U.S. Department of State’s endorsing of upcoming elections – denial and disrespect, human rights organization says

HRLHA Statement

The Human Rights League of the Horn of Africa (HRLHA) strongly opposes to the position that the U.S. State Department has taken in regards to the upcoming Ethiopian election and the overall democratization process in the country in the past twenty-four years, and describes the comments by the Under-Secretary of State as a sign of disrespect for ordinary people in Ethiopia and disregard for the human miseries that hundreds of thousands of people have gone through under the EPRDF/TPLF-led government.

The HRLHA has no doubt at all that the U.S. Government in general, and U.S. Department of State in particular, with the biggest and highly staffed of all Western embassies in Ethiopia, are very well aware of the political realities that have been prevailing in the country over the past two decades. An excellent proof is the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices that is issued annually by the U.S. Department of State itself. Suppression and denials of fundamental human rights in Ethiopia under the EPRDF/TPLF Government were being reported on by various human rights and humanitarian as well as government and diplomatic agencies; and, based on the facts revealed in such reports, the Ethiopian Government has repeatedly been ranked as the worst both at the regional and global levels.

In a country that has witnessed the highest number of political incarceration in its history, where unarmed students and other civilians were gunned down in hundreds simply because they attempted to exercise some of their fundamental rights, in “one of the ten most censored countries” where the existence of independent media has become impossible and, as a result, press freedom has been curtailed completely, where all sorts of socio-economic rights have been tied to political sympathy and supports, it would be an insult and disrespect to its ordinary citizens, and a disregard for the precious lives of innocent people that have been taken away by brutal hands to say that such a country is a democracy, and that the upcoming elections would be free and fair while intimidation and harassment of opposition candidates, as well as potential voters, were taking place out in the field even while the Under-Secretary of State was making the comments. While encouraging the most repressive government and governing party towards becoming more dictatorial, the Under-Secretary of State’s comments discourage and undermine the sacrifices that the peoples in Ethiopia have paid and are still paying to realize their century-old dream of building free and democratic country.

The Human Rights League of the Horn of Africa (HRLHA) requests that the Under-Secretary of State retract the wrong comments and apologize to the peoples in Ethiopia. It also urges the U.S. State Department to recognize and acknowledge the realities in Ethiopia and use the close ties that exists between the two governments to put pressure on the ruling EPRDF/TPLF party so that it allows the implementation of a genuine democracy.

The Ethiopian Govt Responsible for Inhuman Treatments Against Refugees & Asylum Seekers from Ethiopia Around the World – HRLHA

HRLHA Press Release

The Human Rights League of the Horn of Africa has been greatly saddened by the coldblooded killing of 30 Christian refugees and asylum seekers from Ethiopia in the past week in Libya by a group called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria/ISIS. The HRLHA is also highly concerned about thousands of refugees and asylum seekers from Ethiopia living in different parts of Yemen were victimized due to the political crises in Yemen, and hundreds have suffered in South Africa because of the unprecedented actions taken by a gang opposing refugees and asylum seekers in the country. The suppressive policy of the EPRDF/TPLF government has forced millions to flee their country in the past twenty-four years. The mass influx of citizens from Ethiopia into neighboring countries every year has been due to the EPRDF/TPLF policy of denying its citizens their socioeconomic and political rights. They have also fled out of fear of political persecution and detention. It has been repeatedly reported by human rights organizations, humanitarian and other non–governmental organizations that Ethiopia is producing a large number of refugees, estimated at over two hundred fifty thousand every year (Read ‘Migration in Ethiopia: History, Current Trends and Future Prospect‘).

In connection with the incident that took place in Libya, on April 22, 2015, tens of thousands of nationals marched on government-organized rallies against the killing of Christians from Ethiopia in Libya. However, with the demonstrators’ angry expressions were directed at the authorities, the police used tear gas against them, and hundreds of people were beaten on the street and arrested. On the 23rd and 24th of April 2015, others were picked up from their homes and taken to unknown destinations according to the HRLHA reporter in Addis Ababa.

The HRLHA calls upon the Ethiopian government to unconditionally release the detained citizens and allow those who have been injured during the clash with police to get medical treatment.

Recommendations:

1. The Ethiopian government must stop political suppression in the country and respect the human rights treaties it signed and ratified;

2. The Ethiopian government must provide the necessary lifesaving help to those Ethiopians stuck in crises in the asylum countries of Yemen, South Africa and others;

3. The EPRDF/TPLF government must release journalists, opposition political party members, and others held in Ethiopian prisons and respect their right to exercise their basic and fundamental rights enshrined in the constitution of Ethiopia and international standard of human rights instruments.

Hamma Hin Jirree Bookkisa Dullacha

Ibsaa Guutama irraa*

Gidduu kana gara Hawaasaa kanaa dullachi Tigree adeemsa seenaa hin hubannee fakkaatu tokko Oromoon isuma Yohaannis arraba irraa cire sana se’ee farra Oromummaan yoo bookkisu dhagahame. Oromiyaan erga koloneeffamtee kaasee sochiin gara bilisummaatt Oromoon godhu hundi beekaa haa tahu wallaalummaan kanuma isee keessaa bahanii diinaaf ashkarummaa bulaniin hankaaffamaa yoona gahe. Oromoo uumaan waan itt bobaa’an hunda akka keessa hin deebi’amnee fi shafisaan hojii irra oolchuun beekamu. Akka loltuutt janna kumi gad hin qabne. Kanaaf koloneeffataan loltummaan madaqfachuuf isaan keessaa madaqfachuuf durfannoo kennaa. Duula keessaa fi alaaf Oromo irratt utuu hin hafin kan hiriirsu caalaatt jaruma akkasiitii. Garaa guuttannaan kan ajajaman hojii irra yoo oolchan aadaa fi seera safuu akaakilee saaniillee kan dagatan hedduu dha. Kan dur “garbicha abbayyee” jedhanii dhaadatan amma” garbicha abaluu” jedhanii maqaa kan isaan bulchuun dhaadachuutu boonsaa taheefii.

Qabasaawoti farra kolonii tahan tokko tokko galtoota diinaan itt bobbaafaman ilaaluun Oromoo” akka gabbistuu humna koloneeffatuutt ilaalu. Si’ana kanneen diina tajaajilutt qaana’an lakkofi saani guddataa jira. Barri Oromoon hoomaan diinatt buluuf gara mooraa saatt girrisan dur hafe. Faarrri jiru humnoota bilisummaaf tumsuun ummata hacuuccaa jala jiru aangessuu dha. Sochiin bilisummaa Kallacha qabsoo saa ABOn eegalame lafa Oromiyaa qofa utuu hin tahin sammuu diinaan dhiqame bilisoomsuu dabalata. Hanga kan surriin faalame jiranitt Oromiyaan bosona abbaan fedhe soma waraanaa keessaa muratu taatee hafti. Kanaaf yeroo dhaaba diinni maqaa Oromoon ijaare yaadannu kun irraanfatamuu hin qabu. Lammii ofii joonjessaa keessatt dhiisuun ofii qaanii tullachuu taha. Dhaabi diinaa eenyummaa saaniin akka wal hin gitne guyyuu itt himuu dha. Kan gooftaan salphisett dabalanii soqoluu fi abaaruun sabichaaf bu’aa hin qabu. Kan tarkaanfatooti yaadan akka sanatt ta’uu qaba. Tarkaanfatummaan dhuunfaa gita tokkoo yk gola tokkoo miti; murannoo abba abbaa yk murnootaa jireenya hundaa keessaa babahanii jijjiiramaa Hawaasaa Wayyeessuuf ijaajjani. Dhoofsisi ni dandahama taha, garuu kaayyoon sabichaa dhoofsisa keessa hin galu.

Ijoolleen Tigray Oromiyaa kan qabate tooftaa abboolii see jijjiirattee yoo tahu tarsiimoo muummicha garuu akka turett dhiistee. Qabsaawota Oromoo sabboonoo turaniin dirree lolaatt qubaa wal haqabaatan malee ergama saani isa guddaaf akka barbaadanitt galmeessuunii hin milkoofne. Haa tahu tuqaa jabaa fi laafaa Sochii Bilisummaa ummata Oromoott quwaachuuf saaqaa kan argatan yerosi. Sun dursanii akka itt fashalsiisan karoorfachuuf isaan gargaareera. Akeeki bu’uuraa Oromoo keessaa namoota sossobanii hawwachuu yoo tahu sunis akka abboolii saanii ifatt ashkarummaaf miti. Garuu maqaa Oromummaan dhaaba fakkeessaa, kan saaniin walqixxee fakkaatu uumuunii. Lookoon itt hidhaan akka isaan se’an dhokataa utuu hin tahin kan hundi arguu dandahu ture. Akkasitt jaarmaan Oromoo sobaa, DhDUO (OPDO) Hidhamtoota waraanaa dhandhooname. Amaaraafis “Jaarmaa Demokratawaa Ummataa” biraa itt ijaaranii hogganummaa ABUTn (TPLF) kan amma biyya bulcha jedhamu ADWUI (EPRDF) uumame. OPDO jechuun Tigree fuuloo Oromummaa kaawwatee Oromiyaa bulchu jechuu dha. TPLF kan humna tarkanfataa of fakkeessee dhufe keessisaa bulchoota empayeritt darban hunda caalaa duubatt harkistu akka tahe bulee of saaxile.

Kanneen miseensa OPDO jedhaman akkuma galtuu durii ashkaroota gooftaa bulani malee Oromiyaa kan iddoosan mitii. Namooti Oromoo tokko tokko baasanii OPDOn ashkarii dha jechuuf mamii qabu turani. Kanneen biraa garuu irrabuusa ”Maxannee” jedhu kennaaniifi turan. Amanamummaan saa itt fufuu mirkaneeffachuuf tibba tibba OPDOn walgahii gooftoliin dura taahaa tahanitt “gimgamaa”f waamama ture. Miseensoti OPDO hanga hardhaatt gamagama kanaan arrabsamaa, itt dheekamamaa, doorsifamaa, itt ori’amaa, ari’amaa, dhabsiifamaa fi hidhamama jiraatan. Gidduu kana beekaa haa tahu utuu hin beekin hariiroon koloneeffataa fi OPDO gidduu bora’uun galma koraa keessa dhimmiste. Dullachii Tigray tokko Hawaasaatt hogganoota maxxannee saa galma tokkott dachaasee yoo dheekkamuu fi itt kakatu dhagahme. Machaaye taha malee akkas uggee tuuta kanniisaatt hin bu’u.

Moo’ummaa Oromiyaa heeran beekne jedhan irra tarkaanfate. Ibdi saa OPDOn utuu hin daangahamin ummatichatt utalee. Kan nama dhibu jalee saatt dheekkamuu saa miti. Oromoo futirichoo hidhaa natt kennaa jechuu saatu Oromoo waliin aarsee kaasee. Kan walgahanuu itt qasa’aa hursanii. Sochiin bilisummaa Oromoo hamajaajii Oromoo akka itt gaggeessu sagantaa qabaa. Kakawisuun namichaa wanti saganteeffame lafa irraa harkifamuun haaraa fakkaate malee qaamumaa roorroo koloneeffataati. Gochi saa maalummaa EPRDF addaababayitt saaxile Oromoo bu’aa mamii kennaafii turan rifachiisee malee kan maalummaa saa beekan hin dinqisiifne. Dullachichi, OPDOn roobootii Adda Bilisummaa Tigray Addeetitt tumame malee angoo Oromo akka hin taane kan ciicataniif mirkaneesse.

Jarri dorsifame galtuu haa tahan malee maqaa Oromummaan itt dhaadatame. Gabaatt baasanii Oromummaatt qoosuutu nama finiinsee.Nuti walqixee dha jechaa hoogganoota DhDUOtt akka ijoollee dheekamuun miseensota hagam tuffataniituu? OPDOn dhaabota biyya bulchan keessaa akka tokko tahett himamuufiin, isa “Gowwoomsaa Indaaqqoo teephaan kuffisanii” jedhan sana jechuu dha. Amma sossobaan dhossaa sun dhoohee bakka guutee hedduu qaanessee. Hamaa dhufaa jiru ofirraa faccisuuf qophii dha? Oromoon qaaniin du’a caalti jedha.

Teknoolojiin si’anaa Shashamannee taa’ani kan diinqa Hawaasaa hasaasamu nama dhageessisaa. Dullachi Wayyaanee sana dagachuun yk maal abbaasee taati jechuun hogganoota maxxannee goleett galchee bookkise. Lafa saba keessanii dabarsaa kennaa yk isinin agarsiisa jedhe. Filmaati du’a hin olle du’a boonsaa du’uu yk miillatt kufuu dha. Walqixxummaan dhaabota ADWUI fakkeessan hafee, sobaa tahuun afaan bulchaa Oromiyaa isa dhugaa irraa dhagahame. Kana booda silaa hin qaana’anii nut dhaaba keessan jedhanii Oromoott dhaquu laata? Hariiroon waggaa digdamii shaniif shaakalamaa dhufe hardha akka tasaa bahe hundi dhagahuun sabboonota waliin aarsuu dandaha taanaan akka hin caamne qixuma sanatt eeguu dha. Sanatu yartuun namatt taphachuu irraa ittisaa. Kanaaf baraan tasummaan tuttuqaa diinaan weraruu irra dursanii itt yaaduun of cimfachuu dha. Yeroof “Qeerroon mataa tuutaa hin jarjartu suuta” Gaddisaa waliin jennuu laata? Garuu hamma yoomiitt haa harkifannuu?

ኣቶ ኣባይ ፀሃዬና ወያኔዎች ሆይ! በዋልታ ሃሰት ፋብሪካ ኣማካኝነት ኣዲስ ፈብርካችሁ ለማሰራጨት ያሰባችሁት የማስተባበያ ድራማ የኦሮሞን ህዝብ ልብ ሊገዛላችሁ ኣይችልም!

በቦሩ በራቃ*

ለራስዎም በወጉ መመከር የነበረብዎት የ‘ጠቅላይ ሚኒስትሩ’ ‘ኣማካሪ’ ኣቶ ኣባይ ፀሃዬ ሆይ! የፍንፍኔን ማስተር ፕላን ተግባራዊነት ኣጉዋተቱ ባሉዋቸው የኦሮሞ ህዝብ ወገኖች ላይ ያቺን ኣነጋጋሪዋን ‘ልክ እናስገባለን’ ቃልዎትን ከሰነዘሩ እነሆ 50 ቀን ገደማ ሆነው። 50 ቀን ማለት ባለስልጣናት ነን ለሚሉት እንደርሶ ላሉ ‘የኣገር መሪዎች’ ቃል ማረሚያ ኣንደ 50 ኣመት የሚቆጠር ረጅም ጊዜ ነው። በቅንነት ተነሳስተው በኣስነዋሪ ንቀት የተሞላውን ቃልዎትን ለማረም ቢፈልጉ ኖሮ ኣይደለም 50 ቀናት የመጀመሪያዎቹ 50 ደቂቃዎችም ከበቂ በላይ ነበሩ።

ነገሩ ግን ወዲህ ነው። ኣቶ ኣባይ ፀሃዬ በወቅቱ ሃዋሳ ላይ በታደመው የግንባራችሁ ጉባኤ ላይ ‘የማስተር ፕላኑን ተግባራዊነት ያጉዋተቱትን የፍንፍኔ ዙሪያ ልዩ ዞን መስተዳድር ባለስልጣናትን ልክ እናስገባለን’ ሲሉ የኦሮሞን ህዝብ ከቁብ ኣልቆጠሩም ነበር። የርሶ ‘ልክ እናስገባለን’ ዛቻ እንደፈጣሪ ቃል ወዲያው ገቢራዊ የሚሆን ኣየመሰልዎት ‘ወደዱም ጠሉም’ እያሉም ጭምር በሃይለ-ቃል ደንፍተው ነበር። ነገሩ ግን እርሶና ግንባርዎ ባሰባችሁት መሰረት የጠቀሱትን የመንግስታችሁ ኣካልና የኦሮሞን ህዝብ ‘ልክ የሚያስገባ’ ሆኖ ኣልተገኘም። እንዲያውም ይባስ ብሎ ይህ መረን የለቀቀው በንቀት የተሞላው ቃላት ኣጠቃቀምዎ ከድሮም ጀምሮ ልቡ ተክፍቶላችሁ የማያውቀውን የኦሮሞ ህዝብ በይበልጥ ኣንቅሮ ኣንዲተፋችሁ ከማገዝ በተጨማሪ በኦፒዲኦ ውስጥ ሳይቀር መቁዋቁዋም የማይቻላችሁን የተቃውሞ ማእበል ኣንደሚያስነሳ የተገነዘባችሁት ከድፍን 50 ቀናት በሁዋላ መሆኑ ነው። ይህ ደግሞ የመንግስታችሁ መንግስታዊ ስነምግባርና ኣደጋን የመቀልበስ ኣቅም ምን ያህል የወደቀ መሆኑን ያስገነዝባል።

ወዲ ፀሃዬ ሆይ! በወቅቱ ቃላት ኣጠቃቀም ላይ ያሳዩት የስነ ምግባር ጉድለት ለመንግስታችሁ ህልውና ምን ያህል ኣደገኛ እንደሆነ ተገምግሞ ማስተባበያ እንዲሰጡበት በድርጅትዎ ታዘው ሰሞኑን ልሳናችሁ በሆነው ዋልታ ኢንፎርሜሽን ማእከል በኩል ብቅ ብለው የተናገሩት ነገር ብዙዎቻችንን ፈገግ ኣሰኝቷል። ‘ቃሉን (ልክ ኣናስገባለን የሚለውን) ከየት ኣንዳመጡት ኣላውቅም፣ እኔ በበኩሌ እንደዛ ኣላልኩም፣ የተናገርኩት ንግግር ሙሉ ቃል ሰሞኑን ሊሰራጭ ይችላል፣ እዛ ውስጥ ይሄ ቃል የለም’ ነበር ያሉት። ኣይደለም እንዴ? ነገሩ ጅብ ከሄደ ውሻ ጮሄ ኣንዲሉ በሃዋሳው ንግግርዎ ተመስሎ ኣዲስ በዋልታ ስቱዲዮ ውስጥ በቅርቡ የተቀረጸውንና ‘ልክ እናስገባለን፣ ወደደም ጠላም ልክ ይገባል’ የሚሉት እነዚያ ከሃዋሳ የተሰሙት የድንፋታ ቃላት ተገድፈው በምትኩ ስነ ምግባር የታከለበት የማስተባበያ ‘ንግግርዎን’ ለማስተዋወቅ ብቅ ያሉበት ቃለመጠይቅ መሆኑ ነው። ይህን ደግሞ ኣንድ የጎሮቤቴ የ4ኛ ክፍል ጩጬ ተማሪ ሳይቀር ነቅቶብዎታል። ኣይገርምም? በዚህ ዘመን ኣይደለም ሰፊውን የኦሮሞ ህዝብ ጨቅላ የ1ኛ ደረጃ ትምህርት ቤት ተማሪዎችን ኣንኩዋን ማታለል ከቶ የማይሞከር መሆኑን ኣዩት?

ሌላው ኣስደማሚ ነገር ደግሞ እርሶ ኣልተናገርኩም ያሉት ‘ልክ እናስገባለን’ የምትለዋ ቃል በንግግሬ ውስጥ ኣልነበረችም የሚሉ ከሆነ ከየት መጣች ብለው ያስባሉ? እርሶንና መንግስትዎን የሚያዋርደው የለየለት ኣስነዋሪ ውሸት ደሞ ይሄ ነው። ኦሮምያ ሚድያ ኔትዎርክ (OMN) ላይ ሰምተውት ከሆነ የድምፅዎት ቅላፄ፣ የትንፋሽዎ ተመሳስይነት፣ የውስጣዊ ስሜትዎ ግለትና የባክግራዉንዱ ድምጸት ኣንድ ላይ ተደምሮ ሲገመገም ቃሉ በፍፁም ባንድ ወቅት ኣንድ ቦታ ላይ ሆነው ባንድ ትንፋሽ የተናገሩትና ቆርጦ-ቀጥል (doctored) ያልሆነና ገሃዳዊ እውነታ ፈጦ የሚታይበት (authentic) ኦዲዮ መሆኑን ለመገንዘብ ኣያዳግትም። ዳሩ ግን ይህን ለማስተባበል 50 ቀን ሙሉ የወሰደባችሁ ያለምክንያት ኣይደለም።

ጉዳዩን ለማስተባበል በጣም ኣስቸጋሪ ኣንደሆነባችሁና በምን መልኩ ቢስተባበል እውነት ሊመስል ይችላል የሚለው ምክክርና ክርክር ሰፊ ጊዜ እንደወሰደባችሁ ያሳብቃል። በመሰረቱ ኣንዴ ያመለጠን ቃል ለማስተባበል ያሉት ኣማራጮች ሁለት ብቻ ናቸው ብዬ ኣስባለሁ። ኣንዱ ያው ኣሁን እንዳደረጋችሁት ሁሉ ‘ቃሉ የኔ ኣይደለም’ ብሎ በድርቅና መዋሸት። ኣልያም የምሬን ‘ለክፋት’ ሳይሆን በቃ ‘ቀልዴን’ ነበር ብሎ መጃጃልና ማጃጃል ነው። የሁለተኛው እንደማይሰራ ሲገባችሁ የመጀመሪያውን ለመምረጥ ተገደዳችሁ። ምክንያቱ ደግሞ ግልፅ ነው። ከ50 ቀናት በሁዋላም ቢሆን ይህን ኣደገኛ ቃል ሳያስተባብሉ መቅረት በዚህ የምርጫ ዋዜማ ኣደጋ ኣለው። ለነገሩ እናንተ ኣትሞክሩትም እንጂ ሶስተኛ ኣማራጭም ነበረ። ማስተባበል ትቶ በኢፋ ይቅርታ መጠየቅ። ‘በወቅቱ ስሜታዊ ሆኜ እንደዛ በመናገሬ ጉዳዩ ያነጣጠረባቸው ወገኖች ብቻ ሳይሆኑ መላው የኦሮሞ ህዝብም ጭምር ይቅርታ ያድርግልኝ። እውነት ለመናገር ማንም ማንንም ልክ ማስገባት ኣይችልም’ ብሎ ማረም በሳልነት ነበረ። ግን እድሉ ያመለጣችሁ ይመስለኛል። 24 ኣመት ሙሉ ኣንድም ጊዜ መንግስታዊ ስህተትን የማረም ክህሎት ያላዳበራችሁ ጉዶች ዛሬ ድንገት ኣይዲያው ከየት ይመጣልና! ሞልቶ የፈሰሰው ትእቢታችሁ ለዚህ ቅንነት የተሞላበት መንግስታዊ ማስተባበያ ኣይፈቅድላችሁም። በበደል ላይ በደል ደርባችሁ መጀመሪያ ያሰማችሁን ዛቻና ድንፋታ ሳያንሳችሁ ኣሁን ደግሞ በስመ ማስተባበያ ኣስነዋሪ ውሸት ትዋሹናላችሁ።

መታወቅ ያለበት ሃቅ ግን በጣም ዘግይታችሁዋል። በተለይም እርሶ ኣቶ ኣባይ ፀሃዬ ከኦሮሞ ህዝብ ላይ እጅዎትን ማንሳት ተስኖዎታል። የቀደመው ድንፋታዎ ሲገርመን በቅርቡም በኦፒዲኦ ውልደትና እድገት ታሪክ ኣስታክከው ሰፊውን የኦሮሞ ህዝብ በጠባብነት ዘልፈዋል። መላው ለማለት በሚቻል መልኩ ኣብዛኛው የኦሮሞ ህዝብ ኦነግን ስለደገፈ ብቻ በርሶ ኣንደበት ‘ጠባብ ህዝብ’ ተብሏል። ይህንንም 50 ቀናት ከቆጠሩ በሁዋላ ነገ ኣስተባብላለሁ ብለው በኣንዱ የመንግስታችሁ ሚድያ ልሳን ብቅ ብለው በሳቅ እንዳይገድሉን ፈራሁ። ለነገሩ እንኩዋን ያን ጊዜ መከረኛው የ ‘ምርጫ’ ጫጫታችሁ ያልፋልና ምን ያስለፋችሁኣል? ስለሆነም እንደገና ተቆጥሮ የማያልቀውን የዘለፋና የድንፋታ ቃልዎን ለማረም ከምርጫው በሁዋላ ዳግም ብቅ ለማለት ኣንደማይገደዱ እርግጠኛ መሆን ይቻላል።