Ethiopia: Crisis in Tigray enters sixth month with no clear end in sight amid ‘severe and ongoing child rights violations’ (20.04.2021)

Geneva Palais Briefing on the situation of children in Tigray, Ethiopia.

GENEVA, Switzerland, April 20, 2021 – This is a summary of what was said by UNICEF spokesperson James Elder – to whom quoted text may be attributed –  at today’s press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.

“The crisis in Tigray has entered its sixth month with no clear end in sight.

“More than one million people have been displaced, and fighting continues. Access and security remain serious issues.

“We have been very concerned from the onset about the harm this crisis will cause to children. Such fears are now being realized.

“This is a protection crisis. What is emerging is a disturbing picture of severe and ongoing child rights violations.

“This is also an education and nutrition emergency, and I saw extensive destruction to the systems and essential services on which children rely.

Education

“Children in Tigray have been hit by COVID-19 then conflict. That means 1.4 million children have been out of school for more than a full year (since March 2020). Yes, not a day of school in 13 months.

“I met a 16-year-old girl, Merhawit who fled fighting in the west of Tigray, and walked – with her baby brother on her back – for 300km. Yes, she walked 300km in broken flip flops. Before the conflict, she was top of her class in physics. Now she was searching for food and hasn’t seen a classroom in more than a year.

“A decision to reopen schools, however, is contingent on (1) security; (2) rehabilitation works – the Ministry of Education estimates that up to 25 per cent of schools have been damaged; and (3) reopening schools requires the relocation of the hundreds of thousands of IDPs who are currently sheltering in school premises.

Water

“A recent assessment in 13 towns by UNICEF and partners revealed that more than half of the boreholes are non-functional.  These were advanced systems – with generators and electrical circuitry – and most have been damaged and looted.

“I saw an example of this destruction in a health clinic 100km from Mekelle. This had an entire new operation ward devoted to emergency c-sections for mothers and emergency surgery – that opened in 2020, with the support of Rotary in Belgium. Everything – X-ray machines, oxygen, and mattresses for patients – are gone. Operating beds and incubators for babies have been broken and turned upside down. A doctor there told me “It had all the services a mother and baby needed. It was a life-saving place. There was no reason for forces to come here. They came here for vandalizing and looting.”

“According to assessments, violence and looting have left a majority of health care facilities in the region not functioning.

“The sanitation situation is another matter of grave concern. Conditions in many of the displacement sites are poor. They are overcrowded, unsanitary and unsafe .. as such they magnify risks of exploitation of children, and make it impossible for people to practice COVID-19 prevention measures.

“From a health perspective, the presence of large numbers of displaced people is a ticking time bomb, especially as the rainy season approaches – that’s next month – when there will be a grave risk of cholera and other water-borne diseases.

Protection and gender-based violence

“The personal statements I received from children who had been raped or testimonies of women who were victims of sexual violence were harrowing.

“You will all be aware that the President of Ethiopia, the Minister of Women, Children and Youth, the IASC Principals and the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) have spoken against multiple cases of rape and sexual violence

“I heard traumatic stories from survivors, one as young as 14. I heard reports of gang rapes. The level of cruelty described in these attacks was bewildering.

“This year, from the 1st January to 16 April, just one centre that UNICEF supports has received an average of three reports of cases of gender-based violence per day.

Nutrition

“Fighting broke out just as people should have been harvesting.

“That’s their income for a year. Many also had cattle stolen. They have lost access to fertilisers and vaccines for their livestock.

“And now they should be planting. But more than 1 million people are displaced and as such cannot access their land.

“As such, we are seeing a spike in malnutrition in a region that had already seen steep year-on-year increases in malnourished children requiring life-saving treatment prior to this crisis.

“In response, since November last year, UNICEF has provided emergency supplies including drug kits, nutrition supplies, school-in-a-carton kits and early childhood development kits.

“In WASH, UNICEF is leading on efforts to rehabilitate damaged water schemes, supply of water through trucking, and the provision of hygiene supplies. Through these efforts, more than 640,000 people have received safe water for personal use.

“Our priority in the education sector is the reopening of schools while simultaneously working with implementing partners to establish temporary learning spaces for refugees, IDPs and host communities.

“We have supported partners to kick-start 22 mobile health and nutrition teams which are reaching tens of thousands of children and women in ten of the areas with the highest need. They distribute drug kits and support emergency health care and nutrition. They operate six days a week and use the seventh day to restock supplies.

“But again, even for these brave and frontline mobile health and nutrition teams, security remains an issue. I spoke with one team leader who explained how his team had their ambulance stolen, and had to walk three days back to their health clinic.

“And as of right before this briefing, UNICEF has received credible reports of at least 16 incidents that impacted the activities of these mobile health and nutrition teams … in just the last two weeks.

“Nine were reported in the Eastern Region where the health workers had to leave the location due to fighting and direct threat from armed forces.

“The staff members were denied access to the programme locations and in some cases were threatened with death. In three locations the teams were forcibly relocated to other locations.

“Survivors of sexual assault have been provided with medical assistance, psychosocial support and dignity kits at a centre that has been supported by UNICEF. We are also supporting partners to deploy more than 160 social workers to provide child protection case management for vulnerable children including unaccompanied and separated children; and psychosocial support in IDP and refugee camps in Tigray and affected neighbouring woredas in Afar and Amhara.

“UNICEF Ethiopia’s appeal for Tigray stands at US$47.6 million. More than half is unfunded.”

Ethiopia: Open letter from Tigray National Political Parties Forum [Salsay Weyane Tigray (SaWeT), National Congress of Great Tigray (Baytona) and Tigray Independence Party (TIP)] – Call for an internationally monitored immediate withdrawal of Eritrean invading forces from Tigray (19.04.2021)

Your Excellency,
The people of Tigray have been appealing to the international community to live up to its commitments and uphold international laws. Tigrayan national political parties forum has been asking the international community to make sure the invading Eritrean forces withdraw and hold them accountable for the war crimes and human rights abuses they committed over the past six months in Tigray. While the evidence of Eritrean army’s active involvement in the genocidal war against the people of Tigray, alongside the Ethiopian Federal forces, Amhara militia and other foreign forces was abundant, to the dismay of many the international community’s response was not strong enough to persuade the invaders to abide by the long standing covenants of the UN.
The war has already claimed hundreds of thousands of lives, left millions of civilians displaced; over 6.5 million Tigrayans requiring immediate humanitarian assistance, tens of thousands of women are subjected to sexual abuses on the continuing genocidal war.
Excellency,
Beyond upholding international laws, the presence of Eritrean invading forces in Tigray is an obstacle for any international, bilateral or multilateral peace initiatives in the region. Furthermore; it has been demonstrated that it is unrealistic to deliver humanitarian aid to the millions of internally displaced and the general population in need of immediate sustenance support in the presence of the aggressors. The reconstruction of Tigray is also impossible while occupational forces are on the ground and continuing to deliberately inflict maximum damage to public and private institutions. Therefore, we believe, the unconditional and immediate withdrawal of Eritrean army from Tigray should be the beginning of any peace process, successful delivery of humanitarian aid and commencement of rehabilitation activities.
In a blatant disregard and disdain to the international community’s call for the immediate withdrawal of Eritrean forces from Tigray, the Ethiopian and Eritrean governments had been persistently denying the involvement and presence of Eritrean forces. We have now learned, the Eritrean government has officially admitted its rouge troops had had crossed the Ethio-Eritrean international boarder; and now the Eritrean government has declared it has agreed with Ethiopia at the highest levels to embark on the
Although we have been demanding as such; unfortunately, it’s very difficult for us to accept the gesture made by the Eritrean government. A similar promise was made by Ethiopian prime minister on March 26/2021; only for Eritrean troops to flood Tigray in tens of thousands and continue their systematic killings after the announcement. The recent shootings in the town of Adwa and its vicinity are good cases in this point.
A classified document of the Eritrean government about the performance of Eritrean troops in the war, leaked by Eritrean opposition forces, also show that the Eritrean government is determined to boost its presence and its genocidal acts in Tigray rather than contemplating to withdraw its forces. As we write this letter, heavy fighting is underway across Tigray, amid land transport blockade and communication blackout in most parts of the region. In addition, it has become a common scene to watch Eritrean troops in Ethiopian military uniforms. Given the recent developments, past records of broken promises and general behavior of the Eritrean and Ethiopian government, we strongly believe that it will be naivety to take their words for granted.
We, therefore, call upon the international community, particularly the UNSC to
1. Ensure the Eritrean government stops the theatre and comply with the international community’s demands to immediately withdraw its forces from Tigray
2. Ensure all Eritrean troops make an internationally monitored immediate withdrawal; and
3. Ensure a deep, independent and international investigation of the egregious war crimes and crimes against humanity committed and make sure the perpetrators are not allowed to go with impunity.
Finally, now that we all got our proof of Eritrean army’s heavy presence in Tigray; allowing the ill oriented Eritrean troops to stay more days will be a permit for more war crimes to be committed, more women and girls to be sexually abused and more people to die of starvation. It is our best hope, that the international community specifically the UNSC will take all the appropriate actions necessary to avert a looming human disaster in Tigray and firmly stand to defend humanity.
Regards,
CC /
United Nations
UN Web TV
Council of the European Union
U.S. Department of State
U.S. Department of State: Consular Affairs
European Commission
Permanent and non-permanent representatives of UNSC member states

Ethiopia: Security and Justice for Tigreans in Ethiopia (STJE) – Open Letter to President Biden – Urgent Call to End the Genocidal War in Tigray, Ethiopia (18.04.2021)

April 18, 2021

President Joseph R. Biden
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20500

Re: Open Letter to President Biden – Urgent Call to End the Genocidal War in Tigray, Ethiopia

Dear President Joseph R. Biden,

It is with enormous respect that we, the Security and Justice for Tigrayans in Ethiopia, write to you today to urge you to act with utmost urgency to end the genocide and ethnic cleansing in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. The anguish and suffering the people of Tigray are facing is so great that it requires the leader of the free world to bring it to a full stop. We believe this challenge offers a test for the United States as it stands in defense of its democratic and human rights values and a true measure of its success in sharing these values with the world.

There cannot be a higher calling for you Mr. President as the leader of the free world committed to the protection of human rights around the world than to save the extermination of a minority ethnic group by its own government working in partnership with invading foreign armies and militias. This is a rare and historical challenge that threatens the complete destruction of Tigray and the annihilation of its people and requires a swift action to stop. If left unattended, Tigray may not be the only region to bear the brunt of the damage; other regions of Ethiopia and the entire Horn of Africa may also be destabilized.

The atrocities perpetrated on the people of Tigray are abhorrent and too many to count. These widespread atrocities and war crimes including indiscriminate bombing and massacre of civilians, rape of girls and women, burning of crops and looting of livestock, and total economic destruction have been widely reported and documented by some of the most reputable international media such as the New York Times and CNN, the US government, the UN, Amnesty International and many others.

A multi award-winning CNN Senior International correspondent, Nima Elbagir, in her March 18, 2021 interview with 4 News, described the crimes being committed as “…very, very Intentional” adding “it is not a rape about the tragic consequences of war but…it is a rape as a weapon of war”. She continued to say”…this is about erasing Tigray and Tigrayan identity and bloodline which is one of the hallmarks of genocide”.

And with regards to PM Abiy Ahmed, In her interview with Democracy Now on December 3, 2020, Elbagir says, “..for him to have won a Nobel Peace Prize for something that has enabled him to wage a war on an entire region, on 6 million people, is just — it’s appalling. It’s appalling to think about.” The devastation the world is witnessing in Tigray today was not triggered by a simple act of the local government in Tigray but rather it was a result of a well-rehearsed plan that involved military cooperation and preparation for over 2 years premeditated by Abiy Ahmed and Isaias Afwerki to destroy Tigray and subjugate its peace-loving people. The ruthless dictator of Eritrea and his immature student of Ethiopia are carrying out this operation to achieve their dream of conquering the Horn of Africa and the Red Sea zone.

Dear Mr. President,

The war crimes in Tigray have been compared chillingly to that of the former Yugoslavia, Kosovo and the Rwandan genocide by many international observers and media. As you know, while the US took a decisive action to stop the atrocities in Kosovo, it unfortunately did not act in the case of the Rwandan genocide. Former President Bill Clinton said his inaction in Rwanda was his biggest regret of his presidency. The salient question now is how is the Tigray genocide different? On April 25, 2019, you said, “America is an idea. An idea that is stronger than any army, bigger than any ocean, more powerful than any dictator or tyrant. It gives hope to the most desperate people on earth, it guarantees that everyone is treated with dignity and gives hate no safe harbor. It instills in every person in this country the belief that no matter where you start in life, there is nothing you can’t achieve if you work at it. That’s what we believe.”  These are the hopeful words from your speech you delivered a year ago that our people want to see translated into deeds. Will the misery of the poor people in Tigray end anytime soon? And why is the US not taking actions strong enough to end the war?

The people of Tigray and indeed the rest of the world recognize that the US has significant leverage over Ethiopia and Eritrea, and it is not entirely clear why there is hesitancy to act to stop this genocide. The US can stop the war via several measures including diplomacy and a show of force targeting military installations of the Eritrean ruthless dictator.

If the US is waiting for Eritrean troops to leave on their own accord, we like to assure you this will not happen. We realize PM Abiy Ahmed announced about 10 days ago that Eritrea will withdraw its forces from Tigray, but this has not taken place despite his deceitful announcement two days ago that they have started “evacuating from border areas”. To the contrary, credible reports indicate that tens of thousands of new Eritrean soldiers arrived in Tigray on the same day the Prime Minister promised withdrawal in defiance of the demands by the international community. Reports also indicate that in an attempt to deceive the world, Eritrean troops are simply changing their uniforms to Ethiopian uniforms so that they remain in Tigray and continue their atrocities. The Prime Minister has been lying about a number of significant issues and he cannot be trusted.

As Tigrayan-Ethiopians who understand the tyrannical aspirations of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and his mentor dictator Isaias Afwerki, we believe the only definitive solution to end the genocidal war on Tigray is through meaningful Kosovo-like intervention. Thus, Mr. President, we urge you to act now before it is too late.

Dear Mr. President,

As if the atrocities, the premeditated hunger and the destructions perpetrated in Tigray so far are not enough, a most recently leaked 27-page confidential document from the Government of Eritrea titled “The Military Campaign in Tigray has Failed to Achieve the Desired Goals” was sent to the Eritrean commanders in Tigray. This document orders the Eritrean military in Tigray to swiftly act on aggrandizing the indiscriminate killings of the youth and the complete destruction of properties. It calls for mercilessly annihilate the Tigrayan youth and disperse the remaining ones into various concentration camps. This renewed order to intensify the atrocities in Tigray shows that the situation in Tigray is going to deteriorate further and would become completely out of control. In the face of such reality in Tigray, the US and the international community not only have the legal responsibility to act urgently under the UN Resolutions 2417 (2018) and 1247 (2018) but also they have the moral and ethical obligation to stop this genocide

Despite all the evidence of human rights violations and the US, EU, G7, Great Britain, Canada, France, Germany, and Australia’s latest demands for the immediate withdrawal of Eritrean and Amhara militia forces from Tigray, the Ethiopian government is still allowing the increased presence of the Eritrean forces dressed in Ethiopian military uniforms while integrating the Amhara militia that committed war crimes, rape, genocide, and ethnic cleansing in west Tigray into the national army. The move by the Ethiopian government to integrate a genocidal Amhara militia into the national army rings alarm bells as this is to hide crimes from investigation and further commit additional crimes all over Tigray and beyond. Thus, we at the SJTE ask you take the lead for the USA and its allies to take all necessary measures at your disposal including an immediate military action under “Operation Freedom” to save humanity in Tigray under UN Resolution 1247 (2018) including, but not limited to:

  1. Force the immediate, unconditional and verifiable withdrawal of Eritrean Army and the Amhara militia from Tigray without which no humanitarian aid and peace is possible.
  2. Allow humanitarian access all over Tigray so that the over 5 million people who need food aid can be reached without any blockage or interference of the Eritrean and Ethiopian armies.
  3. Stop the indiscriminate shelling and bombing of civilians by imposing “No Fly Zone” all over Tigray for the protection of the civilian populations in rural and urban areas.
  4. Reinstate the democratically elected legitimate government of Tigray and start a dialogue that involves all stakeholders in Ethiopia.
  5. Release all political prisoners in Ethiopia including military personnel and UN peacekeepers of Tigray origin (about 22,000) and more than 90,000 civilians who have been fired from their jobs and detained all over Ethiopia in military camps and prisons.
  6. Recommend for the investigation of all human rights violations and war crimes to be conducted by an independent international team after the immediate withdrawal of the Eritrean Army and Amhara militia.
  7. Enforce the safe passage and return of the 2.2 million internally displaced people (IDP) to their ancestral lands, villages and towns before the rainy season starts in June 2021 with the assistance of the UN.

Respectfully,
SECURITY AND JUSTICE FOR TIGREANS IN ETHIOPIA (SJTE)

Ethiopia: Joint Press Release by Opposition Political Parties and Independent Candidates of The Somali State in Ethiopia (18.04.2021)

Ethiopia: Office of the Prime Minister (OPM) – The 6th National Elections (16.04.2021)

Opinion: Abiy’s Law Enforcement Operation have become a guerrilla war

Currently, the national defence forces and the federal forces are in a major fight on 8 fronts in the north and the west (parts of the country) with the enemies which are anti-farmers, anti-civilians and caused strife among Ethiopians and are paying a sacrifice” – Prime Minister Ahmed Ali Abiy (03.04.2021)

On the 15th November 2020 I wrote about the Law Enforcement Operation that the Prime Minister had opened the “Pandora’s Box”. Which is now revealed all too be true. The ordered operation that was supposed to end at end of November last year. However, we know that this is on-going and a continued warfare in the region. The civil war in Tigray is continuing to this day.

It seems to have no end and that the “conventional” war with the tripartite alliance of forces isn’t able to totally counter the defensive forces. The Ethiopian National Defence Force (ENDF), Eritrean Defence Force (EDF) and Amhara Paramilitary Group “Fano” doesn’t have it in them to beat the Tigray Defence Force (TDF)

The armed forces of the tripartite alliance is using all means to destroy, annihilate and get rid of its enemies. They have been reported of several of massacres, looting and rape. They are using all means of war. Air-strikes, shelling and other means as well. They have mechanical battalions and tanks on the fields as well. So, they have not speared the conflict any sort of advanced techniques to kill the enemy. However, we are seeing that its not bearing fruits.

The Prime Minister promised a quick operation and ending. They we’re even in the final phases. Nevertheless, it seems like he overplayed his hands and possible amount of success. The Prime Minister have been outsmarted at his own game. He went to war and has since then been stuck in a quagmire. A sort of affair, where more and more atrocities are reported. Where the international community and everyone who follows see the rising numbers of fatalities and hears about the violations of the codes of war. The PM is clearly losing this and he cannot even phantom the counter-attacks of his enemy.

The PM thought the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) wouldn’t use their advantage and know-how of their region? The PM wouldn’t consider the one attacked in their homes and villages wouldn’t use counter-attacking means? He just expected them all just to do a battle-royal on the fields and call-it-a-day. If the PM thought so… he is either blind or stupid.

The TDF is using the means of guerrilla warfare. Which is the most productive means to counter-attack such forces as the tripartite alliance. They are using the knowledge and surroundings to their advantage. They know where to hide and where to possible ambush their enemy. That is what the TDF is doing to the tripartite alliance who is invading their lands. If the PM doesn’t grasp this… he has sent these former allies and former comrades to the bush to combat him.

Now the PM and his tripartite alliance is in the midst of a guerrilla war. They are no longer in a “conventional” war… the alliance of the state has already been known for taking state buildings in towns and cities making them into barracks. Where they are stationing soldiers and using universities, schools and even hospitals as bases in the region.

Clearly, the tripartite alliance is doing its best and trying to figure out ways to combat these insurgencies and sudden attacks from its enemy. Nevertheless, this sort of warfare will not be short-lived. The enemy of the tripartite alliance will mask itself and even become the terrain if needed be. They will blend into the general public and suddenly strike as they see fit. Therefore, the 8 fronts is only in the manner the TDF can practically make the lines of attack weaker. As the tripartite alliance needs to stretch its soldiers and front-lines. They cannot focus on single targets and goals. They have to move the goal-post and not just be in area at the time. That is because the ones they are fighting is local guerrillas, that is born and raised in the region. They are fighting for their homes and rights to rule in their region. This is why they are able and can prolong it in this manner.

Prime Minister should understand this. That the Pandora’s Box that he opened in November 2020. Will be a long saga and be the blood-stain that he never gets clean his hands off. This conflict is the war that will be his legacy and mark his reign. The Law Enforcement Operation is his whole project to own and carry. That he has failed it and haven’t delivered is his fault. He promised a quick-fix, but in the end… The PM will have to manage a long-running forever war with guerrillas. Which will only give up when the invaders are leaving. Peace.

Ethiopia: Oromo Political Prisoners Defence Team – The officials of ABO Mr. Lemmi Benya and Mr. Dawit Abdata were arrested today after being released in court, they were returned (29.03.2021)

The general court of Oromia has arrested Mr. Lemma Benna and Dawit Abdata to free them from the bad situation, and they can go back to their house and break the order by force.
These political prisoners have announced that they have been arrested by the commander of the court, Mr. Gedu’s political attorney has been released by Oromia’s special force. Police brought them to his side, I gave a comment on the stone ′′ since I signed and brought them back to Mojo. Even though they asked ′′ let them be released there, since the court was taken to court without the order, these accusers were directed to the point of the ruling of their lawyers Mr. Gudane.
As Mr. Gudane said, the general court of Oromia was expected to respond today, the commissioner of Oromia police commission, Ararsa Mardasa has not been respected, the commission has been closed to the court order for the third time.

Ethiopia: Manifesto of the Ethiopian Multinational Federalists Support Force (EMFSF) – (22.03.2021)

Ethiopia: Oromo Political Prisoners Defence Team – Mr. Bekele Gerba’s betrayal of faith! (27.03.2021)

The 1th anti-terrorism and constitutional issues in the federal high court, March 13, 2013 Meee
—–
Honorable court, I wish I had done a short answer for the crime I have been accused of or not. But what I have not done, what I have said, what I said, what I haven’t done or what I have done, so I have to list my thoughts a little bit.
Most of the crimes against humanity in the case are my political positions that can’t make me sue.
Using 1. different medias to make nations conflict.
2. people in order to rise up against the government
3. Government says the time of power will end September 30
4. is the soul that was killing and killing Oromo people. When you wake up saying you shouldn’t be governed under the nef _ hachalu’s death, they say you are the cause of death and destruction of many people.
First of all, I am present to the crime that says you have made ethnicity conflict. I just want to express the number one accusation that we have made for nations and nationalities to live in equality and peace. Jawar Mohammed, I don’t want to repeat what he has raised, my political stand, faith and actions will not apply to this. I spent my childhood and followed my elementary school with my friends who were sitting at home and studying in our church. One of the reasons we forced us to go to the place to solve the problem between Oromo and Gumuz people. Since I believe that human beings are created equal and free in my religion, I have been given to learn their language and culture. In a country where some people don’t speak the language of the community in which they live forty and forty years ago, I have been able to cure the pains of Gedeo Zone in one year. I have been invited to have important political meetings when many nations celebrate their holiday. I am a follower of peaceful struggle of Martin Luther King who believes in democracy and discussion. Let’s learn from the famous civil rights activist Martin Luther King’s book to translate it to Amharic and Afan Oromo not by his color. I have never done anything that humiliates any ethnicity before or after I get into politics. No one can confirm this for me. But I don’t know there is a hate campaign that is missing by the name of this falsely.
The 2th crime says you have motivated the people on the government and I don’t deny that I have no good relations with the behavior of the government. The time is over from the military government Sangbaba. I am here for the third time before EPRDF holds power. In 2002 E. C During election campaign, I was teaching Addis Ababa University about land invasion and farmers in 2003 They called me from class and told me that I have been in Solo and took OLF’s military training. I have been released for four years in prison. If what I did then is considered to motivate the people of the government, I have done it.
Again in 2008 E. C. When the robbery of the land, Gidata, Adelaw, Adelaw and E-Democracy took place in jail again. I have really tried to motivate the people during a peaceful struggle. Since the party in power can’t stand the wave of the people, the change forces in the media came to court and supported the idea of the people, we are the terrorists, the people have no fault, we have made a mistake, we have stolen it, the people have started saying that they have come to the court to testify the ideas of the people and they have started saying ′′ we have done wrong, they have started to come to tell the leaders of the leaders of the ministers of the ministers. We have been sentenced to death because of the change that the party has made in its appointment and we are out of prison. When the change was made, the whole people had a great hope and I was one of those who thanked God. God heard our prayers and took it as a good people. When I hear the speech of the prime minister and others, I was very educated. From here I am invited to abroad to support this government in all the platforms I have been found. From Washington to New York, from Atlantic County to State departments, I have argued that the change group should be strengthened and supported to conduct a successful election. From one time on this group, after we found good leaders like this, it is not necessary for me to stay in opposition politics, so I have decided to just decide on my normal job. It was so innocent.
I didn’t expect that the change will end the Hadid so quickly. I didn’t think people would go to jail where they came from. I didn’t expect that all schools will be in central prison closed. I didn’t think that the youth who fought in front of a tank will be killed as an adventure on the media. I never thought the mother of Oromo will cry again. I didn’t think that the diaspora will teach him about struggle in this country while there was a scholar who lived in this country. How can I guess there will be a government armed forces who dance while burning farmer s’ houses?
How do I guess the ruling party will open our doors for the second time when the military fights for each other and our military will open like this? At least all our offices were closed before we were told that they are ‘ competitors ‘ and we didn’t think that we will be removed from the election. I didn’t expect that more than nine hundred government supporters and private media will be controlled by one ethnic group. I didn’t think that we will practice cruelty and corpse in an unusual manner. In general, truth and lies, everything has changed in this speed. (Power, wealth, knowledge, faith and institution) I can’t see the opposition that I can hear from the government. As a political party, we are going to organize and create peaceful demonstration by making such kind of government actions, informing the people, publicly revealing and criticizing. As a citizen and a political party these are not only my right but also my duty.
The crime that was presented to me on the 3th is saying ′′ the ruling party will end September 30 ′′ Our country has constitution. The constitution is our promise document. No one is going to be violated the way they want. It is written that it is intended to lead dictatorship leaders, the constitution can only stay in power for five years has no reason and meaning. But because the ruling party doesn’t want to resign, the government has postponed its time to make a meaning on the constitutional issue.
According to the constitution, most of the government’s time will end September (30) and after that the government should also advise other parties. I believe that the government that is in power continues illegally holding its power. This can’t make me laugh. I was the one who should have sued and should have sued.
In the 4th grade there is a crime that says ′′ the life of Oromo is killing the people, we shouldn’t be governed under the nef _ rule ′′ If there is anyone who says the system of the soul does not do this, this is not where we are, we will struggle to understand. Because of the killings and crimes committed by the soul _ of _ the _ war is enough to look at the works of professor Bahru Zewde, Richard Pankrest, Mohammed Hassen and Lapiso Gedelebon. It is good to see the difference between the difference between the two people and the Amharas.
A person with a soul is a leader who invaded the people of one area, killed the one who killed him, sitting on the ground by force and buying his language without his will. This is the system of the 19th century that has been implemented in Oromia and South of our country. Most of you may know the system of the soul _ of the soul only in history, you may read it or hear it from people. But I know it in action, I live it. I have seen a human being eating the red land where his people lived, being humiliated, underneath people but you are the one who came with the beard. I know when our ancestors bought their cattle from where they came from, I know when we went to carry the land of white shilling with my father. So what are those who didn’t fight this system? What causes you not to be willing to run under this kind of system? I still don’t want to be ruled under this kind of system.
As I mentioned above, Nef Tegnna and Amhara are different. For the paradise of the Lord.
In 1., where I was born, where I grew up and where my family lives, many Amhara farmers come to search for jobs every year. Like any other person, many will find their weaknesses and return to where they came from. Some will respect, some will marry, some will give birth. These land are not those who came to forcefully put their identity on the people of my country, so these are Amhara not soul.
2. I followed my higher education in Amhara region in Bahir Dar teachers college. My first friends are Amhara people. My colleagues were Amharas when I was at work. They are not those who haven’t caught, they are not displaced, they have never told us to buy you, they were not those who want to put their identity on others, they are not _ haters. After working, I have visited Amhara rural and cities. I have watched the lives of the people. Farmer’s lifestyle has no difference from where I was born. Saying this people is not only political ignorance but also sin.
3. I also have friends of this ethnic group who are administered by business. Is it the place where they run their business or they have worked with their weaknesses or they have rented it. They didn’t use anyone, they didn’t put their identity on anyone else. These are Amharas, not haters.
As a system of rural land is related to land, the war has been established in the rural land proclamation which was declared on 1967 Even though it is known that it has changed because of (mode of production) recently, it is known that they are not educated by thinking and covering their own identity by representing the country’s language, culture, religion and history in general. Counting the world as a shameful history has started wearing a t-shirt that says ′′ I am a child of life ′′
The modern mind  of  the  soul is reduced by many sectors and the campaign is held in government office, by the people who are victims of this thought, by government and private media, activists, human rights activists, associations, associations, by associations, by the authoritarians, scholars and the country It’s a mask.
Today the country’s politics is paid by two sides. One of the institutions I mentioned now wants to destroy the federalism and respecting the constitution by changing the previous system (one side language, culture and history) to destroy the rule of the other side. The first stop is trying to make the second round of the political field strong by expanding its campaign and making it out of the political field. For this false accusation he is heading to the destination. This is part of that strategy. And his objective is political too. So I have committed no crime.
Honorable court, if the attempt I made with my friends is considered a crime by our oppressors, I wouldn’t regret it if you were arrested forever to hide the body of Artist Hachalu Hundessa’s body and attend the funeral. Thank you so much.
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March 13, 2013 Meee
Bekele Gerba
Finfinee, Oromia, Ethiopia

Ethiopia: OLF/OLA High Command Statement (27.03.2021)