image of the EPRDF regime hidden from the outside world is its true nature. EPRDF is simply a dictatorship. It does not respect its own Constitution nor abide by the supremacy of the law. Everything is done at the whim of EPRDF officials who can reverse court ruling as they wish, kill, detain, torture, and harass innocent citizens without any evidence or crime committed. Anybody that they suspect as a threat is eliminated. The Oromo are in the forefront to be subjected to EPRDF’s bad-governance.

Since May 2005 elections, gross violation of democratic and human rights are being conducted in Ethiopia by the ruling party. Citizens are being killed indiscriminately, thousands are detained for long period without charges and tortured to sustain life long injuries. Tens of thousands are forced to flee their country fearing harassment and intimidation. Properties of innocent individuals are confiscated without court order. In short today in Ethiopia there prevails a total atmosphere of fear and terror.

Legally registered and operating organizations like Oromo Federal Democratic Organizations are facing the severe hand of the dictator ruling party. While top leaders of opposition organizations are sitting in the parliament, meeting the Prime Minister, attending consultation meetings with donor groups, invited to parties with diplomatic dignitaries, there members are languishing in prisons, their offices closed and properties confiscated in the regions. Opposition MPs are not allowed to go back to their constituencies to hold meetings and gather public opinions of their constituencies. Even if an opposition MP manages to go back to his constituency, it is crime for the residents to greet and talk with the person they elected to represent them. From my experience many Mana Sibu -Kiltu Karra residents who greeted me were detained and heavily fined. This is the bitter reality that is existing in Ethiopia outside of the capital city.

The EPRDF regime is on a wide campaign of detaining Oromo nationalists, students, farmers and merchants for no crime committed. An Oromo individual who asks the democratic and human rights of the people to be respected is automatically branded as OLF member and thrown into prison to stay there for years without appearing before appropriate court. Oromo students who voted for us are being killed, dismissed from schools without any reasons. Dozens were refused their university certificates. These are the vivid reality under which my people who voted for me to be MP are living under.

I have been hoping things would get better over time. But instead the situation in Oromia in particular and in Ethiopia in general is getting worse daily. This has been giving me mental torture for the last several months. Now it became so unbearable that I had to make my decision. I have been receiving death threats for speaking up against the wanton disregard for the rule of law by EPRDF. Under the circumstances my conscience could not allow me to continue to be a member of parliament when I cannot speak with and for the people who elected me and cannot spare them from the daily harassment, intimidation, repression, extra-judicial killing, torture and displacement. Hence I have chosen to desist myself from the EPRDF regime and its rubber-stamp parliament.

To sum up, today in Ethiopia , democratic and human rights are grossly violated, the rule of law is trampled upon by none other than the ruling party. The regime is doing everything it can to stay in power that it lost in May 2005 elections, in which it was totally defeated. The regime is purposely instigating and fanning religious and inter ethnic conflicts. The situation in Ethiopia is very dangerous. There is disaster looming over the country. Finally I call upon OFDM members and supporters, the Oromo people in particular and the Ethiopian peoples in general, opposition party members to stand up in unison to avert this looming disaster. And remind the international community to play a constructive role expected of them rather than continue to appease a tyrannical regime.

Dr. Getachew Jigi

ETHIOPIA: Int'l OROMO Youth Association- Press Release

10 November 2006

The Targeting of Oromo students and youth does not serve any purpose aside from intensifying ethnic tensions in Ethiopia!

We have learned and are strongly alarmed by the cold blooded murder of a young Oromo student Shibiru Demissie at Mekele University, Ethiopia. Shibiru was strangled to death on the evening of Saturday, November 4, 2006 at Mekele University where he had traveled hundreds of kilometers to receive education. According to the Oromo Student Union at Mekele University, Shibiru Demissie a third year history student was dragged out of his room after the campus electric power was disconnected. We have no doubt that this is another deliberate action taken by security forces as it has been done to numerous Oromo students at Mekele University and else where in Ethiopia.

The Woyané government in Ethiopia has been killing and imprisoning hundreds of innocent Oromo students ever since it usurped power in 1991. The past five years have especially been a nightmare for Oromo students who were made major targets of political assassinations and mysterious disappearances. Thousands of them were taken from their school and are serving long-term jail sentences without trial. Young under age female students were raped and tortured brutally by government soldiers. These are a few of the cases that where reported by international human right groups.

In 2000, Oromo students of various universities and colleges asked the government to assist them in putting down the fire, which was engulfing vast Oromia forests. Their request was met by street shootings and late night assassinations. For instance, On April 2, 2000 government soldiers in Dembi Dollo, Western Oromia, gunned down Dirribe Jifar, a high school female student. The preceding sentence should not be deleted. Another high school student Alemu Disasa was killed and his body was dumped in a river. On March 9, Getu Dirriba was beaten to death at military detention center in Ambo.

In 2002, an Oromo student Simee Terreffe was murdered at Mekele University and in a similar fashion his body was dumped in a river near Mekele town.
In 2004, more than 350 Oromo students were expelled from Addis Ababa University for protesting peacefully. Many of these Students were followed to their home village and murdered by security force. In the same year the vanguard Oromo civic association, Macha and Tulama Self Help Association, was disbanded. Its entire leadership, including Oromo students and numerous Oromo journalists are still serving prison without trial. The instances stated above are just those that were reported, one can only begin to imagine how many actually occur. This pattern of behavior has become a norm for the Ethiopian government. Needless to say, these types of tragedies are far too familiar to the Oromo people.

In 2005, Jagama Badhane was shot dead by security forces while leaving his school compound. In the same year; Alemayo Garba and Mohammed Teyib were shot dead in Kaliti prison while serving jail terms without trial. Their classmate and later inmate Gaddisa Hirpasa, a 4th year engineering student at Addis Ababa University was tortured to death within few months. In the years 2005- 2006 alone, more than 500 students were killed by government’s security forces of which the record is available and widely reported by different media and human rights groups.

This is not new to Oromo people. Successive Ethiopian regimes have been committing gross human rights violations against the Oromo people. The current ruling party is not different from its predecessors. What makes the act of this regime very dangerous is its intention to pit the Oromo people against its neighbor with whom they coexisted for thousands of years. In February 2006, EPRDF cadres instigated conflict among students in Gonder and Bahir Dar Universities. Oromo students who spoke Afaan Oromo in those cities were beaten, and were made to believe that the act was committed by the Amhara community where the universities were located.

In April 2006, a Tigrian student who was attending Adama University committed suicide. However; Tigrian residents of Mekele were told that he was murdered by Oromo students and the Tigrian’s marched to Mekele University demanding the expulsion of all Oromo students from the university as revenge. In June 2006, 44 Oromo students were denied their Certificate of Graduation after successful completion of their four-year degree programs. Some of these students have disappeared while others were unjustly imprisoned.

In August 2006; students of Jimmaa, Haromaya and Adama Universities clashed with each other based on their ethnic affiliation because a student’s cadre of the government wore a t-shirt that bears a derogatory word against the Oromo people, in an orchestrated move to inflict ethnic tensions. In this clash, which was clearly instigated to pit Oromo students against Amhara students, at least 10 lives were lost. As a result, 44 Oromo students from Haromaya, 30 from Adama, and 23 from Jimma University were expelled. In October 2006, religious conflict between Christians and Muslims erupted in Jimma and Ilu Abbabor zones of Oromia. We have a string of evidence to believe that this was also instigated by government security forces, as the followers of the two religions lived together for thousands of years without any recorded history of communal violence. As various top government officials who fled the country disclosed, the ruling party “kill whoever they like and then ask: 'Who killed them?'"

Such malicious actions by the government security forces does not benefit anyone but rather it results in complete destruction of the social fabric among the nations and nationalities of the country as well as the region. We believe targeting Oromo students as a means of suppressing the Oromo quest for freedom democracy and justice is a grave miscalculation on the government’s side. Pitting Oromo people against its neighbors is as dangerous as detonating atomic bomb in the country. We consider instigating religious conflict between followers of different religions, to gain cheap political score, as a crime against our nation and humanity at large.

Therefore; we call up on the Ethiopian government:
1. To stop killing and imprisoning unarmed and innocent Oromo students.
2. To establish an independent inquiry commission that will investigate the murder of Shibiru Demissie at Mekele University and to bring those who committed the crime to justice.
3. To release all Oromo students and political prisoners who are being detained at various concentration camps without adequate food and medication.
4. To stop instigating religious and ethnic conflict among the nations and nationalities in the country.
5. To respect the right of Oromo students as citizens to receive education without fear of death and torture.
6. To respect the right of Oromo people to exercise their collective and individual rights as it is stated in the country’s constitution and Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

We call upon the International Community, Human Rights groups and donor organizations to
1. Give special attention to the gross human rights violations being inflicted by the Ethiopian government against Oromo people in general and Oromo students in particular.
2. Pressure the regime to stop killing Oromo students and to release those who are serving jail sentences without the right to a trial.
3. Increase or devise political and/or economic sanctions where and when necessary to bring urgency to this issue.
4. Pressure media sources to shed light on the current plight of Oromo students and the Oromo struggle for human rights.

The last but not least, we call upon Oromo communities and political organizations, to join hands to raise awareness about the systematic ethnic cleansing of the Oromo people by the current minority regime. We would also like to renew our unwavering support to the Oromo students, political prisoners and farmers are who standing firm against tyranny.

Justice for Oromo People and Justice for All!!

International Oromo Youth Association
November 9, 2006

‘‘Between 15,000 and 20,000 people have been killed in the Oromia region’‘The Oromia region Supreme Court president Mr Aberra, said.

‘‘Between 15,000 and 20,000 people have been killed in the Oromia region’‘The Oromia region Supreme Court president Mr Aberra, said.

Ethiopian judge tells of regime's massacres
· Claims tens of thousands of critics murdered
· US ally accused of rights abuses on massive scale
Ewen MacAskill, diplomatic editor
Thursday November 9, 2006
The Guardian

The Ethiopian government is responsible for the killing of tens of thousands of students and other critics over the past 15 years, one of the country's most senior judges, who has defected to Britain, said yesterday.

In an interview with the Guardian in London, Judge Teshale Aberra claimed the government of Meles Zenawi is as bad or worse than that of his predecessor, Mengistu Haile Mariam, which was widely condemned for human rights abuses.

"The Mengistu government killed and boasted about it. The Meles government kills and asks 'who killed them?', and then sets up an inquiry commission," Mr Aberra said. "This government may be more deadly."

US has been muted in its criticism, partly because it sees Mr Meles as an ally in its "war on terrorism" and a counterweight to the unrest in Somalia. The British government cut direct aid last year in protest at a clampdown, but the reaction of the international community, taking its lead from Washington, has been low-key.

Mr Aberra, who was a judge for 12 years, said between 15,000 and 20,000 people have been killed in the Oromia region, which is one of the biggest provinces in the country and includes the capital, Addis Ababa. Others had been killed elsewhere in the country, many of them student protesters

He cited various incidents with which he was familiar, including two students killed by a policeman last year in what he described as cold blood.

Meles government was criticised last year after police allegedly massacred 193 people involved in anti-government demonstrations. Mr Aberra said about 80,000 people were arrested in the subsequent round-up, though most were later released.

Mr Aberra, who was president of the Oromia supreme court, said that, with prisons overflowing, those arrested had been held in the military and police academies, and torture was commonplace. "They detain people without court orders. They detain people even after the decision is rendered that they should be released. They persecute people and, in some areas, they kill people. There is massive killing all over. There is a systematic massacre."

He fled Ethiopia on October 29. His wife and two children have also left and are in hiding. He characterises himself as non-political and said he decided to leave because of pressure on the judicial system from the government and threats from senior figures in the Oromia regional government. "They warned me to comply with demands to suppress certain judges, to detain people who had been released, and release the people who had been detained but the government wanted out."

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

The Oromia region Supreme Court president accused the government of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi of killing its critics

One of Ethiopia's most senior judges, Teshale Aberra, has left the country following "continued harassment" from the government, he has told the BBC

He also said the government was planning to appoint new, loyalist judges throughout the system.

Mr Meles had been seen as being part of a new generation of African leaders.

Mr Teshale is the latest in a series of senior officials - judges, diplomats and military commanders - to flee the country. He says he plans to seek asylum in the UK.

The Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs say they have no reaction to the defection.

Massacres

He told the BBC's Focus on Africa programme that Mr Meles' government was just as bad as that of its predecessor, led by Mengistu Haile Mariam, who is accused of crimes against humanity.

"The difference is these guys are wise... These people kill whoever they like and then ask: 'Who killed them?'"

Another judge, Wolde-Michael Meshesha, recently fled the country after carrying out an investigation into the suppression of protests against alleged fraud in last year's elections.
In his report, he said the police had massacred 193 people.

His report said that the government had concealed the true extent of deaths at the hands of the police.

He claimed he had been put under pressure to alter his findings and fled into hiding in Europe when he received anonymous death threats.


Souce: BBC

Oromoo Har’a yeroon kan nu irraa gaafatu

Abara Oluma irraa

Mootummaan Wayyaanee Tigrootaa, yeroodhaa yerootti tooftaa adda addaa baasuudhaan umrii jireenya ishee dheereffachuudhaaf halkanii guyyaa yaaduun ishee eenyu jalaa dhokataa hinta’u. Haaluma kanaan waggaa darbe kana keessa caalaattuu mootummoota adduunyaa dureeyyii maallaqaa fi meeshaa waraan-hammayyaa isheef gumaachan sobaan gammachiisuuf ’’filannoo adda ta’e’’ qopheessine jechuun namoota hedduu dogoggorsuun ishee hin haalamu.

’’Filanoo’’ Wayyaaneen tooftaaf qopheeffatte kun maqaa mormitoota hirmaachisuutiin jaarmota hundee hin qabnee, hedduu sadarkaa gaditti tilmaamte, gartuu Leellistoota Minilikii fi jaarmaawwan haaraa muraasa akka irraa qooda fudhatan afeeruun maamiloota ishee fi gooftowwan ishee keessayyuu warra dhihaa kan ishee muudanii fi ishee jiraachisan sobaan gammachiisuuf kan wiixaname ture.

Haalli tooftaa Wayyaanee kun egaa dhuugaa dubbachuuf yoo jenne kan inni gowwoomse jaarmotaa fi namoota beekaa fakkaatan hedduu ture jechuun ni danda’am.

Har’a illee taanaan yeroo sobni Wayyaanee kun addunyaa guutuutti saaxilamee, daafii filannoo ishee sobaa kanan namoonnii dhibbaawwaniin lakkaawaman rasaasa Wayyaaneetiin guyyaa waareen dhumanii; warrii filannoo ishee sobaa kana irraa qooda fudhatan gartuun bu’aa irraa argachuuf kaachaa turanii, mana hidhaatti nam’anii jiran kanatti; ilmaan Oromootaa hedduun kaan hidhaan, kaan lubnuun darbuun itti gaaga’amanitti; ’’filannoo fakkeessaa kana irraa qooda fudhachuu dhabne’’ jechuun gartuun maqaa dhaaba Oromootiin iddoo qabachuun qabsoo Oromoo hadoochan gartuun tokko tokko kan quba nyaatan ykn gaabban jiraachuun isaanii waan nama ajaa’ibudha.

Saba keenya durattii akka beekaatti fi iddo bu’aatti kan of dhiiheessan gartuuwwan tokko tokko mootummaa wayyaanee caalaatti, waan Wayyaanee bakka bu’an kan isaan fakkeessu jecha dogoggorsaa midiyaa adda addaa irratti maqaa jarmaa Oromootiin yoo dabarsan dhaga’uun, jarreen kun sammuun isaanii eessa akka jiruu fi eenyu akka isaan ta’an nama hubachiisa.

Muuxannoo waggaa 15 irraa argateen Filannoo fi Demokraasiin wayyaanee maal akka ta’ee fi maal akka ta’uu danda’u; Qoteebulaan Oromootii fi barataan kutaa gajjallaa Oromoo hundi haalaan yeroo beeku kanatti; hoggana jaarmiyaa Oromoo guddaa tokkooti kan ofiin jedhan hubannoo dhabuun ykn dantaa dhuunfaan dhugaa dhoksuun har’a illee keessa deebi’uun dogoggoora guddaa yoo dalaguuf yaalan mul’achaa jiru.

Diinni saba Oromoo kan taate; mootummaan wayyaanee nagaa fi demokraasii afaaniin malee hojiidhaan akka hin beekne dhiiga ilmaan Oromoota qulqulluuwwan hedduu dhangalaasuun, kumaatama ukkaamsuun; kumaatamaan mana hidhaatti naquun darartee; barattoota Ormoo guddinaaf tattaafatan qulqulluu mana barumsaa keessatti ajjeestee kan hafans barumsa irraa hariitee, nutti agarsiiftee jirti.

Egaa kana hundumaa utuu agarruu fi utuu beeknuu filannoo Wayyaaneen deemsiftu maal akka ta’eef ta’uu danda’u fagootti hubachuu dhabuun; diina akkasii kanaa wajjin dhiiga ilmaan Oromoo irraatti dhaabbannee maqaa filanootiin sirba ishii kana irraa qooda fudhachuun nu darbe; ’’utuu qooda irraa fudhannee ta’ee bu’aa qaba ture;’’ jechuudhaan akeekaa fi kaayyoo ka’aniif wallaaluun gartuun sagal gaggaban jiraachuun isaanii maal akka fedhanii fi maal akka ta’an ifa isaan baasaa jira.

Deemsi jarreen kan kun bor illee maal akka ta’uu fi maal akka ga’uuf jiru har’a nu agarsiisa.

Waggaa darbe kana keessattii utuu dhiigni ilmaan Oromoo qulqulluu qe’ee isaanii irratti rasaasa diinaatiin dhangala’u al-tokkoof illee addaan hincitin lola’aa jirutti; Qotee bulaa fi barataan Oromoo mana hidhaatti guuramee dararamaa jiru kanatti, ’’Addunyaan geddaramtee jirti.’’ ’’Ethiopia keessatti duubatti deebi’uu kan hin dandeenye boqonnaa haaraatu saaqamee jira.’’ Jechuudhaan gartuun jaarmaa Oromoo diiguug diinatti tooftaan harka laadhachuuf hawwan; namoonni nu qofaatu beekaa bayi’san tokko tokko qaanii malee olola diina anannachiisu oofaa jiraachuu isaanii deddeebisnee argaa turre. Har’a illee qaanii malee itti fufanii jiru.

Keessattuu ABO keessaatti sadarkaa hogganuummaatiin umrii dheeraa kan dabarsan Obbo Leenco lataa uummata keenya biratti kabajaaf jaala guddaa maqaa dhaaba kanaa qofaan kan argatnii turan ta’uu isaa dagachuu, waan diinni itti ololu qofa dhugaa se’uun dogoggora raawwachuu isaanii kaleessa irra, har’as gochaa faallaa fi diiggaa guddaa hojjechaa jiraachuun isaanii saba biratti mataa duree oduu guddaa ta’ee jiraa.

Obbo Leencoo akka Oromoo tokkootti dalagni isaan kaana dura gaariis haa ta’u gadhee; dogoggoras haa raawwataniis haa dhiisanis; kan darbeef kabjaan utuu taa’uu malanii; yeroo hammaatti kaayyoo dhaaba keeleessa isaan keessatti sadarkaa hogganummaa murteessaa ta’en qabaachuun irratti qoodha fudhachaa turniin faallaa olola ta’e adeemsisaa fi diiggaa guddaa hojjechaa jiraachuu isaanii gadda guddaa ta’ee jira.

Deemsiif yaadni isaanii har’aa kun kaleessa jaarmiyaa kana keessatti badii attamii fi shira hammamii raawwaachaa akka isaan turan kan isaan saaxilaa jurus ta’a. Faallaa kaayyoo kaleessa hordofaa turanii dalaguu fi saba afaan fajjessuuf har’a diiggaa isaan har’a dalagaa jiran dogoggora isaanii kaleessaa irra; inni ammaa saba Oromoo biratti gartuu diinaatti kan isaan ramachiisuu ta’aatti jira.

Gaaffiif deebii Obbo Leencoo Lataa waayee filannoo baradarbbe Raadiyoo Amerika sagalee afaan Oromoo waliin geggeessan keessatti, filaannoon wayyaanee sobaaf duwwaa ta’uun isaa utuu beekamuu; ’’Ethiopiyaa keessatti boqonnaa haaraatu saaqamee jira.’’ jechuudhaan falaasama abjuu mataa isaanii keessatti uummatan ololuun diinaaf ragaa ta’uudhaaf yoo dubbaatan nama kana irraa dhaga’uun qaanessa ture.

Boqonnaa haaraan isaan sammuu isaanii keessatti uuman kun maali irratti akka hundaa’e qabatamaan waan lafa keewwatan garuu tokko illee hin turre. Filanoon sobaa Wayyaanee bardheengaddaa kun kan jalqabaatis hin turre. Garuu maaltu har’a Obbo Leecoon abjoochisaa akka jiruu fi boqonnaa haaraa isaaniif taasisaa akka jiru tari Wayyaanota utuu hin hafin ajaa’ibsiisuun isaa hin hafne.

Akka Oromoo tokkootti qoodi isaan kanaan dura saba isaaniif dalagan, dogoggoras haa qabaatus haa dhiisuu uummata Oromoo biratti maqaa dhaaba kanaan qofaan ulfina ykn kabaja kan isaanii kennisiisu ture.

Haa ta’u mee yeroo ammaatti sagantaaniif kaayyoo dhaaba isaan keessa turanii dogoggora akka ture afaan guutanii yoo dubbatan isaan irraa dhaga’uu Obbo Leenco dhaaba kana keessa hanga yoonaatti qoodi isaanii diiggaa moo ijaarsa ture? Gaaffii jedhu uuma.

Raadio Australia irraa Afaan Oromotiin darbu tokko irratti gaafiif deebii taasisan irratti, akkas jechuun of ibsaa turan. ’’Oromoon Ethipia waliin tokkummaa uummachuun jiraachuun ni danda’ama amantee jedhun qaba.’’ ’’Kana durumaa kaaseen itti amanan ture; garuu dirqama dhaabni koo natti kenne utuman kana qabuun ba’achaa ture’’ jechuun dubbatanii jiru.

Gochaan isaanii hammam kan wal-dhahuu fi wal-falleessu ta’uu isaa nama sammuu qulqulluu qabu jalaa hin dhokatu. Obbo Leenco egaa kaleessa yeroo ABO keessatti hogganuummaan turanitti kaayyoo ofii isaaniitii itti hin amanin Uummata Oromoo barsiisuuf ittin hogganuuf yaalaa turuun isaanii maal akka hojjechaa turanii fi yaada wal-dhahaa akkamii keessa akka turan agarsiisa.

Qabsoo keessatti amantee guutuudhaan kutanoo dhugaa sammuu ofii irra madde hin qabaanne taanaan kaayyoo galiin ga’uuf milkiin jiru maal akka ta’uu danda’u dubbiftoota mana kaanaatiifan dhiisa.

Kaleessa haala wal-dhahaa fi diiggaa akkasii keessa kan turan Obbo Leencoon har’as ammoo akka gorsituu Shanee gumii ta’uudhaan dogoggora lammaffaa dalagaa jiraachuun isaanii badii qaba isaaniin jechaa jira sabni Oromoo. Obbo Leencoonis ta’an sabnii Oromoo kana har’a yeroon hubachuun waan yeroon nu gaafatu ta’ee jira.

Yaada Obbo Leencoo kana kan hordofan kaayyoo Adda Bilisummaa Oromoo kan kaleessaa kan ganamaa sana ganuun faana Obbo Leencoo Lataa kana cina kan hiriiranii fi Adda bilisummaa Oromoo kan ganan fottoqni Shanee Gumii har’a ifatti of baasuun qaanii malee faallaa kaleessaa ololaa fi dalagaatti jiru.

Gartuun Shanee gumii gochaa Obbo Leencoo kaleessaa irraa har’a waan adda isa godhu tokko qaba. Innis gartuun shanee gumii kaayyoo isaanii Ethiopiummaa Oromoo fudhachiisuu ifatti qabatanii socho’uu yoo ta’u; Obbo Leenco garuu akka basastuu tokkootti keessatti dhokachuudhaan dhaaba itti-aanaa hogganummaan keessa turan diigaa turuu issaniitu adda isaan godha.

Murni Shanee Gumii har’a ULFO diiguudhaan kaayyoo bilisummaa Oromoo gadi lakkisuudhaan gartuuwwan faallaa qabsoo ilmaan Oromoo dalaganii waliin wal ta’uun tumsa Ethiopiummaa uumuun Adda bilisummaa Oromoo irraa maquu isaa mirkaseessatee jira.

Daandiitti kaleessaatti akka deebi’anii fi kaayyoo Oromtichaa isa ganamaa, kan bilisummaa fi lubbuun hedduun itti kafalamee sana, sabboontota Oromoo waliin haasa’uun iddootti deebisaatii; addaddummaa ilmaan Ormoomoo gidduutti daafii kanaan dhalate dhiphisaa. Jechuun Oromoota hedduu biraa yaada isaaniif dhihaatu tuffiin deddeebisanii irra taraa jiru.

Oromoon Oromoodhan araara barbaachuuniifi kan dogoggore wal hubachiisuun karaa haqaatti ykn sirriitti wal-deebisuun qabsoo Ormootaa shafisiifuuf qooda hammam akka qabu, sammuu qulqulluun kan yaadu lammii Oromoo kam jalaa dhokachuu hindanda’u.

Haatau malee Murni Shanee Gumii yaada kana akka waan wallaaletti, maal dhibdii filachuun uummata Ormoof deebii kabaja hin qabne deebisaatti jira.

Kaayyoo ganuu isaaniitiin addaddummaa Ormoota gidduutti dhalatee jiru kana akkuma diinonnii keenya kaleessas ta’an har’aa, eessa geessiidhaan gadi xiqqeessanii ilaaluun eenyummaa isanii fi akkuma issan dubbatan kan isaan irra jiran dhimma Oromootiif utuu hin ta’in dantaa dhuunfaa isaanii fi aangoof dhama’uu isaanii agarsiisa.

Yeroo ammaa kanatti yeroo aangoon diina harka jiru kanatti itti gaafatammumman sabaa aangoo kan isaanitti fakkaachaa jiru hoggantoonni murn Shanee Gumii, itti gaafatamummaa amma iddoo itti qabatanii jiran kana eessaa attamiin akka fudhatan waa galagalanii yaaduu illee homaa hin yaalan. Kan nama qaanessu garuu itti gaafatamummaa kana akka aangootti ilaaluun natti hinbu’inaa jechuuf yaaluu isaaniiti. Kun immoo boruu utuu aangoon dhugaa argamee hoggantoonni Shanee Gumii maal akka ta’uu hawwan isaan saaxila.

Egaa kaayyoo kaleessa haquunii fi ganuun diina cina hiriiraa kan jiran murni Shanee gumii kun, karaa ka biraan ammoo kaayyoon ABO akka hin tuqaminii fi tooftaaf jecha qofa diina saba Oromoo kana jala akka hiriiran, qaanii malee ololuuf uummata afaan fajjessuun yaalaa jiru.

Kaayyoo hinganne edda taatanii faallaa qabsoo ilmaan Ormoon kan dhaabbatan diinota Oromoo waliin attamiin walta’uu dandeessan yoo jedhaman ‘tooftaaf’ jechuun qullaa isaanii dhoksachuuf lallabu.


Haqa jiru dhoksuun tooftaadhaaf maal maal kana goone jechuun uumata sobuuf hayaalanuu malee, uummata Oromoo maqaa ABOn gowwoomsuuf milkaayuu hin dandeessan isaaniin jechaaniitti jira sabni Oromoo.

Egaa jaallannes jibbines dhugaan jiru uummanni Oromoo kan inni deggaree fi duukaa hiriire bakka kaayyoon ABO kan haqa irratti hundaa’eef kaayoo inni qabbatteef fudhatamina argateef ta’uun beekamaa dha. Kun immoo uummani Oromoo kaayyoo ABO sirriitti hubatee waan beeku ta’uu nu agarsiisa.

Ummanni Oromoo har’a fakkeessaan hinsobamu. Utuu irraa dibaa fi fakkeessaa olola sobaatiin kan goowwoomu ta’ee jiraatee, diin hagana hinrakkatu ture. Wayyaaneen jaarmaa hedduu dhaabuuf yaaltee ummata Oromoo gommoosuuf garuu takkan illee hin milkoofne.

Egaa murni ShaneeGgumii maqaa malee kaayyoo ABOn ala ABO of fakkeessee diina baatee yoo saba Oromoo bira ga’uuf yaale tufamuuf tuffatamuu irra kan hafee bu’aa hinqabaatuuf.

Filannoon wayyaanee duwwaan sun isaan jala darbuutti hedduu aaruuf gaabbuun dubbachaa kan turan Obbo Leencoo baatii deebisanii deddeebisanii ‚’’Galuunis baddee; maqaan galuutis baddee.’’ Jechuutiin Sabboontota yakka gantummaa isaanii kana morman balaaleffatu turni.

Egaa diina ilmaan Oromoo nyaatu kanaan walta’insa uummachuun qabsoo irraa galanii taayitaa harcaatuu fi fakkeessaa sana wayyaanee waliin qooddachuuf uummata ofii sobuun bor qaanii fi itti gaafatatmummaa isaaniif qaba jedhu Sabboontonnii Oromoo kaayyoo kaleessa manaa ittiin ba’anii qabtanii har’a illee wal’ansoo irra jiran.

Kennataa ilmaan Oromoo lagatti gatanii galuuf karaa danda’amu hundaa tattaafachaa kan jiran murni Shanee Gumii kun jaarmiyaa isaanitti fakkaate uummatanii bakka fedhan galuun mirga isaanii yoo ta’u illee garuu maqaa Adda Bilisummaa Oromootiin daldala hin daandeessan jechuun Addi Bilisummaa Oromoo fi dhaabbonnii bilisummaa Oromootti amanan hundi akkeekkachiisaa jiru.


Wayyaaneen araaraaf Shanee gumii jalaa kan qabuu diddee tuffatteef munri Shanee Gumii kun galu illee kaayyoo haqaa ABO qabachuun ABO kan jiraachisan hogganni ABO dhugaa sabboontonni Oromoo waan isaan waliin hin galleef qabsoon ABO dhaamuu kan hin dandeenye ta’uu waan hubatteef; Shanee tuffachuun iyyaa isaanii galuuf sagal iyyatan gurra dhorkatte.

Haata’u malee Shanee gumii amma illee utuu abdii hin kutin humna qabeessa kan itti fakkaatte; ofii isheefuu hundee kan hin qabne gartuu gabrooffattuu, guboo Nafxanyootaa reeffa Todiroosiif Minilik kaassuu abjootan jalatti galuun Ethioiatti deebi’anii galuuf daandii waan issanii saaqu itti fakkaatee, gorsitummaa warra kaabaatiin wal-ta’iinsa uummanne jechuun dibbee rukutachuun isaanii ilmaan Oromoo biratti isaan tufsiise.

Diina Oromoo kan akka CDU Arbenyooch jedhamanii kaayyoon isaanii inni guddaan gaaffii sabaaf sablammootaa ukkaamsuu; Afaan hojii biyyaattii walii galaa afaan Amaaraa qofa akka ta’uu taasisuu; biyyaatiin akka duriitti ’’Kifilhaagarii’’ kan isaan jedhaniin qofa akka cicciramtee jiraattuu fi Lafa qotee bulaa dureessonni isaanii qofaan maahlaqaan akka fedhan itti ta’an irratti kan kaayyeffatan kanaan wal-ta’iinsa uumuun; diinni ilmaan Ormoo eenyu akka ta’e wallaaluu isaaniis isaan fakkeessa.

Kan darbe irranfachuu qabna kan jedhan dabballoonni Shanee gumii eessaa dhaabbannee kana akka dubbachuu mallu waan hubatan hinfakkaatu.

Dhugaadha yeroo injifannoon wal’aansoo keenya xumurru kan darbee deebi’uu sadarkaa hingeenye irra yoo geenyu irraanfachuun ni mala. Garuu har’a diina nu balleessuuf of ijaaruuf mannaaggachuuf dhama’u kana irranfadhaa!!! saba ofiin jechuuniif deebisanii humneessuuf yaaluun gartuu Shanee gumii, waan jedhaniif waan hojjetan beekaa waan jiran hinfakkaatu.

Egaa kana haalaan hubatanii kan hin xiinxalin gartuun Obbo Leencoo Lataa fi Obbo Leencoo Baatii gartuun Shanee gumii Ummata Oromoo kanati gowwoomsuuf dogoggoosuuf oliif gadi jedhu. Garuu gochaan isaanii kun isaaniin qaanessuuf jibba saba biratti itti uumuu irraa darbee bu’aa isaaniif agarsiisu hin qabaatu. Kanaaf har’a yeroon karaattii deebi’uu fi of sirreessuun kaayyoo ganamaa jala hiriiruun uummata keessaa maddan cina hiriiruun qabsoo bilisummaa Oromootaa saffisiisuun irra bu’aa fi kabaja isaaniif qaba jedha ummanni Oromo. Har’a yeroon kan nu irraa gaafatu Amaara hundeen ishee qabsoo ilmaan Oromootiin buqa’e deebisanii gadi dhaabuudhaaf dhama’uu utuu hintaane; bilisummaa ilmaan Oromoof kan sosso’aa jiran dhaabota Oromoo haqaa ijaaruun, humna Oromoo cimsuu, ULFO dhugaan deggaruun karaa haqaatti deebi’uu qabsoo bilisummaa Oromoo shaffisiisuu dha.

IJIFANNOON UUMMATA OROMOOF!!!!

Abera Oluma.

Oromo:-Shanee Gumi call for Kenyan mediation

By Abera Oluma

4 November 2006 Saturday Shanee Gumii asked Kenyan government to media between him and TPLF.

Shane Gumi official said it also wanted Kenyan help.

"We have asked the Kenyan government to help us resolve this as they did with Sudan. They have the experience to help with mediation," said Shane’s head of diplomacy.

So called Mr Ebbaa head of diplomacy of Shane Gumi said his group also wanted Kenya to raise the Shane’s concerns at the regional body, the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), and at the African Union.

But He said Kenya had not yet responded to the Shane Gumi’s request.

As it is widely known Shane Gumi is the group of individual Oromo’s recently separated from Oromo Liberation Front which is fighting for the self determination of the Oromo people.

Oromo Liberation Front accuses Shane Gumi betraying the Kaayyoo bilisumma (the basic Program of OLF) which is widely gat acceptance within the majority of the Oromo people.

Recently OLF and ULFO (United Liberation Front of Oromia) condemned the negative acts of Shane Gumi. Shane Gumi group recently joined an enemy camp and formed alliance with groups of Ethiopians which is the historical enemies of the Oromo people and antagonistic of Oromo struggle.

Ethiopia Ranked Among Worst Press Violators

The global press watchdog, Reporters With out Borders, says Eritrea and Ethiopia are ranked among the worst violators of press freedom in the world, while Benin, Namibia, and Mauritius are among the best countries in Africa for press freedom.

Reporters With out Border has released its annual press-freedom report.To come up with its index, the Paris-based organization looks at such factors as censorship, threats, intimidation or physical reprisals levied against journalists as they gather and report information.

Out of the 168 countries surveyed, the Horn of Africa nation of Eritrea ranked 166th, doing slightly better than Turkmenistan and North Korea.

The head of Reporters Without Borders' Africa desk, Leonard Vincent, tells VOA that in 2001, Eritrean President Isaias Afwerki suspended the private press in his country and launched a security operation to arrest influential members of the private press who appealed for democratic reforms in the young country.

"There are more political prisoners somewhere in the jails of the country," said Leonard Vincent. "At least 13 journalists are in jail. They have no access to their lawyers or to their families. So this is a very concerning situation.

"Several years ago, a Voice of America reporter was arrested and jailed in Eritrea because of a report he filed for VOA. He has since been released.

Eritrean authorities could not be reached for comment.

Slightly behind Eritrea is its neighbor, Ethiopia, ranked 160th out of the 168 countries surveyed.

The organization says this is primarily because of last year's crackdown by the government against journalists, opposition supporters, activists, and others contesting the results of the May 2005 elections.

Dozens of journalists were arrested and charged with treason, including five VOA reporters charged in absentia. About 20 journalists still remain behind bars, possibly facing the death penalty because of their reporting.

The head of Ethiopia's Press, Film, License, and Regulation Department, Fantahun Asress, tells VOA that he thinks it is the private media that is plagued with problems.

"The major ones are: lack of professionalism; weak organizational structure; and the other is the political attitude of journalists," said Fantahun Asress. "Journalists usually report based on their own political grounds.

"Reporters With out Borders also expressed concerns about Uganda, which was ranked 36 places lower than the previous index. Vincent explains.

"In Uganda, the situation was really bad during the elections in the beginning of this year, where several foreign correspondents were threatened or expelled, and information was kept under strict control of the government," he said.

Vincent says the governments of Kenya, Burundi, and Rwanda also displayed hostility towards journalists in 2006. Low rankers in other parts of the continent include: Gambia; Somalia; Democratic Republic of Congo; Zimbabwe; and Equatorial Guinea.

But there were some bright spots in Africa. Benin, Namibia, and Mauritius are ranked among the best countries in Africa for press freedom, with Ghana making good progress.

Vincent says in countries such as those, journalist groups are strong and responsible, there is a viable opposition press, and journalists do not have to fear facing systematic intimidation and arrest.

Source: Voa.com