by Lammii Guddaa, Germany, 21 November 1997
THEME = HUMAN RIGHTS
Since the minority Tigrayan ethnic group
won the elections of 1991/92,
they have perpetuated terrorism in the country.
The actions of the Ethiopian government recorded over the last
six years,
puts it among the worst poorly performing governments as regards
human rights
When the Mengistu-Haile regime was overthrown in 1991, the people hoped to see a better political system in place. Yet, the minority ruling ethnic group in Ethiopia, the Tigrayan group, forced opposition groups out of the country. Organisations such as the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) and the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) had to "go underground". The regime refused to take part in talks sponsored by independent organisations.
The ruling regime frequently announces its "heroic deeds" (i.e. street killings of Oromo civilians), over the radio and TV. The situation in Ethiopia has gradually degenerated into state- sponsored terrorism, in which citizens have no legal protection. Reliable sources, including Amnesty International, have disclosed that so far, 2,300 Oromo civilians suspected of supporting the OLF, have been killed by the government. Tens of thousands have been tortured, detained or quite simply "disappeared" since 1992.
Human rights abuses, committed by the ruling regime have gone from bad to worse. And the world community remains silent! Any civic or political organisation which dares to take up the cause of the majority ethnic Oromo in Ethiopia (about 30 million of the 58 million population), is immediately outlawed by the minority ethnic Tigrayan rulers (3.2 million people, according to the 1994 census).
There is great fear that what happened in Rwanda and Burundi, could be repeated in Ethiopia. The Oromos want complete independence from the Abyssinians, and Ethiopia's rulers don't like that, because without the Oromo land, there would be no Ethiopia. 70% of the government revenue comes from Oromo land which has the best of the country's potential natural resources for development.
In 1997, a number of Oromo civilians were killed, and their bodies thrown on the streets of Addis Ababa as a warning to other Oromos. Among the victims were: Ebisa Aduyna, a popular singer, together with his friend, Tana Wayessa. Also, Waqo Tola, a well-known university lecturer in his early fifties. Families of the victims were warned to say nothing, just to go and collect the bodies. The only difference from the Red Terror era, was that families were not asked to pay for the bullets which killed their loved ones!
In October 1997, three Oromo nationals - Terefe Qumbi, who was the General Services Head at the Oromia High Court; Tesfaye Kumsisda, a street trader; Guddisa Anisa, a resident in Addis Ababa, were all shot dead. The police announced that it had "eliminated "OLF fighters". A private newspaper, Urji, conducted its own investigation, interviewing families of the victims. It became clear that all those killed, were unarmed civilians, who were on their way home after enjoying a quiet drink together in a pub.
Urji's whole staff were detained, and their offices and homes illegally searched. Why? Because they had dared to question the account given out by the Government, concerning the October 1997 Addis Ababa killings.
Amnesty International also expressed concern about 20 prominent Oromo nationals arrested on 4-5 October. This number includes five executive board members of the Human Rights League - Beyene Abdi, Beyene Belisa, Hussien Abdi and Haji Sahalu Kepte are all retired. (They are aged between 60-70). The fifth victim, Gebisa Lamessa, works as an accountant for the Save The Children Fund. All of them are reported to have been held incommunicado at the Central Investigations Prison.
The London-based Oromia Support group, a non-political organisation which campaigns against human rights abuses and lack of freedom in Ethiopia, has reported that so far, there have been 2,304 extra- judicial killings, and 570 disappearances of civilians suspected of supporting opposition groups. Most of these were Oromos. Torture and rape of prisoners is commonplace, especially in secret detention camps whose existence is denied by the government.
The Union of Oromo students in Europe (UOSE) resents that the Meles regime has taken the silence of the international community and the unconditional support of the West, as approval of its arbitrary rule. The Union denounced the savagery and the way the killings were glorified as "heroic", over the Media.
It should be noted, as well, that about 14 journalists are presently in detention, and two newspapers have been closed down by the government.
Hopefully, the world community will sit up and take notice of what's happening within Ethiopia.
END
PeaceLink 1998 - Reproduction authorised, with usual acknowledgement