(Qeerroo, Finfinnee, 2 September 2011) The Ethiopian government, who has lost hope on the Oromo people, has resorted to mass arrest and mistreatment of the civilians including teenagers and women’s.
According to reliable sources and our contacts, the government has already put in place night curfew, hindering any civilian movement and social activity in western Oromiya. What is more, any kind of grouping is prohibited and if anyone is found in group an order has been passed for arrest and imprisonment. This week countless Oromo youth are being dragged to prison cells and these with genuine critics are also being hunted and through to jail.
According to our sources from Central Oromiya, a Board Member of Mecha and Tullema Self Help Association Mr. Legese Detti, has been abducted in Ginchi, their properties confiscated and through to jail while returning from the Garanfasa festival held in Gindeberet.
In a similar line of incident, Mulugeta Riqitu, a teacher and also a Board Member for the Mecha and Tullema Self Help Association and Sisay Sarbessaa, a student at Addis Ababa University and a member for the Culture and History wing of Mecha and Tullema Self Help Association was arrested. Even if the District Court released them free, the Federal Police have taken the official from the regional police and imprisoned them again in the notorious Ma’ikelawi prison on the 29 of August 2011;
Even if their crime is nothing less than their identity; the dictatorial regime has alleged that Mecha and Tullema Self Help Association have no legality and they are acting under non existing organization. Despite the Association officials’ provision of documents attesting their legality and a copy of their renewed report to the Ministry of Justice, the security official have given a deaf ear to their plea and thrown them to the notorious Ma’ikelawi jail, where thousands of Oromo are languishing and serving inhuman torture. According to our informants their current situation are unknown but it was clear that they have been so far denied of any legal aid from their lawyers.
What is more a renowned Oromo artist from Bishoftu, Dadhi Galan, Masaay Girmaa (driver) and Sonbee (student) have been abducted and through to Ma’ikelawi on the night of 27 of August 2011. In Adama town a lecturer at the Adama University, Mr Caalaa Hayilu and many other unidentified individuals were also abducted on the 29 of August 2011.
From West Shoa zone, Oromia, Gaachanaa Ararsaa, and Mr Habtamuu from Giincii district , Mr Abdisaa Soorii and Mr. Sirneessaa Abarraa, from Adaa’aa Bargaa, have been similarly abducted by the security agents with out any court order.
Mr. Bekele Gerba, an English teacher at Addis Ababa University, a member of the executive committee of Ethiopia’s main opposition coalition, Medrek, and deputy chairman of the Oromo Federal Democratic Movement (OFDM) and Olbana Lelisa, Chief of office for of the Oromo People’s Congress were both detained after meeting an Amnesty International delegation and foreign reporters investigating rights abuses, their party said late on Wednesday.
Mr Gerba was also accused of talking to the recent BBC investigative reportage, which uncovered the abuse and mistreatment on people who doesn’t belongs to the repressive governing party.
QEERROO 