Without wrapping up the mourning of Lampedusa Boat Tragedy that very recently claimed the lives of more than 360 immigrants most of whom are from Eritrea, Somalia and Ethiopia on the Italian seaboard, another incident of inhuman and degrading act of beatings, killings, and raping is being inflicted against Ethiopian immigrants in Saudi Arabia since last week. This time, the victims are chased and hunted down by Saudi police and vigilantes on a pretentious account of violating immigration rules.
Referring to the situation as “field security campaign", on November 4, the Ministry of Interior MoI of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia KSA made an official announcement “assigning the Public Security, with all affiliates, to arrest the “illegal” expatriates and hand them to the relevant authorities in the general directorate of prisons. According to the government website, the campaign which will take place in all cities, provinces, villages and rural towns of the Kingdom is carried out in a “firm” and “continuous” method of implementation as stated by Al-Turki, the Spokesperson of MoI. The Kingdom claims to target “illegal expatriates” and “over stayers with visas and also aims to arrest whoever employs any violator and who provides residence or transportation for the violators or hides them.” The government created a task force of 1,200 officials Public Security authorities and affiliates, Ministry of Labor officials, and vigilante who started raking-through shops, construction sites, restaurants and businesses in search of foreign workers. It is reported that in the first couple of days of the crackdown, approximately a total of 23,000 Ethiopian workers are reportedly arrested, some brutally beaten and inhumanely treated. And at least three Ethiopians were reportedly killed.
With all due respect to the Kingdom’s domestic margin of appreciation to implement the necessary immigration policy, however, it is superfluously remorseless and unacceptable to chase and beat a fellow human being to death. In a country with immigrant workers making up 1/3 of the total population, one shouldn’t be surprised if the immigrants are used by the government as the scapegoat for all domestic ills. Whatsoever, the current crackdown by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on Ethiopians migrant workers calls for a thorough scrutiny of the country’s immigration and labor system. We will see below the regulation of foreign labor and the ensuing immigration issues in Saudi Arabia, and then point out some kinds of redressing mechanisms and protection enhancement for the victims.
Saudi Arabia’s Failed System of Labor Regulation vis-a-vis Foreign Workers
Many of the migrants targeted in the crackdown entered the country legally nonetheless, owing to the current failure in the system of the labor regulation of the country, they are practically forced to be categorized and pigeon-holed into the domain of “illegal” undocumented workers. Most foreign workers especially domestic workers which constitute the majority are excluded from protections that the regime of labor law of the Kingdom offers (article 7(2) of Saudi Arabia LABOR LAW Royal Decree No. M/5123 Sha'ban 1426 / 27 Sep. 2005).
Furthermore, the labor and immigration policy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia that rely on “sponsor” or “kafala“ (where a worker's visa and legal status is tied only to ONE EMPLOYER-Part III, Article 32-41 of the Saudi Arabia LABOR LAW Royal Decree No. M/5123 Sha'ban 1426 / 27 Sep. 2005) created an intense and absolute inequality between employers and workers and impose tight restrictions on migrant workers' rights. Under this system, most migrant workers arrive in Saudi Arabia on a two-year contracts in which their visas are tied to their employer, or sponsor. The sponsor bears responsibility for the worker's recruitment fees, completion of medical exams, and possession of an iqama, or national identity card. The worker must obtain the sponsor's consent to transfer employment or to leave the country (to get an exit visa). This gives the employer an absolute amount of power over the worker's ability to change jobs or to return to a country of origin. As a result, some abusive employers exploit this botched system and force domestic workers to continue working against their will and forbid them from returning to their countries of origin. As part of finding solution and escaping this type of abusive and cruel employer/sponsor, therefore, the foreign workers sometimes end up working for someone other than their sponsor. Ultimately, this setting practically ends the workers up in a state of “out-of-status” or “illegal” or “undocumented” workers.
In light of this challenge, during the past few months the time before the start of (the current “crackdown” when the kingdom declared as a grace period for the immigrants) there was no realistic way for the majority of migrants to pursue any of the gimmicky propositions by the officials to correct or fix the immigration documents. That means, the workers couldn’t correct the visa nor get an exit visa to leave the country because of the practical hindrances and impediments continuously posed by the foreign labor regulation system. Against this backdrop, one can tell that it is shockingly pretentious for the government of Saudi Arabia to pompously label the foreign workers as illegal beings. Sometimes, these workers are equated with/referred to as “runaways” and find themselves in vacuum of helplessness and defenselessness. The very act of running way from abusive employer is considered illegal making them stranded in the country without any judicial remedy for the abuse and no possibility to get an exit visa to leave the country.
Redressing the Situation: “Righting the Wrong”
Foreign workers in the Middle East countries are the most vulnerable group of people. There is a track record of horrendous acts and gross violation of fundamental rights inflicted against these workers over the last decade. The current crackdown is seemingly a culmination of that. Unfortunately, the home government (Ethiopian governments) rarely thinks of taking on a “discretionary” initiative to espouse the claim of their citizens residing abroad in order to extend some sort of diplomatic protection which might in some regard help to plant seeds of hope for the victims and their families. There has never been a case over the last few years where the home government in Addis Ababa/Finfinne showed a degree of sympathy. The self-proclaiming political-God-Father-Party of Ethiopia may need to develop a gut to deploy all diplomatic mechanisms and look for political leverage as part of searching for a redress for the victims. It is about time to act beyond the rhetoric. Besides actively and continuously providing consular assistance, the government has to look for justice on behalf of the victims by espousing their case. There is no desperate time and case than this where Ethiopian government has to employ the executive discretion to extend the diplomatic protection in all of its fullest sense. Damages sustained by all victims should be assessed and a commensurable relief must be sought by Ethiopian government before appropriate international judicial venue or arbitral tribunal
As long-term solution as it may sound and as a layout for nurturing the culture and tradition of respecting human rights and dignity of foreign workers in that part of the world, the Kingdome of Saudi Arabia has to mitigate the allergy of acceding to the relevant international human rights treaties. Both Ethiopia and Saudi Arabia have not ratified International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families that was in force since 1 October 2005. The Convention is a comprehensive international treaty focusing on the protection of migrant workers’ rights and emphasizes the link between migration and human rights. It opens up a firm episode of determining the rights of migrant workers and ensuring that those rights are protected and respected. Accession to this instrument had long been overdue for both Saudi and Ethiopia. Not to mention that both states are still duty bound under other generic legal instruments like the ICCPR.
Henok G. Gabisa is Visiting International Law Fellow, Washington & Lee University School of Law, Lexington, Virginia
=>ia-forum
Monday, November 18, 2013
Ethiopians demonstrate outside Saudi embassy in London
There's been growing anger among Ethiopians in and outside the country, about the way that some of their compatriots have been treated in Saudi Arabia.
Gatii fi gumaa Oromoota ajjeefamanii kan baastu Wayyaanee dha
(Oromedia, 17 Sadaasa 2013) Miidhaa fi roorroon ilmaan Oromoo irra gayaa jiru kan fala argachuu dnada’u yoo ummati oromoo hundee miidhaa fi roorro sanaa ofirraa kaase ta’uun heddumminaan haasayamaa jira.
Haata’uutii, mala dhibdeen Oromoo kun ittiin furmaata argatuu danda’u irratti karaa fi tooftaa waloo akeekuun heddumminaan ibsamaa hin jru.
Oromedian akka waltajjii Oromoo addaddaa irratti argamee hubatetti, oromonni biyyoota garaa garaa keessa qubatanii jiran haala Oromoo fi Oromiyaan keessatti argaman irratti yaaddoo olaanaa ibsachaa jiran.
Yaadota torbaa kana keessa karaa addaddaa walitti qabame irraa akka hubachuun dnada’ametti, yeroo ammaa kana biyya keessattis, biyya baqannaa keessattis miidhaa fi roorroon jajjabduun ilmaan Oromoo irra gahaa jira.
“Hundeen roorroo kanaa srina garboonfannaa leellisuudha,” kan jedhan yaada kennitooti kunneen roorroo san ofiraa buqqisuun furmaata isa duraa ti jechuun fala isaa ilee walumaan akeekanii jiru.
Yeroo ammaa kana biyyoota akka Sa’ud-Arabiyaa, Yaman, Masirii, Jubuitii fi kkf keessatti miidhaa fi roorroo ilmaan Oromoo irra gahaa jiru kan maddisiisan keessaa kan duraa, sirn Habashaa biyya oromiyaa humnaan qabatee ta’uu akan ibsan maanguddoon Oromoo tokko immoo, Gatii fi gumaa namoota keenyaa kan baasu, Wayyaanee dha,” jedhaniiru.
Ammas falli keenya, tokkichi “ABO jabeessuun mirga abbaa biyyummaa keenya mirkaneeffachuu dha, “ kan jette baqattuun Oromoo biyya Yaman keessa karaa email nuuf barreessite akka ibsitetti, ajjeechaan biyyoota ollaa fi Araabaa keessatti Oromoota irra gahaa jiru itti fufiinsa miidhaa fi roorroo biyya keessaa ta’uu illee dabaltee ibsitee jirti.
“Kan biyyaa nu baasa jiru, roorroo dha,” kan jedhe barataan Oromoo, biyya Keeniyaa keessa qubatee jiru immoo akraa skype akka nuuf ibsetti, “biyya keessattis roorroon nutti jira; biyya alaattis yoo bane nurra dhaabbacha ahin jiru,kanaaf falli jiru “Ba’aa kana xiqqeessuuf gara biyya ollaatti baqachuun cinattis, Mootummaan Oromoo jabaa akka dubbatuuf marxifannee hojjachuu qabna” jedhee jira.
“Amma falli jiru, kan nuuf dubbatu argachuu dha; kan roorroo nurraa ittisu magarfachuu yookana guddifachuu dha.” Kan jedhe gaazexeessaan Oromoo tokko immoo, “Falli qabnu, ABO jabeessuu dha; WBO jabeessuu dha; hidhannoo keeya jabeeffachuu dha; Biyya keenya humnaan nurraa fudhatame, humnaan deebifachuutti bobba’uudha; imimmaan keenya kan qoorus gaafas callaa dha,” jechuun dhaamsa jabaa ilmaan Oromoof dabarsee jira.
=>oromedia
AMMA CUFATANITTI , NI DONGARATU
Y.G(2005) | Sadaasa 18, 2013
Mallasaan osoo du’ee hin badiin, Qabsoo Oromoo dhabamsiisuuf irriiba hin qabu ture. Irriiba dhabuun isaa tarii, Biyya kana waggaa 50f bituuf karoora baafatan san milkeessuf ta’a. irriiba dhabuun sun hammeenya ittiin bubbulan ummachuuf ta’uun hin shakkisisu. Hammeenya kan yaadaniif yk irriiba kan itti dhabaniif, waan tolaaf miti. Mirga Ummatootaa Ukkaamsuu isaanii akka gaaritti waan hubataniif, humnaan jiraachuun ala filmaata biro waan hin qabneef akkataa itti ummatootaa fi qabsoo isaanii laamsheessanii Umurii itti argatan falachuuf irriiba dhaban.haala kanaan toftaan nuun nu laaffisanii yk nu dhabamsiisanii, addatti sochii Qabsoo keenyaa laamshessanii umurii dabalachuuf tattaafatan walitti himuun hangas maraa kan barbaachisu natti hin fakkaatu.muuxannoo ga’aa waan qabnuuf. Waan gadi jabeessinee hubachuu qabnu garuu, “waan dinni irriiba itti dhabee nu irratti hojjachaa jiru, nuutis irriiba itti dhabnee faallaa isaa hojjachuun filmaata biro akka hin qabneedha.”Kanatti dabalee, waan diinni dhoksaanis ta’uu ifatti nama irratti hojjatu bifa lamaan dura dhaabbatan. Tokko, fuullee dura dhaabbachuun, lammeessoo, ifattis ta’u dhoksaan, faallaa waan inni nama irratti hojjatuu hojjachuun.
Sirnoonni dabranis ta’ee wayyaaneen gaaffii keenya ukkaamsuuf hammeenyi gaggeessan, adda durummaan Ummata jumlaan ajjeesuu, qabsaa’oota dhabamsiisuu, Ummata keessaa kanneen gaaffii kaasan ajjeesuuu, hidhuu, Biyyaa godaansiisuu, sochii jiru irraa akka dhaabbatu taasisuu, seenaa keenyaa fi eenyummaa keenya balleessuu, aadaa , Qooqa keenya , walii gala eenyummaa fi sabboonummaa dhabmsiisuu dadhaban laamsheessuudha.kan irraa hin dubbatamin jiru garuu, miidhaa jireenya hawaasummaa keenya irra geesifamaa jiruudha. Aadaan waliin jireenyaa sirnoota dabran irraa amma tokko Ummata keenya keessatti hafee ture, bara wayyaanee kana hundee buqqifamee akka darbamuuf toftaalee itti dammaqamu hin dandeenyen irratti hojjatamaa jira. Kana yeroo biroon itti deebi’a.
Shira diinaa kana wallaaltu jedhee irra deebi’aa hin jiru. Garuu shira diinaa kana dura dhaabbachuuf,“Amma cufatanitti ni dongaratuu” san hojjachuun dirqama ta’uutu natti mul’ata. Kun ammo kan raawwachuun danda’amu dhaabuma irratti gatanii yk qaamuma tokko irratti gatanii kan dhiisan osoo hin taane, hundumtuu dhimmi kun na ilaallata jedhee murtee isaatiin ka’ee, kan yaada wal fakkaataa qabu kunis ka’ee yoo hojjate milkaa’a.
barruun kun yaada golaa fi dinqaa waan qabuuf gaggabaabsuun dansaa ta’a. Diina qawwee baadhatee namatti dhufe , harka qullaa of irraa hin deebisan. Diina si ajjeesuuf sitti qiyyaafatee , quba isaa qaataa harkisuu eegalee deebiima wal fakkaataatu qoricha. Kun adeemsa mataa isaa qaba.
Gama biroon waan keessa jirru waliin yennaa herreegnu, shiroota diinaa babal’achaa jiran daddaffiin yoo dura hin dhaabbatiin hegaree keenyaaf waan hin tolle hedduutu jira. Waan dhaloota kaleessaa fi har’aa miidhaa jiru, garuu dhaloota itti aanutti akka hin dabarreef irratti hojjannu danuutu jira. Addatti miidhaan gama aadaa fi qooqa keenyaa , addatti Jireenya hawaasummaa Oromoo irra ga’aa jiru, kan yeroo itti kennanii miti.
Irra jireessi namaa , kan gurra qeessee dhaggeeffachaa jiru qabsoon kun eessa ga’ee fi adeemsa isaa ilaalee keessatti hirmaachuuf yaaluudha. Kan biro ammo,miseensa dhaabaa yoo hin ta’iin , falmaa gaggeessuun akka hin danda’amnetti kan ilaalu heddu. Shira diinaa har’a akka ija xaafii heddummaachaa jiruu fi ilaalchi akkasii akkamiin akka wal simu naaf hin galu.fakkeenyaaf Namni ogummaa Qooqaa ykn Afaanii qabu tokko Qooqa Oromoo guddisuuf miseensa dhaabaa ta’uun dirqama natti hin fakkaatu. Namni sirna GADAA qoratee “Faranjii” irraa Piroofesarummaa yk Doktarummaa fudhate tokko , sirni Gadaa kun haala jiru waliin Ummata keessa akkamiin gadi akka haadhbbatu qoratee hojii irra oolchuuf hayyama dhaabaa kan eegu qabu natti hin fakkaatu. Dhaabnis kana dhorkaa gonkumaa dhaga’ee hin beeku. garuu hundumtu adeemsuma siyaasaa keessa seenee wal dhiphisuu argaa jirra. Kun diinaaf mijachuudha.
Utbaan Mana keenyaa bara 1991 gadi dhaabbateera. Boriif illee raga ga’aa of harkaa qabna jechuudha. Kan tokko utubaa dhaabe, inni duubaa dhufu dagalee itti rukuta. Inni itti aanu citaa irra buusee mana taasifata. Addunyaa saamichaa keessa adeemsi kun dansaadha.Gama kanaan mee itti haa mari’annu. Dubbii golaa fi dinqaa……Diinni aadaa ,qooqa , jireenya hawaasummaa fi seenaa keenya dhabamsiisuuf ka’u waggaa 100f dhageenye. Ogeessitoonni kana adeemsa siyaasa keenya irraa qofaa eeggachuu hin qaban. Eenyuyyu maqaa itti haa tolfatu, har’aaf garuu waan irratti hojjachuu qabnu hedduu jiraachutu natti mul’ata. Waan Biyya alaatti hojjataman hedduu ni dhageenya. Kun akkamiin biyyatti ce’ee qaawwaa jirtuun ummata keessa gadi dhaabuun danda’ama jedhanii yaadu barbaachisa.
Diinni yoo sabboonummaa keenya dhabamsiisuuf nutti duule, galii keenya isa lubbu nu gaafatu bira hanga geenyutti, sabboonummaan ummata keenya keessatti akka jabaatuf karaa hundaa hojjachuun barbaachisaadha. qooqa Oromoo duubatti deebisuuf wayyaaneen waan hojjachaa jirtu guyyu argaa fi dhaga’aa jirra. Kanaaf qorichi isaa balaaleffachuu qofaa miti. Ogeessitoonni gama kanaan jiran, Dirree siyaasaa irratti wal qabuu irraa asi deebi’anii, qooqa Oromoo kana Ummata keessa jiraachisuuf irratti hojjachuudha. Maaliif ? yoo waan kun duubatti deebi’e dhaloota tokko dhabna. Kun ammo kasaaraa guddaadha.
Biyyoota alaatti addunyaa kana irra QOOQA OROMOO jedhamu akka jiru hubachiisuudha. Gama kanaan namoonni kabajamoon waggaa 19 ffaa’aa dura dhaga’aa turre har’a eessa akka jiran hin beeknu. Maal akka eeganis namaaf hin galu. Wayyaaneen waan Biyyaa nama baaftuuf, namni Biyya alaatti godaanu , waanuma BIyya alaa kana keessa bada jettee waan amntuufi. Dhugumayyuu dhaqanii keessa badu taanaan tilmaami isaanii sirridha. Dhalli Oromoo Biyya keessatti akka leencaa bookkisan, ummataaf humna turan, ala ba’anii awwaachuu iyyuu dadhabanii jiru. deebii kanaaf namni waa hedduu tarrisa. Ani garuu amma cufatanitti dongorachuun ni danda’aman jedha.
Sabboonummaa Ummata keenya keessa tursuuf Artiin bakka ol aanaa qaba.ogeessitoonni Oromoon qabdu irra jireessi wayyaaneen dhiibame ba’eera. Wayyaaneen waan dhiibduuf beekamaadha. Warri dhiibamee ba’e akkuma wayyaaneen yaadde ta’an. Walitti dhufanii hojjatanii isa Biyya keessaa karaa hedduu gargaaru ykn utubuu irratti hojjachuun kan jiru natti hin fakkaatu. Ammi sochii taasisa ni jiru. galatallee kan qaban jiru. garuu amma baayyannu hin geenyu. Shira diinaatu dacha keenya ta’e.Haala akkasiin yoo ilaalle waa hedduutu nuu hafa. Mee yaadaa,,,,,,,,,
Wal-jajjabeessuun, wal-gargaaruun, daboo waliif ba’uun, wal kabajuun, wal dhaggeeffachuun, safuu kabajuun, yaada waliif hiruun, Ilaa fi ilaameen,waliif abboomamuun, Qooqa ofii babal’isuun, aadaa ofii Biyya keessaa fi alatti babal’isuuf waan barbaachisu gochuun, sabboonummaa Oromomummaa irratti hojjatanii deebisuuf, Miseensa Oromoo ta’uu qofaatu ga’a natti fakkaata. Hojiilee akkasii miseensa qofaatu dirqama itti qaba yoo jenne hin jirru jechuudha.kun irra jireessa hawaasa Oromoo Biyya alaa irratti mul’ata. Maaliif ?????????? “AMMA CUFATANITTI ,NI DONGORATUUN” itti fufa…..
Galatoomaa !!!!!!!!!
WE WILL RISE AGAIN!
By Bahru D. Bayisa*
“Ethio-centerism is a doctrine that totally disregards diversity issues and attempts to build the supremacy of one group of people at the expense of others.”- Ob. Bahru D. Bayisa
Discrimination and abuses wound the human soul. They destroy self-esteem, devastate personality, and expose to varieties of personal and psychological issues. This is especially true when such unfortunate maltreatments begin during childhood due to racial or ethnic differences. These wounds are never easy to overcome. Fortunately, our world has achieved a significant progress in this regard with the help of humanitarian movements and the human rights advocates throughout the world.
The twenty-first century is marked by an unprecedented technological advancement. This in turn resulted in the mingling of diverse groups of people throughout the world thereby enabling societies to accept, or at least, tolerate the myriads of differences among them. As often said, the globe has become one village, and no niche is an island anymore. The modern human being, regardless of where he or she lives or which race or ethnicity he or she belongs to, is now confronted with the undeniable truth that no one group of people is inferior or superior to any other.
In one of the graduate courses I took on diversity at the San Diego State University, we had to do a “cultural plunge” by going to communities of people from different cultures, and languages that were not intelligible to us. We plunged ourselves into cultures of the groups and tried to introspect how we felt about ourselves as a result of being different, or not being able to communicate with anyone. The result was astonishing. We felt totally lost and alone despite the crowd. The experience was so informative and powerful that, as teachers, we can always empathize with any student who comes to our classes from the Middle Eastern, Asian or African cultures with minimum English language skills, and find him- or herself in a totally different cultural milieu.
The fact that we are different culturally, linguistically, psychologically, or racially does not mean that we are better or worse than others. We are just different. Any one person may, sooner or later, unavoidably experience a culture shock when involved in a cultural plunge. Most educated and confident people understand these diversity issues, and try to treat everyone with respect without expecting any favor in return. For example, some studies show that most people in the United States treat immigrants with significant amounts of respect by going out of their ways to support them in various ways. They don’t really care whether you are Chaltu orMantegbosh!
However, some supercilious and arrogant groups and individuals condescend on the cultures and languages of other people as if their culture and language are better than that of others. In the Ethiopian empire, where over eighty ethnic groups coexist with their own cultures and languages, it’s incomprehensible for an average person — let alone the so-called educated ones, to be totally out of touch with this reality. Most “main stream” Amharic-speaking Ethiopians are still oblivious about the burning issues of diversity in the country, and they don’t seem prepared to take a single stride in the right direction. They fervently deny or justify verbally and psychologically abusing others especially, the Oromo people. There is no way they feel the pain and agony they inflicted on most of us because the pains are only ours, and we cannot forget them. Their own proverb, “Ye wega biresa, ye tewega ayiresam,” may be in order here, so to speak.
No language, culture, religion, or lineage makes a people the first-class citizens of any country at the expense of others, and for our Ethiopian friends, this truth may be tantamount to an insult. Who can be equal to the saints? Time and again, most of us failed to fit their criteria, namely beingOrthodox Christians, speaking Amharic only, and denying everything about us. They are not aware that the essence of diversity is acceptance, or at least tolerance, of the needs of others. I said “modern human being” above – because those who are still in the medieval mentality have not yet achieved the intellectual and moral standards of the human dignity.
“Chaltu Inde Hellen,” according to activist Geresu Tufa, is a true story of a young, bright, and pretty Oromo girl who was a relative of his. The prolific and enlightened Tesfaye Gebre’ab heard this touching story from Geresu, and only used his superb writing skills and outstanding literary gift to make the story so powerfully moving with a tragic suspense. Samson’s continuous bullying of Chaltu and his classmates’ ganging up on her as soon as the honorable teacher, Tsigie, left the classroom are all familiar classroom horror stories for many of us. It’s also worth mentioning that the actions of conscientious and caring individuals like Tsigie mean so much to the victims of this pernicious system, and that we should be very careful not to make hasty generalizations.
Anyone with a typical Oromo first (or second) name – who lived among Amharic speakers, may automatically see him- or herself in this sad story and tearfully sympathize or empathize with Chaltu, while the unsympathetic Ethiopians see themselves in Samson Zeleke, who was bullying and bashing this poor girl nonstop. She was obviously brighter than the bully (who stood forty-first in his class) since she stood third in her class, but it really does not matter in Ethiopia. You can be a bully as long as you belong the “right” ethnic group and find a lonely victim from “other” ethnic groups.
I never forget a summer day when, while my Oromo friends and I were walking in Piazza, Finfinnee, chatting in Afan Oromo, an Amharic-speaking beggar asked us for some change. We politely answered him that we did not have change. He was so upset and abruptly yelled to our face, “Hodam Galloch!” We walked by him quietly since we were more refined university students than the beggar who believed he was better than us just because he belonged to the “right” group. My older brother, now 60, whose first name is Bedhsa, once told me that his college dorm-mates called him “Be xaasaa,” and stressed to me that there was no escaping the abuse since the system itself condones such ethnic slurs and abuses. His eldest son’s name was Dinqa Bedhasa, and as may be expected, was often addressed as “Dingayi Be Xaasaa” by these heartless imbeciles. He was later forced to change his first name to Megersa. My younger brother named Gutu was often called “Guttoo!” and he was so emotionally drained about it all the time.
“We should not bow down to their demands and expectations, for doing so will only prolong our pain and agony.”
I myself have personally experienced such abuses due to my last name, Bayisa, but mine was less severe since my first name was “acceptable” to the bullies. I especially felt so bad when, in the third year at Sidist Killo, my close friend and dorm-mate, whose last name was also Bayisa, decided to change it. When our professor asked him why he wanted to change his last name, his explanation was that girls teased him so bad, and that he should take more acceptable last name to be on his B.A. degree by the next year. I enjoyed some degree of justice though when the professor yelled, “Do you see how he has just Amharized himself? Shame on you!”
My point is that all my family members with an Oromo name have been severely bullied at one time or another. And, it goes without saying that all Oromos whose identities are known to these narrow-minded, ethnocentric gangs cannot be immune to such demeaning and dehumanizing abuse.
My point is that all my family members with an Oromo name have been severely bullied at one time or another. And, it goes without saying that all Oromos whose identities are known to these narrow-minded, ethnocentric gangs cannot be immune to such demeaning and dehumanizing abuse.
The painful irony, however, is that it is they who are complaining and whining the most about their diabolical and condescending words and manners. The so-called Judge Weldemicheal’s dubious and inconsistent diatribe is a case in point. His unending and self-contradicting argument proves that, even education fail to change the minds of the Ethiopians. How could a lawyer, given all the facts we know, say that Tesfaye Gebreab is a devil who should have been persecuted for a genocide? Education was wasted on the Judge! No wonder that thousands of innocent people in Ethiopia have suffered in the hands of such incompetent and cruel Judges.
Similarly, in his interview with SBS, journalist Zenaneh Mekonnen did not even come anywhere close to admitting the truth about Tesfaye Gebreab’s“Chaltu Inde Hellen.” All he did was criticize the writer for inciting ethnic conflict in order to dismantle Ethiopia. His argument that the name “Chaltu” is acceptable around Finfinnee is disingenuous and far from the truth. He should be in our shoes to feel our pain and suffering. Educated or illiterate, young or old, these groups cannot see beyond their narrow ethnic boxes. Like parrots, they repeat verbatim what one of them says.
They still, out of sheer ignorance and empty pride, think that they have been favored by God over other peoples. And, they still think their severely prejudiced opinions are facts, and they take them for granted. Any deviation from their scheme of thought is considered unwise and naïve. They belittle, despise, and disparage not only the views of others, but also the identities of the people who they think are naturally inferior to them. Nazism, fascism, and apartheid were examples of state doctrines in which the supremacy of one people became the norm, but these doctrines have long gone for good. Ethio-centerism, however, is a doctrine that totally disregards diversity issues and attempts to build the supremacy of one group of people at the expense of others. It has destroyed, and is still destroying the identities of others in order to build the one and only Emiye Ethiopia.
When we speak and write about these abuses and bullying, it should be clear that we have been the victims. Why would we play victims if we haven’t suffered such unbearable pains? It’s not fun to be victims. Therefore, rather than trying to deny or justify the abuses and the bullying, it would be wise to apologize, or at least admit it. Trying to victimize the victims will totally destroy any hopes of reconciliations in the future.
All told, we will rise above all these unfair encroachments on our inalienable human rights sooner or later. We will overcome just like so many others before us. To do this, however, we should not bow down to their demands and expectations, for doing so will only prolong our pain and agony. On their part, the bullies should be educated about diversity issues and stop bullying other ethnic groups, especially the Oromo. We could have easily been their dreams, but if they continue to be disrespectful, we can also be their worst nightmares because WE WILL RISE AGAIN!
—————–
RELATED: Inspiring Poem by MAYA ANGELOU – STILL I RISE
RELATED: Inspiring Poem by MAYA ANGELOU – STILL I RISE
—————–
* Bahru D. Bayisa: bbayisa@yahoo.com
=>gadaa
A one Year Summary of Arrests, Killings, and Disappearances of Oromo Nationals by The Ethiopian Government: November 2012 to November 2013 Qeerroo’s Annual Report
November 16, 2013
The current Ethiopian government has continued widespread mass arrests, unlawful killings, and disappearances of innocent civilians its citizens over the last 21 or so years. Among the communities highly affected by such repression and oppression of the regime, the Oromo people is probably rated as number 1. Oromos have been unable to live in their country in peace since they fell under the rule of the current minority Ethiopian regime. This report partially captures the list of Oromos who have been unlawfully arrested, killed, or disappeared over a period of one year from November 2012 to November 2013, compiled by the National Youth Movement for Freedom and Democracy (NYMFD) aka Qeerroo. The report is by no means a comprehensive account of the actual number of people arrested, killed, and disappeared. It is rather a tiny fraction of what actually happened in Oromia and in the country at large. As it is very difficult to move in the country and compile reports because the government denies access to information, this report is only the widely known cases that were taken from Qeerroo website as it was reported over a period of one year.
As is known the National Youth Movement for Freedom and Democracy (NYMFD) aka Qeerroo was formed in 2011 by Oromo Youth to ignite the so called “Revolt Against Subjugation” (aka Fincila Diddaa Gabrummaa) in Oromia with the objective of averting the repression of Oromo nationals by the Ethiopian authorities through civil disobedience.
List of Oromos fired from their job in Western Shoa Ejere district ( November 11-2012)
- Girma Ararsa, health professional
- Abbaba Gidira, health professional
- Dhaqqaba Tafarra, health professional
List of Oromo students dismissed from Madda Walabu University, November 15, 2012.
- Abdissa Degefa
- Beniyam Geremu
- Dagim Yitagezu
- Jirenya Nemomsa
- Yared Argata
- Wako Wariyo
- Liben Gelalcha
Student Abdi Bilisumma was thrown into jail for having this name (“Abdi Bilisumma” means “hope of Freedom”), November 25, 2012
Read More:- Qeerroo’s Annual Report Nov 2013
=>qeerroo
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)