


Ethiopia: Advocacy for Justice for the Oromo People – Tumsa Haqa Saba Oromo – Press Release (07.02.2021)







There is again terrible news in Kaliti prison in Ethiopia. That is where several of high ranking leaders from Oromia is lingering in jail. These opposition leaders are behind bars because they are a threat to the position of the Prime Minister Ahmed Ali Abiy. The Ethiopian government is striking hard down, but has no evidence in their cases or with their charges.
The Oromo leadership is targeted to control the region and the political sphere ahead of the elections. That is why these leaders are behind bars. They are not there because of their work or criminal conspiracy. Their only crime is being popular opposition leaders. Now we are seeing the costs of protesting within the prison.
Here is the current report:
“1. Jawar Mohammed has lost a lot of weight, become extremely weak and can barely talk. His legs have swelled and doctors fear that this could be because of damage to his kidneys.
2. Bekele Gerba has lost a lot of weight.
He can barely talk or keep his eyes open.
He is in critical condition.
3. Hamza Borana has also lost a lot of weight. He is also in critical condition.
4. Dajane Tafa was one of the 4 people that collapsed a few days ago. He remains in critical condition.
5. Of the 4 people that collapsed few days ago, two (Boona Tibile and Dawit Abdata)were given intravenous therapy.This morning Arafat Abubakar also collapsed.
6. According to doctors, Shamsadin Taha is also in critical condition. Although he was faring well compared to the other political prisoners, his condition deteriorated quickly once he developed kidney problem as a result of the hunger strike.
7. We have been unable to have access to speak to all the Oromo political prisoners on hunger strike. From the information we’ve gathered so far, all of the 20 prisoners are in critical condition. It’s difficult to say what is going to happen in the next few hours. Their lives are in great danger and we fear the worst could happen at any moment” (Oromo Political Prisoners Defence Team – ‘Oromo Political Prisoners On Hunger Strike Are In A Critical Condition’ 08.02.2021).
This here should worry anyone and their lives are in danger. The body can hold a long time, but it is just a matter of time before the body gives way. That is what’s happening here and health care should step in. The Ministry of Health and Prison Services needs to come with dire help. Especially, since the political prisoners are now in critical condition. That should worry anyone.
There should be outrage and outcry, as these leaders needs help. The state needs to step in and give remedy. They need to show mercy and give them health care. They are in real danger. The state have to prove their humanity and care for their citizens, as these political prisoners are still citizens and do need help now. Peace.



ADDIS ABABA/ROME – Today, the Executive Director of the World Food Programme, David Beasley, the United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Ethiopia, Catherine Sozi, and the Federal Minister of Peace of the Government of Ethiopia, Muferihat Kamil, completed a joint visit to Mekelle in Ethiopia’s Tigray Region, aiming to highlight the need for strong partnership to rapidly scale up a Government-led collective response to meet the immediate humanitarian needs of people in Ethiopia’s Tigray Region.
Mr. Beasley commended the emergency food assistance that the Government and partners have already provided to the people of Tigray since the onset of the crisis, reaching almost 1.7 million people with emergency food distributions. 26,000 Eritrean refugees residing in two camps have also received food and nutrition assistance.
“But we must do more, together, to meet the needs of the population,” said Mr. Beasley, noting with concern that, “Latest preliminary estimates indicate that 2.5 to 3 million people in the region require emergency food assistance. Reports indicate that the nutrition situation requires greater attention, with young children and pregnant and lactating mothers the most vulnerable.”
Minister Muferihat indicated that the Government of Ethiopia has welcomed recent positive engagements with the Government by senior UN officials, including the Under-Secretary General for Safety and Security, the High Commissioner for Refugees, and the Executive Director of the World Food Programme.
“To ensure that humanitarian assistance in Tigray can be expanded and intensified without delay, the Government is moving with urgency to approve requests for international staff movements into and within Tigray, “ said the Minister, adding that, “Several such requests have been approved over the past few days and the process of rapid and streamlined approvals will continue. The Government will also review visa requests for international humanitarian staff with urgency and priority. Communication capability for UN and humanitarian partners with significant operations in Tigray will be enhanced.”
Confirming the critical importance of enhanced operational presence and communication capability to allow UN agencies and humanitarian partners to scale up humanitarian interventions in Tigray, Ms. Sozi said, “These recent and anticipated developments related to staff movement approvals and communication capability will allow international agencies to design and manage operations safely and responsibly, in close partnership with the Government. This is a tremendous step forward.”
Mr. Beasley announced that WFP has accepted a request from the Government to augment the transportation capacity of the Government and partners to deliver humanitarian assistance into and within Tigray. WFP has also agreed to provide emergency food relief assistance to up to 1 million people in Tigray and launch a blanket supplementary feeding intervention to assist up to 875,000 nutritionally vulnerable children and pregnant and lactating mothers.
These agreed WFP contributions will require USD 107 million to be implemented over the coming six months in areas and communities jointly identified and prioritized with the Government based on joint assessment where feasible.
The United Nations World Food Programme is the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. We are the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.





This is the sort of news that the Federal Government don’t want to have out. The sort of reporting that hurt the pride of the state. As this proves what sort of fashion that is happening in the courts. Where the political prisoners are kept behind bars and not getting justice. Because, the system is working against them. This is reported in regards to the Oromo leaders and activists behind bars. Still, the same could happen elsewhere too.
The Prosperity Party and Prime Minister Ahmed Ali Abiy is the ones with the “Superior Order” that controls the Court room. That is why they are lingering behind bars. While that is happening, the Oromo leaders behind bars is currently on the 8th day of hunger strike.
“The Judge said he too was instructed, “not to come to the courtroom with a mobile phone.” The Judge went on to say that the police had told them that a superior order had been issued to restrict the use of cell phones because information were being leaked. Dejene Tefa, then asked for permission and was allowed to make a speech. “You did this as you were instructed by the so called ‘superior order’ not to bring in your cell phone. If so, what is our guarantee that we will not be sentenced to death tomorrow by you in way of executing the superior order?” Who is that superior? Who is in charge of the courtroom? Who will preside over the hearing and other related questions raised and the Judges gave ‘answer’” (Oromo Political Prisoners Defence Team – ‘Today’s Outrageous Scene – During Jawar Mohammed et al. – Political Show Trial: ‘A Superior Order’’ 05.02.2021).
The Federal Government clearly don’t want to release the Political Prisoners. They want to bar them from the up-coming election and stopping their candidacies. That is why they are still barred behind bars and they will not have the ability to participate in elections. The state is keeping them there on frivolous charges, because they can and the next court date on the 1st March 2021.
We cannot expect the case to be solved. They will not be released as they are kept there arbitrary arrested and without evidence. If they had the evidence of the so-called criminal conspiracy. They would have sentenced them and proven the cases months ago. However, this is prolonged because the “Superior Order” is saying so. Peace.



Today on the 2nd February 2021 Prime Minister Ahmed Ali Abiy came out with a Press Release asking the diaspora to counter “disinformation” and “fake news” about the nation. This is happening, as the reports and the limited news from the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE). It is just like the Prime Minister wants the good news, but not the bad ones.
It is really outrageous that a man who wants keep the world in the dark. Is asking the diaspora and the “friends of Ethiopia” to speak the truth. That says a lot about the Prime Minister and his vision. The Prime Minister doesn’t want the truth out and therefore wants his image out.
Now, that his begging for this. Let me take some small passages from Oromia Support Group’s Report – ‘ Empire strikes back: catastrophic consequences’. This is the 54 edition from OSG and was published this January 2021.
Vital information it has is like this: “In this report, another 208 killings by government forces are recorded, making the total, despite poor access to information, of over 1,342 killings of civilians by Ethiopian government forces since October 2018” (OSG, Jan 2021). These extra judicial killings have happen to Oromo across the Republic since Abiy took power. Surely, he don’t want that out.
Other regions with steady conflicts and deaths in his reign is in Ogaden, Afar, Benishangul and Gambella. All of these regions are burning and ravaging with state sponsored violence. Then in addition to Oromia as well.
There is the running Law Enforcement Operation in the Tigray Region, which is ongoing since the 4th November 2020. The warfare between the National Army, Eritrean Army, Amhara Paramilitary Group – Fano against Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF).
Filippo Grandi remarked this about Tigray: “The humanitarian situation in Tigray, I think I will say something that everybody knows, but I think it’s important to repeat it, is extremely grave. People need all possible forms of support: food items, non-food items, medicine, clean water, shelter. The closure of the banking system, of the telecommunication system has added to the hardship of thousands of people, so the restoration of services is a very big priority and the United Nations as you know also estimates that hundreds of thousands, figures are difficult put forward in this situation, have been displaced and continue to be displaced” (Grandi, 01.02.2021).
While a A Joint Press Release by Tigray Independence Party (TIP), Salsay Weyane Tigray (SAWET), and National Congress of Great Tigray (Baytona) on the Current Situation in Tigray says that 52,000 civilians have been killed in the conflict. 150,000 have been internally displaced persons in other parts of Ethiopia because of it. They are even stating the worries of starvation and lack of humanitarian aid. That says it all and was released now in February 2021.
There is also reported over 60,000 refugees that has crossed from Tigray to Sudan. Therefore, the amount of human carnage is hard to state. The government is accepting all these inter-communal conflicts. The state is sponsoring a violent oppressive operation in Tigray. While it has continued to oppress and go after political dissidents in Oromia. That is why the staggering amounts of death there. While we don’t know to what extent it is with detainees and political prisoners as well.
If the Prime Minister wanted better news. He should start releasing it. The Prime Minister might be busy planting trees, but his not issuing peace. He is waging war and killing civilians on his watch. There are so many places where its happening. This should worry the Prime Minister at its his citizens that is targets and the ones who is suffering.
However, he is more preoccupied with the image and how Ethiopia is perceived. The Prime Minister should be more worried about all the horrific stories and lives touched by armed forces or law enforcement. If he cared, he would done more and not let this happening so constantly. He knows perfectly well what is happening.
Prime Minister Abiy, if you want the truth. I will not hesitate to say so. I know you want to be praised and be bashed in glory. However, for me your a warlord and someone who prefers waging war. Than actually negotiate and talk. You prefer killing or detaining your enemies, than actually hold dialogue. You want to be supreme and be king. That is who you are and that is why all your enemies are either behind bars, dead or on the run. Peace.