Ethiopian diplomat flees US to dodge prosecution

By Mario Trujillo

An Ethiopian diplomat who allegedly fired a gun during a protest this week at his country's embassy in Washington, D.C., has left the United States to escape prosecution.

The State Department on Thursday confirmed that it had asked Ethiopia to waive the diplomat’s immunity so he could be prosecuted in U.S. courts, which was refused.
 

"In this case, we requested a waiver of immunity to permit prosecution of the individual involved in that incident," State Department press secretary Jen Psaki said. "The request was declined and the individual involved has now left the country."

Diplomats are expelled from the United States when their host country declines to waive diplomatic immunity.

Psaki, who did not identify the diplomat, said once expelled, individuals typically are not allowed back to the U.S. for any other reason but prosecution.

The Secret Service responded to reports of a gunshot at the Ethiopian Embassy compound on Monday and detained an individual believed to have fired the shot.

No injuries were reported from the incident, which was partially caught on camera with a man in a black suit wielding a handgun amid a small crowd of people before the gunshot is heard.

Reuters reported the man turned himself into authorities but he was not arrested because of his diplomatic immunity.


=>thehill

Two female Oromo refugees died and about ten others wounded due to brutal actions of human smugglers

By Boruu Barraaqaa
October 2, 2014 (Cairo, Egypt) — On September 10, 2014, about ten Oromo refugees were terribly loaded on a Toyota pickup to flee Khartoum, a city where the Ethiopian government thugs abduct any body they want at any time. When they started their journey from Khartoum, the refugees had a dream to reach Cairo safely, at least to get some security relief and enjoy a better life. Unfortunately, what happened to them in the middle of the Sahara desert on September 14, 2014, turned their dream untrue.
According to the information obtained from the survivors, the human smugglers who were illegally transporting these poor Oromo refugees were turned extremely violent for unidentified reason, just after crossing the Sudanese-Egyptian border. They tried to rape the female refugees, but the male refugees who were on the same vehicle opposed this attempt and combated the transporters, showing a relentless bravery.
It was in this scary situation that an unidentified police vehicle was suddenly emerged from behind and the transporters managed to escape hastily. They were driving with the highest speed furiously in the terribly windy and hazardous rocky desert, and finally tipped over. The result was so sad, in which two of the refugees namely Fatuma Mohammed Hundesa and Nahira Abamacha died instantly and about eight others were seriously wounded. Those who died were never buried properly, the report added.
A number of sources confirm that hundreds of female Oromo refugees have been raped, beaten, tortured, infected with diseases like HIV Aids and finally died over the last five years alone, while they were trying to find their way from different areas of Oromia to Khartoum. In last April, just in an area where this fresh sad incident happened, about eight Oromo refugees were captured by the Egyptian police, detained for four months and finally deported back to Ethiopia.
Currently, due to a developing tight diplomatic relations between the governments of Ethiopia and Sudan, Oromo refugees residing in Khartoum are experiencing day and night hunt by Woyane security agents. Fearing not to be abducted by these brutal thugs, they are forced to flee further to Egypt, daring the harsh clandestine journey of the trans-Sahara.


=>ayyaantuu

To end Oromo political paralysis, let more women lead

(OPride) — In July 2006, about 60 Oromo youth met in Minneapolis, Minnesota for what was initially planned as a leadership conference. At the end of the three-day gathering, which featured, among other activities, leadership exercises, social activities and speeches by invited guests, the attendees formed the International Oromo Youth Association (IOYA).

It was meant to serve as an umbrella organization for Oromo youth groups around the world (in part because most of the delegates at that conference came representing their local youth associations).

After years of lethargy, IOYA is showing signs of rejuvenation, and deserves all our support. On September 26, IOYA leaders co-presented a report on the rights of children in Ethiopia along with the Minnesota-based Advocates for Human Rights at the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child in Geneva, Switzerland. During the weeklong engagement, IOYA representatives participated in several meetings discussing human rights issues related to Oromo, spoke at a side event looking at diaspora engagement on human rights (with Ethiopia as a case study) and met with the U.N. Committee in a 2.5 hour, closed-door session.

There are several reasons for IOYA's resurgence. Two of them are worth mentioning here. First, most of the organization's earliest protagonists have moved on. This created an opportunity for younger leaders to calibrate the organization's mission and vision in the context of the current state of Oromo affairs.

“Seeing its decline was particularly devastating to me,” Amane Badhasso, the current IOYA president, told OPride during a recent interview. “That is why we dedicated several months to formulating strategies to revive IOYA. We are determined to strengthen IOYA's capacity as an international organization and build global networks not only to advance our goals but also to ensure the organization’s sustainability.”

Badhasso and her executive board members seem to be doing a phenomenal job in that regard. In 2011, IOYA appeared on the brink of dissolution because no one was willing to step up and take over the reins from the then-outgoing board. Despite this, however, even through years of ups and downs — which in all fairness is not unique to IOYA — its leaders continued to hold annual meetings and partner with Oromo community organizations on human rights causes.

The 2012 executive board faced a unique challenge: guiding IOYA through a year of transition and rethinking its mission. They set in motion the changes that enabled the current board to revive the organization's advocacy arm in few months. The new vision emphasized leadership training, cross generational dialogue, networking and the creation of "a space to address issues pertaining to Oromo communities in the diaspora.” In some sense, this was a slight departure from the organization's initial goal and proved key to the current turnaround.  

In 2006, there was a palpable sense of urgency to define the place of youth in Oromo struggle and for the youth to take leadership roles within their diaspora communities. The enthusiasm and sense of Oromummaa at the conference was overwhelming -- so much so that everyone cried at the farewell gathering. The sense of shared passion and dreams made saying goodbye that much harder. Over the years, many had told this writer that it was "the best summer and event" of their lives. A handful of the attendees, including some who met for the first time, have built long term personal relationships and friendships.

But in restrospect there was also a clear lack of strategy on that which the group set out to do. For the first few years, IOYA organized well-attended human rights rallies in Minnesota and Washington, D.C. It issued press releases reacting to human rights violations in Ethiopia, including a government crackdown on their peers at home.

But it's fair to say that IOYA fell far short of becoming a formidable umbrella organization for Oromo youth around the world. It faced many hurdles, including lack of clarity around membership, dues, etc. Its main problem has always been leadership and inability to translate the overly broad mission and vision into actionable advocacy.

The new leaders have now taken IOYA through the corridors of the United Nations. No small feat. Much of IOYA's success seems to be a result of collaboration with others and changes in leadership.

In June, IOYA launched a three-day social media campaign to demand the release of Oromo students arbitrarily rounded up by Ethiopian security forces during #OromoProtests. The initiative generated a lot of awareness and media coverage. But it also afforded the group an opportunity to partner with The Advocates. On July 1, 2014, IOYA and The Advocates submitted a detailed report to the United Nations Pre-Sessional Working Group of the Committee on the Rights of the Child.

The report, which focused on the government crackdown on Oromo students, identified numerous violations of the rights of children in Ethiopia. It concluded that children of certain ethnic groups, particularly ethnic Oromos, face severe discrimination and rights violations. Other issues pertaining to liberty, security, privacy, freedom of expression and association, family, basic health and welfare, education and leisure and cultural activities were also included in the report. The high-level advocacy at the U.N. is a result of that ongoing collaboration with The Advocates.

The second reason for IOYA's comeback has to do with the makeup of its leadership. Unlike previous  years, the last two IOYA boards were largely made up of women. This sounds hasty and simplistic, but it is important in the context not only of IOYA's remarkable achievements but also the makeup of Oromo political and civic leadership. To the writer's knowledge, no other Oromo organization, anywhere, has more women in the position of leadership than IOYA. In fact, it's been said that to some extent the paralysis in Oromo struggle can be attributed to the lack of Oromo women's participation. This is not to say Oromo women did not contribute to Oromo struggle or activism. They do. But rarely are they given leadership roles. Their contribution to the struggle, arts, academia and other areas of Oromo life is seldom acknowledged.

Two years ago, OPride put out a banner with a photo of about a dozen Oromo martyrs during the annual memorial. Readers immediately noted the absence of a single woman martyr on that poster. The Internet is awash with photos of Oromo leaders, past and present. But one would be hard pressed to find an image of Oromo heroine along with her male counterparts. This need to change. More girls and women need to be recognized and encouraged to take leadership roles in our communities and youth organizations. IOYA offers the clearest example of efficiency and effectiveness when women take leadership roles.

 

*Photo credit Amy Bergquist via IOYA's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/IOYANetwork

 

 

=>opride

The nation killer-Ethiopian development; Aljazeera report on Ethiopia

Irreechaa 2014- In litte Oromia

Irreecha Irree Tokkummaa Keenyaa Taasisuu Irratti Of-eeggannoo Godhamuu Qabu

Boruu Barraaqaa irraa | Fulbaana 26, 2014

Akkuma beekamu yeroon isaa yeroo Irreechaa ti. Ayyaana kana yeroo kabajnu hundumaa dhugaa dagachuu hin qabne jabaa tokkotu jira. Irreecha ayyaana lammii Oromoo maraa taasisuu irratti hanga ammaatti hojii hangamtu hojjetame, hangamtu hoo nu hafe kan jedhu wal gaafachuu feesisa. Akka hubannaa abbaa barruu kanaatti, Irreecha ayyaana lammiilee Oromoo maraa taasisuu irratti hojii danuutu nu hafa. Hayyuulee seenaa fi aadaa Oromoo, akkasuma beektota baranee (scholars) irraa qoodni hanga ammaa gumaachame xiqqaa miti tahuyyuu, quufsaa dha jechuuf nama rakkisa. Irreechaaf ilaalchi Oromoon qabu gabbataa deemee har’a ayyaana miliyoonota hirmaachisu kan tahuu danda’e hojiin gadi fagoon irratti hojjetameef miti. Dheebuu Oromummaa ilmaan Oromoo qabantu ayyaana kana dagaagsee sadarkaa kanaan gahe. Jibba Habashoonni nuuf qaban irraa ka’uun xiiqeffannee eenyummaa keenyaan boonuutu ayyaana kana guddisee irree jabaa kana itti hore. Oromoon amantii fedheyyuu haa  hordofuutii Irreechi irree kiyya jedhee ayyaana kana akka mallattoo eenyummaa saba isaatti ilaaluutu jabina kana fakkaatu nutti hore.

Hunda caalaa kan nama ajaa’ibu, Irreechi gadi qabaa fi doorsisa mootummaa hamaa of irraa qolachaa didee guddatee sadarkaa kana gahuu isaa ti. Ayyaanicha sochii ABO waliin wal qabsiisanii dhawuuf yaaliin gama mootummaa irraa hin godhamin hin jiru. Sana hunda dandamatee toyannoo mootummichaa irraa ala bahe. Guddataa deemee ayyaana miiliyoonota hirmaachisu gaafa tahu ammoo mootummaan toftaa jijjiirratee sirna kabajaa ayyaanichaa harkatti galfachuuf hojjechuu filate.

Ayyaana Irreechaa yeroo kabajnu ilaalchotaa fi gochaalee farra Oromummaa ala irraas tahee keessaa nurratti aggaamaman of irratti dagachuu hin qabnu. Ayyaanni kun yeroo baay’ee dhimma amantii Oromoo isa dur durii (Waqeffannaa) waliin walitti hidhamee ibsamaa turuunii fi ammas haalli kun akkasumatti itti fufuun isaa yaaddessaa dha. Dhugaan jiru garuu, Irreechi ayyaana Waaqeffannaa osoo hin taane ayyaana Oromummaa ti. Hanga ayyaana Oromummaa tahetti ammoo ayyaana Oromoota Waaqeffataa qofa miti. Irreechi ayyaana Oromoota Musliimaa tisi. Irreechi ayyaana Oromoota Kiristiyaanaa tisi.  Irreechi ayyaana Oromoota amantii fedhe kamuu hordofanii ti. Kana sirriitti ummata keenyas tahee kanneen ollaa keenyaa akkasumas addunyaa amanasiisuuf hojiin gahaatti hojjetame jira natti hin fakkaatu.

Kana wannin jedhuuf sababa malee miti. Qophii ayyaana Irreechaa irratti waggaa waggaatti warri of kenniinsaan maallaqa baasu, itti dadhabuu fi eenyuyyuu caalaa fuulduratti bahee waayee ayyaana kanaa hubatee hubachiisu obboleeyyan keenya hordoftoota amantii Waaqeffannaa ti. Kun maaliif tahe yoo jenne deebiin isaa ifaa dha. Hayyuu amantii Islaamaa yookiin Kiristiyaanaa tokko caalaa hayyuu amantii Waaqeffannaatu waa’ee Irreechaa quba qaba. Sababni isaas, amantiin Waaqeffannaa fi aadaan Oromoo (aadaa Irreechaa dabalatee), bara dheeraaf wal cinaa deemaa dhufuu fi seenaa cunqurfamummaa wal fakkaataa waliin qabani waan taheef. Sababa kana irraa ka’uun ayyaanni Irreechaa akka waan Waaqeffatootaa qofa ilaalutti fudhatanii irraa qoollifachuun matootii amantii kaanii irraa ni mul’ata. Ayyaanni kun ayyaana Oromoo maraa waan taheef Oromoon amantii fedheyyuu hordofu kamuu qophii ayyaanichaa keessaa qooda cululuqaa gumaachuutu irraa eegama ture. Fakkeenyaaf, Waldaan Waaqeffatoota Addunyaa qophii ayyaana kanaatiif baasii barbaachisu olaantummaadhaan baasuudhaaf dirqama addaa qabaachuun irra hin turre. Ayyaanichi kan hunda keenyaati eega jennee maaliif baasii barbaachisu Waldaa maqaa dhawame kana irratti dhiifna?

Waldaan Waaqeffannaa Addunyaa ayyaana Irreechaa dagaagsee sadarkaa kanaan gahuu keessatti qooda jabduu waan gumaacheef akka mataa kiyyaatti galataa fi dinqisiifannoo guddaan qabaaf. Caasaa ABO keessatti osoo hin hafin ayyaanni kun akka miilla lamaan gad dhaabbatee sadarkaa kana irra gahu milkeessuuf qooda karaa maallaqaa Waldaan kun gumaache dhiheenyattin qaba qaba waan taheef ulfaadhaa ittiin jechuun barbaada. Haa tahu malee gara fuula duraatti haalli kun jijjiiramee qaamni hundumtuu ba’aa waldaan kun kophaa isaa baachaa yoona gahe kana qooddatee baatuu qaba jedheen hawwa. Hawwii kiyya kanas warra dhimmi ilaalu natti dhihoo turaniif ibsuu irraa of qusadhee hin beeku.

Qophii ayyaana Irreechaa waldaa Waaqeffannaa qofa irratti dhiisanii ofii akka keessummaatti waamamanii irraa qooda fudhachuun dogoggora waan taheef kana booda sirraawuu qaba. Irreecha irratti Oromoon hundinuu abbaa ayyaanichaa ti malee keessummaa waamichaan dhihaatu tahuu hin qabu. Ayyaana boonsaa kana kan kooti eega jennee garaadhaan itti seennee qopheeffachuun hunda irraa eegama. Kun akka tahuuf ammoo Irreechi mallattoolee Waaqeffannaa irraa walaba tahuu qaba. Waaqeffannaan amantii dha. Irreechi garuu aadaa dha. Kana ifa godhanii saba keenya maras tahee olloota keenya hubachiisuu feesisa. Yeroo tokko tokko ayyaana Irreechaa irratti (keessumattuu Hora Harsadiitti) sirnoota amantiin Waaqeffannaa gaafatu raaw’atuun ni mul’ata. Fakkeenyaaf waan akka malkaa irratti dhiiga buusuu fa’a. Kun ammoo akka Oromoonni amantii biroo hordofan ayyaanicha ayyaana amantii tokkoo qofa godhanii hubachuudhaan irraa qoollifatan dhiiba. Kanaafuu warri ayyaana kana qopheessu dirqama ulfaataatu irraa eegama. Irreechi akka ayyaana aadaa Oromoo kan amantoota kamuu hammatuu fi sirna amantii kamuu irraa walaba tahe afaan ifaa tahee fi gochaa qabatamaadhaan addeessuu qabani.

Hirmaannaan ayyaana Irreechaa wagaa irraa gara waggaatti guddatee sadarkaa kana kan gahe dheebuu sabboonummaa Oromoo fi xiiqii Habashootaa irraa ti jenneerra. Kana jechuun maal jechuu dha? Oromoon amantii fedheyyuu hordofu akka Irreechi ayyaana Oromoo tahe qofa hubatee irraa qooda fudhata. Gariin Muslimootas tahee Kiristaanota Oromoo osoma ayyaanichi ayyaana Waaqeffataati jedhamee itti ololamuu dhaqanii irraa qooda fudhatan. Kun jabina faarfamuu qabuu dha. Haa tahu malee of kenniinsaa fi jaalala Oromummaa namoota akkasii kana ilaalanii onnachuudhaan ayyaana Irreechaatiif bifa amantii kennuuf dhiibuun geggeessitoota ayyaanichaa irraa hin eegamu. Kun diinota keenyaaf karaa banuu taha. Diinonni keenya Muslima yookiis Kiristaana fakkaatanii Oromummaa fi mallattoo Oromummaa kana fakkaatu rukutuuf akka arraba qaratan gargaaruu taha. ‘’Irreechi ayyaana amantii Waaqeffannaa waan taheef ani Muslima, kanaafuu irraa qooda fudhachuu hin qabu, ani Kiristiyaana, kanaafuu Irreechi Waaqeffatootaa ana hin laalu…..’’ ololoonni jedhan akka faca’aniif haala mijjeessuu taha.

Qaawwonni olola akkasii kun osoo babal’ataa hin deemin yeroodhaan cufuu feesisa. Olola akkasii kana qullaatti hambisanii fashalsuuf hojiin jabaan hojjetamuu kan qabu hayyuulee aadaa Oromoo warra waa’ee Irreechaa tolchee beekuuni. Akka Irreechi ayyaana aadaa Oromoo malee mallattoo amantii Waaqeffannaa hin tahin karaa dandaáme hundaan sabaaf addeessuutu irraa eegama. Sirna ayyaanichaas gochaawwan amantii Waaqeffannaatiin wal qabatan irraa walaba taasisuu feesisa. Warra beekaas tahee osoo hin beekne ayyaana kana irratti gochaalee amantiin Waaqeffannaa gaafatu raaw’atan toyachuu fi barsiisanii yookiis gorsanii sirreessuu barbaachisa.

Hundi keenyayyuu dubbii hubachuu qabnu jabaa tokkotu jira. Diinonni keenya akka ayyaanni Irreechaa har’a miliyoonota hirmaachisaa jiru kun of duuba deebi’ee akkuma kaeessaa owwaalamu fedhu. Hawwii isaanii kana dhugoomfachuuf ammoo ayyaanichaaf bifa amantummaa kennuuf dhama’u. Hawaasa Oromoo keessaa lakkoofsi akkaan guddaan amantiilee Islaamaa fi Kiristaanummaa akka hordofu ni beeku waan taheef karaa sanaan gargar nu diiguu barbaadu. Yoo ayyaanichi ayyaana amantii Waaqeffataati jedhame Oromoonni Muslimnis tahee Kiristiyaanni irraa qooda hin fudhatanu, akkasitti lakkoofsa hirmaattota ayyaanichaa gad xiqqeessuun dandaáma jedhanii amanu. Kanaafuu qindeessitoonni ayyaana kanaa yoomis tahee eessattuu olola diinaa kanaaf irree tahuu irraa of jabeessanii eeggachuu qabani. Yeroo diinni ayyaana Irreechaaf bifa amantummaa kennuu barbaadu, qindeessitoonni ayyaanichaa garuu sana sobsiisuuf hojjechuu qaban malee, akkuma hawwii diinaatti ayyaana kana mallattoo Waaqeffannaa godhanii lallabuun irraa hin eegamu.

Diinota qofas osoo hin taane seeronni amantii islaamaa fi Kirsityaanaas daangaa mata mataa isaanii akka qaban yoomuu yaadachuu feesisa. Amantiin Waaqeffannaa akkuma amanitiilee lamaaniitti Waaqa tokkichatti amanuu (monotheism) tahuyyuu, amantiileen hundumtuu qajeelfamoota mata mataa isanii qabani. Fakkenyaaf Islaamummaa fi Waaqeffannaan Oromoo haalota danuu keessatti wal fakkaata yoo tahe, wal fakkaata waan taheef qofa amantiin wal irraa hin ergifatamu. Amantiin akka ilaacha siyaasaa yookiin aadaa wayiitti kan wal irraa ergifatamu miti. Qajeelfama sii kenname irraa xiqqoo maqnaan boru guyyaa du’aan boodaa itti gaafatamta jedhamee waan lallabamuuf namuu of sodaata. Keessumattuu ummanni Oromoo dur dur osoo amantii kamiinuu wal hin barin irraa qabee hafuurumaan Waaqa beeka, Waaqa sodaata waan taheef, amma yeroo amantiilee gara garaa hordofus seera Waaqaa kan amantii san keessatti himame garaa guutuu abboomama. Kanaafuu akka namni amantii isaatiin itti dhufu hin fedhu.

Kanuma waliin, Waaqeffannaan kaleessa amantiilee amma sabni keneya bal’inaan hordofu dura (pre Christianity or pre Islam) amantii Oromoo maraa tahuyyuu, har’a eenyummaa keenya bade deebifanna jechuudhaan amantii amma qabannee jirru lakkifnee bakka kaleessatti deebina jechuun hin danda’amu. Obboleeyyan keenya Waaqeffatoon tokko tokko as irratti yeroo baay’ee yoo dogoggoran nan arga. Dhugaa dha, Oromoon aadaa isaa, afaan isaa, amantii isaa walumaa galatti eenyummaa isaa sarbamee kan alagaa akka fudhatu godhameera. Kana keessaa garuu amantii addatti baasanii ilaaluu barbaachisa. Amantiin akka aadaa miti. Amantiin akka afaanii miti. Aadaa fi afaan ofii yoo alagaan nama irraa fudhate shakkii tokko malee deebifachuun ni dandaáma. Amantiin garuu dhugeeffannaa jireenya addunyaa fi jireenya du’a-boodaa ti. Kanaafuu Muslima yookiis Kiristiyaana Oromoo tokkoon ‘’amantii alagootaa dhiisii kee ganamaatti deebi’I’’ jechuun balaa guddaa (sensitivity) waan qabuuf obboleeyyan keenya Waaqeffatoon dhiibbaa akkasii irraa of qusachuu qabani.

Akka naa galutti amantoonni amantii kamiiyyuu ‘’ámantii kee fi Oromummaa kee keessaa tokko fo’adhu’’ filannoon jettu yoo dhihaatteef deebiin isaanii rifaasisaa tahuu danda’a. Oromummaa mannaa amantii filachuu malu. Sababni isaas, amantiin jireenya du’a booda isa dabra hin qabne keessatti nama milkeessa jedhamee waan amanamuufi. Kanaafuu warri filannoo balaa baatu akkasii Oromoof dhiheessuu barbaadu yoo jiraate kana irraa dhaabbachuu qabani. Kun Oromummaa jaaruu osoo hin taane itti ejjetanii diiguudha. Beekaas tahee osoo hin beekne ergama diinaa bahachuu dha. Ayyaana Irreechaa yeroo kabajnu balaa akkasii kana of irraa fageessaa deemuu waliin haa tahuun dhaamsa kiyya. Ayyaana Gaarii!

Ofkalaa! Anas ofkalchaa!

Boruu Barraaqaa

=>ayyaantuu

Hanisha Solomon Live in Washington, D.C @ Warner Theater