The objective of the demonstration in the nation's capital is to bring to the forefront the Oromo peoples' inalienable right to national self-determination, make public a century of oppression and exploitation, and to form working partnerships with other nations facing similar issues.
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On December 25, 2006, the government of Ethiopia launched a military campaign in neighboring Somalia, alleging that its sovereignty was threatened by the Union of Islamic Courts (UIC). The government of Ethiopia has been controlled by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front since 2005, a regime that has not only repressed of democratic dissent, but also has persecuted ethnic groups. Having driven out the UIC from Mogadishu, the TPLF forces in collaboration with the Transitional Federal Government (TFG) of Somalia, has now shifted its mission towards fulfilling its main agenda of continuing to persecute political dissenters.
The International Oromo Youth Association (IOYA) is deeply dismayed by the incessant harassment, illegal detention, kidnapping, lynching, and cold-blooded murder of Oromo refugees in Somalia by the Ethiopian and Somalia TFG joint military forces, and by the deafening silence of the mainstream news media surrounding these atrocities. Niyata Gemechisa, an instructional technologist from Philadelphia, PA said, “Journalism is powerful, and has the ability to shape and change the world. Unfortunately, the practice of true journalism has not been evident in news reports about Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. The American news media has failed in serving many of the voiceless citizens in one of the most potentially volatile places in the world.”
The Oromo people, the largest ethno-national group in Ethiopia, have been deprived of their basic human rights under successive Ethiopian regimes. In spite of their contribution to the country’s socio-economic development, the Oromo people have been marginalized from participating in the social, economic, and political decision-making process. Because of their continued demand for self-determination, freedom, justice and equality, Oromos have become major targets for the authoritarian Ethiopian government. Just like its predecessors, the current TPLF minority led by Meles Zenawi has committed endless acts of state-sponsored violence against Oromo civilians, professionals, students and political dissidents.
Ethiopia and Somalia fought two border wars, in 1964 and 1977. During these two wars, Oromo’s were caught in the middle of the war waged by two dictators: Ziad Barre of Somalia and Mengistu Hailemariam of Ethiopia. Oromos comprise a significant proportion of Ethiopia’s conscripts soldiers that fought during the Ethio-Somali wars. Due to the geographical proximity of Oromia and Somalia, the 1977 war caused a humanitarian crisis including death of civilians, internal displacement and immigration to neighboring countries.
Due to the geographical proximity of Oromia and Somalia, thousands of Oromos fled to Kenya and Somalia and many lost their lives on the way and thousands never returned to their homeland. Today, Somalia is home for over a quarter of million Oromo refugees who fled their country due to persecution and forced displacement by successive Ethiopian governments.
Over the last ten years, the TPLF has been meddling in Somali internal affairs to continue to pursue Oromo refugees. Meanwhile media coverage of the affairs in the horn of Africa has largely ignored this fact, as well neglecting not only the Oromo perspective but also native Somali Muslim perspectives. We call on the media to take into account all sides of this atrocity, and expand on and report any investigative on the Ethiopian government.
The IOYA is holding a demonstration to present these issues to the media on Saturday March 31, 2007 beginning at 12pm in front of the U.S. State Department located at 2201 C Street NW Washington, DC 20520. For more information contact: Gelane Gemechisa gelaneg (at) gmail.com OR Maya Tessema maya.tessema (at) gmail.com.
The International Oromo Youth Association (IOYA) is deeply dismayed by the incessant harassment, illegal detention, kidnapping, lynching, and cold-blooded murder of Oromo refugees in Somalia by the Ethiopian and Somalia TFG joint military forces, and by the deafening silence of the mainstream news media surrounding these atrocities. Niyata Gemechisa, an instructional technologist from Philadelphia, PA said, “Journalism is powerful, and has the ability to shape and change the world. Unfortunately, the practice of true journalism has not been evident in news reports about Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. The American news media has failed in serving many of the voiceless citizens in one of the most potentially volatile places in the world.”
The Oromo people, the largest ethno-national group in Ethiopia, have been deprived of their basic human rights under successive Ethiopian regimes. In spite of their contribution to the country’s socio-economic development, the Oromo people have been marginalized from participating in the social, economic, and political decision-making process. Because of their continued demand for self-determination, freedom, justice and equality, Oromos have become major targets for the authoritarian Ethiopian government. Just like its predecessors, the current TPLF minority led by Meles Zenawi has committed endless acts of state-sponsored violence against Oromo civilians, professionals, students and political dissidents.
Ethiopia and Somalia fought two border wars, in 1964 and 1977. During these two wars, Oromo’s were caught in the middle of the war waged by two dictators: Ziad Barre of Somalia and Mengistu Hailemariam of Ethiopia. Oromos comprise a significant proportion of Ethiopia’s conscripts soldiers that fought during the Ethio-Somali wars. Due to the geographical proximity of Oromia and Somalia, the 1977 war caused a humanitarian crisis including death of civilians, internal displacement and immigration to neighboring countries.
Due to the geographical proximity of Oromia and Somalia, thousands of Oromos fled to Kenya and Somalia and many lost their lives on the way and thousands never returned to their homeland. Today, Somalia is home for over a quarter of million Oromo refugees who fled their country due to persecution and forced displacement by successive Ethiopian governments.
Over the last ten years, the TPLF has been meddling in Somali internal affairs to continue to pursue Oromo refugees. Meanwhile media coverage of the affairs in the horn of Africa has largely ignored this fact, as well neglecting not only the Oromo perspective but also native Somali Muslim perspectives. We call on the media to take into account all sides of this atrocity, and expand on and report any investigative on the Ethiopian government.
The IOYA is holding a demonstration to present these issues to the media on Saturday March 31, 2007 beginning at 12pm in front of the U.S. State Department located at 2201 C Street NW Washington, DC 20520. For more information contact: Gelane Gemechisa gelaneg (at) gmail.com OR Maya Tessema maya.tessema (at) gmail.com.
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