Saturday, May 24, 2014

Ethiopia: Worrisome Situations in Detention Centres

HRLHA FineHRLHA – Urgent Action

May 24, 2014
For Immediate Release
While kidnappings and/or extra-judicial arrests and detentions have continued particularly around academic institutions in different parts of the regional state of Oromia in Ethiopia, disturbing and worrisome reports are coming out of detention centres where the Oromo students arrested in the past two weeks are being held.
According to HRLHA correspondents in Nakamte, Wollega Province in western Oromia, there have been cases of tortures of varying levels as well as detainees being taken away in the middle of the night to unknown destinations for unknown reasons. Fifty (50) detainees, including thirteen females, were taken away at one time alone; and their whereabouts were not known. In relation to tortures, the reports indicate that some of the detainees are isolated from others and held in separate rooms handcuffed and legs tied together with their hands on the their backs. There were ten students subjected to this particular situation, among whom were Std. Tesfaye Tuffa (male) and Std. Bontu Hailu (female). Although not confirmed at this point, there were also eight students who were screened out in order to be transferred to a detention or investigation office at the federal level; and these include:
1. Chalaa Fekaduu Gashe (high school student),
2. Chalaa Fekaduu Raajoo (high school student),
3. Nimoonaa Kebede (Wollega University 5th year law student),
4. Moi Bon Misganuu (Wollega University, student),
5. Abdii Gaddisaa (high school student),
6. Abel Dagim (high school student),
7. Qalbessa Getachew (high school student),
8. Mulgeta Gemechu (high school student),
9. Edosa Namara Dheressa, Civil Engineering, Wallaga University
In the meantime, reports indicate that kidnappings and/or extra-judicial arrests and detentions have continued in different parts of the regional state of Oromia, particularly in Hararge/Haromaya, West Showa, and West Wollega, all in relation to the protests that have been going on in the Regional State of Oromia in opposition to the newly introduced master plan to expand the Capital City of Addis Ababa/Finfinne in all directions by displacing the local Oromo residents. The following are among the hundreds of the most recent cases of kidnappings, arrests and detentions:
1) Edosa Namara Deressa – Wollega University (Civil Engineering)
2) Walabuma Dabale -Adama University, West Showa,
3) Ebisa Dale -Adama University
4) Ganamo Kurke -Adama University
5) Liban Taressa – Adama University
6) Adam Godana -Adama University
7) Bodana (last name not obtained) – Adama University
Name of other detainees arrested May 15-17, 2014,
Partial Detainees in Wallagga, May 16, 2014
NoNameGenderOccupation/GradePlace /Town
1 Robel QannoMWorkerMandii
2 Gammachis HambisaaMEmployeeMandii,
3Bokaa HundeessaaMMandii
4Bacaa KebedeMMandi
5Fiqiru WadajoMBusinessmanMandi
6 Eyob KumaraMBusinessmanMandi
7Raji AbbayaM10Mandi
8Dabaloo TolosaaM10Mandi
9Surra ChaliM12Mandi
10Ebisaa Saqqata12Mandi
Haromaya University
1Nimona ChaliMOromo languageHaromaya
2Magarsaa BaqqalaaMOromo languageHaromaya
3FirayadMTeacherHaromaya
4GirmaaMHaromaya
West Shawa, Ambo
1Getachew QajelaMAmbo Town
2Alemu MegerssaM8Ambo Town
3Debisa BirruM-Ambo
4Getacho BirruuMPrevious  Kaliti detaineeAmbo
5Tamire ChalaMoffice workerAmbo
Arrested on May 16, 2014 Wallagga University
1Abbabu TafaMstudentNekemt
 2Galata KumerraMstudentNekemt
3Gammachuu ButunaMstudentNekemt
4Gammachuu FikaduMstudentNekemt
5Getachew FikaduMstudentNekemt
6Gutaaa GalanaMstudentNekemt
7Lammessa BalayMstudentNekemt
8Mokonoon AbarraMstudentNekemt
9Mokonon AsaffaaMstudentNekemt
10Mul’isaa TafarraMstudentNekemt
11Nazib JibrilMstudentNekemt
12Shimalis ChaffeMstudentNekemt
13Sofia KadirMstudentNekemt
Arrested on May 16, 2014, West Wallaga Gulisso District
1Abdii MokononM10th gradeGullisoo
2Chalaa RaggasaMBussinessmanAyiraa
3Damee DaddafaMBussinessmanAyiraa
4Daawit TolaMBussinessmanGullisoo
5Dirriba Gaja’aMstudentAyiraa
6Dirriba TasfaM7th gradeGullisoo
7Ebba KaniibaM8th gradeGullisoo
8Efirem Qana’aMstudentAyiraa
9Fikadu GariMFarmerGullisoo
10Gammachu TasisaMBusinessmanGullisoo
11Gammaachuu WakjiraMGovernment employeeGullisoo
12Getane AdabaMFarmerAyiraa
13Getacho OljiraMFarmerAyiraa
14Girma MulatuM10th gradeGullisoo
13Hunduma AwetuMTeacherAyiraa
16Jifara BusunaMstudentGullisoo
17Lalisa IndaleM9th gradeGullisoo
18Lijalem ImmanaMAdminstratorGullisoo
19Malaku AagaMTeacherAyiraa
20Milkessa Samu’elMstudentAyiraa
21Mulatu CawaqaMFarmerGullisoo
22Obsa GetaneM10th gradeGullisoo
23Obsa RaggasaM9th gradeGullisoo
24Qabana HikaMTeacherAyiraa
25Qanani DanielM7th gradeGullisoo
26Toleraa WakumaMstudentAyiraa
27Wande NagasaMBusinessmanGullisoo
28Yaaed DheressaMTeacherAyiraa

The Human Rights League of the Horn of Africa (HRLHA) is highly concerned about the life-threatening situations in the detention centres where those young Oromos were held, and the safety and wellbeing of those who were taken to unknown destinations. Therefore, HRLHA calls upon the Ethiopian Government to abide by all international human rights instruments that it has signed, and refrain from subjecting the young detainees to such harsh situations. It also calls upon all local, regional, and international human rights organizations including UN Human Rights Council, humanitarian, and diplomatic agencies to put pressure on the Ethiopian Government so that it
  1. Unconditionally releases the Oromo students who were detained in the past two and three weeks simply because the attempted to exercise some of their fundamental rights in a peaceful and absolutely non-violent manner.
  2. Stop killing,  arresting and abducting Oromo nationals
  3. To form an independent committee from civilians for investigation and Prosecution of the killing and torturing crimes.

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