Ethiopia: Bayto Yiakl USA – Ambassador Dina Mufti’s Statement: Lies and Flour get lighter by the day (31.03.2021)

Ethiopia: Tigray – Law Enforcement Operation has displaced over 730,000 people

There been focus on the refugees of the war, which has crossed from the Tigray Region into Sudan since the start of the civil-war in early November 2020. Now, we are in the end of March and nearly into April 2021. The months has gone by and now the ripple effect is happening.

All the three armies aim at one region and one common enemy has born some results. Maybe not the outcome that was anticipated, as this was supposed to be short war and proclaimed in final stages in the end of November 2020. Which by all means is far from to this day. As there are reports that more trucks of Eritrean Defence Force have been fighting inside Tigray. As Amhara Paramilitary Group Fano has been used and so has Ethiopian National Defence Force. All of these armies have targeted Tigray Defence Force and Samri.

At this point, the devestation and the total damage of the conflict is uncertain. That is done deliberately as the state has kept people in the dark. The state have downplayed and debunked any reporting done. There been campaigns to undermine reports and later verify things partly. Just like the Eritrean Foreign Ministry does as well. They are working in tandem doing this work and shading the lights on the crisis, one report at the time. No matter what is written and by whatever media house… they will in the end dismiss it and call it “fake”. Even if all the things said in it is later verified by state authorities or quoted by state officials.

What these has never targeted is the stats that United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) have delivered to the public. The numbers I am now dropping and the horrific reports are coming from their latest report called: “Humanitarian Bulletin

Ethiopia – Issue #4 15– 28 March 2021”. Published today on the 31st March 2021.

What it states is this:

Reports from the Regional Early Warning and Response Directorate and humanitarian partners on the ground reveal that the number of displaced people has steadily increased in the region. Currently, more than 140,000 people have been displaced from western Tigray to Shire and Adwa, bringing the cumulative number of displaced people in Tigray to more than 730,000 (according to the Regional Bureau of Labor and Social Affairs – BoLSA and the Early Warning Bureau). An assessment conducted by the ES/NFI Cluster and OCHA between 11-14 March in Shire, Aksum, and Adwa found a dire humanitarian situation in these areas” (OCHA, 31.03.2021).

We know the conflict has affected plenty when over 700,000 people have been directly touched and had to move. These is internally displaced within the region because of the massacres, open warfare, door-to-door raids and other atrocities happening. They are seeing armies invading their homes, villages and towns. Where the only reasonable choice is to flee and seek refugee somewhere else. Just like the ones who fled to Sudan and is in camps there.

The Law Enforcement Operation of Addis Ababa and Asmara is clearly not only hitting its intended enemies, but also causing a lot harm to bystanders. The conflict is creating a dangerous state and at such a level, which will take years to fix. The amount of people up-rooted and taken away from their homes is outrageous. It will take more than a quick fix to make up for the damage done in these months.

Abiy will be remembered for all this harm and hurt. It happened in his watch and he ordered it to happen together with his ally Afwerki. They are responsible as Heads of State and Warlords. These folks burned villages, extra-judicial killings and slaughtered citizens to prove a point. They did it annihilate TPLF. But is it worth scaring over 700,000 people away from their homesteads? How can leaders like this sleep at night?

When Abiy started the war in November 2020 he opened a Pandora’s box… and this is now one of the outcomes. We have no idea about how many who has died. We have now idea about how many soldiers, paramilitary or armed personnel on both sides who has lost their lives either. No idea about casualties in general. Neither, is there any sort of reporting on the starvation or the struggle to survive in the region either. Therefore, there is a lot of numbers missing.

But… the tally of IDPs says how reaching and what sort of impact it has. As people decide to leave their homes and find shelter elsewhere. That is not done with ease, but for fear of losing their lives if they stays. Therefore, by this alone. We know that this conflict is horrific and atrocities are occurs with the knowledge of the outside world. That is tragic, but sadly true. As we can only know what the eyes, witnesses and the bold reporters are telling. Which is limited and not it all. Therefore, this sort of Humanitarian Bulletin says more than any article would. It states what people are doing, as a last ditch resort to save themselves from the “hell” they used to call home. 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.
—–
March 13, 2013 Meee
Bekele Gerba
Finfinee, Oromia, Ethiopia

Ethiopia: OLF/OLA High Command Statement (27.03.2021)

Ethiopia: Office of the Prime Minister – On Discussions with President Isaias Afwerki (26.03.2021)

Ethiopia: Oromo Political Prisoners Defence Team – Hamza Borana Pleads Not Guilty: Full Statement He Delivered in Court (22.03.2021)

Your Honours,
I, Hamza Borana, plead not guilty to the charges levelled against me. I am innocent of all the charges and I consider the case political. I am charged with:
(1) Inciting violence between nations and nationalities
(2) Inciting the people against the government
(3) Inciting the Oromo people against the Amhara and Orthodox Christians,
(4) Stating that the Neftegna will not govern us and that the Neftegna system has been killing the Oromo people
(5) That I have stated that people should not carry the federal flag during national holidays in Oromia and agitated for measures to be taken against those found carrying it
(6) That I have stated that Oromo nationalists are being killed and the Oromo people should arm itself and rise up.
Before I enter a plea on these charges, I would like to take a few minutes to tell the court about myself.
This is the first time in my life that I have been accused of a crime and stood before a court to plead to a criminal charge. Unless we work towards building a democratic order, I don’t believe this will be my last. Politically motivated legal proceedings against political foes will continue until we address the central political challenges and practices. If we fail to address our country’s original political sins and continue on this path of manipulation and oppression, innocent citizens will continue to be victims and the oppressor will continue to oppress.
I am here today before this court accused of committing a crime because I wanted to play my part in the struggle against this politics of manipulation and domination.
I was not surprised by the detention and the charges. Before joining this struggle, I knew quite well that there is always a risk of detention, suffering, and being killed like my forefathers. I was not surprised because I joined the struggle after preparing myself to pay the necessary sacrifice. Before becoming a politician, I was forced to flee my country and live-in exile for seven years because I fought for equality and justice. Within those seven years, I founded Radio Daandii Haqaa (RDH) and served as its director and journalist to amplify the voice of my people.
The whole nation and the programs we did and the guests we invited are a testament to the fact that I used the Radio to lead the people’s struggle by peaceful means only, while building bridges between communities, and focusing our energy on the dictatorial system. The dictatorial system was eventually overthrown by the bitter struggle of our people and the sacrifice of more than 5000 youth. When the government changed in April 2018, I was one of those who returned home. Having said that much about myself, I would like to address the accusations:
First, I was accused of inciting violence among nations and nationalities. Before I address the issue, let me provide a quick background about myself. I was born and raised in Borana, Southern Oromia. Borana shares a large border with the Southern Peoples region and I grew up and attended school among multi-ethnic groups. I was shaped by the Gadaa system and values of tolerance and accommodation is an integral part of our culture and way of life. After returning to Ethiopia, I traveled to Gambella for peaceful discussion between the nations and nationalities. We had fruitful discussions with representatives of both sides to establish peaceful relations between the people of Gambella and the Oromo people. I was also invited by both sides to contribute to the peace process between the Afar and Wollo Oromos, which I attended in Batte, Wollo. I also attended a peace conference convened by the leaders of the Oromia and Somali regions as part of the ongoing dialogue to resolve the conflict between the Oromo and Somali people and tried to fulfil my civic duties. Similarly, I attended the Oromia Conference in Ambo by the invitation of the President of the Oromia Regional State and supported the efforts to establish a solid foundation for relations between the Somali and Oromo nations. Finally, in the event of ethnic clashes in the universities, I was able to hold an emergency joint meeting with Amhara Region activists to discuss the steps to be taken to prevent the conflict from spreading to the public.
Second, I am accused of inciting violence between the Oromo, the Orthodox Christians and the government. I do not think it makes sense for religion to be the basis for social and political conflict because I view faith as primarily a private matter. I was born to an Orthodox Christian family. My parents and all my relatives were and still are followers of the Orthodox Christian faith. I learned the Amharic language I speak today at a church. For someone in my position to want to instigate violence against Orthodox Christians or Orthodox churches would mean encouraging violence against my mother, who is today attending this very trial travelling more than 600kms from Borana. She should not have been here to see her son if I were in any way capable of even imagining such a thing. The same goes for my father and my brothers.
Third, with regard to the accusation that I have incited people against the government, I would like to raise two points. As soon as I returned to my country, I was engaged in widespread efforts to encourage people to support agents of reform in government to the point that I was perceived by the public as a member of the ruling party. But as events on the ground shifted and Oromo nationalists began to be arrested and killed and killings become widespread and the transition process went off the rails, I approached leading members of the ruling party and offered my advice. When this failed, I then began to publicly criticise the government’s handling of the situation, and once this too failed, I was forced to join the opposition. There is no doubt that Oromo nationalists have been killed; many human rights reports confirm this, many farmers’ houses have been burnt down. Does anyone deny this? How can anyone who advocates for victims gets detained and made to stand trial while the murderers remain free? Because I am a peace-loving person, I had a 12-day discussion with Abba Gadaas and prominent elders in Borana, in an effort to bring peace to the forces that are sincerely in power and fighting in the name of peace. I was fulfilling my civic duty as a caring citizen.
Next, I would like to raise the issue of the flag: I am basically a citizen who believes in the rule of law, legality, the constitution & constitutionalism. I also believe that the rule of law should be upheld until it is changed or amended. We have a flag that is enshrined in our constitution. Green-yellow-red with a yellow star in the center of the blue circle indicating the equality of nationalities and religions. We also have a law that says where, when, and why we should use this flag. In recent times, we have seen the use of the old Ethiopian flag in different ways and often to incite conflict. As a peace-loving and law-abiding citizen, I have expressed the view that during public holidays only the federal flag should be used and that other symbols that reflect the interests of a single group or provoke conflict should not be allowed, which is well within my constitutional right to free expression. As you know, I am not a government official, I do not have an army to command. I argued that the problematic symbols and insignias should not be carried because remaining silent in the face of an illegal use of the old Ethiopian flag that symbolises ideas contrary to our present constitution would have been a dereliction of my duty. However, my respect for the flag is never in doubt. Lastly, the message I want to convey on this agenda is that I see artists posting the same banner in different ways on music videos and films. For me, this is the illegality that should be condemned. One ethnic group’s view doesn’t represent the rest of Ethiopia and their ideas shouldn’t be imposed on other ethnic groups.
Finally, I was accused of stating that it was the Neftegna who were executing the Oromo people and that the Neftegna will not rule over us. While agreeing with the points made by the second defendant, Bekele Gerba, I will add the following on what Neftegna means for me.
For me, the Neftegna violently displaced my father’s grandfather, Obbo Dhana (Dhaanaa) Roba Gunjo, and his family from the Tulama land and forced him to settle among Gujii Oromo. The Neftegna massacred my mother’s father family in the Dharra District of Salale (North Shoa) and they too similarly fled to Borana. My mother’s father great grandfather Gayo Kumsa, has been uprooted by the evil Neftegna system from the South West of Sheger and forced to flee to Borana. I am the offspring of these displaced families. Yes, this is the system that committed ethnic cleansing on the Oromo people. That is why I am fighting hard to keep this system from coming back. Is it those who support this system or those who opposed it who should be accused? We are forever grateful for the debt of Borana, Guji, Arsi, Bale and Itu-Hubbena (Hararge) Oromo, who reached out and embraced the Tulama Oromo during the displacement of Oromos at the time. I would like to use this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude and respect.
Honourable Court, those of us who returned to our country after the process of democratic transition commenced – former activists, journalists, politicians – many of them chose to turn a blind eye to clear evidence of a slide-back to authoritarianism because they were provided with resources such as land belonging to our farmers, power, and temporary state rents. I felt that the only way I can make a meaningful contribution to the ongoing struggle of my people is by joining a viable opposition party, and I joined the Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC). My comrades, my organisation and I were seen as an enemy because the ruling party know of the acceptance and support we have among our people and decided to lock us up because they knew they cannot win an election against us. A clear evidence of this is the current situation where the ruling party has jailed us all and removed our party from the election so that the ruling party will run for the election on its own. Therefore, Honorable court, I want to express with great respect, that I am innocent of all charges and I am here because I am falsely accused by the government, so that they can win the election and impose their views on us all.
It was Haacaaluu. They killed him and they prevented us from attending his funeral and properly mourn our loss. It was while I and my friends were on our way to the burial of our hero that we were arrested from the street and jailed. We have not committed any crime.
Thank you.
March 22, 2021
Hamza Borana
Finfinne, Oromia, Ethiopia

Ethiopia: Oromo Legacy Leadership and Advocacy Association (OLLAA) – OLLAA Calls on PM Abiy to Investigate Wollo Massacres (24.03.2021)

Ethiopia: The Office of the United Nations High Commissiioner for Human Rights and the Ethiopian Human Rights Commission to conduct a joint investigation with a view to a credible accountability process (25.03.2021)