Ethiopia: The Endless Violence against Oromo Nationals Must be Halted
Fear of Torture, HRLHA Press Release
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November 16, 2014
Harassments and intimidations through arbitrary arrests, indefinite detentions without trial, kidnappings and disappearances have continued unabated in Ambo and the surrounding areas against peaceful protestors since the crackdowns of April, 2014, in which more than 36 Oromos were killed by members of the federal security force.
According to HRLHA correspondents in Ambo, the major target areas of this most recent government-sponsored violence includes Ambo town and the villages of Mida Qagni district in eastern Shewa zone, approximately 25 km south of Ambo Town. More than 20 Oromos, students, teachers and farmers from different villages were arrested beginning November 11, 2014 until the time of the compilation of this press release. According to HRLHA reporters, the arrests were made following the protest by the people of the area against the sale of their farmland by the federal Government of Ethiopia to the investors
Although it has been difficult to identify everyone by their names, HRLHA correspondents have confirmed that the following were among the arrestees
| No | Name | Age | Village/Occopation |
| 1 | Kitata Regassa | 70 | Wenni Village, Farmer |
| 2 | Tolessa Teshome | 15 | Balami High School, 10th grade student |
| 3 | Dirre Masho | 15 | Balami High School 9th grade student |
| 4 | Tarku Bulsho | 15 | Balami High School10th grade student |
| 5 | Yalew Banti | Balami High School, Teacher | |
| 6 | Biyansa Ibbaa | 15 | Balami High School, 10th grade student |
| 7 | Tesfay Biyensa | 15 | Balami High School, 10th grade student |
| 88 | Mangistu Mosisaa | Balami, Businessman |
On the other hand, in order to clear and smoothen the road to the victory of the election which is to be held in the coming May, 2015, the TPLF/EPRDF government of Ethiopia has started the campaign of intimidation against it suspects the members of the other political organizations running for the election. Extra-judicial arrests and imprisonments particularly in the regional state of Oromia, the most populous region in the country, has begun starting from the end of October 2014.
In this most recent wave of arrests and imprisonments that has been going on since the 30th of October, 2014, and has touched almost all corners of Oromia, hundreds of Oromos from all walks of life have been apprehended and sent to prison.
According to information obtained from the HRLHA reporters, many Oromos from Wollega, Jimmaa and Illuababor Zones, Western Oromia Regional State, Bale and Borana Southern Oromia Regional State were arrested for being the member of the Oromo Federalist Congress, the Organization operating peacefully in Oromia Regional State. These members of the opposition political organization were accused with terrorism act and disseminating false and hateful information against the present government of Ethiopia. Among of the detainees, three members Oromo Federalist Congress – Mr. Ahjeb Shek Mohamed. Mr. Mohamed Amin Kalfa and Mr. Naziv Jemal from Jima Zone were sentenced with two years and six months in prison and the fate of the rest detainees is yet unknown,
The Human Rights League of the Horn of Africa (HRLHA) expresses its deep concern over the safety and well-being of these Oromo nationals who have been arrested without any court warrant and are being held at Mida Qagni police station and other at unknown detention centers. The Ethiopian government has a well-documented record of gross and flagrant violations of human rights, including the torturing of its own citizens who were suspected of supporting, sympathizing with and/or being members of the opposition political organizations. There have been credible reports of physical and psychological abuses committed against individuals in Ethiopian official prisons and other secret detention centers.
HRLHA calls upon governments of the West, all local, regional and international human rights agencies to join hands and demand the immediate halt of such kinds of extra-judicial actions against one’s own citizens, and release the detainees without any preconditions.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to the Ethiopian Government and its concerned officials as swiftly as possible, in English, Ahmaric, or your own language
- Your concern regarding the apprehension and fear of torture of the citizens who are being held in different detention centers including the infamous Ma’ikelawi Central Investigation Office; and calling for their immediate and unconditional release;
- Urging the Ethiopian authorities to ensure that these detainees would be treated in accordance with the regional and international standards on the treatment of prisoners, and to disclose the whereabouts of the detainees; and
- To stop grabbing Oromo land without negotiation with the owners and compensation
- Make sure the coming 2015 election is fair and free
Send Your Concerns to:
- His Excellency: Mr. Haila Mariam Dessalegn – Prime Minister of Ethiopia
P.O.Box – 1031 Addis Ababa
Telephone – +251 155 20 44; +251 111 32 41
Fax – +251 155 20 30 , +251 15520
- Office of Oromiya National Regional State President Office
Telephone – 0115510455
- Office of the Ministry of Justice of Ethiopia
PO Box 1370, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Fax: +251 11 5517775; +251 11 5520874 Email: ministry-justice@telecom.net.et
Copied To:
- Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
United Nations Office at Geneva 1211 Geneva 10, Switzerland Fax: + 41 22 917 9022 (particularly for urgent matters) E-mail: tb-petitions@ohchr.org this e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You
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- Office of the UNHCR
Telephone: 41 22 739 8111
Fax: 41 22 739 7377
Po Box: 2500
Geneva, Switzerland
- African Commission on Human and Peoples‘ Rights (ACHPR)
48 Kairaba Avenue, P.O.Box 673, Banjul, The Gambia.
Tel: (220) 4392 962 , 4372070, 4377721 – 23 Fax: (220) 4390 764
E-mail: achpr@achpr.org
Office of the Commissioner for Human Rights
- Council of Europe
F-67075 Strasbourg Cedex, FRANCE
+ 33 (0)3 88 41 34 21
+ 33 (0)3 90 21 50 53
Contact us by email
- U.S. Department of State
Laura Hruby
Ethiopia Desk Officer
U.S. State Department
Tel: (202) 647-6473
- Amnesty International – London
Claire Beston
Claire Beston” <Claire.Beston@amnesty.org>,
- Human Rights Watch
Felix Hor
“Felix Horne” <hornef@hrw.org>,
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