Pregnant woman gives birth in Ethiopia prison

Feb 27, 2007: Reports from the Ogaden Online reporter in the provincial city of Jig Jiga, Ogaden confirm that an illegally detained, pregnant woman, Samsam Farax Dawaare has given birth in the Jig Jiga prison. Samsam is reported to have been severely tortured in detention for the past six months.

It is reported that the Ethiopian militia controlling the prison refused any medical care for the pregnant woman who has since gave birth. Eyewitnesses and close relatives of Samsam confirm that she was detained on September 9, 2006.

The illegally detained woman has at one time been held in a prison known as Habaano, which is well known throughout Ethiopia for extreme forms of torture and extra judicial killings.
Samsam was recently brought before a provincial courts which found her not guilty of any crimes however the kangaroo court did not order the immediate release of the severely tortured pregnant woman.

Eyewitnesses within the Jig Jiga prison told our reporter that Samsam and her new born are still in detention with neither medical attention nor the provision of healthy foods for her to help with breastfeeding.

Source: Ogaden Online

Haaqaa fi Dirqama dhaloota

G. Roobaatiin

Haaqa dhala namaa uumamanni kan kenne,
Jiiruu fi jiireenyi dureesso yoo yaadne;
Dirqama dhala namaa seera namni hin tumne,
Bilisa eenyummaa mirga dhaloota hin jenne;
Sirni kabajuu qaba; dhugaa yoomu hin duune,
Dirqama namummaa haaqa yoon kabajne,
Sirnatu fafa qaba dhaloota kan hin hedne;
Kaanf kichuu cira sirni egree hin qabne.
Qabsoon bilisumma ibbida tasa hin dhaamne
Otoo dhugaa qabnuu maaf birmana dhabnee?

Lubbuun yoo jiiraatan yaadu waan dirqama,
Haaqa jiruu-jireenya waan dhalootaf dhimaa;
Seenaa diroon fufu bilisa seera uumaamaa,
Mirga uumaa cabsee kan ajjeesu nama,
Farra saba yakku sirni kiyyoo gabrummaa,
Dhokaate hin hafu dhugaan fininsu galma.
"Gafa dalatan du'n" dhaaddano ijoollee ayyaa,
"Gamachuu fi Gadda" seenaaf obsu hiriiyaa,
"Seenaaf obsun gorsa" abdii halkan fi guyyaa,
"Tafkii waasasa baattu" jecha birmana qomoo,
"Iyyaa - iyya dabarsaa" - hoga gootoota Oromoo.

Gootoota Oromoo kichuu xobbeewwan kufan,
Haaqa ilma namummaaf warra waareegaman;
Dirqama dhaalootaaf warra dukaana ibsan,
Qabsoo Bilisummaa warra nuuf fininsan;
Waan haaqaa fi dirqama seenaaf mirkaneessan,
"Iyyaa-iyya dabarsaa" - haa hoodatu diroon!

Seenaan bilisummaa haaqaa fi dirqama diroo,
Jaatanii dhuma hinqabne kan balaaleffatu roorroo;
Roorroon sirna gabrummaa dhukkuba xannachaa,
Haaqaatu dirqama uuma qabsootu qoorichaa;
"Iyyaa-Iyya dabarsaa" dhiroo humna iitiichaa;
Tokkummaa muree koobu, dhulaa iitoo xannachaa!

Sirna aadaa gabrummaa muxattu akka bofaa,
Angoon taliga isaate summi hujummoon bifaa,
Kichuu Oromoo hiddee, dhiiga xuuxee tufa.
Hirmii bafachuuf miti afaan gube akka saafaa,
Dhigaa ijoollee Oromoo boree hin hafne gumaa,
"Iyyaa- Iyya dabarsaa" dirqama seenaaf dhimaa;
Qabsoo hadhoftun kufa; sirni aadaa gabrummaa!

Haaqa saba dhiitee, sirna qixxummaa cabse,
Eenyummaaf nu ajjesee dhiiga nu boosise,
Aadaa dilbii jigse, hiiyuummaa nu badhase,
Madda Oromummaa haa du'uuf ukkaamsee,
Odaa Oromoo ciree haa goguuf quncisee,
Garuu hin milkoofneef; dide isa salphise.

Seera uumaama hedu haaqaa fi dirqama,
Bililsa saba Oromoon dhuunfana walqixxumma’
Dhigus kan hin badne hiddi sooru eenyummaa’
Aadaan eenyumma hedu farra miti hiiyuumma’
Madda dhugaa hin duune qorxiin Oromummaa’
Odaa yoomu hin gogne utubu tokkummaa’
Dhiiga ijoollee Oromoo booree, dhaalootaf dhimma.

Haaqaa fi dirqama dhalootaa kan gabbisu,
Haaqa Bilisummaa seenaaf nuu dhaadhessu;
Gootota ajjeesaman biyyoo itti haa salphisu,
Lammii warra gaddan Waaqni haa jabeessu;
Gootni kudhan kufan kumaatama hiriirsuu,
Faacha saanii haa kaafnu guca egeree fininsu;
Dirqama qabsoo bilisa dhaloota-diroon tumsu.
Iyyi-hoga-Baaqee, mirga nama hin badhaasu,
Qomoo qalbeeffadhaa, haawwii waan dhugoomsu;
Tokkuummaatu humna diina ittiin mancasuu
Tokkuummaatu humna ittiin gumaa baasisu!

G. Roobaatiin.

First an immigrant, then a victim

2/19/2007 9:15:06 AMDaily Journal

By Errol CastensDaily Journal Oxford Bureau

NEW ALBANY - Before he was a Mississippian or Minnesotan, he was a Somali and an Oromo.
It was a sad irony that this man eulogized as "a brother" and "a great leader" left the violence and poverty of his native East Africa as a child, only to be felled by a shotgun blast in a Northeast Mississippi town usually thought of as peaceful.

"He moved to Mississippi maybe three months ago," said his sister, Sayat Basha, who lives in Minneapolis, where much of his family lived. One brother also lived in New Albany but has since returned to Minnesota. The brothers moved to Union County for a business opportunity.
"He wanted to change his life and do more for his family," she said. "He wanted to open a business."

It was at that business, Central Station convenience store just off the U.S. Highway 78 bypass, that Hamza Basha's life ended late on the night of Jan. 18. Part-time employee Walter Tremayne Cullens, a 17-year-old New Albany resident, is charged with murder in the case and remains in Union County Jail on $1 million bond.

The 38-year-old business owner sometimes had his family with him at the store - a reality that strikes Hamza Basha's brother-in-law, Fuad Ibrahim, particularly hard.

Missed alreadyDallas record producer Elias Ibssa and Hamza Basha served each other as best man and remained close friends.

"To lose a brother, a friend, a leader, and more important, a great man with two small beautiful children is incomprehensible," Ibssa wrote on the Web log he launched to honor his fallen friend - hamzabasha.blog.com.

"To lose him in such a senseless manner as this is beyond words," he continued. "To lose such a giving and humble human being in his prime is a tragedy indeed."

Fuad Ibrahim came to New Albany to escort his brother-in-law's body back to Basha's long-time home state of Minnesota for burial.

"I lost my hero, and the community lost a great leader," Ibrahim said. "I don't have enough words to express my feelings. This is a big loss for family, friends and community."

Oromo leaderAs respected a friend, husband, father and businessman as he was, Hamza Basha's influence reached much farther.

A Muslim whose fellow Oromos also include Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox Christians as well as followers of East African indigenous religions, Hamza Basha helped create the Oromo Sports Federation of North America. The group says it is "a non-political, nonreligious and nonregional sports entity that fosters sports among Oromos in North America." Oromos are one of the major ethnicity and language groups of people in East Africa.

For a decade its tournaments have drawn participants from as far as Seattle and Atlanta, enabling "the Oromo Diaspora" to compete in sports and to reconnect with others who share their history and language.

Responses to Hamza Basha's death in the Oromo community have ranged from sadness and frustration - one blogger wished for a chance to confront people who would kill for money - to an outpouring of generosity: By early February, more than $40,000 reportedly had been raised among the Oromo-American community for Basha's wife and children.

As one blogger noted, "Hamza will be missed not only by his closest family and friends but by the larger Oromo society."

Contact Daily Journal reporter Errol Castens @ 662-281-1069 or errol.castens@djournal.com.

"Who killed them?"

The clear answer: G.Roobaatiin

Who killed them?

The Oromo students with the bright future
Who killed them on the street without care?
Why the Oromo mothers crying at most?
Who killed our children for what quest?
Why the Oromo elder suffer from torch?
Who is committed to these inhuman at stretch?
The clear answer without doubt and exaggerate,
Meles and Co are the Murder, ruthless despot!!!

Why they killed them?

Are Oromo students committed to any action?
No! They were only laud at a peaceful expression.
Is there evidence for their unjust or law violation?
No! There were no judicial treat or investigation.
Have they maltreats the right of other nation?
No! They protest only against system repression.
Have they acted beyond their own right option?
No! Their right were guaranteed in.
Why they were killed? Is there any apt explanation?

No! There is no reason or an apt justification;
Except, a ruthless Meles and Co criminal action!

Oromo,

We were born as a human being.
We had no choice; there were no among;
Without knowing why from the beginning
As mysterious as it were all accepting
We evolved though and becoming
"We" are the set of "I" from cell to tissue
Nourishing with blood is the main issue
Tied together with of common language use
Breathing cultural identity of a common cause
Suffering from suppression, agony and misuse
Even so, ever in struggle to defend justice
Thus, we are proud of all our heroes
Who die and shows us the genuine course
A genuine course of our straggle for liberty
There is no other option than an action in unity
Against a regime that kills and accuse the others
Against a autocrat that abuses law and obscures
Against tyrant that execute the future of our nation
There is no other option than a united action!

We saw who kill our children at every corner
Day and night the heavy armed evil-saunter
"Agazii" the security force of human hunter
Oromo be united to stop the ruthless Murderer

Q: Who kill the Oromo children?

A: Meles and Co!!!!!!!!

G. Roobaatiin

More Ethiopian diplomats have defected

More Ethiopian diplomats have defected, bringing the total that has decided to leave the diplomatic service to seventy three.

The latest to ditch the government of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and ask for political asylum in the United States is Ambassador Tayework Tilahun, who was his country’s consular attaché in Kuwait. Recently a staff member of the Ethiopian embassy in Ottawa (Canada), Dereje Ejigu, decided to do likewise.

Several employees of embassies in London, Geneva, Stockholm and Paris, have defected the last few years.

Indian Ocean Newsletter N° 1208 17/02/2007

Foon malee dhugaan hin du’u

G.Roobaatiin

Dhugaan seera uumama yoomu hin darbu
Kan eenyummaaf darbe yoomu hin gaabbu
Foontu du’a malee seenaan du’ee hin beeku
Lubbuutu darbe malee dhiigni hidda akaakuu
Gumaan ijoollee Oromoo warra jirruuf kakuu
Boree dhimma diroo kaaku kallachaa fi bokkuu
Dhaamsa ekker-dubistu qomoon kana haa beeku!


Sirni dhugaa male walqixxumaa farsu
Walqixxumaa sabaa seeraan hin gabbisu
Seeri sirna gadhee kan qaroma doomsu
Kichu Oromo cirus dhugaa hin ajjeesu
Qabsoon diroon fufa yaa qomoo dhagessuu?


Yakka sirna gabrummaan odaa damee ciru
Ni googa see’ani eenyummaa waan jijiiru
Odaan saba Oromoo hidda dheera qaba
Damee hin coolagne eenyummaa nu kaaba
Qabsoon bilisummaaf kan du’e yoom gabbaa?
Lafeen gootota Oromoo tuggee fi utubaa
Ribuun gootota Oromoo suphitu tujubaa
Diroon hin dagatu seenaaf muraa kobaa!
Bilisni hin ooltu dhugaan Odaa Roobaa!

G. Roobaatiin

19 die in tribal clashes in Ethiopia

Feb 13, 2007 (ADDIS ABABA) — At least 19 people were killed and 11 others injured in Ethiopia when two rival tribes clashed over grazing land, police said Tuesday. The violence took place over the weekend in Moyale town, 700 kilometers (435 miles) south of the capital, Addis Ababa, said police spokesman Cmdr. Demsash Hailu.

"The newest conflict that erupted killing 19 people in Moyale is part of a continuing grazing problem for livestock in the area," Hailu told The Associated Press, adding that the government is still investigating.

The clash, which started Friday and ended Sunday, was between the Borana and Gabra tribes, both of which depend on livestock.

Clashes over water and pasture is frequent in the semi-arid terrain where the two tribes live.

June last year, more than 100 people died after fierce clashes broke out between the Borana and Guji tribes, leaving 90,000 displaced after villagers fled their homes.

The trouble began nearly four years ago when the Ethiopian government marked out a new border between the two tribes’ territories.

"One policeman and a military person were also caught up in the crossfire after they tried to calm the situation down," Hailu said. "Now the situation is under control."

(AP)

SENATOR COLEMAN MEETS WITH THE TOP U.S DIPLOMAT FOR AFRICA TO DISCUSS SOMALIA AND OROMO ISSUES

During meeting with Assistant Secretary of State Jendayi Frazer, Senator pushes for Special Envoy to Somalia and submits a letter outlining human rights abuses against the Oromo refugees.

February 13th, 2007 - Washington, D.C.

Continuing his push toward establishing a comprehensive U.S. strategy to bring peace and stability to Somalia, Senator Norm Coleman yesterday met with Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Jendayi Frazer to discuss U.S. diplomatic efforts concerning Somalia. Senator Coleman, following up on his comments during hearings last week with Secretary Rice and Assistant Secretary Frazer, pressed for the appointment of a Special Envoy to Somalia. He also raised alleged human rights abuses suffered by the Oromo refugee population in Somalia at the hands of the Ethiopian military. During the meeting, Senator Coleman presented to Secretary Frazer a letter outlining his concerns over the allegations of abuse that were brought to the Senator’s attention by the Oromo American Citizen Council of Minnesota. The Senator also extended an invitation to Assistant Secretary Frazer to travel to Minnesota to engage the Somali diaspora community in the national reconciliation process that is underway in Somalia.

“With Minnesota being home to the largest community of Somalis in America, I feel a strong sense of responsibility to be an advocate for stability in Somalia,” said Coleman. “It is a region of the world that has gone largely ignored for many years, and yet we have vital national security interests at stake in the country. Minnesota is also the home to a substantial Oromo community, many of whom left Ethiopia due to persecution and who have long raised their human rights concerns with me. It was disheartening to hear that the abuse faced by the Oromo in Ethiopia now exists in Somalia too, with the presence of the Ethiopian military. I am concerned about allegations of abuses like arbitrary detention and harassment of Oromo refugees. I expressed my view to the Assistant Secretary that it is up to the United States and other countries to use our influence to ensure that human rights are respected by the Ethiopian military.

”Senator Coleman last week joined Senator Russ Feingold (D-WI) in introducing legislation that would require a comprehensive U.S. strategy to aid the war-torn country, including increased diplomatic engagement as well as financial assistance. The legislation also includes a provision continuously advocated by Senator Coleman establishing a Special Envoy for Somalia to coordinate U.S. diplomacy as well as elevate the importance of the issue. Coleman and Feingold have previously worked on Somalia legislation that was attached to last year’s Department of Defense Authorization bill.

“As political strife and lack of economic opportunity continue to exacerbate the instability in Somalia, we need to develop a comprehensive strategy to deal with the struggling country that could otherwise become a haven for terrorists,” said Coleman. “One important piece of this strategy is to have a U.S. diplomatic presence on the ground in Somalia. The U.N. and many of our international partners have had key diplomats visit Somalia, but the U.S. has yet to do so. I think it will be difficult for the U.S. to play a lead role in helping stabilize Somalia if we are unable to send diplomats there. Additionally, in order to make any diplomatic presence effective we will need a Special Envoy to coordinate our policy.

”Coleman had previously pressed for the appointment of a Special Envoy for Somalia last week during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing with witnesses that included Frazer and USAID Assistant Administrator Michael Hess. He reiterated his calls for a Special Envoy at a hearing on the Foreign Affairs budget with Secretary Rice last Thursday. At the hearings, Coleman raised long-standing concerns about U.S. diplomatic capacity to formulate and carry out policy toward Somalia, as well as the level of humanitarian assistance to that country.

walaloo gabaabduu Oromoota Oromummaa isaaniitiif wareegaman yaadattu.

Walaloo kana dhaggeeffachuuf as tuqaa >>> YouTube - Hin duune isin jirtu

Mortar attacks in Somalia's capital killed at least seven

By MOHAMED OLAD HASSANAssociated

Press MOGADISHU, Somalia — Mortar attacks in Somalia's capital killed at least seven people and injured 20 in the worst night of violence since the government took control, a nurse and residents said today.

Late night attacks occurred on Mogadishu's seaport, a hotel and an Ethiopian military base, whose troops have provided crucial support to the government in ousting an Islamic movement. The Islamic group has vowed to wage an Iraq-style insurgency.

Deputy Defense Minister Salad Ali Jelle blamed the attacks on hardline remnants of the Islamic group, insisting his interim government is in control.

"We have suspects and we know the areas where they plan their attacks," he told The Associated Press by telephone. "We will punish them.

"But the escalating violence in Mogadishu, a city of more than 2 million people, is likely to delay the planned deployment of African peacekeepers who are supposed to fill the void left by departing Ethiopian forces and help the government maintain its tenuous grip on power.

"We were sleeping when two mortars hit our house here," Barlin Muse Dhere told the AP. Four people were killed, she said.

Ahmed Abdi, a nurse at a hospital in the north of the city, said six people were admitted and two died of their wounds.

Another person died when shells hit a hotel, witnesses said.Earlier Thursday, hundreds of supporters of Somalia's ousted Islamic group demonstrated in the capital against an imminent deployment of foreign peacekeepers.

The protesters chanted anti-government slogans and burned tires, a day after the African Union said three battalions of peacekeepers from Uganda and Nigeria were ready to be deployed in Somalia and would be airlifted in as soon as possible.

The protesters called for the return of the Islamic movement, which was credited with restoring some order in the violent nation.Factional violence has again become a feature of life in Mogadishu since last month when Somali government troops with crucial support from Ethiopian soldiers, tanks and war planes ousted the Islamic movement.

Ethiopia, whose continued presence is deeply unpopular among Somalis, says it does not have the resources to stay and already has begun withdrawing, presenting the possibility of a dangerous power vacuum.

The African Union was pressing ahead with its peacekeeping mission to Somalia despite securing only half the 8,000 troops needed at a key summit of African leaders that ended Tuesday. Five nations — Uganda, Nigeria, Malawi, Burundi and Ghana — have pledged around 4,000 troops so far.A U.N. peacekeeping force including American troops met disaster in Somalia in 1993, when militiamen shot down two U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopters and battled U.S. troops, killing 18.

On Tuesday, extremists in Somalia said they would try to kill any peacekeepers.

The United States has accused the Council of Islamic Courts of sheltering suspects in the 1998 al-Qaida bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania. Osama Bin Laden has said Somalia is a battleground in his war on the West. The U.S. launched two airstrikes against fleeing Islamic fighters, although details of the attacks are unknown.

Somalia has not had an effective national government since 1991, when warlords overthrew dictator Mohamed Siad Barre and then turned on one another, throwing the country into anarchy. The transitional government was formed in 2004 with U.N.

Source: http://www.chron.com