The Oromo Community Services in Seattle (OCSS) Writes an Open Letter to UNCHR

April 21, 2015 Oromia

Antonio Guterres, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Case Postale 2500
CH-1211 Genève 2 Dépôt
Switzerland

Dear Commissioner Guterres,

We, the Oromo Community of Seattle are writing this letter to express our deep concern and dismay regarding the inhuman suffering of Oromo Refugees in Yemen. Thousands of Oromo refugees have fled their homeland to neighboring countries including Yemen seeking protection from persecution, large-scale arbitrary detention, disappearances, torture and extra-judicial killing that they are subjected to from the Ethiopian government due to their ethnic identity and political opinion. According to Amnesty International report ‘Because I am Oromo’ Sweeping Repression in the Oromia Region of Ethiopia that was released on October 2014 simply between 2011 and 2014 at least 5000 Oromo have been arrested, tortured, and faced extra-judicial execution due to their peaceful opposition to the government.

This report is self-evident that Oromo were forced to escape to rescue their life from possible harassment of Ethiopian government Currently it is estimated that over ten thousands Oromo refuges reside in Yemen including Sana, Eden and refugee camp. The current political turmoil in Yemen put these refugees’ life in dire situation. Reports reaching us from Yemen indicate that refugees are trapped with no help in situation beyond their control. We have also received report that a numbers of Oromo refugees have been killed and some of them wounded by the flying bullets and indiscriminate ongoing fighting due to lack of adequate protection. Lives that they clenched to save are again put them in grave danger.

We are gravely concerned about the deteriorating condition of Oromo refugees in Yemen unless your leadership and international community intervene as soon as possible, and necessary steps taken immediately to save the lives of these refugees. Oromo refugees in Yemen are also suffering from lack of food, shelter and medical care.  Furthermore, the Ethiopian government security agents follow Oromo refugee especially political refugees using the current political crisis as an opportunity. This situation also jeopardizes the safety of these refugees.

We strongly believe that at this critical juncture your leadership, and the active engagement of the International Community, could mean the difference between life and death for many Oromo Refugees. The universal declaration of human rights signed in 1948 and 1951, have articles that recognize the right for refugees.  Any country that has signed these declarations is obliged to respect them. When every letter of these declarations violated member countries of the UN and humanitarian organizations should not keep silent.

Your Excellency,

We strongly believe that as UN Refugee agency sanctioned to making a lasting impact on the lives of refugees and other displaced communities around the world by focusing on the basic needs and rights for refugees – like shelter, water, food, safety and protection from harm. Silence about the dire situation of Oromo refugees in Yemen is not only inhuman but it is also a flagrant violation of the letter and spirit of the 1951 UN Convention and the 1967 Protocol Relating to Status of Refugees and the UN General Assembly Resolution 2198 (XXI).

It is a duty of the United Nations High Commissioners for Human Rights, UNHCR and the International Communities to take a swift action to rescue these refugees whose life and freedom have fallen in a grave danger. We earnestly demand the UNCHR and member nations to extend their humanitarian assistance so as to find a way in which these refugees could be rescued from imminent humanitarian disaster that may result in carnage. We believe Oromo refugees as any other people in the world are entitled to get protection and humanitarian from the UNCHR and government that signed 1951 Geneva Convention.

We, therefore, appeal to the UNCHR, all UN member nations and other Humanitarian organization to put all necessary pressure on the governments and groups to refrain from violating the right of refugee in Yemen and territories under their control. As the current situation in Yemen exposes Oromo refugees to further threat, we demand respectfully the UNCHR office to find urgently durable solution in which the life of this refugee can be saved. We also request urgent medical care, food and shelter for Oromo refugee in Yemen.