Press release: The sufferings of Oromo people should end now!
Monday, December 20, 2005
The ruling minority in Ethiopia, namely the Tigrean Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF), led by the dictator Meles Zenawi has for the past 14 years proven to be tyrannical by ruthlessly killing, torturing, and imprisoning innocent citizens for peaceful _expression of dissent and for a mere reason of consolidating power.
The TPLF government is engaged in denial of basic human rights to its citizens by resorting to violence to conceal political problems. As we speak Oromo youth and elderly are being killed for demanding their basic rights. By basic human rights we mean the right to right to life, liberty and security of person, get an education, freedom of speech, right to a fair trial and other. These are inalienable rights which every human being are entitled to by birth but are denied to Oromos. Even though it is with in the Ethiopian constitution to demonstrate peacefully to demand oneБ─≥s own rights, Meles Zenawi doesnБ─≥t have and never had the culture to listen to the voice of the people. Accordingly the MelesБ─≥s government has chosen to intensify its repression of Oromo people by using deadly force against thousands of Oromo students who have been peacefully demanding their rights since the beginning of November.
The Oromo studentsБ─≥ demands have been - respect for basic human rights, better life for Oromo people and an end to repression of the Oromo people and other citizens of the country. However, these peaceful demands have been met by the governmentБ─≥s brutal force. Accordingly many Oromo students have been killed, hundreds have been injured and tortured, and many more have been forced into exile. Those in prison have been jailed without due process of law and have been exposed to extreme torture and the possibility of execution. Last weekБ─≥s execution of the former 3rd year Addis Ababa University student Alamayehu Garba Huruba by government security forces while in prison is a sad example of this. The government has indefinitely closed the majority of high schools, all Universities and Colleges in Oromia, including the University of Addis Ababa.
This regime is a regime that wants to stay in power by killing innocent people and rigging elections results. Further more it has no regard what so ever for the basic human and democratic rights, even though it was once considered a model for democracy in Africa by Western governments including the United States.
Hence, we the members of Oromia Youth Association (OYA) condemn the killing, harassment and intimidation of Oromo students and other oppressed people in Ethiopia. Consequently, we call upon the government of United States of America and international community to help stop the massacre of students and innocent civilians by the Ethiopian government and put pressure on the Ethiopian government to respect human rights. While expressing our deepest support for the peaceful movements of Oromo Students, we here by pronounce the following points both as a position of our association and also as necessary steps to ensure peace, stability, prosperity and liberty for the Oromo and other oppressed people Ethiopia.
Accordingly,
- We call up on the international community to put pressure on the Ethiopian government to re-open schools, Colleges and Universities throughout Oromia, and to respect the fundamental rights of the Oromo people including the right to exercise article 39 of the Ethiopian constitution.
- We believe that any political process in the Empire State of Ethiopia that tries to change the status quo without the involvement of the Oromo people will be in vain. In view of this we demand the repression of genuine Oromo political parties to pave way for non Oromo parties to operate in Oromia should stop, and Oromo political parties should be allowed to freely campaign in Oromia.
- We demand an immediate release of all Oromo political prisoners; including Oromo students and journalists, and reinstatement of Mecha-Tulama self help association.
- We demand the names of OromiaБ─≥s cities, universities, colleges, schools, places and other institutions be reinstated to their original Oromo names.
- We call up on all Oromo political parties to strengthen their unity and intensify the struggle, and also all Oromo nationals who are working for TPLF under the name OPDO, whose task is to oppress our people, to join the struggle.
Victory to the Oromo People!
Long Live Oromo Students Movement!
Oromia Youth Association, Monday, December 20, 2005
