September 15, 2005
Finfinnee (Addis-Abeba)
PRESS RELEASE
(Post-Election Repression in Oromia)
The Executive Committee of the Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement (OFDM) met on September 9, 2005, deliberated on a number of issues and passed several resolutions. Among them are the following points:
1. It now seems almost impossible to defeat the Ruling Party through elections, and the world has witnessed that in very many cases the peoples’ voices were callously defied by the Ruling Party. Such anti-democratic crimes were intensified especially during the Re-election reruns.
2. It is clear that OFDM, over a very short period of time, has won the trust and respect of the Oromo people by adhering only to those principles of self-determination which the Oromo have always demanded. OFDM has been, since its inception, an independent Oromo voice.
3. The Ruling Party has observed with great fear the wide acceptance of OFDM by the Oromo people and is doing everything possible to suppress the people and continue its oppressive misrule.
4. The Government is trying to hoodwink the people by telling them that it would correct past mistakes and at the same time, is isolating and harassing our party’s members, supporters and sympathizers, whether they are farmers, traders, students, teachers or the youth. Individuals who were our observers and supporters on Election Day, have been made special targets. Our members who are acting legally on behalf of our party (which is a nation-wide party) in rural areas, have been especially identified. They are told that they have no right to open offices and recruit members. Indeed, Government officials have even closed down OFDM offices that were opened before Election Day. Such harassment is carried out throughout Oromia.
5. Our people have been forced to publicly tear up ID cards issued by OFDM. Many have been issued new OPDO membership cards against their will. Many people have been thrown into jail long enough to be humiliated publicly as if they were thieves. They have been pushed around, roughed up while being asked “What made you give your vote to ……. “ (OFDM or other parties).
6. On June 18, a member of our Executive Committee and head of our Political Division, Dr. Getachew Jigi traveled to Beggi (Western Wallaga) where he was threatened and his car vandalized. The owners of the hotel in which he stayed were threatened, and the hotel was hit by a barrage of stones in the night. Our local party workers tried to take the case to court, but there was no court open at the time (courts were on recess). Several individuals came in person to our Office in Finfinnee, as they were afraid to stay in their locality as party officers.
7. Another tactic which is used by OPDO cadres is to penetrate our party gatherings and shout, to disturb normal party meetings. When they were told to leave, a few of them pulled out guns and threatened our people. Our people are disarmed as no one can carry a gun without a permit, and of course, no permit is issued to our people.
8. Our representatives have become the focus of anger and manhandling by OPDO. They are treated like enemies. For example, OFDM Woreda representative in Manasibu, Ato Kebede Jato and several of his colleagues were taken away to an army camp, and, for several days relatives could not locate them. This has been officially reported from our field office.
9. In the town of Dembidollo, on September 8, 2005, an OPDO party worker picked up a quarrel with one of our members by the name of Beyene Alemu and shot him. Beyene is still in the hospital in Dembidollo. When Beyene fell down as he was shot, the perpetrator shouted: “Let OFDM come and pick you up”.
10. We also have reports of harassment and imprisonment and physically manhandling of people in the following localities:
Arsi Zone, Assasa Woreda, our representative, Sheikh Mahmud Tusuru was imprisoned for several days. Our observer during the Elections of May 15, Ato Jemal Hadj Fetto’s Travel Agency was closed down. The son of MP-elect, Gebeyehu Hayato, has been “evaluated” (interrogated) ten times.
In Eastern Shoa, in the town of Adama, our representative, Ato Hussein Adam, went to Sode Woreda to visit relatives, and was imprisoned for 20 days. Ato Mohamed Amin Jemalo and Abdurrahman Sheikh, who are members of OFDM, have been gaoled for mentioning the name of OFDM and trying to recruit members.
In Bale Zone, in the Woreda of Kokosa, where reelection was carried out, our candidate, Tilahun Gemeda, was continuously followed wherever he went by cadres of OPDO. Our observers were detained. Tilahoun was prevented from campaigning (which was legal) but OPDO conducted full-scale campaign, assisted by armed militia. In the re-election exercise, naturally, the OPDO candidate won, although it was obvious that the elections had been rigged, and the Re-election was even more massively rigged in the absence of observers and normal casting of votes.
In Kuyu and Degem Woredas, Northern Shoa, where complaints investigation was to be carried out, witnesses named by our candidates were prevented from coming to town, as there was a general clampdown on movements into or out of town. Those who managed to enter the towns were gathered together and kept under surveillance. All this to prevent our witnesses from appearing before the Complaints Investigation Panel (CIP).
In Illubabur Zone, Gachi Woreda, nine individuals who were supposed to be observers for our candidate, Kebede Firrissa, are still in detention.
Ironically, malicious propaganda has been perpetrated against OFDM by alleging that OFDM has joined EPRDF/OPDO. Our Party denies this allegation vehemently. The question of whether or not OFDM enters Parliament is still unanswered as OFDM is in constant consultation with its electorates, supporters and sympathizers. The ambivalence has been brought about by the repression perpetrated against our people.
11. We take this opportunity to denounce the act of disarming Oromos in the face of attacks from neighboring Issas, Afaars and Somalis bands. We also call on the international community to come to the aid of these isolated Oromo communities which are abandoned by their own Government and are outnumbered, thus, unable to defend themselves.
12. It is also our sincere hope that people of good will in Ethiopia and the international community will wake up to the special harassment focused on the Oromo people, by the Government, as a measure of “post-election repression”. Our people are repressed and oppressed because, for the first time in fourteen years, “they dared” to cast their votes for other parties. The Oromo people, as documented in the recent Human Rights Watch, New York, 2005, are treated with special harshness. We plead especially with the international community to look more closely into the oppression of the Oromo people.
Thank you.