IN PICTURES: London’s Rally Against Repression in Oromia by Tigrean Military

Oromos in London (and the UK) marched in front of Westminster, Parliament Square, on November 26, 2014, to call attention to the repression against the Oromo people by the Tigrean military occupying Oromia. In October 2014, a detailed report, entitled “‘BECAUSE I AM OROMO’ – SWEEPING REPRESSION IN THE OROMIA REGION OF ETHIOPIA,” was published by the London-based Amnesty International. Thousands of Oromos were killed, and others imprisoned and/or exiled over the last 23 years since the occupation of Oromia by the Tigrean military government of Ethiopia. Protesters have asked the UK government to severe its financial support to the Tigrean military government of Ethiopia; the Tigrean military government uses the money from the West to finance its repression in Oromia (#BecauseIAmOromo).

Denmark is the ‘world’s most connected country’ while Ethiopia is one of 10 least connected

Denmark pips South Korea for ease of mobile and internet access, while Britain comes fifth in annual ranking

November 26, 2014 (The Telegraph) — Denmark has been named the world’s “most connected” country based on mobile phone and internet use.

Scandinavia dominated this year’s rankings, with Sweden in third place, followed by Iceland in fourth, Norway sixth and Finland eighth. Britain came fifth.

They were compiled as part of a report by the International Telecommunication Union – theInformation and Communication Technology Development Index (IDI), which rates 166 countries according to their level of access to, use of and skills in using information and communication technology.

Hong Kong was the ninth most connected country, coming in ahead of Japan in 11th place, while Luxembourg completed the top 10.

Other countries in the top 30 included the US (which ranked 14th), Australia, Switzerland, Singapore, Germany, France, New Zealand, Estonia and Macau, as well the principalities of Andorra and Monaco.

The 10 least connected countries were all in Africa, with the Central African Republic being the worst, followed by Niger, Chad, Eritrea and Ethiopia.

All countries were shown to have improved their IDI values in the last year, while the nations with the “most dynamic” improvement in ranking included the United Arab Emirates, Fiji, Cape Verde, Thailand, Oman, Qatar, Belarus, Bosnia & Herzegovina and Georgia. Improvements were said to have been driven mostly by better wireless broadband connection.

Europe proved to be the most connected region, scooping up eight of the top 10 rankings, while Africa had the lowest regional ranking. The continent, however, did show a mobile broadband growth rate of more than 40 per cent in 2014 on last year.

Nearly three billion people globally will be using the internet by the end of this year, up by nearly 40 per cent on last year. But 450 million people still don’t live within reach of a mobile signal, while 4.3 billion people are not connected to the internet – with 90 per cent of those living in developing countries, the report said.

Earlier this year, Telegraph Travel’s technology expert Donald Strachan outlined the “world’s Wi-Fi-friendliest cities”, featuring various countries from the top 40 of this year’s IDI report.

Connecting in the Finnish capital of Helsinki is password-free and easy thanks to a network of hotspots in public buildings, civic squares and even on some buses and trams around the city.

Hong Kong, “one of the world’s most futuristic cities”, was said to be generous with free internet access in public areas. There are several free Wi-Fi networks, the key ones being GovWiFi (at parks, libraries, public buildings, ferry terminals and more) and MTR WiFi, which provides 15 minutes of free Wi-Fi per device up to five times every day at MTR stations.

Taipei offers 30 days of free access to a national, government-backed network of over 5,000 hotpsots. Hundreds of these free iTaiwan hotspots are available throughout the Taiwanese capital.

Macau was noted for its WiFiGo service which offers free internet for visitors every day between 8am and 1am. The network has around 150 hotspots, meaning there’s usually Wi-Fi close by, including at ports, museums and tourist information centres.

Other major cities with free public Wi-Fi access include New York, Paris and Perth, Australia, as well as Florence and Tel Aviv, which has eighty hotspots dotted around its centre.

Access to free Wi-Fi has been an increasingly important factor for travellers around the world, especially when booking a hotel. Britain’s hotels were found to be among the worst in Europe for free Wi-Fi access, while the two best performing cities were both Swedish – Malmö and Gothenburg, where 98 per cent and 96 per cent of hotels were found to offer free Wi-Fi, a survey by the travel search engine KAYAK earlier this year revealed.

A new website aiming to help travellers in the search for free and fast wireless internet access was introduced earlier this year.Hotewifitest.com lets hotel guests test the speed of their internet connection, and then stores the results for others to view. It also records whether the Wi-Fi is free or comes at a price.

Several airports around the world also offer free Wi-Fi services, with Dallas-Forth Worth in Texas being among the best, providing free Wi-Fi in all five of its terminals since 2012. Since upgrading its former paid network, the number of daily Wi-Fi connections has risen from 2,000 to 55,000. Helsinki Airport, Singapore’s Changi Airport, Seoul’s Incheon Airport and Amsterdam Schiphol complete the world’s top five for airport Wi-Fi quality.

Earlier this year, Britain’s biggest airports have been criticised for failing to provide passengers with unlimited Wi-Fi access.

None of Britain’s six busiest airports – Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Stansted, Edinburgh and Luton – offer unlimited free internet access, according to a study by Skyscanner, the flight comparison website.

Source: The Telegraph

Guyyaan Yaadannoo FDG Melbourne, Australia keessatti sirna ho’aan kabajame

Sadaasa 24, 2014

Guyyaan yaadannoo FDG naannoo Australia, magaalaa Melbourne keessatti bakka Hoogganootni ABO, miseensonnii fi hawaasti Oromoo hedduminaan irratti argamanitti guyyaa Sadaasa 23, 2014 sirna ho’aan kabajamee ooleera. Qindoomina ABO Konyaa Victoriatin sagantaa qophaa’e kun kan eegalame eebba maanguddoo, wareegamtoota yaadachuu fi faaruu alaabaan yeroo ta’u wareegamtoota walii galatti fincila Oromoo keessatti wareegama kaffalan ittiin yaadachuu fi muldhata ifa fuulduree QBO akeeku dungoon dhaloota haaraan qabsiifamee jira.

Haalaa fi sababa kabaja ayyaana guyyaa kanaa ibsuun sagantaan ayyaanichaa dura taa’aa ABO konyaa Victoria J/ Abdataa Homaatin eega banamee booda uummata ayyaana kana irratti argaman baga nagaan dhuftan jedhiiru.

Sadaasa 09, 2005 labsii fi waamicha ABO uumata Oromoof godheef owwaachuun fincila barattoonni, dargaggoonnii fi uummanni Oromoo gaggeessen bu’aa argame daran jabeessuu fi miidhaa mootummaan Wayyaanee irraan geessise yaadataa as ga’uu, har’a yeroo 9ffaaf biyya keessaa fi alatti uummata Oromoo biratti kabajamaa akka jiru kan hubaachiisan ammoo hooggana ABO kan ta’an J/ Gaashuu Lammeessaa miseensa GS fi Birkii Beeksisii fi Odeessii biyya Alaa ABO turani.

J/ Gaashuu Lammeessaa Oromoon sirna garboomsataa mootummoota Itiyophiyaa dhufaa darbanii irratti fincila gaggeessaa as ga’uu yaadachuun addatti ammoo fincila barattoonnii Oromoo fi uummanni keenya waamicha ABO 2005 dabarsee asitti mootummaa abbaa irree Wayyanee irratti gaggeessaa jiru gadi fageenyaan ibsa kennaniiru. Keessattuu heedummina barattootaa fi uummataa Oromoo FDG kanaan wal-qabatee tarkaanfii ajjeechaa baroota darban kana keessa mootummaa Wayyaaneen irratti raawwatame, addatti ammoo bara 2014 fincila barattootaa maqaa maaster plaanii magaalaa Finfinneen walqabtee gaggeeffamaa ture, godinaalee Oromiyaa hundaa keessaatti, hanga aanaaleetti gadi bu’uun gabaasa dhaqqabe irraatti hundaa’uun ibsa bal’aa kennaniiru. Dhimma gabasa kanaan walaqabatee odeeffannoo ragaan jiru bakka dhalootaa, haala maatii, sadarkaa barnootaa, umurii fi haala jireenya cuunfaa gabaasa kanaa fuula duratti hanga tokko mar-sariitii Qeerroo.org jedhu irratti ibsamuuf akka jiru hubachiisaniiru.

Kana malees yeroo ammaa mana hidhaa Wayyaanee kan beekamuu fi bakka hin beekamne keessatti hidhamanii dararaa daangaa hin qabne kan irratti raawwataa jiru, achi buuteen isaanii kan hin beekamnee fi biyyarraa ariiyataman hagana jechuun namadhiba jedhaniiru. Kun hundi ta’ee haalli har’a uummanni keenyaa fi barattooni Oromoo, addaatti Qeerroon biyya keessaa mootummaa Wayyaanee irratti fincila gaggeessu dabalaa fi jabaachaa dhufuu, Wayyaanee daran yaaddoo keessa galchuu hubachiisuun humna yeroo ammaa biyya keessaa socho’aa jiru kanaaf sagalee ta’uu fi waan nurraa eegamu maraan bira dhaabbachuun yeroon isaa amma jedhaniiru.

For full report click PDF

Bergen, Norway (Dec. 20, 2014): Rally Against Human Rights Violations Against Oromo

We Oromos who live in Bergen, Norway, have finished our preparation to hold a demonstration on Saturday, December 20, 2014.

The objectives of the demonstration are:
– To condemn the brutal killings, arrests, tortures exercised by the Ethiopian regime on innocent Oromos
– To support the Amnesty International on its 2014 report, “BECAUSE I AM OROMO”
– To call on the world to demand the immediate release of Oromo prisoners
– To call on donors to stop their support for the Ethiopian regime

We call upon all Oromos to come along and join the demonstration (see details of the demonstration time, place below on the poster).

UNITY BRINGS FREEDOM

100 Ethiopians arrested in Karonga: Five Malawi citizens nabbed for aiding illegal entry

The illegal lags from Ethiopia outside a police station in Karonga-Photo by Tiwonge Kumwenda, Nyasa Times

November 19, 2014 (Nyala Times) — Malawi Police  swooped 100 Ethiopian migrants in Karonga near the border with Tanzania who entered the country without authorised documents.

Karonga police spokesperson Enock Livason said the Ethiopian migrants were arrested together with five Malawians who had facilitated their illegal entry.

The five Malawians are Thoko William 22 years, of Yapola village Traditional Authority Mkuwula in Dowa, Shaibu Ajibu 32 of Misigwida village TA Maganga in Salima, Majuto Mwaisopo 30 of Katolola village TA Kyungu in Karonga and Stain Chimanile 22 of Madisi village TA Mponela in Dowa.

“These entrants used two different vehicles belonging and driven by Malawians who escaped and abandoned the cars after seeing the police but were later arrested,” he said.

He said the police managed to intercept the group after communities around Ipyana and Mwenelondo areas tipped them on the strange faces who were moving around.

Livason urged the communities to continue providing information to the police when they come across movement of such people.

The vehicle of Ethiopians at Karonga police station.-Photo by Tiwonge Kumwenda, Nyasa Times

Commenting on the matter Paramount Chief Kyungu said “it is high time that Malawi government should take issues of illegal immigrants seriously and put an immediate intervention.”

Kyungu suggested that the government should make agreement with neighboring counties to help in arresting the problem so that a proper way of repatriating the illegal immigrants is discovered.

Source: Nyala Times

Bergen, Norway (Dec. 20, 2014): Rally Against Human Rights Violations Against Oromo

We Oromos who live in Bergen, Norway, have finished our preparation to hold a demonstration on Saturday, December 20, 2014.

The objectives of the demonstration are:
– To condemn the brutal killings, arrests, tortures exercised by the Ethiopian regime on innocent Oromos
– To support the Amnesty International on its 2014 report, “BECAUSE I AM OROMO”
– To call on the world to demand the immediate release of Oromo prisoners
– To call on donors to stop their support for the Ethiopian regime

We call upon all Oromos to come along and join the demonstration (see details of the demonstration time, place below on the poster).

UNITY BRINGS FREEDOM

Sydney, Australia – G20: Oromo Community Protests against killings of Oromo in Ethiopia

November 16, 2014, Brisbane, Australia

The Oromo community protests against Ethiopian killings which are happening within Oromia region.

They call for freedom, human rights, against the Ethiopian regime killing Oromo, only because of that they are Oromo.
They call also for all G20 nations to stop funding Ethiopian regime. The community is also protesting accordingly in Stanley St.

Because I am Oromo Rally, Phoenix, Arizona milkiin xumurame

Sadaasa 14, 204

Jaarmiyaan Hawaasa Oromoo Sadaasa 13, 2014 hiriira ba’uun gabaasa dhaabbatni mirga namoomaa Amnesty Interrnational Onkoloolessa 28, 2014, dalagaa faashistummaa ummata Oromoo irratti mootummaan Wayyaanee raawwatu saxiluun dhiheesuu isaatiif degerssa qabu agarsiise. Dhaabbatni mirga namoomaa Amnesty Interrnationalf galata guddaa qabachaa, addatti ammo mataa gabaasa kanaa Mrs. Calire Bestonf haala ulfaataa bakka mootummaan qorannoo bifa kanaa geggeessuuf hin haayyamne jalatti adeemsisu isheetif, Haawasini Oromoo Arizoona galata gudda keennef. Dalagaan ammenya fi gara jabinaa ummata Oromoo irratti raawwatama jiru kana daran ta’uu hubachiisaa, Moottumman warra dhiyaa kesuumaayyu Amariika fi Biriitish Imaammata dantaa alaa isanni akka irra deebihani ilaalanis gafatani jiru. Haawasini Oromoo Arizoona lammiilee Oromoo biyyoota ambaa keessa jiraatanf dhaamsa isaani dabarfatan: “Abbaan iyyate Ollaan dirmata” akkuma jedhamuu miidhaa Oromoo irra gahaa jiru kan saxil baasuu dandenyu yoo nuu irrati ciccinee hojjene qofa ta’uu beekne kan Amnesty International ifa godhe akka fakkenyati qabatuun sagalee ummataa tahuun mootummootaa fi dhaabbiilee adda addaatti akka iyyata ummata keenya dhiheessitan waamicha isiniif dhiheessa; nuu gama keenyan iyyana ummataa keenya mootummootaa USA dhiheefane, gara fulduratis dhaabbiilee adda addaatti akka iyyata ummata Oromoo dhiheefannu jabinnan irrati hojjechuf waada galun hiriira keenya milkin xumurane.

Jaarmiyaan Hawaasa Oromoo

Conference on Land Policy in Ethiopia and a statement of oakland Institute

November 13, 2014 (Human Rights Horn of Afrique) —  The Conference on Land Policy in Africa starts today, November 12, 2014, in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.  Government officials, representatives from international institutions, aid agencies, and civil society organizations have gathered around the theme “ensuring agricultural development and inclusive growth.”

Given the recent explosion of land grabs across the African continent, this international conference seems pertinent and timely, especially for the millions of smallholder farmers and citizens across the continent. But let’s not allow some key facts to be drowned by the enthusiasm expressed from those attending.

We need to consider the venue and the host country, Ethiopia. The Ethiopian government is not only offering a facility for the conference, but has also played a key role as a member of the Steering Committee for the gathering. The same country is arguably one of the worst offenders when it comes to forced displacement resulting from land grabs.

In recent years, the Ethiopian government has leased over 3 million hectares to corporations for the development of large-scale agricultural plantations and is making available a total of 11.5 million hectares to investors. As widely documented by the Oakland Institute, the land offered to investors is inhabited and used by millions of indigenous peoples in different regions of the country. The Ethiopian government has embarked on a villagization program aiming to resettle some 1.5 million people from this land in order to make room for these agricultural investments. This program is being implemented through forced displacement and massive human right violations.

On November 10, 2014, the Oakland Institute released the latest of its investigative reports on agricultural investment in Ethiopia. Engineering Ethnic Conflict: The Toll of Ethiopia’s Plantation Development on the Suri People documents the dire impact of the current land policy on local people, including the destruction of lives and livelihoods, as well as massacres and violent conflict between local communities (read the Guardian article on the report).

Last week, Amnesty International published an equally troubling report, Because I am Oromo, detailing rape, unlawful killings, torture, and arbitrary arrest of Oromo people for supposed opposition to the government.

The Ethiopian government has systematically silenced all those who oppose and report on these issues within the country, curtailing free speech and creating an atmosphere of fear and intimidation. Independent civil society organizations have been decimated by the 2009 Civil Society Law as well as by the arrests and repression of independent voices and critics of the government’s actions and policies.

For a land conference to take place in Ethiopia, where millions of hectares of land are being forcibly taken away from local communities, this event makes a farce out of a tragedy – especially given the theme “ensuring agricultural development and inclusive growth.”

The conference includes a session on the issue of pastoralist land-use rights in Ethiopia. The possibility of a constructive dialogue at a conference coordinated and hosted by the Ethiopian government, is impossible given the well evidenced horrific abuses carried out against the pastoralist communities in Ethiopia, the primary targets of land grabbing.

There is no doubt that a critical dialogue on the issue needs to take place. But holding such a meeting under the guidance of and in the backyard of one of the world’s worst offenders of land-based human rights abuses, seriously jeopardizes any well intentioned plan for designing land policies that will ensure true development, recognizing rights of smallholder farmers, the indigenous, and the pastoralists in Africa.

Source: Human Rights Horn of Afrique

In Defense of the Latest Amnesty International (AI) report Repression in the Oromia

Begna Dugassa, Ph.D | November 14, 2014

Dear the Secretary General & the Minsters of the Ethiopian Federal Government:

I am writing this letter to defend the latest Amnesty International (AI) report BECAUSE I AM OROMO’ Sweeping Repression in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia1 from the attacks and mischaracterizations of the Ethiopian government presented on BBC Radio and other media outlets. I believe I am entitled to do this for four reasons.

The first reason is, I was born and raised in Oromia among the followers of the Oromo indigenous religion– Waqefaata. I have witnessed human violations perpetuated by consecutive Ethiopian regimes. During the Haile Selassie regime, I witnessed my family members giving a quarter of their harvests to the Abyssinians and paying taxation without representation in the government. I witnessed many Oromo family members tried not to allow baptizing their children in the Abyssinian Orthodox Church. In the belief that if someone first goes through the Waqefaata ceremony known as Amachisa, the person will remain Waqefaata, my community members developed strategy to take their children through the indigenous ceremony first. Accordingly, in the Amachisa ceremony I got the name Tolera = things are good. After that, they had me baptized because the Oromo people were forced to baptize their children in the Orthodox Church. In the ceremony of baptism they gave me a name Gebre Giyorgis = the slave of George. I leave it to the readers to compare the differences in meaning between the two names.

I heard many stories about many innocent Oromo persons being charged with the crimes they did not commit. In most cases it was to free the Abyssinians from crimes they had committed. There is a case that I well knew- about an Oromo person being penalized for referring to the Supreme Court judge as (አንች=anchi) ‘you’, a term used in Amharic in reference to women,-instead of (እርስዎ=irswo) ‘you’ used in reference to the higher officials. The person did not use the term አንች (anchi) to undermine the Supreme Court. The reason was that he did not fully understand the Amharic language. This means that the Oromo people’s cultural rights are regularly violated and such violations are legal. As the UN document clearly states “human rights are indivisible, interrelated and interdependent”; the rights of the Oromo people to social, economic, political and cultural rights are being violated and this is clearly demonstrated in this case of a person being penalized for making a grammar mistake.

— Full Document in PDF

Ethiopia: The unresolved “Border Dispute” has claimed more lives in eastern Ethiopia

HRLHA Urgent Action

November, 09, 2014

The Human Rights League of the Horn of Africa (HRLHA) would like to express its deepest concerns about the so-called “Border dispute” between Oromo and Ogadenia nationals which began at the beginning of this month- for the second time in four years- in eastern Hararge Zone of Oromia Regional State.

According to a report obtained by HRLHA from its local reporters in eastern Oromia, the border clash that has been going on since November 1, 2014 around the Qumbi, Midhaga Lolaa, and Mayuu Muluqee districts between Oromo and Ogadenia nationals, has already resulted in the deaths of seven Oromos, and the displacement of about 15,000 others. Large numbers of cattle and other valuable possessions are also reported to have been looted from Oromos by the invaders.

The HRLHA reporter in the eastern Hararge Zone confirmed that this violence came from federal armed forces (the Federal Liyou/Special Police) from the Ogadenia side; the Oromos were simply defending themselves against this aggression- though without much success because the people were fully disarmed by the federal government force prior to the clash starting.

The names of the seven dead Oromos obtained from the HRLHA reporter are:

No		Name	Age	District
1		Mohamed Rashid Godobe	40	Qumbi, (Mino Town)
2		Yusuf Hasa Ibrahim	35	Qumbi (Mini Town)
3		Abdunasir Abdulahi	53	Mayyuu
4		Hasen Nuruye	42	Midhaga Lolaa
5		Yasin Adam	32	Midhaga Lolaa
6		Hasan Abdule	45	Midghaga Lolaa
77	Mohamed Dheeree		29	Mayyuu Muluqqee

The HRLHA reporter also confirmed that, in the invaded areas of Mayyuu Muluqqee, Midhagaa Lolaa, and  Qumbii  districts, the hundreds of thousands of people who  have been  displaced have  fled to the highland areas in the eastern Hararge Zone in search of temporary shelters and other basic needs.

Meanwhile, the federal government forces in coordination with the Oromia regional state police are harassing the Community of Grawa in the district of east Hararge Zone of Oromia regional state, saying that they are clearing the community of risky weapons including “Mancaa” the traditional instrument the people of this zone use for cutting trees and other purposes.  During this weapons disarming campaign, among those who resisted handing over their “Manca”, Shek Jemal Ahmed, 32 was beaten to death by the federal forces in Grawa district in October 2014.

Background Information[1]:

The HRLHA has reported in May 2013, the government-backed violence against Oromo  in the name of border dispute around the Anniya, Jarso and Mi’esso districts in eastern Hararge Zone between the Oromia and Ogaden regional states which had claimed the death  of 37 Oromo nationals and the displacement of about 20,000 others

The Human Rights League of the Horn of Africa urges the Ethiopian Federal Government and the Regional Government of Oromia to discharge their responsibilities of ensuring the safety and stability of citizens by taking immediate actions to bring the violence to an end and facilitate the return of the displaced Oromos back to their homes. It also calls upon all local, regional and international diplomatic and human rights organizations to impose necessary pressures on both the federal and regional governments so that they refrain from committing irresponsible actions against their own citizens for the purpose of political gains.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to the Ethiopian Government and its concerned officials as swiftly as possible, in English, Ahmaric, or your own language expressing:

• Refrain from creating the so-called “border-dispute” between Oromo and Ogadenia nations by its “Liyyu Force” literary mean special force camped in Ogaden regional state
• Respect the Responsibility to protect (R2P) which states, a state has a responsibility to protect its population from genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and ethnic cleansing[2].
• Bring the killers of innocent citizens to the court,

A Chronological Summary of Oromian Student Movement Led by Qeerroo Bilisummaa

November 2013 – November 2014

Compiled by Daandii Qajeelaa | November 7, 2014

In memory of Oromo students who lost their lives during the November 2005 and April/May 2014 Oromo student movement known as Fincila Diddaa Gabrummaa (Revolt Against Subjugation).

Introduction

In recent years an Oromo youth wing known as “the National Youth Movement for Freedom and Democracy (NYMFD)”, widely known among the Oromo as “Qeerroo Bilisummaa” or simply “Qeerroo”, has reinvigorated the struggle of the Oromo nation for freedom, democracy and justice. From the publications and public statements of the group, one can easily see a strong connection or affiliation of the group with the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF). For example, the radio of OLF, Sagalee Bilisummaa Oromoo (SBO), routinely reports the movements of Qeerroo, and conversely, Qeerroos radio, Sagalee Qeerroo Bilisummaa, also routinely reports the military activities of the OLF army. However, the chairman of OLF, Mr.  Daud Ibsa Ayana, was reluctant to disclose the apparent affiliation of his organization with Qeerroo in a recent interview he made with Oromia Media Network (OMN). Perhaps he refrained from doing so for obvious reasons.

While considered as the “youth wing” of the OLF, “Qeerroo” has been vibrant and visible than the OLF itself in just few years of its formation. To see the validity of this statement, it will be enough to look at the volume of information provided by Qeerroo website www.qeerroo.org, frequently updated each day, since the formation of the group in 2011. When an incident such as Oromo student protest, unlawful arrest of Oromo nationals, school dismissals related to student unrests, incidents of land grab and eviction of Oromo farmers, and so on occurs at any corner of Oromia, it is usually this youth group (its website and web-based radio) that reports first from every corner indicating that the group is well organized and widely spread not only in Oromia but also throughout the entire Ethiopia. For example, during the widespread Oromo student protests in spring 2014, it was only this group who managed to compile a list of 61 Oromo students killed 903 others languishing in several prisons in all corners of Oromia, East, West, North, and South. It is remarkable how a single youth group managed to compile all these names, not to consider all the details: school/university the student was attending, major subject the student was in, year (1st year, 2nd year, etc.), place of birth, and so on virtually from everywhere in the region. In many cases when Oromo students are killed by the regime, it is this youth group that makes the names and in some cases the pictures of the victims public. This has been happening continuously over the last four years. What is more remarkable is that the group managed to compile all these data under tight security machine of the regime and with almost no known financial or material support.

Inspired by the 2011 revolution of North Africa and the Middle East known as Arab Spring, this Oromo youth group Qeerroo Bilisummaa was formed in 2011. At first, very few people paid serious attention to it. Many believed it to be just another bluffing of desperate groups opposing the government from the Diaspora. But soon enough the group showed itself on the ground that it is for real. The movement of the group started showing itself mainly in universities and higher educational institutions in Oromia. A series of Oromo student protests broke out in several universities and colleges soon following the formation of the group.

On April 7, 2011, following the founding declaration of Qeerroo, Oromo students of Mizan Tepi University revolted. The government federal police fired live ammunition on the protesters in which 114 Oromo students were reported to have been wounded and hospitalized. 50 others have been abducted from their dormitories the next night and taken to unknown location. On April 12, 2011 Oromo students of Haromaya University staged a peaceful protest demanding the release of their classmates who have been abducted from their dormitories. Their protests however resulted in more arrests and more abductions. On April 15, 2011 Oromo students protested in Arba Minch University, SNNP regional state, which resulted in arrest of several students. On May 2, 2011 Oromo students of Jijjiga University, Ogaden regional state, protested. On May 15, 2011 Oromo students of Fiche Preparatory School, Northern Shoa, protested. May 19 – 21, 2011 Oromo students of Adama University protested. These are just few of the incidents of protests and the response of the government following the formation of Qeerroo in 2011.

Oromo student protests continued on and off, but non-stop throughout the years 2011-2014 in Oromia, apparently under the [underground] leadership of this youth group “Qeerroo Bilisummaa”. The government suppression also continued. The most wide spread and bloodiest of all the protests is the series of protests that occurred in the spring of 2014. At one time alone Qeerroo managed to compile the list of some 61 Oromo students that were killed in mainly Ambo, Gudar, and Robe (Bale zone), but the actual number of Oromo students that have been killed by the forces of the regime in the months of April and May, 2014 is probably several hundreds and those arrested are estimated in tens of thousands.

Source: Full document in PDF (44 pages)

Human rights campaigner says African Union should move headquarters out of Ethiopia

Human rights abuse in Ethiopia

November 6, 2014, JOHANNESBURG (AP) — The African Union should move its headquarters out of Ethiopia because of concerns about freedom of expression there, an Angolan journalist and human rights campaigner said.

Journalist Rafael Marques de Morais, who has been jailed and faces numerous legal challenges for his investigative work in Angola, said in Johannesburg on Tuesday night that the African Union is hypocritical for keeping its base in Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital. The union represents 53 countries on the continent and says it is committed to transparency and human rights.

Marques cited the ongoing Ethiopian trial on terrorism-related charges of bloggers from Zone 9, a collective that publishes critical news and commentary. He also mentioned the three-year prison sentence handed last week to Temesgen Desalegn, the former editor of the now-defunct newspaper Feteh who was convicted of charges including incitement.

“The situation has worsened, and it indeed shows the hypocrisy of the African Union as an organization representing all Africans,” Marques said at an African journalism conference held at the University of the Witwatersrand.

The Committee to Protect Journalists says there are at least 17 journalists in jail in Ethiopia. The only African country with more journalists in prison is Eritrea, it said.

African journalists and human rights campaigners should be “embarrassed for doing so little to support our peers in Ethiopia,” Marques said. One option, he said, is to campaign to get the African Union to move its headquarters to a country with a good human rights record.

The Angolan journalist gave a lecture held annually in honor of Carlos Cardoso, a Mozambican journalist who was fatally shot in 2000 in Maputo, Mozambique’s capital, while investigating a multi-million dollar fraud case.

Marques described Cardoso as “the great friend I never had the chance to meet personally,” saying the Mozambican campaigned for his release when Angolan authorities jailed him in 1999 for criticizing President Jose Eduardo dos Santos.

Dos Santos, who took office in 1979, is one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders.

Source: AP

Women reporting abuse in Somalia without persecution

Note: Most of the abuse was done by Woyyaane army.

November 6, 2014 (HRW) — Investigating sexual abuse and exploitation – especially when those accused are soldiers – is a complex and time-consuming process that requires sensitive expert handling. But even a skillful and professionally-run investigation will fail if the women and girls most affected fear to come forward to share their experiences. And in Mogadishu, women reporting sexual crimes face threats, intimidation, victimization, and stigma.

So the African Union’s recent announcement that it will investigate allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse by some African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) soldiers, is a welcome first step. The move, prompted by a September Human Rights Watch report, could help end impunity for sexual violence.
Credible investigations could potentially lead to repatriations and prosecutions for those involved in abuses. The mere presence of investigators could deter misconduct by AU soldiers who see that commanders no longer ignore rape and sexual exploitation. A solid inquiry could improve AU policies and practice in all peace and support missions, helping the African Union to avoid the United Nations’ early failures to address similar allegations.

But the AU investigators will need to navigate many obstacles, including an unrealistic timetable, persistent insecurity, and Somalia’s record of intimidating women and journalists who report sexual crimes. The investigative team has until November 30 to establish whether abuses occurred, in an environment where rape survivors are understandably reluctant to speak about their experiences.

Encouraging survivors to speak – those with the most important and damning evidence – requires time, adequate resources, and political will to ensure confidentiality and safety. The investigative team needs to appreciate that recent actions of both the Somali government and some AMISOM troops have undermined the confidence of survivors of rape and sexual exploitation, and witnesses, who might step forward.

Human Rights Watch’s research in Somalia over several years has documented intimidation and harassment of those seeking to disclose information about sexual crimes by men in uniform. Time and time again, women, journalists, civil society activists, and even medical doctors have told us of harassment and threats. Some examples are well-known. The January 2013 case in which a Somali journalist and a rape survivor were bothconvicted on spurious charges for reporting a rape by Somali government forces casts a dark shadow over any attempts to encourage women to report sexual crimes. Their convictions were later overturned, but the journalist and the woman fled the country in fear of reprisals from those shamed by the case.

In August 2013 the Somali government and AMISOM mishandled investigations into an allegation of gang rape by AU soldiers. The woman faced threats from Somali security forces while seeking much-needed medical assistance. The AMISOM board of inquiry failed to consult any independent sources, relying on interviews with AMISOM personnel at the camp where the incident occurred and a review of the camp log book. AMISOM’s spokesperson publicly denied the allegations during the investigations. Almost a year later, the board’s report has never been made public and again, the woman fled the country fearing for her safety.

In neither case was anyone ever held to account for the rape, despite brave survivors seeking medical help and speaking out.

Investigators are more likely to be successful now if they receive consistent and public support from the Somali government and the AU leadership, as well as from troop-contributing countries. Security forces, including Somali national forces and clan militia, should clearly understand that intimidating survivors or witnesses will bring consequences. Preparing the ground for successful investigations will also require ensuring that local leaders, Somali civil society, and the women and girls most affected understand the basic procedures of how to report an allegation and what safety measures are in place.

The AU’s inclusion of women on the investigative team and the assurances that members have the requisite training and experience to conduct sensitive investigations is extremely important. But the AU and Somali officials will need to work in advance to ensure that victims and witnesses feel confident to share information. If and when survivors do step forward, the team must guarantee their confidentiality and safety. The AU staff should also work with local civil society groups – who will also need assurances of protection – and the United Nations to make medical and psychosocial support available to victims before starting their interviews.

There has been much talk of “zero tolerance” for sexual and gender-based violence in Somalia. This investigative team can take concrete steps forward in the fight against sexual exploitation and abuse. But until more women and girls can safely report abuse and get medical and psychosocial care without fear of prosecution or persecution, investigators will face a long and challenging task to uncover sexual exploitation and abuse – and sadly they may not reveal the full picture.

Source: Human Rights Watch

Oromo community in and arround Hamer, Norway, demonstrats against ongoing mass killing of Oromo students in Oromia

By Roba Pawlos | November 4, 2014

As amnesty international reported last month, between 2011 and 2014, at least 5000 Oromos have been arrested based on their actual or suspected peaceful opposition to the government. These include thousands of peaceful protestors and hundreds of opposition political party members. The government anticipates a high level of opposition in Oromia, and signs of dissent are sought out and regularly, sometimes pre-emptively, suppressed. In numerous cases, actual or suspected dissenters have been detained without charge or trial, killed by security services during protests, arrests and in detention.

As it has widely been reported by International Medias including the BBC and CNN, many Oromo students were massacred in the last few days by the regime’s security force in an attempt to crackdown peaceful demonstrations against its ethno-centric rule. According to the officially released reports more than 50 students were cold-bloodedly murdered alone in Ambo town and dozens of university and high school students in many other cities and towns such as Hara Mayaa, Robe, Naqamtee, Dire Dawa, Adamaa, Gedo, Dembi Dollo, Mada Walaabu, Amboo, etc. The mass killing includes, even, parents who attempted to collect the dead bodies of their children. This is not to mention hundreds of Oromos that were wounded by bullets and brutally beaten to death in different regions of Oromia. As the protest is spreading like a fire across the country, the regime is getting more disparate and aggressive in herding thousands of Oromos in to prisons and concentration camps where, they would further suffer, self evidently, all sorts of physical abuses including rape and torture as this has been the norm under the TPLF/EPRDF regime.

The Oromo students peaceful demonstration was in protest against this evil and noxious intention of the regime, exclusively perpetrated against the Oromo people. Their protest was based on the claim that the regime’s decision was in violation of the federal constitution of the country that nominally guarantee the autonomy of each federal state. Ironic as it may appear, it is, therefore, against its own constitution and legislation that the regime responded with violence and terror against the peaceful protest of the students. This is another testimony for the resolute determination of the minority Tigrean elite to maintain a protracted ethnic hegemony over the rest Ethiopian population, in general, and the Oromo people in particular.

ROBA PAWELOS