Ethiopia: Murders and Mass Incarcerations Cannot Fix the Deep Human Rights Crisis

The TPLF/EPRDF government boldly demonstrated its dictatorial behavior by arresting the Oromo Federalist Congress Leader Dr. Merera Giddina on Wednesday, November 30, 2016 under the pretext that he had met with the other opposition political party-G7 leaders that the TPLF labeled as a terrorist group. Dr. Merera Gudina has been taken to Maikelawi investigation Center with the other two men , Taye Negera and Kumala, both of whom live in the same home, according to HRLHA Informants. The Maikelawi Investigation Center In Addis Ababa is the TPLF Torture – House known as “Ethiopian Guntanamo”

The Government spokesman Negeri Lencho said in his briefing to journalists on December 2, 2016 “Dr. Merera Guddina has been arrested because he violated the State of Emergency rules by contacting outlawed opposition party leaders in Brussels”. Dr. Merera Guddina and Professor Berhanu Nega, the G7 Leaders had been invited by the EU parliament to Brussels to attend the Conference on the Ethiopian current political crisis sponsored by the European Parliament. In the conference, many stakeholders participated and shared their views on the current Ethiopian political crisis. The TPLF/EPRDF has no legal grounds on which to criminalize Dr. Merera Guddina- unless the TPLF government labelled the conference sponsor, the EU, as a terrorist group.
Meanwhile, the TPLF/EPRDF government of Ethiopia continues terrorizing the people of Oromia and Amhara Regional States by murdering and detaining them. Since the mass movement began in Oromia in November 2015 and later spread to Amhara Regional state, thousands have been killed, tens of thousands detained and other thousands have disappeared. The TPLF government mishandled the peaceful protests in both regional states where both nations demanded their rights to fair treatment, stopping the land grabs and marginalization.

After ten months of unrest in the country, the TPLF/EPRDF declared a state of Emergency on October 8, 2016. The TPLF killing squad Agazi force was deployed with full authorization into Oromia and Amhara Regional States to commit killings, incarcerations, rapes and steal money and valuables. Although there has been no single section of society that the Ethiopian TPLF/EPRDF regime has spared in the past one year, since last November Oromo youths in particular have become the prime targets of TPLF killing squad attacks. Several Oromo youths from universities, colleges and high schools have been disappeared by the TPLF killing squads. As a result, Oromia is losing many brilliant young men and women at the hands of TPLF murderers every day. This is putting future generations at risk.

HRLHA informants report that the TPLF/EPRDF killing squad Agazi force continues to abduct Oromo youths from universities, colleges, highschools, homes and workplaces on a daily basis. The HRLHA has received from its informants In south Oromia, Bule Hora District, Guji Zone and Ada’a Berga District East Showa Zone information that a number of Oromo youths have been picked up at night and have been taken to an unknown destination by the Agazi force.

The following are among the many Oromo youths abducted by TPLF forces on November 29, 30, 2016 and taken to an unknown destination

Under remembering from the past, the HRLHA will try to highlight the human rights violations reported by HRLHA and other human rights organizations against Oromo youths in the past ten years which continue to the present.

The TPLF/EPRDF government has been targeting Oromo youth since the Oromo youth peaceful revolt against subjugation started in Oromia in 2005.

The following is a summary of Oromo students killed, imprisoned, and disappeared by TPLF/EPRDF security forces in different universities in 2006

•June 2006, Mekele, Tigrai: 44 Oromo Students of Mekele University Were Denied Certificates After Graduation
Reason – In April, 2006 a Tigrean student, who was attending Adama University, committed suicide. However, Tigrean residents of Mekele were told that he was murdered by Oromo students of the university

•August 2006, Haromaya University, E. Hararge: at Least 42 Detained and Then Dismissed

Reason – In August 2006, following clashes between Oromo and other students caused by a student wearing a t-shirt carrying a derogatory anti-Oromo slogan, security forces attacked Oromo students at Haromaya University, E. Hararge. Only Oromo students were held for two months and dismissed from the university. At least 42 were detained and then dismissed, (OSG Report, No. 43)

•August 2006, Adama University: Clash Among Students Spread to Adama University and more Oromo Students Dismissed
Reason – The clash has spread to Jimma University. In this clash, which was clearly instigated to pit Oromo students against Amhara students, at least 10 lives were lost, at least 30 students from Adama, and 23 from Jimma University, were expelled. (IOYA report, November 2006

•September 17, 2006, Ginchi, W. Shoa: Two Students Abducted and Disappeared

Students Bakala Dalasa and Habirru Birru were taken at night from their residence in Ginchi, W. Showa, around 7:00 PM local time, and have disappeared. (OSG report No. 43)

•November 7, 2006, Mekele, Tigrai: A 3rd Year Student Strangled to Death Shibiru Demisse Bati, a 24 year-old Oromo third-year history student, was strangled to death at Mekele University in Tigrai. Shibiru, from Siba Yesus Peasant Association, Homa, near Gimbi, Wallega, was attacked on November 4, 2006, after being dragged out of his room when the power was turned off at the university. Tensions had been growing between security forces and Oromo students in Tigrai since graduation certificates were denied to those students who had been vocal about the government’s disregard of human rights in Oromia Region.(Ethio-Tribune, November 7, 2006, and Oromo Menschenrechts- und Hilfsorganisation (OMRHO), December 2006)

•December 2006, Harar, Eastern Hararge: at Least 6 Students Detained

The following Secondary School students were detained in September 2006 in and around Harar, E. Hararge. Known to be held in Harar were Murad Ahmedand Ramadan Abdella, whereas Ramadan Galile, Abdi Amma, Kadir Rabsa and Dhakaba Bakar were taken to an unknown location.(OSG report No. 43)
[Source: Revisiting Oromian Students’ Resistance Against Tyranny@ https://goo.gl/oudZ7c]

The HRLHA tirelessly continues to express its deepest concerns regarding the human misery taking place in Ethiopia in general and in Oromia and Amhara Regional States in particular and appeals to the world community to take tangible action to stop more bloodshed in Ethiopia by putting pressure on the TPLF- led Ethiopian government

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