Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) honours the European Union Parliament that it stood up publicly against assaults on Oromo peaceful protesters

January 22, 2016 | Oromo Liberation Front Press Release

On 21st of January, all party Groups of European Parliament debated and passed a resolution on the current political situation in Oromia, Ethiopia.  Since mid-November 2015, another round of enormous wave of mass protests that started over respect for the right of Oromo people in general and against the expansion of the capital Finfinnee (Addis Ababa) that triggered more to be demanded on the basic fundamental and democratic rights that have been suppressed for the last century and half. Instead of looking for the solution, the Tigrean People’s Liberation Front (TPLF/EPRDF) led Ethiopian government declared war on the Oromo people and deployed its terrorizing special force (Agazi), the military and the federal police against peaceful Oromo demonstrators and the public at large. In doing so, it put Oromia under martial law tantamount to declaration of a state of emergency. The deployed forces have wantonly killed more than 180 people and wounded hundreds and detained thousands of Oromo farmers, students, teachers, merchants and government employees, including the medical staff trying to treat the overwhelming numbers of the brutalized mass.

Today, Oromo nationals from all walks of life – farmers, students, teachers, business persons, entrepreneurs, government employees, engineers, medical doctors, youths, elderly, men, women, children etc. all over Oromia are indiscriminately subjected to brutal tortures, ill treatments and very harsh prison situations by the TPLF/EPRDF government of Ethiopia. Despite all these, the protest and popular defiance is still on-going demanding the fundamental Oromo right to self-determination to be respected and its occupation force to leave Oromia.

Oromo Liberation Front appreciates that the EU Parliament for its resolution condemning the TPLF government’s use of violence by the security forces and the increased number of cases of human rights violations in Ethiopia. It also called for a credible, transparent and independent investigation into the killings. However, those voices cannot be encapsulated in a single resolution until it results to a meaningful policy change on aid and diplomacy of the European Union and its member states to Ethiopia.

The EU has called on the government to stop the harassment of the people, opposition and civil society organizations, and to carry out a permanent and inclusive dialogue with the opposition to implement democratic provisions in practice. Here we note that there is still a missing voice what the protesters are demanding the regime to hand over the state power to peoples in Ethiopia and for a mechanism that ends century old brutal system. The majority of Ethiopian peoples, and the Oromo in particular, have been living in fear under a very harsh suppression with little hope of freedom and stable life in the near future. For most peoples in Ethiopia, the country has literally been turned into unofficial and open prison. People from all walks of life, age group and gender have been victimized. Although the victims have been multiple and various, the pretext in all cases has been one and the same – to be suspected of being either a member or a supporter of liberation organisations, opposition political parties and simply for not supporting its policies. Consequently, change of the government and working for transitional order that respects the right of peoples and democratic rights is not a choice, but indispensable.

OLF calls for EU and its member states with other democratic governments to play important role at the national, regional and international levels, in the promotion and protection of human rights by assisting the demand of the Oromo people and other peoples in Ethiopia for a fundamental change.

The OLF also reminds the Oromo to step up their struggle for end to century old oppressive system, and also call other peoples, too, to join the Oromo protests for a fundamental change.

Victory to the Oromo People!

Oromo Liberation Front

January 22, 2016