Stop the plunder of the Oromo people

Millions of Oromo farmers in Ethiopia are being displaced without receiving compensation for the land they lose. Protests are brutally faced with violence, torture and murder.

The farmers from the Oromo people around the capital Addis Ababa in Ethiopia losing livelihood and their culture when the government is now giving their land to foreign companies that want to invest in industry and other sectors, writes Badilu Abanesha

By Badilu Abanesha  | June 14, 2014

June 14, 2014, Norway (Aftenbladet) – Oromo are being deprived of their land and their ability to survive financially, and their culture is threatened. This happens at the boundaries of the capital Addis Ababa is substantially extended. Large areas are being given to foreign companies to establish manufacturing and service sectors at the farmers’ fields and orchards. The traditional inhabitants are losing their own food and are left to fend for themselves. If the government plan is completed, approx. 6.6 million people being driven from their homes without compensation.

Over 100 killed

There have been peaceful protests against these plans all over Oromia. Students at ten universities and large groups of people have protested against the plans, but their peaceful struggle has been met by brutal military police. There have been reports of shooting, detention and torture. Death toll rises with every passing day. Via various sources it has emerged that over 100 people have been shot and killed, while others are badly injured and thousands have been arrested. Oromo students have protested peacefully for over a month now, despite the killings and arrests by Ethiopian security forces.

Oromo are Ethiopia’s largest ethnic group with over a third of the country’s population. They have traditionally been oppressed by Amhara and Tigreans, which has been the dominant, state income and country’s leading ethnic groups in Ethiopia.

Stop remittances

The Norwegian people, the Norwegian government and other international organizations should condemn the Ethiopian government’s brutal attack on unarmed innocent civilians. We demand that the detainees will not be subjected to torture and ill-treatment. We require all innocent protesters arrested are released from prison immediately.

The Ethiopian government should immediately stop its movement by the original people from their own lands throughout Ethiopia.

We also believe that financial transfers to management in Ethiopia must be stopped while of government does not respect the fundamental and basic rights of its own people.

We worry about really what is happening in Ethiopia. It is difficult when we are not physically able to take part in their fight against injustice. Therefore, we have a great desire to pass on their plea for help to the outside world.

Our hearts bleed, and we have awakened the people so they can see what is happening and help the injustices and massacres stopped.

Badilu Abanesha, Oromo Association of South Rogaland

=>ayyaantuu

Ogaden Women and Oromo Women protest at the Global summit to End rape and sexual Violence‏

The Ogaden and Oromo women held a large protest at the Global Summit to end Sexual violence and demanded the recognition of the plights of the Ogaden women and Oromo women. The protesters complained the Rape and sexual violence used as a weapon against Ogaden  and Oromo women at the hands of the Ethiopian military.

More than three hundreds protesters gathered from Oromo and Somali Ogaden community in London outside the  ExCel Center where government representatives of more than 120 countries gathered to sign the declaration of commitment to end sexual violence in conflict.

The Oromo and Ogaden Women appealed to the British Foreign Secretary William Hague and Angelina Julie the especial  envoy of the UN High commissioner for Refugees to support the Ogaden women and Oromo women survivors  of rape and other abuses who are currently in the Dadaab refugees camp with out any rights. The protesters also asked the International Community to pressure Ethiopian government and make accountable of the Ethiopian officials and military personnel who committed the sexual violence as a weapon of war and terror to intimidate locals.

=>ogadentoday

Ethiopia welcomes Egypt’s change of heart over Nile water row

By Tesfa-Alem Tekle

June 13, 2014 (ADDIS ABABA) – Ethiopia on Thursday commended Egypt’s unprecedented and an official decision to peacefully resolve a long-standing dispute with Addis Ababa over a controversial power plant project known as the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD).

“Ethiopia strongly welcomes Egypt’s interest to re-launch talk over the GERD and solve the problem through dialogue,” spokesperson for Ethiopia Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Dina Mufti told journalists.

“Egypt has no other option except dialogue and win-win negotiation to find a solution that is acceptable by both sides,” he added.

Egypt’s newly elected president, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, has recently pledged to resolve the water dispute with Ethiopia through dialogue.

Ethiopian officials said that al-Sisi is expected to pay an official visit to Ethiopia soon probably making it his first trip to a foreign nation since he assumed office in June 8.

Ethiopian foreign minister Tedros Adhanom, who attended the new president’s inaugural ceremony in Cairo, has held meeting with al-Sisi and other high ranking officials over the multi-billion dollar power plant project.

During their discussion Adhanom has reaffirmed Ethiopia’s commitment for cooperation with Egypt based on mutual trust and confidence.

Al-Sisi and Adhanom have also agreed to reactivate the tripartite technical dialogue between Sudan, Egypt and Ethiopia and harmonise existing differences by high-level political consultations.

Addis Ababa insists the $ 4.6 billion dam project won’t adversely affect Egypt and Sudan instead the downstream countries will be benefited from the cheap and renewable hydro power processed electricity it generates.

Egypt considers the massive dam project, as a threat to its water security arguing it will eventually diminish its water share.

SUDAN REAFFIRMS SUPPORT

Meanwhile, Sudanese vice-president Bakri Hassan Saleh has reaffirmed his country’s commitment to the dam project which Ethiopia is building in Nile river near the Sudanese border.

Saleh who was in Addis Ababa earlier this week to attend a regional summit of the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) made the remarks while holding talks Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn.

“Sudan will derive multiple benefits from the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam project,” Saleh said according to the state-run Ethiopian Radio and Television Agency (ERTA).

SOUTH SUDAN CRISIS

Saleh and Desalegn have also consulted on the six-month-long conflict in South Sudan.

While commending Ethiopia’s role to peacefully end the conflict in neighbouring South Sudan, Saleh called on Addis Ababa to continue exerting maximum efforts to bring lasting solution.

Desalegn has also assured his country would remain committed to end the political crises in the youngest nation.

“Ethiopia will continue to put pressure on the South Sudanese rivals through all channels available,” the Ethiopian premier said.

On Tuesday, rival leaders of the two SPLM rival factions, president Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar agreed to end fighting and form a unity government within two months.

At a news conference on Friday, spokesperson for the Ethiopian foreign ministry Dina Mufti said IGAD-member countries have been frustrated by the failure of previous deals.

He however went on to saying that the regional bloc mediating the two warring factions won’t hesitate to take action if the two sides once again violate the latest agreements.

He added that a peacekeeping force drawn from Ethiopia, Uganda and Kenya will be deployed to end the conflict which has killed thousands since violence erupted in mid-December last year.

=>sudantribune