Ethiopia: Ambo under Siege, Daily Activities Paralyzed

HRLHA Urgent Action

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

13 May, 2014.

The brutal attempts of crackdown against Oromo protesters by the Agazi Special Squad continuing unabated in different parts of the regional state of Oromia, reports coming from Ambo in central Oromia indicate that the town and its surrounding has come under virtual seizure by the Agazi Federal Armed Force, daily movements and activities becoming almost impossible.

According to information obtained by HRLHA (this morning) form its correspondents, the Agazi Special Squad has been deployed in Ambo Town and its surrounding in much larger number than before and engaged in indiscriminately kidnapping the local people from along the streets and throwing them into detention centres in the area. There are also reports of widespread rapes being committed against female detainees.

Although the protests against the plan to annex some central small towns of Oromia into the Capital Addis Ababa/Finfinne have been involving Oromos from all walks of life, age and gender, the prime targets have been the youth, university, college, and high school students in particular. Since the protest started in different parts of the regional state of Oromia two weeks ago, more than 50,000 (fifty thousand) Oromos have been arrested and detained from Ambo, Gudar, Tikur Inchini, Ginda-Barat, Gedo, and Bakko-Tibe towns in West Showa Zone of Central Oromia alone, Apart from along the streets in cities and towns, especially students are being picked up even from dormitories and classrooms on universities and college campuses. Reports add that there have been around twenty(40) extra-judicial killings so far that have resulted from brutal actions against unarmed and peaceful protesters by armed forces.

Ever since the violence against Oromo protesters started two weeks ago, and following the release of its first urgent action over the incidents, the Human Rights League of the Horn of Africa (HRLHA) has been monitoring the situation through its correspondents in the region; and has been able to obtain some of the names of the Oromos (students and others) who have so far been killed, kidnapped or arrested, and detained or disappeared. There are also cases of beatings and wounds or injuries inflicted on some of the protesters by the heavy-handed federal armed force. The names are listed below:

Partial List of arrested Students from Addis Ababa University May 11, 2014

1	Abebe gadafa	12	Lataa Olani
2	Alamayo Taye	13	Melaku Girma
3	Gaddisaa dabalee	14	Mulata Eliyas
4	Gamada Dhidhita	15	Nigusie Gammada
5	Gudata Wakne	16	Nigusie Yoosef
6	Guddina	17	Sisay Safara
7	Indalu Yigezu	18	Taye Teshome
8	Jabessa ekele	19	Teshome Ararsa
9	Jamal Usman	20	Waqo Roba
10	Jilo Kamew	21	Yaatanii Utukan
11	Kebede Guddata

May 11, 2014 Arrestees from different universities in Oromia
No	Name		Department	Institute Name
1	Abebe Taddese		Political Science	Addis Ababa University
2	Chala Dirriba			Dirre Dawa University
3	Lencho		Electrical & Computer Engineering	Adama University
4	Fawaz Ahmed Usman		Mechanical Engneering	Adama University
5	Obsa Jawar		Management	Adama University

Partial list of Oromos  killed by Agazi Armed Force of the Federal Government

	NAME	SEX	Birth Place	Occupation	Academic institution	Place of execution
1	Ababa Kumsa	M		student	Wallaga
2	Abdii Kamaal	M		student and Krate Trainer	Gudar	Gudar
3	Abdiisaa Guutuu	M		9 years old teenager	-	Gudar
4	Abdiisaa Fiixee			Bussinessman		Gudar
5	Abdisa Nagasa	M		student	Wallaga
6	Alamnee Bayisa Tashoomee	M		9th grade	Ambo	Ambo
7	Alamayyoo Hirphasaa	M		9th grade	Ambo	Ambo
8	Alemaayyoo Urgeessaa	M		Farmer	Gudar	Gudar
9	Baayisaa Soorii	M
10	Biikkolee Dinqaa	M
11	Biqilaa  Belay	M		Merchant	-	Ambo
12	Bultii Yaadasaa	M	Jibaat	Techinical student		Shanaan
13	Darejjee	M		Kebele Milisha	-	Ijaajjii
14	Falmata Bayecha	M		Medicine 5th year	Jimma	Jimma
15	Galana Adaba	M		Governance 3rdyear	Jimma	Jimma
16	Getachew Darajie	M		Governence 3rdyear	Jimmaa	Jimma
17	Geetahuun Jiraataa	M		Junior Secondary school	Gudar	Gudar
18	Geetuu Urgeessaa	M		student		Ambo
19	Gexe Tafari	F		student	Wollega
20	Gurmuu Damxoo	M		Junior Secondary school	Gudar	Gudar
21	Gosomsaa  Baayisaa	M		Farmer	-	Ambo
22	Haacaaluu Jaagamaa	M	Jibaat			Shanaan
23	Husen Umar	M		Uni student	Jimmaa	Jimma
24	Indaalee Dessaalenyi	M	Ambo	Diplom holder, Bajaji driver	Ambo	Ambo, 01 Kebele
25	Indaalee Lammeessaa	M		9th grade student	Ambo	Ambo
26	Isra’el Habtamu	M		Uni student	Jimma	Jimma
27	Kebbedee Boranaa	M				Ambo
28	Kumalaa Guddisa	M	Tikur Incini	10th grade	Gudar	Gudar
29	Maammush Gaaddiisaa	M		Busssinessman	-	Gudar
30	Mammush Guutuu	M		11 years old teenager	-	Gudar
31	Naasir Tamaam	M		Driver		Gudar
32	Nagaasaa Lameessaa	M		Farmer oromo elder of 80 years old		Ambo
33	Olmaan Biinagdee	M	Ganjii Gooree	Farmer, 75 years  Oromo elder	-	Ambo
34	Taddasee Gashuu	M	Waddeessaa, Ambo	Liibaan Machaa J.S.School	Ambo	Ambo
35	Tashome Dawit	M		Uni student	Wallaga
36	Zabana Barasa	M		Governance 3rdyear	Jimma	Jimma

Partial list of injured or wounded protestors

	NAME	sex	Occupation	Academic institution	Region	Date
1	Abrhaam Suufaa	M	12th grade student	Ambo	Ambo
2	Balaayi Kuusaa	M		Midaa Qanyii	Ambo	01.05.2014
3	Baayisaa Obsaa	M		Midaa Qanyii	Ambo	01.05.2014
4	Baqalee Itichaa	M
5	Bitamaa Baayisaa	M	7th grade	Ambo	Ambo
6	Darrasaa Ayyaanaa	M		Midaa Qanyii	Ambo	01.05.2014
7	Geetuu warquu				Ambo
8	Gonfaa Mul’isaa	M	Bajajii driver		Ambo
9	Kasaahun Aseffaa	M			Ambo
10	Miidhaksaa ijiguu	M	Bussinesman		Ambo
11	Misgaanaa Mammuyyee				Ambo
12	Roobee  Beenyaa	M			Ambo
13	Shallamaa Caalasaaa	M	High School student	Midaa Qanyii	Ambo
14	Shantamaa Qanaa’aa	M			Ambo
15	Sintaayoo Mirreessaa	F	5th grade student		Addis ketema, Ambo
16	Taaddalaa Tsagaayee	M	9th grade student	Ambo High School	Ambo
17	Warquu ijjiguu	M	Bussinesman	-	Ambo
18	Zarihuun Urgeessaa	M			Ambo

Partial list of indiscriminately arrested or kidnapped and detained protestors

Below is the list of some of the estimated 50,000 Oromos picked up and detained from different towns in West Showa Z0ne:

	Name	Sex	Occupation	Place arrested
1	Ababaa Moosisaa	M		Tikur Incini
2	Alamayyoo Irreessoo	M	Was ONC Elected member of Oromia regional in 2005	Ambo
3	Ashannaafii Buusaa	M	12th grade student	Ambo
4	Agidoo Waqjiraa	M	Midaa Qanyii high school	Ambo
5	Ayyaantuu Dagaagaa	F	Merchant of cultural dresses	Ambo
6	Baqqaluu Gidaada	F		Ambo
7	Baayiluu Mallasaa	M	Gudar School	Gudar
8	Bilisee Indaaluu	F	High school student	Midaa Qanyii
9	Biraanuu Addunyaa	M	High school student	Tikur Incini
10	Burgudee Araarsaa	F	Highschool student	Ambo
11	Caalchisaa Aanaa	M	Preacher	Midaa Qanyii
12	Caalaa Baayisaa	M	With his 5-family member	Ambo
13	Camadaa Jaalataa	M	Farmer	Midaa Qanyii
14	Dagguu Takkaa	M	Elementary J.S. School, 8th grade	Addis Ketama-Ambo
15	Dammee Taddasaa	F		Ambo
16	Dararaa Galataa	M	High school Student	Midaa Qanyii
17	Darrasaa Guutataa	M	Farmer	Midaa Qanyii
18	Dawuti Raggaasaa	M	9th grade student	Liiban Maccaa Ambo
19	Dheeressaa Tarfaa	M	Bussinessman	Gudar
20	Dhibbaa Tutishaa	M	Assistant driver	Ambo
21	Gadaa	M	Ambo uni student	Ambo
22	Gechoo Dandanaa	M	High school student	Midaa Qanyii
23	Getaachoo dandanaa	M	Businessman	Gudar
24	Goobanaa Abarraa	M	High school student	Midaa Qanyii
25	Goobanaa Tolasaa	M		Tikur Incinni
26	Gonfaa Dhaabaa	M	Bussinessman	Ambo
27	Gudinaa Abarraa	M	High school student	Midaa Qanyii
28	Iddeessaa Magarsaa	M	Chairperson for Waqqeffata for Ambo area	Amboo
29	Lachiisaa Fufaa	M		Tikur Incinni
30	Lateeraa shallamoo	M		Tikur Incinni
31	Mallasaa Kabbadaa	M	Bussinessman	Ambo
32	Mootummaa Tasfaayee	M		Tikur Incinni
33	Nagarii Dhaabaa	M		Ambo
34	Qanaa’aa Chuuchee	M	Employee of KFO	Ambo
35	Salamoon Dhaabaa	M	11th grade student	Ambo
36	Shallamaa caalaa	M		Gudar
37	Shallamaa Caalasaaa	M	High School Student	Midaa Qanyii
38	Shallamaa Diroo		High School Student	Midaa Qanyii
39	Taaddasaa Misgaanaa	M		Tikur Incinni
40	Taamiruu Caalsisaa	M		Tikur Incinni
41	Tammiree Caalaa		Employee of youth and Sport commission	Caliyaa Geedoo
42	Tamasgeen Abarraa	M	Bussinessman	Ambo
43	Tasfayee Daksiisaa	M	High School Student	Midaa Qanyii
44	Tolaa Geeddafaa	M	High School Student	Midaa qanyii
45	Wabii Xilaahuun	M	Ambo university 3rd year	Ambo

HRLHA calls up on the Ethiopian Government to:

1. Immediately stop the racial and discriminatory violence against Oromos, and bring the culprits  toJustice
2.  Unconditionally release the detained Oromo students and facilitate the resumption of normal classes;
3. Reverse the decision of the plan and present it for discussion and consultations to the concerned Oromo People, and obtain their consents;
4. Compensate all loses and damages that resulted from the brutal actions of its armed forces.

HRLHA also calls up on regional and international diplomatic, democratic, and human rights agencies to challenge the Ethiopian TPLF/EPRDF government on its persistent brutal, dictatorial, and suppressive actions against innocent and unarmed civilians who are attempting to exercise some of their “said-to-have-been-granted” democratic rights.