May 02, 2011

Oromo: Call for Embargo with Impact


Appeal extends to major international organizations as gross human rights violations continue in Ethiopia and the rights of the country’s communities remain downtrodden.



Below is a press release published by Oromo Parliamentarians Council:

Even if the regular mass arrest, kidnapping, torture and inhuman treatments are not new in the current Meles Zenawi led Ethiopian government; we are highly concerned with what is happening with full scale arrest and disappearance of Oromo Students as of April 2011, possibly in an attempt to curb the North African style revolution.

An estimated 1000 students from Universities all over the country are currently suffering in secret prisons and the notorious Ma’ekelawi prison in Addis Ababa. What is more either military personnel’s or secret state securities were lined up in many universities specially in Mizan-Tepi University, Jimma University, Haromaya University, Arbaminch University, Wollega University and Addis Ababa University.  What is really appealing is, the Oromo students are targeted just only because of their identity and many of them were apprehended for a simple reason that they tuned up to one or the other media outlets. It is to be remembered that Prime Minister Meles have openly admitted of jamming international media outlets including VOA [Voice of America]. Moreover they have blocked countless internet sites and media.

Currently more than 200 members of the legal registered Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement (OFDM) and Oromo People’s Congress (OPC) party are also imprisoned and are still suffering without any legal grounds. This group includes Lawyers, Teachers, Farmers, Bankers, Women’s, High School Students and many other different personalities. According to the Ex-President of the current government, Dr. Negaso Gidada, who resigned later for the alleged unconstitutional way of Meles Zenawi leadership and the governments’ gross human right violation; there more than 25,000 cases of Oromo political prisoners related charges of being Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) conspirators.

We urgently appeal to the international community to redress the gross violation of human rights and the injustice being committed by the minority regime in Ethiopia. We kindly ask for the implementation of all the necessary measures to bring the Ethiopian regime to terms of rule of law and democratic freedoms.

 Accordingly

1.      We ask the UN, USA, EU, China and Russia to put arms, financial and diplomatic embargo on the regime in Ethiopia

2.      We ask the travel ban and asset freeze on the high ranking EPRDF officials, especially on adamant dictator of Ethiopia, Meles Zenawi, his Ministers and official.

3.      We ask the concerned Universities to revise their relationship with Ethiopian Universities in context. We have witnessed so far the death of 4 students, the refusal of graduation degree to more than 80 students, the kidnapping and torture of countless students in Mekelle University. It is unfair for Western Universities to fund the crackdown of students at the hand of irresponsible officials.

4.      We ask for the fact finding missions for the already huge war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by the direct order of PM Meles Zenawi or/and his Generals in Gambella, Oromia, Ogaden and Sidama regions of Ethiopia.

5.      We ask for the UN resolution against the eviction of Farmers from their land, multi million hectares of land sell and the irresponsible environmental crisis going on in Ethiopia.

6.      We appeal for the protection of Oromo refugees in the neighboring countries and regions.

7.      We appeal for the support and funding of Organizations and group fighting to protect their nation from the dictatorial, irresponsible and unaccountable regime in Ethiopia.

8.      Based on the 40 years Oromo nation struggle for liberation we request to support willing of the nation and reorganization Oromiya freedom. 

It is at the best interest of the international community to act before it is too late in Ethiopia. Oromia is the largest and the most populous of the 9 regional states in Ethiopia. Addis Ababa (Finfinne) is in Oromia, currently serving as a seat of the African Union (AU), UNECA and countless international organizations and embassies in Ethiopia.  We all benefits from the democratic states; where its citizens are allowed to express their discontent and free aspirations. But your actions will only serve the purpose if and only if it is taken on time.

Oromo Parliamentarians Council

Antwerp, Belgium

25 April 2011