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Gootichaafi Hayyicha Oromiyaa Jaarraa Abbaa Gadaa: Falaasama Bilisummaa

March 5, 2013, 12:38 pm
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Gootichifi hayyichi Oromiyaa Jaarraa Abbaa Gadaa, uumaa namaa ta'ee lubbuun isaa dabartus, falasamini inni akkaataa qabsoo bilisummaa itti deemisisanirratti qabu yomiyyuu dhaloota haaraatti darbee jiraachuu qaba. 

Viidiyoo kana keessatti gootichi Oromoo, kan yoo dubbatu anniisaa qabu, kan yoo falmatu mirgaan galu, "Jarri walqixxummaa dhala-namaattifi dimokiraasitti hinamantu," jedhe. Jaarraan kana kan jedhe akkuma tasaa lafaa ka'ee odoo hintaane, muuxannoo baroota dheeraa sirnoota gabroonfatoo Habashaa waliin godherraa ka'eeti. Kana jechuun, dhugummaan yaada isaa muuxannoofi beekumisa qabatamaarraa (shaakalame irraa) waan madduuf, yaada qorannoodhaan argame/mirkanaa'e jechuun nidanda'ama. Wanta inni jedhe osoon baayyee irraa haasawe hinbusheessin dura, viidiyoo isaa kana akka laaltuun si affeera. 



Warri mana barnoota seenanii kitaaba dubbisuudhaan waa kataban tokko tokko illee yaada kana hinhubatani--hingaluufi! Diinni kadhaan ykn isaan fakkaachuudhaan dimokiraasii waan kennuuf/qooduuf see'u. Warra laafinarraa kadhatan diinni akka "saree maraattutti" akka isaan laalu gootichi dubbatee jira. 

Ummata keenya badiin itti aggaamamee jiru kana waan sirrii osoo barsiisine gaariidha. Wanti sirriinis naagaafi tasgabbii ofii argachuuf waliin dhaabbatanii falmmachuu, Waaqa ykn Rabbitti qofa kennani warra taa'an ofii socho'an malee Waaqini ykn Rabbi isaan gargaaruu akka hindandeenye itti himuu, addunyaan kuni iddoo dadhabidoota osoo hintaane iddoo warri itti filatame (ykn warri umnaan ciccimoo) itti jiraatan garuu warri laafoon kan irraa galaafataman faa ta'uu saba barsiisuudha. Galafatamuufi cimee jiraachuu keessaa abbaatu tokko filata.

 Gootichi kuni Oromoo, Oromiyaafi Oromummaa gadifageenyaan jiraatee beeka. Irra caalattuu immoo eenyummaa diina Oromoo cunqursaa jiruufi turee bareechee hubata. Gootaaf hingaddani! Gootaaf nigammadu! Ishoo jireenyi kee bareedaa ture jedhaniifaa. Jaarraa faarsuun isaaf waanuma gitu. Faarsaan ykn kabajaan inni guddaan nuyi isaaf kenninu garuu gootummaa,muuxannoo, barsiisa, fakkeenyummaafi falaasama inni bilisummarratti horate dhalootatti yoo dabarsinedha. "Bilisummaan akkamitti dhufa?" warra jedhanii gaafataniif, jireenyi Jaarraa Abbaa Gadaa deebiidha.  Falaasamini bilisummaadhaa silaa lafa jiraa wanti hanqatu hojiidhaan falaasama Jaarraa agarsiisudha. Lubbuun isaa nagaan haaboqottu, Rabbiin rahaammata haa godhuufi; Rabbiin Jannata haakennuufi.

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Heroine Urji Dhaba: Highlight (s) of the 2013 OSA Midyear Conference

March 18, 2013, 3:59 pm
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By OSA Staff

The 2013 OSA midyear conference was held and successfully completed as planned on Georgia State University campus on Saturday, March 16, 2013. The event started with the blessings of elders in accordance with the Oromo tradition.


 The blessings of elders was followed by the keynote speech by the Oromo heroine, Urji Dhaba, who sacrificed much of her adult life fighting for freedom and justice for the Oromo people. The title of her speech was “Yaadannoo Hadhaa Qabsoo Hidhannoo, Dararaa Mana Hidhaa, Jireenya Baqattummaafi Egeree Oromoofi Oromiyaa”, roughly translated: “Memories of Tribulations of Armed Struggle, Atrocities in Prison, Life in Exile and the Future of Oromo and Oromia.” The audience broke into tears as Urji eloquently narrated the trials and tribulations she has gone through in the bush, in the prison camp of the TPLF-led Ethiopian regime, in various hospitals and people’s homes for treatment from her illness, which was inflicted on her when she was gang-raped and severely tortured while in captivity.

Keynote Speech Part I: Oromo Heroine Urji Dhaba



 Keynote Speech Part II:Oromo Heroine Urji Dhaba 



 Keynote Speech Part III: Audience Questions and Comments






The keynote speech was followed by Panel 1: "Post-Meles Ethiopia and the Prospects for the National Liberation Struggle." 





The panel was intended to analyze scenarios, possible opportunities and challenges created by the passing away of the Ethiopian dictator, the late Prime Minister Meles Zenawi. The panelists were Professor Mohammed Hassen (Chair), Dr. Ibrahim Elemo, Obbo Kadir Elemo, and Dr. Mosisa Aga. The presentations of the speakers were followed by a fierce debate from the audience with questions, answers and comments on the future of the Oromo and Oromia. One thing that all the presenters as well as speakers from the audience stressed was that it is imperative that all Oromo political groups in the Diaspora coordinate their forces and work in unison. Some speakers from the audience sharply criticized  Oromo scholars for not doing enough in trying to press the leaders of the Oromo political groups to unite.






The second panel continued after an hour's lunch break. The theme of Panel 2 was “Issues of Crises in Leadership and Organizational Capacity Building in the Oromo National Movement”.The panelists were: Prof. Asafa Jalata (chair), Dr. Harwood Schaffer and Prof. Ismail Abdullahi. The PowerPoint presentations of the three professors were followed by heated discussions during the question and answer period.




The last panel was on miscellaneous topics: Oromo religion and ecology, issues of land grab in Oromia, and the legacy of the late Oromo hero Jaarraa Abbaa Gadaa as presented by Prof. Mohammed Hassen and complemented by Prof. Ismail Abdullahi. The panelists were Adde Bonnie Holcomb (Chair), Prof. Gobena Huluka, Prof. Daniel Ayana, and Prof. Mohammed Hassen.

Again, their presentations were followed by heated discussions, and the 2013 OSA midyear conference ended at 5:00 PM as planned.

  
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XEFENFERUU

April 1, 2013, 7:12 pm
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Saxil Norway irraa.

Bara humni jiru yoggaa dargaggummaa
Arihanii qabuun
Figanii qaqqabuun
Ajjeesanii dooruun
Addaanyii filachuun
Addaanuu dibachuun
Booka Lulluqqachuun
Cooma jajihachuun.
Namarraa midhaga yowwaa humni jiru
Iddoo humni dhumee maalsaa xifirferu
Marii manguddummaan maal fiduuf xibaaru
Yeroo humni dhumu
Yogguu galgalawu
Afuurri dulluma yeroo dide hadhaawu
Kunis baasa tokko, seenadhaaf maal kaahu.
Manguddoon yeroo raagu, akka adaa orootti sawwani dachaasa
Lammii wal-mufate walitti araarsa
Yoggu lolli hammatu, waraana eebbisa
“Lolaa mirgaan gala
Irree diinaa cabsaa
Seenaa gadaa darbee bakkatti deebisaa!”
Jedhee eebbisa malee yubni hin gadoomu
Ni gorsa malee waraana hin abboomu
Kan baranaa raja maal rakkate yubni? Gorsaa tahuu dhiisee yogguu dabsaa tahu!!
Gaafa inni hogganu taa’e Sudaan keessa
Qabsootu finiine kijiba odeessa.
Yoree angoon isaa badiin mulqamu
Qabsootu hin sosone tasa hin abdatamu
Gafa Xiyyaran Kanaadaa qubatu
Waraanni kumatama rasaasaan dhumatu
Passportin matiidhaaf yerootii rabsamu
Waraanni dirreedhaa yogguu beelaan waxalamu
Hogganni meqatamni yeroo ofiin of fixu
Isaan warri marii masaraa Miniliki shaampaanyiin of dhiqu
Tikkeeta xiyyaaraa dhaqaa gala kutu
Yerootii qabeenyaa shittooni dhiqatu
WBOn dirree hundaa yogguu lolaa jiru
Isaan miliyoonaan qarshii waliif hiru.
Dimaan maadhee ijaara Nayiroobii keessaa
Kaan Kanadaarraa Impaayera faarsa.
Hayyuu ganfa Afrikaa Impayera ijaaru
Waaan seenarra hin jirre kijiba xibaaru.
Yohaannis gabaabaa jaarsaa dardaroome dulluma keessa
Ijaarsa lakkisee guyyuu diiggaa odeessa.
Gaafa lola beegii eenyu ka lolchiisu
Yogguu urgaan baarudaa si  ho hollachisu.
Osoo lola dheeftu ka Roobiin si nyaate
Qeerroon si gombistee
Kara lama albaate.
Haamleekee kamiini kan hoggana qeeqxu
Akka re’etti gannaa badhee nyaattee qeentu.
Goota hafaa summii abiddaan qorame
Cichaa kaayyoo danfaan waxalame.
Niyaadatta laata gaafa lola Toobisii
Dushqaa jala ciftee ya rabbi na eegii.
Qeerroo kudha lama hableen qalamte
Eenyu si baraarraan deebitee of barte.
Eenyu ka dhukaase dhukaasa jalqabaa dirree dhiyaarratti
Silaati garaankee wareegama Baaroo fi ka Badhoohuu ni bahatti
Eeeyyee himi malee Garaan gumbii miti
Dilbi itii hin kuusani dhugaa jiru golguun haadhoo wal hin ficcisisani
Lammis walitti hin kaasani.
Yoom dhugaa dubbatta yeroon kees geesse
Silaatu cobakeef cubbuu guddaa keesse.
Dhiifaman gaafadha haadhoo jal Nagaasaa
Gantuu waliin dhaabbattee maqaakee facaasa
Hin gorsine laataa Garbichoo nu hin baasu wayeen Impayera
Isheetu gubate ekeraadha soora.
Qaroo haadhoo gootaa shamarree sabboontu
Duutee baddi malee Kuween goobuu hin soortu.
Oh! “ Ya goobu! Ya goobu yagoobanaa
Ya gadhee gadii namaa.
Gaangeen kee tabba hin bahiin nyaatiin kee waggaa hin gahiin
Kan facaafatte hin margiin
Ijikee aaga hin argiin.
Gufuu balbalaa tahi re’een sitti haarigattu
Xuwwee galgalaa tahi gadheen sitti ha dhiqattu”
Gobanni inni Daacee yeroo kaadhimamu Oromoon hin teeny hin callisne himu.
“Yaa orobo battee yaa oroboo batte
Yaa oromoo ni bade yaa oromoo ni badde
Hora finfinnee buune sawwan obaasuun hafe
Hurufa Boombiiratti jabbilee yaasuun hafe
Bosona Gafarssaarras Qoraan cabsuun ni hafe.
Erga jarri dhufani sawwan keenyas ni dhumani! ”
Bara qaroominni jabanaa hin jirre
Oromoon Gadaadhaan ilma isa bu’ure.
Nuti oromoo boonaa warra abbaa gadaati
Gadheetu nu cabse nu marsite hallatti.
Bara nuti tifkatte annan sawwaa dhugnu
Isaan nu cabsuudhaaf bar gama quunnamu.
Habashaan gootummaan( jagnummaan) nu hin caalle
Gorsaa warra adii ka tooftaan nu caale
Isaan meeshaa ammayyaa nuti bakaraan lolla
Dhiigni gootowwani lola’e akka lolaa
Xiyyaarri samiirraa boombi nutty roobsa
Tokko hin sodaanne yoom jalaa sokoksa.
Goobuu lammikeessaa garaaf nu gurguru
Qaama ofii ganuun halagaaf kurkuru
“Biddeenni oromoo furdaan osoo jiruu
Maa kajeellaa dhaqxe ganda Waldegabruu”
Jedhe ilmi Dandaanaa yeroo warri marii Mallasaaf kurkuru
Kan wallisaan dhaame hayyuun Gaanfa Afrikaa ka biyya gurguru
Waaye’e goobanoota yoggutin katabu
Otoo na waxalu guggube na waadu
Jooteen Daarbush qalee yeroo irraa dhaddatu
Gidaadan Lammataa  yogguu achii dhalatu
Ni barree jedhu Doktoraan/Injineeraan dhaaddatu
Kabajaa jibbanii dantaaf gangalatu
Dachii Abdiisaa Aagaa, Oliliikaa Dingilu
Warra adiijajiyee Allaattiif foon hiru
Gidaada quxusuun maal isaa xefenferu!!

Galatoomaa!
Saxil Norway irraa.








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WARABESSA AKKA NAMAA

April 3, 2013, 11:10 am
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Waloo Naazir Oromoo tiin

 Walaloon tun baroota kudhan afran  darbanii oliif warra bifa isaanii akka gaarrarraatti ( takka Mi'eessoonitti, takka Icaat, takkaa Wayyaneetti, takkaa Jijjiiramatti, takkaa Waltajjii Mariitti, takkaa ADOtti)  gegeeddaratanii qabsoo keessa taa'uun kolaasafi baleessa kan as gahan irratti xiyyeeffatti. Eenyummaa dhugaa hoggantoota Adda Dimokiraatawaa Oromoo (ADO)fi akeeka isaanii irratti yaada gadifageenyaa dhiyeessiti.  Dhaggeeffattootafi dubbistoota, walaloo sabboonaan kun barreesserraa waan heedduu barattanii namoota birootifis qooddu/hirtu jennee yaanna. 

 

ADOn lammummaa Itoophiyaa Oromoorratti fedhii Oromoo  malee fee'uudhaaf qophii cimaarra jira. Mirga nam-tokkeefi mirga lamummaa qofa argamsiisuuf karoora jedhu jalatti eenyumma Oromoo fi biyya isaa Oromiyaa guutumatti akka kanaan dura baramee hinbeekinetti diiguufi  kaartaa lafaarraa haquuf qophaa'aa jiru. 

ADOn eenyummaa Oromoofi Oromiyaa lammmata gurguree balleessa caalatti  saba keenya osoo hingeessin, dhaaba kanaafi karoora/sagantaa isaa kolaasuun/fashaleessuun dirqama dargaggoota Oromiyaafi guutuu addunyaati. 
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Dajane Jalata's Social Grievance Music: Goota Dhugaatu Marara...

April 13, 2013, 5:03 am
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Oromo Athletes Win Three International Marathons in One Week

April 21, 2013, 10:37 am
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Marathon Nation: Ultimate Breeder of Global Elite Athletes

Oromo elite athletes have won three marathons in just one week: The Rotterdam Marathon, The Boston Marathon and The London Marathon. Can we call them Oromo athletes, Ethiopian athletes or both? Does it diminish their success if we recognize who they are? 


Other than obviously running representing Ethiopia officially, at least until Oromia's freedom, what do the winners of the Rotterdam, the Boston and the London elite men's marathons have in common? Tilahun Regassa, Lelisa Desisa and Tsegaye H/Wordofa all come from the Oromo nation, Oromia, the ultimate breeder of long-distance elite athletes both in men's and women's divisions. These athletes are the jewels of not only the Oromo whom they come from, but also of whoever is a fan of athletics locally and internationally speaking. 


The attempt here is not to try to limit their ownership to the Oromo nation, but to create awareness to recognize their Oromo identity, which has implications on how they are treated as human beings when they are denied their basic right of, at least, freely speaking in their mother-tongue when they win. The current trend seems to be that the athletes fear to speak Afan Oromo because they fear losing their careers due to the racist attitude from "Ethiopians" who would only want them to identify as "Amharic-speaking Ethiopian champions." For some, Amharic is a second language that they don't understand.     



Achievements

Tilhaun Regassa won the Rotterdam Marathon in the Netherlands on Sunday April 14, 2013, finishing at 2:05:38:11.   Here is Tilahun Regassa's unique interview after winning the 2013 Rotterdam Marathon:




Lelisa Desisa 

The following day, on April 15,  shortly before the tragic Boston Marathon Bombings,  Lelisa Desisa (Ambo, Central Oromia) won the Boston Marathon's men's elite race clocking  2:10:22. The Oromo nation sends its condolences to the victims and families of the victims of the Boston attack. Bringing yet the second pride to all the fans of marathon as well as to the Oromo, Lelisa Desisa finished beautifully. Watch how Lelisa Desisa runs in this video:

  

Tsegaye Kebede Hordofa clenched his second title at the London Marathon, winning in a very competitive race with his Kenyan next of kin, Emanuel Muthai. Hordofa (Kebede) clocked  2:06:04. The London Marathon started with a moment of silence for victims of the Boston Marathon.  Hordofa grew up poverty-stricken in central Oromia, Finfinne area, the capital city.  Watch how  Tsegaye Kebede Hordofa won the London Marathon here: 






Oromo Authletes and the Dilemma of Nonrecognition in Ethiopia's Sports



 Beyond being a powerful source of pride for Oromia, Ethiopia, Oromo athletes are the source of pride for Africa and the entire humanity that likes this sport. Every athlete runs representing an official country. So do Oromo athletes, at least for now, until Oromia is free or independent.  Unlike other places where the ethnic origins of athletes are readily acknowledged, for instance, Kenya's Geoffrey Mutai  and many others' origin from the Kalenjin ethnicity, Ethiopia fully suppresses the core ethno-national identity of Oromo athletes in order to prevent the Oromo people from being known worldwide. It is almost considered a taboo or a violation of Abyssinian colonial rules for these  athletes to speak to journalists in their mother-tongue, Afan Oromo. Mind you, Amharic-speaking athletes are free to speak in their native because their blood kins rule Ethiopia.  Even today, Oromos are forced to express themselves in a colonial language that they don't understand or did not learn in school. 



Oromo athletes are often forced to speak through Amharic interpreters. They are also deprived of the opportunity to learn to  speak in English. Communication challenges they face answering questions  are enormous as they don't fully understand three languages that they find themselves circum-translating or getting circum-interpreted in.  They face double alienation from  Abyssinians who don't expressly support or recognize their merits because  of the beautiful Oromo last names they bear such as  Regassa, Desisa, and Hordofa.  Pay attention to how  they carefully expunged the last name "Hordofa" from "Kebede", the winner of the 2013  London Marathon because Habeshas did not like the fact that his name was not Amharic or Tigrigna--hegemonic ethnics' languages.  

The competing nationalisms of Oromia and Ethiopia  are obviously reflected in sports (athletics) as much as they are reflected in combative political competitions. If the athlete has an Oromo name, the Habesha would be reluctant about tweeting or sharing their success on social media or mainstream media for that matter.  A related competing nationalism around sports was also seen during the most recent African Cup of Nations in South Africa. 


One wonders how each of the athletes who are caught up in this violent mutual nonrecognition feel each time their very right to speak in their native tongue is suppressed or denied, each time they don't have an Afan Oromo speaking interpreter who understands their culture and language and who can best help them speak to the media of host nations. 

It is a miracle for these athletes to win three international  marathons in just one week. Our nation and the world are proud of their achievements. We marvel at their becoming champions beating through hard work the economically and socially cruel and degrading environments they grew up in.  
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Injustice Somewhere Will Follow You Somewhere Else, in Oslo, Norway

April 28, 2013, 12:02 pm
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Photo: Thomas Rasmus Skaug / Dagbladet:
"Several protesters were handcuffed and taken care of by the police, but was released after a short time."
A historically pro-Oromo refugees Norway has been evolving into an unfavorable place for Oromo refugees and refugees from the Horn of Africa in recent years. Abandoning its own humanitarian streak, the Norwegian government has drifted too far in the direction of questionable tolerance and support for the regime in Finfinne (Addis Ababa), which stands accused of war crimes and crimes against humanity in regions such as Oromia, Ogaden and Gambella, among other places. "Genocide Watch considers Ethiopia to have already reached Stage 7 [of genocide], genocidal massacres, against many of its peoples, including the Anuak, Ogadeni, Oromo, and Omo tribes."

According to a news article by Johansen , of 150 Oromos who have showed up to stage protest in front of a hotel in Oslo, police arrested 11 under the pretext of causing a "public nuisance." They were allegedly protesting without permission, which justified the arrest. 

Unfortunately, for the Oromo, who gathered to protest the meeting of Ethiopian officials,  injustice in Oromia followed them in Oslo, Norway.  Oslo police clearly demonstrated that it cared more about the proceeding of the meeting organized by Ethiopian officials more than it cared about burning human rights issues that were to be raised by  the protesters: "It [Ethiopia meeting]does not go peacefully. We must try to keep them away from the hotel entrance, said operations manager of the Oslo police..." 

The arrest of the protesters against Ethiopian regime officials is not only unusual in highly developed nations like Norway, but it is also a worrisome situation as this might set off not only restrictions on freedom of speech,  but also the potential for deporting refugees just like  Yemen and other Horn of African regimes neighboring Ethiopia have been doing over the years in collaboration with Ethiopian authorities. 

It would have been fair if instead of  arresting and handcuffing Oromo exiles with legitimate grievances, Oslo police arrested Tigrean People's Liberation Front officials who work for a regime known for  committing mass atrocities and crimes against humanity in Oromia and Ogaden regions.  To put it in perspective, not arresting Ethiopian officials was almost like not arresting Omar al-Bashir, but instead arresting Darfurian protesters in Oslo, hypothetically speaking.  

This arrest was not all too bad despite the dehumanizing aspect of holding down protesters on concrete sidewalks and handcuffing them in public.  The protesters did manage to make their case of opposing the rampant human rights violations in Oromia. The good news was the Oslo protesters were released later in the day and got news coverage in a Norwegian media out of the unfortunate event.  That is a good trade-off, but arrest targeting human rights activists should not have happened on a Norwegian soil of all places in the first place. 

Johansen wrote: 
Oromia er en region i Etiopia, med anslagsvis 27 millioner innbyggere. Oromoene har sitt eget språk, og er den største av 80 forskjellige etniske grupperinger i Etiopia. Likevel er de stort sett satt på sidelinjen politisk. 
Which can be Google-translated using a Chrome browser and means the following:


Oromia is a region in Ethiopia, with an estimated 27 [??] million people. Oromo have their own language [Afan Oromo], and [Oromo] is [are] the largest of the 80 different ethnic groups in Ethiopia. Yet they are largely sidelined politically.[emphasis added]
Well, "sidelined" is a gross understatement for a people going through stages of genocidal process. But, at least it suffices that the entrenched problems Oromos face in Ethiopia are acknowledged thanks to the courageous demonstrators who did something in order to highlight the plight of the Oromo people in the Ethiopian empire. 

A broader question: Is this an isolated incident against protesters who failed to seek permission or is this a part of the ever growing Euro-centrism that is increasingly becoming hostile toward immigrants from Africa? 

As you may recall, the Norwegian government backed the deportation of "Ethiopian" asylum-seekers sometime in 2012. Norway signed an agreement with the Ethiopian government in order to facilitate the deportation of around 400 allegedly undocumented refugees.  Luckily, that also failed to materialize thanks to the wide criticisms it attracted from  Horn of African activists.  


We need to constructively engage the Norwegian government to revert to its earliest pro-refugees and pro-victims position. This can be done by emphasizing that the ones that deserve to be arrested are the ones that commit mass atrocities in Oromia, i.e. Ethiopian regime officials, not innocents who take to the streets to speak up against injustice. Leave Oromo exiles alone.
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Footnote:

For the quoted material, translation from Norwegian to English was made using Google Translate. Since this was a software-based translation, the meanings in the translation may not  accurately reflect the original.  

   









 
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OSA Writes Appeal Letter to US Secretary of State John Kerry

May 7, 2013, 8:42 pm
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P.O Box 32391, Fridley, MN 55432

www.oromosudies.org

May 07, 2013


Secretary of State John Kerry                            

US Department of State

2201 C Street NW

Washington, DC 20520

RE: OSA’s Appeal Letter to US Secretary of State John Kerry in Advance of his Trip to Ethiopia



Dear Honorable Mr. Kerry,



I am writing this letter on behalf of the Oromo Studies Association (OSA), a scholarly organization established by Oromo and non-Oromo scholars to promote studies on and relevant to the Oromo people, the largest ethno-national group in the Horn of Africa constituting about 40% of the Ethiopian population. We have learned from the media outlets about your planned trip to Ethiopia to attend the AU summit in Addis Ababa (Finfinnee) from May 19 to 27, 2013. While we welcome your trip to Africa and appreciate the desire of the United States to actively engage in the continent, we are gravely concerned that your trip to Ethiopia and your contact with the Ethiopian authorities might be construed as your government’s endorsement of the minority TPLF-led Ethiopian government’s crimes against humanity and its continuous human rights violations against the Oromo and other peoples of the country. These crimes have been consistently and repeatedly well documented, among several other reliable sources, by the US State Department annual reports[1] on Ethiopia.



Your upcoming trip to Ethiopia comes at a time when the Ethiopian government authorities continue with their massive human rights violations under the cover of fighting terrorism by branding dissenters as “terrorists”; religious freedom is curtailed and thousands of Muslims are peacefully protesting every week demanding freedom of religion despite the fact that the government unlawfully prohibited any peaceful rally in the country; millions of Oromo farmers and other indigenous people  are unlawfully and forcefully evicted from their ancestral villages and their fertile arable and grazing lands which have been their livelihood for centuries are given to transnational and Tigrayan investors; the freedom of speech and the freedom of the press have been suppressed.



Dear Honourable Mr. Kerry:

Our scholarly association has continuously appealed to the different offices of your government, requesting that the United States stop supporting the Ethiopian regime until it stops its human rights abuses. Some examples our appeals are:

Ø  On January 25, 2013, we have written a joint letter[2] to your predecessor, her Honourable Madam Hillary Clinton, for her to use her influence with the Ethiopian government and facilitate the release of all political prisoners and to take practical action to promote real democratic changes in Ethiopia. Furthermore, on the same day, we organized and held a protest rally of several hundreds of Oromo-Americans in front of the US State Department asking your government to stop supporting the minority ethnocratic regime in Ethiopia.

Ø  In my position as the current OSA President, I have written four other appeal letters on the human rights violations by the Ethiopian government and a copy of each of these letters have been sent to your office or to the Office of President Obama. These letters can be found on the publications[3] page of OSA’s website.

Ø  My immediate past Presidents of OSA have also consistently written appeal letters to your government and to other international organizations (copied to your government) to bring to your attention the gross human rights violations and the multidimensional sufferings of the Oromos and other Ethiopians under the current ruling Tigrayan People Liberation Front (TPLF) minority regime in Ethiopia. These letters can also be found on the same publications[4] page of OSA’s website.

The Oromo Studies Association (OSA) once again kindly ask you to use your trip to Ethiopia and to directly ask the Ethiopian authorities fulfill the following demands:

Demand the Release of Political Prisoners in Ethiopia








1) Oromo opposition politicians, Bekele Gerba and Olbana Lelisa ,were arrested in August 2011 after speaking with Amnesty International officials. They were sentenced with seven other Oromos in November 2012 to long prison terms under fabricated charges.


Demand the release of Oromo opposition leaders such as Mr. Bekele Gerba, Olbana Lelissa, and seven other Oromo nationals, Welbeka Lemi, Adem Busa, Hawa Wako, Mohamed Melu, Dereje Ketema, Addisu Mikre and Gelgelo Gufa, who were convicted and later sentenced to long term imprisonment under the charge of “working underground to secede Oromia from the federal government” and other concocted charges after being kept in jail for more than a year. The two opposition leaders were arrested in August 2011 after speaking withAmnestyInternational officials and convicted on November 1, 2012.

2) Demand the release of tens of thousands of Oromo and other political prisoners, some of which have been sentenced to death. To mention a few among the tens of thousands of Oromo nationals languishing in jail for being Oromos include Mesfin Abebe (civil engineer, sentenced to death in March 2010), Tesfahun Chemeda (civil engineer, sentenced to life in March 2010), Eshetu Kitil (Businessman and owner of the Hawi Hotel, sentenced to 12 years without parole in March 2010),  Aberash Yadeta (female, sentenced to 12 years without parole in 2010), Wabe Haji (sentenced to 12 years without parole in 2010), and many, many others. Furthermore, about 200 Oromo youth were rounded up and arrested when they were peacefully celebrating the annual Irreechaa festival (Oromo thanksgiving) at Lake Arsadi, Bushoftu, Oromia. The pictures of some of the youth arrested on this festival pictures shown below.



3) Demand the unconditional release of 29 leaders of the Ethiopian Muslim community who were arrested between July 19 and July 21, 2012 and afterwards, including Chairman Abubakar Ahmed, Spokesperson Ahmedin Jebel and committee members Kamil Shemsu, Sultan Aman, Adem Kamil, Jemal Yasim and Meket Muhe, andothers.

You may not be aware that hundreds of Ethiopian Muslims are protesting on a weekly basis, non-stop for over a year, asking the government to stop interfering in their religious affairs and demanding the release of their spiritual leaders who have been unlawfully thrown into jail.


4)  Forcefully inform the Ethiopian government authorities that US aid to Ethiopia will be contingent on their respect of human rights of the Ethiopian citizens and on the unconditional release of all political prisoners. Don’t let the Ethiopian authorities try to fool you by telling you the usual lie that “there are no political prisoners in Ethiopia.” Bekele Gerba, Olbana Lelisa, Mesfin Abebe, Eshetu Kitil, Wabe Haji, and tens of thousands others are all political prisoners.

Demand that the Ethiopian Government Stop Forcefully Evicting Oromo Farmers and Leasing their Land to Foreign and Tigrayan Investors.


Hundreds of thousands of farmers mainly from the regions of Oromia, Gambela, Benishangul, and the Southern Nations are forcefully evicted from their arable and grazing lands and their lands are leased to foreign investors. During your stay in Ethiopia and contact with the Ethiopian authorities, we kindly request you to:

Ø  Demand that the Ethiopian government stop its land-grabbing and distribution policies with no delay;

Ø  Request that the Ethiopian government return those evicted farmers to their villages and compensate all the victims of the land-grab;

Ø  Demand that the Ethiopian government recognizes the indigenous people’s ownership of their ancestral lands; and

Demand the Ethiopian Government to Respect the Freedom of the Press, Speech, Assembly, and to stop Jamming Radios including the Voice of America and Blocking Websites.


Freedom of expression is curtailed in Ethiopia: citizens are jailed if they attempted to criticize the government in any shape or form; journalists are jailed or forced to flee the country; free media have been suppressed and the Ethiopian government controls all media outlets of the country; independent radio stations broadcasting to the country from abroad are constantly jammed; opposition websites are blocked. During your contact with the Ethiopian authorities, we kindly request that you demand the government respect the basic rights of its citizens and to:

Ø  respect and implement  its own constitution, which on paper guarantees  respect for  human rights,  promises  freedom of religion, of expression, of peaceful protest and democratic governance, which the Oromo and other peoples of Ethiopia have never enjoyed in the past twenty-one years;

Ø  repeal all new laws that violate the fundamental freedom of citizens: particularly the so called Anti-terrorism Law, Press Law, the current law that prevents charitable organizations from freely moving in the country, and the most recent law that criminalizes the usage of Skype and other media tools;

Ø  stop harassing journalists and jamming VOA and other free radio stations broadcasting to Ethiopia, and blocking opposition websites.


Thank you for promoting the rule of law, human rights, and social justice for the Oromo and other oppressed peoples in Ethiopia.



Sincerely,


Mosisa Aga, Ph.D.

President, Oromo Studies Association

http://www.oromosudies.org

maga@aum.edu

334 244 3335


CC

Amnesty International USA

Penn Plaza

New York, NY 10001, USA

admin-us@aiusa.org


Human Rights Watch

350 Fifth Avenue, 34th Floor

New York, NY 10118-3299, USA

hrwpress@hrw.org







The PDF version of the letter is available here.  
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UNSETTLING PATTERNS OF GENOCIDAL MASSACRES AGAINST OROMO IN OROMIA, ETHIOPIA

May 9, 2013, 5:55 pm
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By Qeerransoo Biyyaa

 Barreeffamicha Afaan Oromootiin sagleedhaan dhaggeeffadhu:

Framing: What We Are Told Is Not What It Is

Tigire ruling elites often misleadingly frame genocidal massacres against the Oromo people in various parts of Oromia as "inter-communal violence, ethnic conflict, border conflict or water conflict" in order to absolve themselves from responsibility and possible future indictment in local and international courts. 

For at least two decades, genocidal massacres against Oromo have been framed that way in order to cover-up the deliberate effort by TPLF elites to either reduce Oromo by attrition to a minority population or to destroy them fully so that Tigireans can take over Oromia and its resources. That is their long-term plan. 

Aslii Oromo, an exiled Oromo political prisoner and torture survivor, cited the late Ethiopian Prime Minster Meles Zanawi ( from Tigray) who said,"We [TPLF or Tigrean elites] will reduce the number of Oromos from 40 million to 4000 without the knowledge of the world." Yet, many, including some well-meaning Oromos, have hesitated  calling widespread massacres against Oromo a "genocide", and  comfortably stayed on the human rights violations side of a much protracted problem. 

Ethnic Tigire elites declared their intent of destroying the Oromo partially or fully and have acted on their declarations. Where they did not declare these intents, they can be inferred from the actions of singling out and massacring and displacing Oromo en masse or selling their lands to land grabbers by the millions of hectares. Even an airhead would understand that no one group will massacre other groups just out of love or to do them some favor by killing them off of their land.  Calling massacres against Oromo "genocide" has been avoided mainly because some people make false strategic calculations and believe that it is enough for the Oromo to claim human rights abuses instead of claiming genocide too. Human rights violations are indicators. There are some who see the talk of genocide as an inflation or overstatement. But, connecting evidence on the ground can show us that massacres in Oromia are  indeed conspicuous acts of  genocide.  

Let's just go beyond routine condemnation press releases, which echo the official framing of such massacres as "border conflicts or ethnic clashes etc", and come to grips with the reality--genocide. The methods are multi-pronged: direct massacre, displacement, landgrab, spread of lethal infectious diseases, starving, withholding services, destroying crops to just list a few.  In the process, it becomes important to see these massacres as part of an ongoign genocide, "the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic,racial, religious, or national group"

With absolute military, economic and diplomatic powers, Tigirean elites have ever been emboldened to destroy the Oromo nationality and its material, cultural and intellectual properties. They are accountable to no one--not to their laws, not to international law and not to moral principles. TPLF elites' arrogance is becoming limitless, soaring. While they engage in genocidal activities in Oromia, the international community has afforded them the complete silence they so want. However, the human and material destruction caused by Tigire elites in Oromia is no short of the Syrian crisis or Darfur, but Western cameras are not focused on Ethiopia as its has been considered a regional counter-terrorism linchpin even now when Somalia is on the path of stability and reconstruction.  

 Reductionist may say, "oh yea, ethnic clashes have been going on between Oromo and others for decades, so what is the big deal about what is happening now?" 

As stressed earlier, these are not just ethnic clashes between equally armed or unarmed groups trying to settle their differences violently.  To understand what is going on, we have to make the links between the different events of massacres in Oromia. Briefly comparing the recent genocide hotspots in eastern Oromia, southern Oromia and western Oromia will offer a much needed deep perspective.  

 Patterns of Genocide

1. The Case of Massacre and Displacement  in Eastern Oromia

The mass atrocities against Oromo in Eastern Oromia (Qumbi county) started in 2011 when TPLF elites provided advice to armed bands of Ogaden militants to lay claim to six districts that traditionally belonged to Oromia region. Land claims are TPLF incentives to another group to get the group to indirectly  commit genocide on their behalf.  Who does the planning of the genocide--TPLF elites--are more important than the agents on the ground hired to do the depraved job of massacring and looting. This violence has been intensifying over the last six months. The Human Rights League of the Horn of Africa describes the massacre and the displacement in the following terms:

....this government-backed violence that has been going on in the name of border dispute around the Anniya, Jarso and Miyesso districts between the Oromia and Ogaden regional states has already resulted in the death and/or disappearance of 37 Oromo nationals and the displacement of about 20,000 others. Around 700 different types of cattle and other valuable possessions are also reported to have been looted. The reports indicate that the violence has been backed by two types of armed forces (the Federal Liyou/Special Police and the Ogaden Militia) from the Ogadenis side, while on the side of the Oromos, even those who demonstrated the intentions of defending themselves in the same manner were disarmed, dispossessed and detained.

Another radio report estimates the number of internally displaced Oromos at 150,000 people. The displaced people continue to die through starvation and diseases. 

Who are the attackers and how and why were they organized? Who supplies them? What types of weapons  were they using? The above quote does provide answers to those questions. It is well known that the Federal Liyu/Special  Police is a heavily armed group that carried out the killings and the displacements on behalf of the Tigrean elites who master-minded the creation of this Janjaweed-like group with UK tenders.

Just like the Sudanese government organized, armed and used Janjaweed militias  to overrun villages in Darfur, the Ethiopian government has organized and supplied Liyu Police and has had them overrun several villages, towns and counties in eastern Hararghe, Oromia. In contrast, the Oromo were disarmed and discouraged from carrying out any acts of self-defense, according to the report quoted above.  The Oromo have absorbed everything passively. When a group of government-backed  heavily armed military group attacks villages, of course, the primary responsibility falls on the government who created it and mobilized it to commit mass atrocities. If the government did not plan this genocide, why were it watching it for six months until it gets to this?  

The main reason TPLF uses groups such as Liyu Police from the neighboring Ogaden region or any other region is because it wants to acquit itself from being held accountable and brought to justice in a local or international court at some point in the future. It  is also easier for TPLF elites to frame such massacres "border disputes" for the same purpose of absolving themselves, but they won't be quite  as absolved as they think since evidence shows they have planned, funded and and executed  these attacks. This is a pure case of a heavily armed group overrunning Oromo civilians in towns and villages. It is not a war between two armed groups. It is a massacre perpetrated by a state-run militia group. Locally, everyone knows this despite the misleading frames being tossed around.   

2. The Case of Massacre and Displacement in Borana, Moyale

BBC reported in July 2012 that scores of unarmed Oromos were massacred and  over 20,000 were displaced by the same force from the neighboring Ogaden region. Like the Eastern Hararge massacre,  the Moyale massacre was a result of  cross- border raid into Oromia from the neighboring Somali region. This group was also heavily armed with military convoys, trucks, AK47s, machine guns,  and other kinds of  heavy weapons that only a group armed by the Ethiopian government can afford to have.  Tigrean leaders have provided Oromo lands as incentives upon a successful completion of massacre in this area as well. The Oromo got displaced and the land was occupied by the armed settlers from a neighboring region. The attackers fulfilled their short-term goals of sharing the spoils of genocide, while their TPLF elites master-minding this massacre have  made progress toward their goal of destroying the Oromo nation. TPLF elites do not care because the violence against Oromo does not affect their co-ethnics in Tigray region who are far removed from the actions. We are talking about the distance between Mekele and Moyale here (951 miles or 1530kms). Tigreans are sheltered from the kind of genocidal violence their elites unleash on Oromos everyday.      


3. The Case of Massacre and Displacement in Eastern Wallega 

The massacre in eastern Wallega (western Oromia) began in 2008 and went on for over 5 years. This also shares the features of the two other  massacres and  massive displacements. The only difference is the difference of another neighboring group from Benishangul Gumuz that Ethiopia trained and supplied to do the same job of perpetrating genocidal violence on behalf of Tigire elites. These elites are capable of extremely evil schemes that no rational person can contemplate. The same applies here---they don't care because the violence doesn't affect their Tigrean co-ethnics who live removed far from the actions--we are talking about a distance between  Nekemete  and Mekele (675.5 miles or 1087km). 

Oromia Support Group describes eastern Wallega massacre in the following way:


....the slaughter of defenceless Oromo by Benishangul Gumuz militia in the Didessa and Hanger valleys, Eastern Wallega, from 17-19 May.Well-trained and armed by the government with AK47s and heavier machine guns, Gumuz militias attacked unarmed Oromo villagers as they slept, slaughtering men, women, children and babies, cutting throats, dismembering bodies and casting body parts aside – limbs, breasts and genitals.

Overall Picture of Genocide in Oromia

The cases above, among others, show us how the ruling Tigrean elites are aggressively hiring, training and supplying Oromo neighbors to perpetrate genocide on their behalf foolishly thinking that that would absolve them from responsibility. The arrogance of Tigrean power in Ethiopia is growing by the day. It's an unrestrained power of a hate-intoxicated minority elites who would stop at nothing short of wiping out Oromos slowly as their leaders have claimed or implied in the past. The misrepresentation of these  massacres and displacements targeting the Oromo are promoted by both TPLF elites as well as the international media that relies on Tigirean sources for their news reporting and opinions. 

Since Ethiopia prohibits  journalists and the press direct access to these sites of genocide, the act is often wrongly labelled inter-ethnic clashes over borders, pasture and water. They did not or could not see what it really was.  Looking at the nature of the state-backed heavily armed militia groups makes the cases rise above ordinary clashes between  civilians of equal power. 

The Desire for the World to Know

An elderly survivor from east Oromia said:

"...As I speak to you now, my eyes are filled with tears, we don't have any mobile phones, we don't have a single camera in the village to take pictures of our people who have fallen and let the world know... Those of you in exile must know that our people are being hunted like wild animals, but nobody knows about this outside." 

The elderly survivor was very smart to observe that recording/filming events of massacres can help publicize the ongoing genocide against the Oromo people. The lack of cameras and inexpensive mobile phones also reflects badly on  Oromo leaders who have failed to listen and continue to only issue dry press releases from the convenience of their desktop computers using word processors. If we can't get cameras in and get pictures and videos of many state-backed massacres out of Oromia, at the minimum, what is the point of the Oromo national struggle?


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Networking Africa:Conversations with Aminata Diop, Founder of The Tamaji Magazine

May 25, 2013, 10:39 pm
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In the interest of sharing what African young writers and media entrepreneurs from other parts of Africa are doing in promoting under-represented African stories, this Oromo Press podcast presents an in-depth interview with Aminata Diop, a Senegalese published author based in New York City. Aminata Diop is a novelist and the founder and Editor-in-Chief of The Tamaji Magazine. 

The Tamaji Magazine is  "a collaborative bilingual webzine" that promotes communication between black cultures around the world and between new and old African Diasporas using multimedia and social media.  Qeerransoo Biyyaa sat down for an interview with Aminata Diop to probe into her professional and creative journey and to share that unique experience with the audience of Oromo Press.

Aminata Diop's has one big vision: she thinks of  achieving a digital revolution through her magazine--a kind of revolution that aims to rekindle pan-African cultural conversations among African youth and the youth in the African diasporas around the planet. 

The magazine also showcases African stories to interested non-Africans as well in English and French--Aminata speaks and writes in both .

She authored a novel titled The Mirth of College and is now working on her forthcoming novel project.

Listen to the podcast and compare this West African experience to your own Oromo, East African experience. Also,find out what kind of hip-hop music and Senegalese music Aminata Diop enjoys listening to toward the end of the interview.



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Baqattoonni Oromiyaa Liibiyaafi Tuuniiziyaa Turan Gariin Biyya Sadaffaa Qubsifamani: Mardaasaa Aaddisuu

June 9, 2013, 8:15 pm
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  Obbo Mardaasaa Aaddisuu baqattoota Oromoo biyyoota Kaaba Aafrikaa,Gaanfa Aafrikaafi Arabaa  keessatti  gargaaruudhaan muuxannoo waggoota baayyee nama qabu. Muuxanoo hojii namoomaa (humanitarian) isaarraa nuuf hira. 


Dowwii kana keechatti, Obbo Mardaasaa Aaddisuu waliin rakkooleen baqattoota Oromoorra biyyoota Kaabaafi Gaanfa Aafrikaatti  gahaa ture/jiru maal akka fakkaatan gadifageenyaan laalla. Keechumattuu,yeroo dhiyoo keecha Liibiyaafi Tuuniziyaa irraa baqattoota Oromoo haga tokko biyya sadaffaa keessa qubachiisuurratti milikii ykn bu'aa argame nuuf ibsa, Obbo Mardaasaan. Akkuma beekkamu, oggaa sadi duraa eegalee sochiin farra-mootummoota abbaalee-irree Tuuniiziyaa,Liibiyaafi Masirii keessatti ta'uun isaa niyaadatama. Sochiileefi wal-waraansonni sunneen ummatootuma biyyoota kanneenituu daran miidhani.

Baqattoonni Oromoos miidhaa sanarraa hinhafine. Dhimmoota isaan hinilaalle keeyisatti miidhamani. Baqattoonni Oromoo mormitoota, mootumoota akkasumas saboota biyyoota Kaaba Aafrikaatiin aleellaan gurgurddoon irra gahaa ture/jira. Baqattoonni Oromoo Oromummaa isaanitiin, biyya Tophiyaatii dhufan jedhamuudhaafi, gurraachumaa isaanitiin soqamanii rukutamaa as gahani. 

Baqattoota 150 ol ta'an naachota galaanaan nyaatamuufi ibidda waraanaa biyya ambaa heedduu jala taranii biyyoota Ameerikaa, Awustraaliyaafi iddoo biroo qubsiifamaa jiru. Kan dhumaniin walbira qabineee yoo laalle, baqattoonni Oromoo 150 olitti tilmaamaman  qubisiifamuun bicuudha. Warra dhuman lakkoofsa sirrii isaanituu beekuuf hindanda'amu. 


Biyyarraa godaanuuf dirqamuufi balaa gurguddoof saaxilamuu baqattoota Oromootiif furmaanni isaa maali? Baqattummaa akkamitti hir'isna? Baqattoota akkamitti gargaarra? Baqattummaa dhaabunuu danda'amaa?  Gaaffii deebii kana guututti akka dhaggeeffattan waan barbaannuuf ibsa dheeraa kennuurraa of qusanna. Ofumaa dhageeffadha, hubadhaafi hiikkadhaa. Xumurarratti, sirba Abdishuu Ammaa "Oromiyaa dhiisee..." jedhu isin afeerra. Tottolfadhaa haga xumuraatti nu waliin turaa jenna. Qabiyyee sagantaa kanaa oo jalatte, nama biraaf sabaahimaa hawaasaa keerratti dabarsi. 
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Updates on Oromo Refugees in Egypt: Tweet Interview

June 23, 2013, 2:23 pm
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New updates to the situation of Oromo refugees in Egypt:

Novinha2h
In fact, they have only secured 12 flats. The other landlords have refused to rent to Ethiopian

  1. 2h
    Concerning the protest, I received very bad news today. Yesterday, I told you they had found about 70 housing units in a new area.
 
-----------------------------------------------------------
So far, around 70 housing units have been found, we hope that families could start to settle down before the end of the week.

Image will appear as a link



  1. Oromo Press
    Thanks for the information, but , by the way, Oromo is spelled with a capital "O"--name of people.

  2. Is there a compensation for community organization properties lost in the process of dislocation?

  3. Do you know if there is any payment for medical treatment or compensation for injuries inflicted on refugees?

  4. Just asking because you seem to be closely following the event?



  5. From who? Egyptian authorities? No way. They [Oromo refugees] can barely survive in the camp...

  6. From Egyptian authorities from the UNHCR and so on?

  7. Refugees can access medical treatment in a refugees hospital. Usually, it depends on their financial situation.

  8. What is the thought of the Oromo refugees on the 70 housing units? Have they agreed to be relocated? Will that guarantee safety?

  9. There are NGOs who try to support them.


  11. Oromo refugees in Egypt will be relocated to a place where a lot of refugees are already living : Syrians, Iraqis, Somalis...


  13. For the moment, Oromo refugees don't want to go back to their place of earlier residences. They also don't want to move alone.

  14. What is that place they are moving to called? Is that a camp?



  15. But, as there will be many families to move altogether, Oromo refugees may recreate a sense of community.

  16. Furthermore, the place where they will be relocated is better in quality of life, less pollution, more green.

  17. Hope the other refugees already in Camps there will get along well with them.

  18. More green? I am amazed at that. A green/better quality refugee camp is a good thing to think of or visualize.



  19. Depending on their resources their medical expenses are covered up to 80%, Moreover, medicines are largely subsidized in Egypt.

  21. Healthcare is not very expensive (but the quality is also poor). If the refugees need treatment not affordable in Egypt, they can be relocated to a third country depending on their situation.

  22.  
    Are there economic activities in the camp? Like something refugees can do to earn a living?
  23. The poor quality of healthcare is understandable. I guess that applies to the general population there too.

  24. Andif their lives (in case of disability, for instance) depends on expensive treatments, they can qualify for resettlement elsewhere.

  25. What is their opinion on moving? Happy? Sad? Unsure?Not consenting? Consenting?


    I think they feel relieved. I paid them a visit this weekend. They are tired. We are expecting massive Egyptian protests next week.
    1. Thanks. It's good you say they feel that way. What is the next Egyptian protest over?

  26. We do not have refugee camps in Egypt (except in Salloum on the Libyan border), we only have urban refugees scattered all over Egypt.

  27. But, most of them are living in Cairo and suburbs, and Alexandria.

  28. Okay that's interesting! East African countries like Kenya have refugee camps.

  29. I guess those are beautiful places to call home if it were not for the dire safety issues.

  30. There is no camp :) Just flats (apartments). One flat in a building, another one in another building a few blocks away...

  31. Your follow-up on these issue is so much admirable. You are informing us. And we need that eye-witness information to be in solidarity with Oromo refugees in Egypt.

  32. Okay.

  33. Novinha
    Theoretically they are not allowed to work in Egypt (Egypt violated the 1951 refugees Convention), but they can find informal  jobs.

    NovinhaNUnfortunately, a lot of countries violate the international conventions, concerning refugees...

    2. Oromo Press
      Yes, that is true.


  34. It is not easier for women who work as cleaning ladies either. They are in a very difficult position because many of them are well educated people.

  35. I see that violation of international convention is obviously against refugee needs for safety and protection. What if refugeeness happens to Egyptians at some point?

  36. Exactly, Oromo refugees are poor among the poor. A single woman and children can receive assistance up to $120-130 USD--just enough to cover a rent.



  37. But a poor Egyptian family have no assistance. A public teacher makes less than $60 USD.

  38. 60USD/month?

  39. Poverty is a tragic African story--often made by the very leaders who sever some group else's interests and basic needs.



  41. The priority now is that Oromo refugees have a shelter before 30th of June. They know that for their own safety they have to leave before June 30, 2013.

  42. What are Egyptians going to protest about?

  43. I thought you guys had a popular democracy and it's over.


  45. Pro-secular government Egyptians want the removal of the current President Morsi. 30th of June is his election anniversary. Some are predicting a bloodbath already.

  47. Holy cow! What!?

  48. How popular is that idea of removing Morsi?

  49. The way to democracy is long, thorny with a lot of backward steps. It would have been utopic to think the revolution was over.

  50. The Muslim Brotherhood supporters announced on social media that they won't let the removal happen, saying "Morsi our blood is your blood."

  51. Right. Revolution is never easy and never finished. Dreams/expectations do get deferred. Hope things will work out peacefully.

  52. I think, there are a lot of announcements effects. Media announcements are predicting the end of the world on June 30th, authorities hope people stay at home.

  53. You're gonna be in for an episode! Are you going to be at the protest square/site?



  54. NO WAY!!! In fact, I am leaving Egypt in a few days. Sad to see the Oromos, the other refugees and even the Egyptians there.

  55. Announcing the end of the world on Tv? Humorous.

  56. Good decision. Safety first. You plan to return when things cool down?



  57. This is my interpretation, but its almost that the Muslim Brotherhood will be saying that it is haram [forbidden] to protest, AlAzhar authorities say Halal.

  58. I guess religions do get used to justify power grab everywhere and most obviously in the Middle East.



  59. No, I am going back to Europe where I come from... I will be back often in Egypt, it is my other home country.

  60. Right

  61. Have a good one! And be safe. Thanks for enlightening us about the context there!

  62. That is very lucky of you. It's good to have two homes to switch between in times of troubles. Fayyaa ta'i (be safe in Afan Oromo).

  63. Thank you for your listening (reading) and your good questions.

  64. It's been my pleasure. Thank you. You're very thoughtful. Thank you very much for the information. And thank you for your relentless support for Oromo refugees in Egypt. Information matters.



Video: Oromo Refugees Protest for 12 Straight Days in Egypt, Demanding Safety and Protection.
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Testimony: Mandated Oromo Refugee Attacked for Allegedly Being "Ethiopian" in Egypt

July 1, 2013, 4:18 pm
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“He is Ethiopian, we have to kick him. They are the people who cut our water.”


BY @Novinha56

Oromo protest has entered its fourth week. Oromo refugees are protesting against the increasing violence they have been facing in Egypt since the beginning of the Nile crisis between Egypt and Ethiopia. International documents assign “Ethiopia” as the official origin of Oromo refugees, often against their consent. Egypt, the country of asylum for Oromo refugees, is in conflict with Ethiopia over the gigantic dam Ethiopia is building over the Blue Nile. The beating of an Oromo interpreter earlier this month, as well as the evictions of others from their flats or apartments, have probably created the need for Oromos to voice their grievances publicly.
I met the Oromo interpreter, Abdatta and asked him to tell me what happened to him on Thursday evening on the 6th of June, 2013. Read more here.
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"In Ethiopia, the Prisons Cry in Afan Oromo"

July 5, 2013, 9:25 am
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By @Novinha56 & Abdata 


I noticed old big scars on Abdata’s wrists while he was telling me the story of his attack. I asked him about them. “I got these scars when I was in prison in Ethiopia and when they tortured me.” Then, he started to tell me his incredibly moving story. Before he started, I asked him if I could publish his story, he agreed. After I knew his story, I asked him again because it was so personal a story and he gave me so much details. He told me he wanted his story to be published because he wanted us to know what happened to his people, the Oromos in Ethiopia, he wanted us to know the persecution they endure. He wanted us to understand how painful it is when he is called an "Ethiopian."  "I am not Ethiopian, I am Oromo, the Ethiopians are those who tortured me." My motivations to publish is the same as Abdata's--to let people know about the suffering. Furthermore, I wanted to destroy a stereotype presenting the African refugees as economic migrants and more particularly those coming from the Horn of Africa. Abdatta has not become a refugee after he was recognized. Abdatta was recognized because he was a refugee. 

My Family's Story
I was born on September 1984 to a wealthy family. My father was a businessman in Hararghe region, Oromia in east Ethiopia. He was purchasing crops in the neighboring towns and then he was selling them in big towns like Harar and Finfinne [Addis Ababa). he also had a store where he was selling goods. I was living in a big house with our mother and my five siblings. My father was a very respected and very influential man. He wanted the Oromo people to know about their history, their culture and their language. He wanted the people to never forget the slaughter of Chali Chalanko where millions of Oromos were murdered just because they were Oromos. My father’s ancestors were among those who were tortured and killed. This is why he became involved with the Oromo cause. In 1991, he joined the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF). It was right after the fall of Mengistu Hailemariam's socialist regime, and after the transitional government was set up. By that time, OLF was part of the transitional government and we had hoped that we could live as Oromo and speak and write our language (it was forbidden under Mengistu’s and other rulers). 

My father had three houses. We were living in one of them, the other one was used to store the grains. He donates the third house and started to teach the Oromo language, Afan Oromo, in it. All Oromo people including youths, elders, children, women, and girls joined my father’s school to learn Qubee [alphabet] in their language. But in 1992, OLF withdrew from the government and my father started to be targeted by the ruling party, the Tigire People's Liberation Front (TPLF), which now is ruling Ethiopia. He was accused of teaching OLF propaganda rather than teaching Qubee and his properties were confiscated because they were considered OLF properties including his school ,food store, our house and eventually my father was arrested. 
After my father's arrest, my mother decided to move and we rented a small house. With the money she saved, she managed to open a small cafeteria where she was selling some food and coffee to support her family. The TPLF was watching her: some of their members came to the coffee shop, ate and drank for free by employing coercion.

At the end of 1993, TPLF security killed my father and we found his body and we buried him. While all the family were mourning my father's death, the authorities came. They wanted to know who found the body and who buried him. They took some people of my family including my mother into custody. They even came back to take Salih Amayu, the lady who cared for us. We were too young and we didn’t know how and where we could find them. From that time on, we know nothing about their whereabouts. Since then, we are orphans.

All of my siblings and I were scattered to different areas. I and Keyranas returned back to our home town and started living there with our neighbor Nouriya. Dursitu and Megarsa used to live in Mechara town in Hararghe with a friend of my father until the Ethiopian national elections in 2005. But after elections, they were suspected to have anti- government attitudes and they were accused of inciting students to vote for “anti-government parties” or opposition, and later they were disappeared. Sebaha and Firomsa were taken by our maternal aunt Hakima who was living in Hirna town.


My Own Story
I completed my primary school and then moved to another city for my intermediate school, where I resided with a friend of my father. I graduated with honor from High School and got accepted into preparatory school in 2004 along with two of the children of my father’s friend. My father's friend paid the rent for our room and boarding and also paid my tuition.
 
My First Arrest
 I was first arrested when OPDO decided to relocate the capital city of Oromia from Finfinne to Adama in February 2004.  I joined a huge demonstration organized by Oromos to protest against the relocation of the capital city of Oromia from Finfinne to Adama. When the police intervened, they shot at the protesters. A many of people were killed. I tried to run away, but government soldiers chased and caught up with me. They beat, slapped and kicked me and I was whipped by ropes, and their black plastic sticks [batons] and they tied two of my hands together behind my back {handcuffed me] and tied me to a tree and tortured me cruelly. They took me to the bank of a small river and tortured me severely. They wanted to know why I was participating in the demonstration and to hear about my family’s background and political affiliation. I was released 24 hours later after signing a form obliging me not to ever participate in other “anti-regime” demonstrations.

My Second Arrest
In 2005, there were sham elections in Ethiopia. And all over the country, the opposition parties won, but the EPDRF declared it the election. People started to demonstrate massively, and were arrested, killed or disappeared in large numbers. There was an Oromo club advocating for Oromo culture and language in our school. The club organized the demonstrations. However, I refused to join them because of the self-incriminating conditions I was forced to sign after my first arrest. The big demonstrations took place on 5/11/2005. Once again, the police shot people in the streets. Several of my classmates got injured and two of my friends got killed. 

After the protests, the police came to my school asking the director to give them the name of those who organized the demonstration. The director said the organizers might be the club leaders and the top ten students. I was a very brilliant student. I ranked first in a class of 92 students. They had on their list my name as well as the names of the students who ranked second, third in my class and the club’s leaders. They took us to a prison. The cell was so small. I remember the malnourishment, the smell of urine in the cell, the daily labor and the daily interrogations. They asked me a lot of questions about the reasons of my opposition to the government, my family background and my connection to the OLF. They arrested me on 6/11/05 and released me on January 2006 under restrictive conditions. Their condition stipulated that I adhere to their EPRDF party, to attend all their meetings and to report about OLF activities. When I went back to school, the director told me that I could not take the General University Entrance exam without obtaining membership card from the Oromo People's Democratic Organization ( OPDO ). The OPDO was set up by TPLF as a satellite Oromo party that forms part of the ruling EPRDF. OPDO serves the interests of the TPLF/EPRDF. I wanted to finish my studies so I tried to get the membership card. But, I was told by the an official who authorizes memberships that I could not be a member of OPDO or EPRDF because of the activities of my father. He said that if I was granted membership, I would communicate information to OLF. However, he gave me one chance—to take my exam. I scored very high on my college preparatory exam and in February 2006, I joined the College of Technology,department of Irrigation and Water Resources Engineering. 

In late 2006, I went back to my native town in Hararghe region to visit the woman who cared for me when I was a child. While I was visiting a friend, she phoned me and told me that the security forces were looking for me. I already knew a lot of Oromo students who came back from the universities and got arrested in their home areas, so I decided not to go to her house and went to Finfinne (Addis) instead. I never went back to my place of childhood. 

In 2007, I was approached by the Oromo language and culture club of my University to be part of the bureau/leadership. I refused, but the club insisted so I went to my Department Head who said I could go ahead and join the club because it was not involved in politics and it was established with the permission of the university. In my free time, I served as the treasurer of the club. 

My Third Arrest
I had to carry out a mandatory internship for my graduation in 2009. I went to many governmental agencies, but when they knew I was Oromo from Oromia, all of them asked my OPDO membership ID card. As OPDO refused to give me my membership before, I went to a Chinese NGO and got accepted as an intern. I wrote and submitted my proposal, but my Department Head shouted at me that I must work in a government agency. I started my fourth year of study.
In May 2009, I participated in a big cultural event. It was a festival where all nations of Ethiopia were holding exhibitions and/or presented their handicraft or goods related to their culture. The Oromo presented traditional jewelry, clothes, pictures and souvenirs. I participated as a cashier. Officials came, picked up an item on sale (Odaa tree) and left without paying. 

The following day, I was working on a research project for my graduation at the library when I was called outside. I found other persons in the garden including police officers, and students who were from the bureau of the club. Armed TPLF security took us to the police station. They asked me why I was selling OLF propaganda and why I was collecting money for OLF.On the same night, on 16/05/2009, I was transferred to Ziway prison. I was tortured inhumanly in this prison. I was taken to an underground dark cell. I was suffocating in that cell because it was hot and too narrow. I was kept there alone for fifteen days and later I was transferred to another cell in which other prisoners were kept. In this cell, they used to interrogate me once per week and beat me repeatedly because they wanted me to confess because of the pain they were inflicting on me. During day time, I was subjected to hard labor such as digging holes, collecting firewood and sometimes they took us to pull out weed from the officers’ farms. We were asked to break stones and to make gravels. They asked us to lie down on the gravel without our clothes and they scourged us on our back. This is how I got this scars [showing his wrist]. I have many other scars all over my body and more particularly on my knees because we had to also walk on our knees on the gravel in hot tropical sun. This other scar [showing another scar on his forearm], they did it by burning my arm. I was taken twice at night to Danbal Lake and they threatened me with death if I don’t tell the truth and they immersed my head in the water. They used waterboarding in combination with other torture techniques. 

After one year and four months in this prison, I got released on 05/09/2010 due to my serious medical conditions acquired in jail. I was suffering from serious pneumonia and regular diarrhea because of the poor hygienic conditions and the bad food in prison. I was so weak they thought I would die and so did I. They transferred me to a health center. I had to be back in prison before 1/10/2010, even if I had not recovered. Once, at the health center, I met a classmate who called my maternal aunt Foziya. A few hours after she received the call, she came to the health center. She was informed by the doctor that my health situation was beyond his capacity. With the help of one of her customers, a prominent businessman who bought her woodwork, she was able to bail me out of the Health Center. She paid 40,000 Ethiopian Birr ($2,133.48), which wiped her out because that was a big sum of money in poor country. Prison officers coerced her to sign a written promise to return me back to prison after 25 days. Then I was referred to the Black Lion Hospital where I stayed for five days and then I was transferred to Saint Paul’s Hospital to complete my treatment. There, my brother and my aunt, said I should escape. They found a smuggler who could help me to cross the border before the date I should go back to prison.



Footnote
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The title for this testimony was taken from the stories Abdata told the interviewer. The above account of Abdata's persecution was published with his consent.  Contributed by @Novinha56 and edited by @oromopress 
  

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Oromo Nation Celebrated Ali Birra's Golden Jubilee of Oromo Music in Minnesota

July 5, 2013, 12:41 pm
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Dr. Artist Ali Birra's Golden Jubilee at Ramada Hotel in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 


Following official declaration of Oromo Week from June 29- July 6 in Minnesota, Little Oromia, by the Mayors of Minneapolis and Saint Paul cities, the amount of Oromo activities here are so many that one would spread thin trying to catch just a glimpse of each. Oromo Soccer tournaments, Fourth of July community picnic and a series of concerts and entertainment activities have been going on.  From these community events catering to over 35,000 residents of the Twin Cities as well as to visors from overseas and other states, the celebration of Dr Artist Ali Birra's Golden Jubilee stood tall and visible on the night of July 4, America's Independence Day.

The Oromo nation, friends, fans and some curious people from many places, far and near, gathered in Ramada Plaza Hotel in Minneapolis to feel and be part of the historic event of Ali Mohammed Birra's long career—to be exact 50 years of epic contribution to Oromo music, arts, Oromummaa, Oromo identity, in the toughest of circumstances in the east African country that has a long history of persecuting Oromo artists who express the feelings of their society.

The biggest story is not really the futile circumstances that tried to hold back Dr. Artist Ali Birra's free will to sing or entertain, but his extraordinary achievement that has made him one of the rare contemporary national or even  African music icons, at least among the Oromo people.

I looked around the ballroom: it is very rare to see so many exiled Oromo people be this happy. Many were sitting before the music started. Throngs were standing near the entrance and in all the corners of the ballroom, of course, after a little bit of driving around the hotel to find one lucky parking spot. Inside, some tinkered with their smarts phones and cameras, taking pictures and tweeting away whatever they perceived was going on. Some looked in the direction of the activities and speeches on the stage by scholars on Birra such as Dr. Gamachu Magarsa visiting from homeland Oromia, and Dr. Mohammed Hassen from the United States. Others who were at the far end of the room from the main stage stared happily at the live big screen as Ali's Golden Jubilee unraveled into the colorful night. Everyone seemed united and the reason was Dr. Ali Birra. He was Oromummaa.

As the speeches went on, the young crowd who wanted to unleash themselves onto the dance floor started to get worked up to see the man they have known to be a national treasure. Dr. Ali Birra was surrounded by several young and senior artists he has mentored. The list is long, but there were Amarti Wari, Elemo Ali, Kadir Said, Saliha Sami, Ababe Abashu, Muktar Adero and many more stars in their own right—they sang uplifting birthday-style songs to Ali Birra by sometimes twisting his own lyrics.

With his wife in Oromo cultural attire looking on, Ali Birra performed some of his best known music such as, Afaan Oromoo hundee Oromummaa (Oromo language is the foundation of the Oromo identity), Rabbi Moo Namumaa Kan Seera Jallisee (Was it humans or God who twisted the seera [law]...).The celebration went on until 2 AM when its allotted time expired and the music was stopped against the wishes of of the crowd who seemed to have wanted to be there for eternity—no exaggeration. When it was announced that the Golden Jubilee Celebration was over, some were heard asking, “over as in O-V-E-R” in disbelief, but eventually they walked out reluctantly.

That was how the the Oromo nation immortalized and celebrated its musical hero, Dr. Artist Ali Birra, crowned “King of Oromo Music,” or call it the “Abbaa Gadaa” of Oromo music if you feel the monarchic expression does not capture the nuances of the democratic Gada culture.

Video from the Golden Jubilee would give you a feel of the atmosphere. We apologize for the poor audio quality. 

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Jaarmiyaan Hawaasa Oromoo Minisootaa Bashannana Oromoota 5000 Ol Hirmaachise Akkamitti Qindeesse?

July 6, 2013, 12:03 pm
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  Waldaan Hawaasa Oromoo kan Minisoota magalaalee lakkuu Miniyaapolisfi Seeyint Pool keessatti gaafa Adoolessa 4, Oromoota 35,000 keessa kuma 5000 ol bashannana (piikinikii) qindeessuun walitti fide. Barreessaan waldichaa akka tilmaamee nutti himetti gaafa Guyyaa Bilisummaa Ameerikaa Oromoota 10,000tu iddoo tokkotti Oromummaadhaan walitti dhufe. Sababiin walittidhufeenya guyyaa Bilisummaa Ameerikaa kabajuu haata'uuyyu malee Oromoonni walitti dhufani hariiroo hawaasummaa isaanii cimsachuuf walittiba'ani. 

Gaafa guyyaa Adoolessa 4, iddoo bashannanaa Riivar Saayid Paark, kan Magaalaa Miniyaapolisitti, shamiza isaa jiqileetti sassaabbatee/maree, harka isaa xureessuun osoo hinboonin ummata isaanii namoota tajaajilaa turan keessaa Barreessaa Waldaa Hawaasa Oromoo tasuma arginee isiniif dubbisinee jirra. Maqaan isaa Abidoo Korosooti, miseensa Boordii Hoji Raawwachiistuu Hawaasa Oromoo Minisootaafi Barreessa waldichaati.

 Abdoon akka tilmaamee nutti himetti gaafa Guyyaa Bilisummaa Ameerikaa Oromoota 10,000tu iddoo tokkotti walitti dhufuun waliin bashannane- nyaatee dhugee, taphate. Kuni lakkoofisa guddaadha. Milkii akkasii akkamitti argamsiisuu akka waldichi danda'eerratti gaaffiif deebi kana goonee jirra. Hawaasa Oromoo wantoota xixinnoo adda addaarratti daayasporaa keessatti walqooda as gahe moo'uudhaan, siyaasaan, amantiin, kutaan, salaan, sadarkaa diinagideen osoo walhinqoodiin Oromoonni walitti dhufanii jiru. 

Hawaasa qindeessuun waan salphaa miti. Gaaffiif deebiin kun barbachisummaa hawaasa ijaaruurratti hubannoo siniif laata jennee amanna.

Tajaajiloota waldaan hawaasa Oromoo Minisoota hawaasaaf laatu keessaa hangi tokko: Dhibeewwan daddarboo akka HIV/AIDs irratti ummata barsiisuu, tajaajila hawaasaa kenuu, hojii barbaaduun miseensota hawasichaa gargaaruu, dargaggootafi maanguddoota gargaarufi akasumas aadaa Oromoo babal'isuudha. Jaarmiyaa hawaasaa kana keessatti miseensa ta'uu yoo feete, ykn horiin gargaaruu yoo barbaadde, marsaa isaanii kana dhaqii laali. http://www.oromocommunitymn.org/Board...
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In Pictures: Oromia-Swedish Cultural Exhibition in Minneapolis

July 9, 2013, 4:20 pm
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Dressing Oromo and Dressing Swedish. American Swedish Institute Exhibition. Click on image for a slideshow.

Pictures in the slideshow were taken and published by Oromo Press with the permission of the American Swedish Institute on the opening day of the joint Oromo-Swedish cultural exhibition. The exhibition is scheduled to run from July 6 to August 25, 2013. If you live in Minneapolis or Saint Paul, we encourage you to go to the exhibition and appreciate the extraordinary talent the Oromo youth have invested in the success of this project. The exhibition highlights centuries-old connection between the Oromo and the Swedish peoples. The main aim of the Oromo part of the cultural exhibition is to raise awareness about the Oromo people and Oromia. Enjoy the slideshow if you are in Oromia or elsewhere in the diaspora far from this event.
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Hayyudureen ABO Ummanni Oromoo Rakkoo Ulfaataa Jala Jiraachuu Ibsuun, Waamicha Qabsoo Dhiyeesse

July 13, 2013, 6:35 pm
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  Walgahii ummataa ABO kan Ameerikaa Kaabaa gaafa Adoolessa 6,2013 magaalaa Seeyint Pool Minisoota keessatti godhamerratti, HD ABO J/Daawuud Ibsaa haasaa baniinsaa walgahii ummataa taasise. Hayyudurichi haasaa isaa keessatti, yeroo ammaa kana ummanni Oromoo Oromiyaa keessa jiru rakkoo ulfaataafi rakkisaa keessa jiraachuu isaa erga ibseen booda, ummata Oromoo biyyaafi ala jiru maraaf/hundaaf waamicha qabsoo dhiyeessee jira.
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OSA Conference in Sight : "Examining Paths to Oromo National Empowerment in the 21st Century"

July 24, 2013, 5:15 pm
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Countdown to OSA Conference


The Oromo Studies Association, OSA, has  announced plans to hold its 27th international annual conference at Howard University in the US capital Washington DC from August 3-4, 2013. The conference will be held under a  broad and inclusive theme: "Examining Paths to Oromo National Empowerment in the 21st Century." The theme hints to multiple possible paths to Oromo national empowerment that the academics are expected to focus on exploring  in order to respond strategically to the overwhelming challenges the Oromo nation is faced with under the long-standing Ethiopian empire's  military occupation. The military occupation of Oromia has resulted in a protracted violence against the Oromo people, threatening to bring them to the brink of genocidal destruction if conditions continue unabated.   

The keynote speakers chosen for this year's conference are accomplished professional human rights advocates through their respective talents and gifts. Artist Kadir Said has decades of credential in empowering and mobilizing the Oromo people through his revolutionary and romantic songs. Kadir will be speaking on  the topic: "Jiruu fi Jireenya Artistoota Oromoo Biyya Ambaa fi Qabsoo Bilisummaa Saba Oromoo," translated roughly as , " The work and the lives of Oromo Artists in the Diaspora and the Oromo National Struggle."

Dr. Trevor Trueman, the Director of  Oromia Support Group, a U.K-based human rights group,who has spent more than two decades relentlessly advocating for human rights on behalf of the Oromo people, will keynote the conference. His keynote speech is metaphorically titled,"Trampled Grass: The Human Price of 22 Years of Abuse,"  focused specifically on the TPLF/EPRDF era of Ethiopian tyranny. 

The combined experience of the two keynote speakers in advocating on behalf of the Oromo can span 50 years, at least. Just being there and listening to their experiences  alone can be very rewarding for scholars and non-scholars alike.

The conference schedule contains 10 panels covering a range of important issues on Oromia, Oromo, Ethiopia, Horn of Africa and other international and domestic topics. 

This conference also stands out because a growing  number of women scholars on Oromo Studies will be participating in presenting their research. This might be the largest women scholars represented at OSA in recent years. 

Indeed, this Horn of African academic association is growing with stature in ways that put it on a par with its sister institution, the African Studies Association. Hover your mouse over this sentence for the complete conference schedule and watch the video ad at the end  to warm yourself up for OSA. 

For those using social media such as Twitter and Facebook, we propose tweeting under the hashtags #OromoStudies #OromoEmpowerment #OSAWeekend #Oromo #Oromia #Ethiopia #DC. Remember to include the first hashtag as the primary hashtag in all the tweets about this conference if you are tweeting from the site like Oromo Press staff plan to do.  



   
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Call for Peaceful Protest by all Oromos in Washington, D.C.

July 25, 2013, 2:10 pm
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To All Oromo nationals and friends of the Oromo in the Diaspora,

The Oromo Youth Self-Help Association (OYSA), in collaboration with other sisterly associations:  the Oromo Community Organization (OCO) of Washington D.C. area, and the Oromo Studies Association (OSA), hasorganized a peaceful protest to be held in Washington, D.C., in front of the White House and the US State Department, on Friday, August 02, 2013 to request the US administration put pressure on:


  • the Ethiopian regime to stop the mass killings and  displacements of Oromos in Mayu Muluqqee, Qumbii and Cilaqsan in East Hararge; Manasibu in West Wollega and Moyale in Boranaa of Oromia,
  • the Ethiopian regime to release Bekele Gerba, Olbana Lelisa and thousands of Oromo political prisoners, 
  •  the UNHCR, Egyptian, Yemen and Djibouti governments to protect Oromo refugees in Egypt, Yemen and Djibouti as well as respect the UN convention on political immigrants/refugees.

All Oromos and friends of the Oromos living in the metropolitan areas of Washington D.C. (Maryland, Virginia), Pennsylvania, NY, Texas, Minneapolis, Seattle, Atlanta, etc., are kindly asked to stand with us and advocate for our people who have been unjustly killed, displaced, incarcerated and silenced. This is also to protest against the inhumane treatment of Oromo refugees  in Egypt, Yemen and Djibouti. Together we can make a difference by speaking up for our people. We should say ‘Stop!’ to the minority dictatorial regime in Ethiopia, and uplift the voice of our people to the world forum. It is evident that our people are suffering because of their identity, resources, outlook and beliefs. Therefore, this is the time when you can take a practical action by standing with them and telling the world about their pains, which we all carry with us. Every shout and every protest will eventually make a difference!

Let's act and march together, let’s stand side by side in large numbers and show to the world that we are serious about our people’s rights. Let's show again and again to the US policy makers that we are indeed a strong force to reckon with and shall not be ignored.

On our previous protest ofJanuary 25, 2013 we proved that the Oromo youth is the real engine of Oromo power as we stood together with our seniors in the extreme Winter weather carrying placards, shouting slogans, and singing “Tokkummaa Tokkummaa.” Come and join us again! Don't let any business or reason stop you! As we have done before, let’s make every effort to be there for our needy brethren on this day. This is a tiny sacrifice that we can pay for our nation, Oromia and its people! 

Please also share this announcement to all in your domains through social media such as Facebook, Twitter, email, via phone, paltalk, blogs, front-pages of websites, via radio/TV and personally in social gatherings.  

United we stand, divided we fall!

Abebe Etana,
Chairman of the Oromo Youth Self-Help Association (OYSA)/WWDO, Washington, DC


Protest Date:     Friday, August 02, 2013
Protest Time:    9:00 AM – 1:00PM
Protest Place:   In front of The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW   Washington, DC 20500and then march to US State Department, 2201 C Street NW, Washington, DC 20520



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Contact:  
-   Oromo Youth Self-Help Association, Washington D.C.,  Tel. 202-705-6585
-      Oromo Community Organization, Washington D.C., Tel. 202-234-1151
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