Call for Protest of all Oromos in and around Washington D.C. against the Ethiopian Regime

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28 December 2012

Dear Oromo brothers and sisters,
The Oromo Studies Association (OSA), the Oromo Community Organization(OCO) of Washington D.C. area, and Oromo Youth Self-help Association(OYSA) have jointly organized a public protest to be held in Washington D.C., in front of the US State Department, on Friday, January 25, 2013 to request the release of Obbo Bekele Gerba, Olbana Lelisa and thousands of Oromo political prisoners.

 If you are an Oromo or friend of Oromo living in & around Washington D.C.(especially Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, NY) we kindly ask you to stand with us and advocate for our brothers and sisters who have been unjustly incarcerated and their voices have been silenced. If you say you stand for the Oromo cause, this is the time when you take a practical action which can make a difference!

Let’s stand together in large numbers and show to the public that we are not week. Let’s show to the US policy makers that we are indeed a strong force that can not be ignored.

 Come!! join us!! Don’t let a severe weather stop you!! Don’t allow yourself a lame excuse. Make every effort to take a leave from your work for this one day. Make this small sacrifice for your nation Oromia! I live in Alabama, far from Washington D.C., but will come for this protest. If I can do it, yes you can!

 Please distribute this announcement (attached) to all your domains. Put it on your facebook and advertise, circulate in your mailing list, put on the Front Page of your website, announce on your radio or TV, and so on. Use your influence and convince your brothers /sisters/ friends /son / daughter/mom/dad/relatives to stand up with us!
Together, we can make a difference!
Mosisa Aga, Ph.D.
OSA President 2012 -2013
______________________________________________________________________________

Jointly Organized by the Oromo Studies Association (OSA), the Oromo Community Organization (OCO) of Washington D.C. area, and Oromo Youth Self-help Association (OYSA)

The government of Ethiopia has continued its widespread harassment, arrest, killing, kidnapping and disappearance, accusing, convicting and sentencing to life and long term prison of Oromo nationalsunder fabricated charges.  It is using the infamous   newly adopted so called “Anti-Terrorism Proclamation”. To cite few of the most recent examples:

  1. On November 1, 2012, two well respected Oromo opposition leaders, Mr. Bekele Gerba and Mr. Olbana Lellisa, and seven other Oromo nationals are convicted under the charge of “working underground to secede Oromia from the federal government” and other bogus “terrorism” charges after keeping them in prison for more than one year in jail.
  2. On September 30, 2012, more than 200 Oromo nationals, mostly the youth, have been rounded up and arrested when they were peacefully celebrating the annual Irreechaa festival at Lake Arsadi, Bushoftu, Eastern Shoa zone. Two months after their arrest, they are still held without any change.
  3. On April 6, 2012, at least four Oromo Muslims: Musa Gabi, Kemal Irena, Aliyi Wako, and Shafi Jano  were gunned down in the town of Asasa, Oromia regional state, when the government forces fired live ammunition on unarmed civilians coming out of the local mosque.
  4. Harassment of our  Muslim community has continued unabated:
  • More than 30 Muslim leaders are put in Maikelawi Prison and facing the same fabricated “terrorism” charges,
  • Thousands of Muslims, mainly Oromos, have been beaten and rounded up and incarcerated merely for demanding their religion freedom enshrined by the Ethiopian Constitution.
  • On October 21, 2012, at least three Muslims; Said Abdala, Abdu Oda, and Hussein, were murdered by the Federal Police in Gerba town, Wollo. Several others were beaten and wounded and many others arrested.
These are few of the recent examples of the rampant human right violations of the Ethiopian regime perpetrated on the Oromo and other oppressed nations and nationalities demanding their lawful rights. Overall, it is estimated that more than 20, 000 Oromo nationals languish in prison at any given moment over the last 20 or so years of the EPRDF rule.

To bring these abuses to the attention of the US public and decision makers, the Oromo Studies Association (OSA), the Oromo Community Organization (OCO) of Washington D.C. area, and the Oromo Youth Self-help Association have jointly organized a protest in Washington D.C. We call all Oromo nationals and Oromo friends living in and around Washington D.C. to participate in this peaceful demonstration. Let’s get together, stand in unison and speak on behalf of those whose voices have been unjustly silenced.

Protest Date:     Friday, January 25, 2013
Protest Time:    8:30 AM – 12:00 noon
Protest Place:   US State Department, 2201 C Street Northwest, Washington,  
                               D.C. 20520
Contact:                Oromo Community Organization, Washington D.C.:
                              Tel. 202 234 1151
                              Oromo Youth Self-help Association, Washington D.C.:
                              Tel. 202 705 6585

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