SILENCE AND PAIN: ETHIOPIA’S HUMAN RIGHTS RECORD IN THE OGADEN

Martin Plaut  | January 31, 2014

Introduction

The Ogaden is Ethiopia’s dark, dirty secret. It is far from prying international eyes, where almost anything can be done to anyone the government does not like.

The Ogaden was conquered and forcibly incorporated into Ethiopia by Emperor Menelik II in the last quarter of the 19th century. Its Somali speaking, almost exclusively Muslim community, never really accepted an Ethiopian identity. In 1977 it was the scene of an international conflict, as Somali President Siad Barre attempted to wrest the region from Ethiopia. The Soviet Union poured arms and Cuban troops into Ethiopia and the invasion was halted. The Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) has been fighting the Ethiopian government since 1995, and local people have been caught up in the conflict. Read more…

Source:- http://ayyaantuu.com/human-rights/silence-and-pain-ethiopias-human-rights-record-in-the-ogaden/

The Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC) launches Oromo Youth League (OYL)

The Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC) has launched the Oromo Youth League (OYL) on the 25^th of January, 2014. The League is expected to organize and mobilize youths in Oromia Zones to peacefully and lawfully struggle for a democratic system that respects the social, economic, and political rights of the Oromo people in Ethiopia. Out of 18 zones in Oromia, 12 zones sent their representatives who in turn elected the 11 member executive committees in the presence of the Charman of OFC, Merera Gudina (Phd.), and the Secretary, Obbo Bekele Nega. The 11 Executive Committees that were elected by the members of the league are:

January 30, 2014

1.  Desta Dinka: North Shoa Zone

2.  Gurmessa Ayano: West Shoa Zone

3.  Alemu Abdissa: Illubabor Zone

4.  Misgane Yohannes: Qelem Wollega Zone

5.  Dereje Merga: East Wollega Zone

6.  Adisu Bulala: Guji Zone

7.  Fikru Mulatu: West Wollega Zone

8.  Tariku Mengesha: Finfine Zone

9.  Demissie Debelo: Finfine Zone

10.  Nesru Mohammed: East Arsi Zone

11.  Birhanu : West Shoa Zone

Merera Gudina, (PhD)

Associate Professor of Political Science
& International Relations,
Addis Ababa University
Tel. +251-111-231067 (Office)
+ 251-911-213887 (Mobile)
POB 1176
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

 

Source:- http://ayyaantuu.com/horn-of-africa-news/oromia/the-oromo-federalist-congress-ofc-launches-oromo-youth-league-oyl/

Oromoon karaa filannoo nagaan angoo qabate habashota waliin jirachuu ni danda’aa?

Amajjii 30, 2014

Kutaa 1ffaa

By Miliyon Taddesse

Miliyon Taddesse

Barreffamni koo kun gaaffii  lama of keessaa qabdi tokkooffan Oromoon biyya Itophiyaa jedhamtu keessatti karaa filannoo nagaan mo’atee wayyaanee angoo irraa busee angoo qabachuu ni danda’a? Lammaffaan ammo Oromoon biyya Tiphiyama jedhamtu kana keessaatti ilmaan habashotaa waliin ta’ee enyummaa fi mirgii isaa kabajamee  jiraachuu ni danda? Kan jedhu dha.

Garaa qaama barrefamakotti gaafan seenu,akkuma beekamu Ummatni Oromoo akkuma saboota addunyaa kana irratti argamanitti, ummata seenaa of danda’ee, biyya sarara daangaa beekamaa qabu, aadaa, afaan, duudha fi qora-qalbi sabbummaa kan barootaa kumaatamaan lakkaawwaman kuufachaa dhufe kan qabuu fi seenaa bulchiinsa fi aadaa siyaasaa adunyaa kanaaf bu’ura dimokiraasi kan ta’ee, sirna gadaa kan qabu akka turee seenaan jiruu ragaa ni ba’a. Haa ta’u malee garuu ummatnii Oromoo akka nagaan hin jiraanne bara minilik humnaan biyya isaa weraree lafaafi qabenyaa isaa irra fudhatee enyuummaa Oromoo kan Amaraatti akka jijjiramu taasisee kasee senaan, afaani fi Aadaan Oromoo yeroo yerootti babadaafi cunqurfaamaa kan dhufee yoo ta’uu Ammalee jijjiirama bifaa fi maqaa yoo  ta’ee malee ittuma fufee jira,Barota dheraa darban kessa eegdoota sirna kiyoo gabroonfatoota Amaaraara (warren saba Oromoo human Amaaromsan), waggota 22 as ammo egdota sirna kiyoo Itoophiyaa kan ta’an  hogganoota Wayyaaneetiin warranni Oromoo balessuu ittuma jira. Fuldurattii kun Oromoo irraa ni dhaba hin dhabbatuu waluumaan ilaalla. Waanin kaasuu barbaadu garuu akka kiyyattii, gitni bittaa garee lamaan kun bifa isaanituu adda adda malee isaan Oromoof tokkuma, sabaabni isaas sirni kiyyoo gabrummaan ummata  Oromoo  fi Oromiyaa irratti dirriirfame kuni dantaa gita bittuu Habashotaa kan walii gala kan eeguu fi tiksuu malee dantaa Oromoo kan eguu fi tiksu miti. Sirni gittota bittaa Habashaa lammeenu sirna aadaafi Afaan Oromoo jibbuu  garuu sirnaa qabeenya  ummata Oromoo jaallatu fi saamuu dhan jiraachuf barbaadu dha. Waldhabiin gittota lammanii kun Oromiyaa irratti ool aantumaa gartumaa siyaasaa qabaachuuf irraan kan ka’ee altokko tokko wal moormu, yeroo Oromoon jabbaate tokko ta’ee ka’uu garuu lammen isaanu  oromorratti ka’uuf tokkumma umuu. Kanaaf ammo raga kan ta’uu seenaa walhubannoo fi waliigalteen Miniliki fi Yohaannis kan Dirree Boruu ni himaa.

Warren Habashaa egaa har’as boris kan isaan irratti yeroo hunda walii galan kessa; sab-boonnumaan oromo akka hin dagagnee gochuu innis: aadaa, seenaa, afaan duudhaa fi waan Oromoo saboota biro irraa adda isa godhuu akka lafa hin qabannee gochuu, fedhii isaa fi qabeenya biyya isaa irrattii mataa isaan ajajaa akka hin taane, sabni Oromoo  bilisa ta’ee waan kiyya kan jedhu hunda akka mataa isaatiin ajaju hin dandenye godhu dha. Kanaaf Warreen habashaa kalessas, har’as, gara fuldurattis ummata Oromoo fi  enyumaa saba Oromoo adunyaa kana irraa dhabamsisuudhaan maalummaa isaa fi seenaa isaa Irranfatee habashaa fakkaatee, ofitti qaana’ee, enyumma isaa dhisee isaan akka habashummaa akka enyummasaa jedhee himatu barbaadu. Kaayyoon isaanii hojii abbootiin isaanii  jalqaban dhuggoomsuu fi fiixa baasuuf, sabni Oromoo akka Itoophiyuummaa fi enyummaa Itoophiya akka mallattoo isaatti fudhatee faalla seenaa isaa dhaabatu godhanii tursiisudhaaf akka ta’ee jala murre kan hundi kenyaa hubanne dha. Rakkoon ummatni Oromoo eega kiyyoo garbrummaa warra  Habashaa jalatti kufe kaasee irra ga’ee; ajjechaa, biyya isaa gadhisee baqaa deemuun bakka baqaatti du’uu,senaan Oromoo inni dhugaan senaa sobaa kan isanitiin dibamuu fi laaqamuu,qabenyaan saamamauu, beela, gadadoo, tuffatamu, akka gad antummaatti ilalamuu, dhiphinaa, salphinaa fi dhumiinsaa dha. Hangaa yonaa garuu Oromoon rakko kana jalaa ba’uuf hin dandeenye sababiin isaas haallii siyaasa Oromoos ta’ee kan Impaayera Itophiyaa hedduun walxaxaa fi kaan umrii wayyaanee dheressuf  mija’aa ta’ee argamaa jiraachu dha. Walxaxaa kan isa taasisaa jiruu keesaa tokko dhabotni siyaasaa Oromoo gara garaaraa yeroo yerootti bakka adda addaatti dhaabbachuun walii isaanii fi ofii isaanii giddutti akkasumas  warren Habashotaa tayitaarra jiranis ta’ee taytaarra ba’uuf deeman giddutti falammii deemsisaa jiran irraan kan ka’e dha. Humni TPLF jarmiyootni siyaasa Oromoofi warren biro isa morman waldura dhaabbannoo isaan walii isaanii giduutti geggeesaniif haala mijaawaa uumaafi jirachuu hubateraa. Toftaan kunis Oromoon akka  cimee isa dura hindhaabaneef aanjaa uumaafi jirachuu hubataniruu. Haga humnooti Oromoo siyaasaa wayyanee kana morman kun humna isaanii wal-irratti fixanitti wayyaneen umrii bullchiinsa sukkanessaa isaa taakkuu tokko fi lama achi butata jira. Wayyanootni ofii isaanii rakkoo waal gidduttii ha qabaatanillee malee rakkoo isaanii dabarsaanii qamaa biraattii hin kennaanii kun ammo toftaa fuula duratti isaan ademsisuuf ykn  butuuf isaan qopheessa, haalas ni mijessafi. Warrii Amaaraas akkasuma qaawwaa argameen Oromoon akka waldiguu fi qabsoon sirnaa abbotii isaanii deebisuuf gaggessaa jiraan akka cimu hala mijataa ummachaa waan jiran fakkaata.

Rakkoo guddaan fulduratti Oromorratti gabrumma dheressuuf haala mijataa umuuf jiruu keessa inni tokkoo jarmiyotnii Oromoo ilaalchaa walirraa fagaatee horachaa deemuu fi Oromoo yadaan walirraa fagaassaa deemuu isaaniiti. Kana keessaa tokkoo Oromootnii qabsoo bilisummaa Oromoo irraa adda ba’aanii kayyoo bilisummaa kan lubbuun ilmaan Oromoo hedduun irraatti dhumee dubatti dhiisanii  Itopiyaa dimokrattoftee umna jedhanii warren humnaa Oromoo bakkaa hedduutti digan umamaa dhufuu isaaniti.

Ani akka shammarree Oromoo tokkootti yeroon yaaduu, jaarmiyotni  amma biyya Itophia keessatti warren Habashaa waliin taanee sirna warraaqsa dimokrasi dhuga dhabnee Oromoo angessinee Habashoota waliin taanee  jiranna jedhani maqaa adda adda dhan of moggaasani qabsoo bilisumma Oromo irra achii ba’anii of gurmessun bu’aa isaan gara fuldurattii fidan  jira jedhee waan  natti  mul’atu hin jiru. Daranuu sammuu dargaggotaa fi qabsa’ota Oromoo ballessuufi  tokkumma  ilmaan Oromoo diigu, lafeefi dhigaa qabsa’oota Oromoo bilisummaa Oromoof jechaa caccabee fi dhangala’ee akkanumaan  dirree irratti hambisuu male faydaa ka bira Oromoof  ni qabataa jedhees hin yaadu . Biyyi Impayera Itophia jedhamtu kellessas har’as boris Oromoof mana hidha, mana saamichaa fi mana enyummaa Oromoo balleessu malee mana Oromoo ijaaru miti. Kun waanuma duris ta’ee ammas umrii keenya kana keessattii hubachaa dhufne  dha. Hara’as jalqabarratti dhihenyuma kana kessattii waan bay’ee arga waan jirru dha.

Mee qaphxiiwwan adda addaa kaasuun barbaada.

Qabxii 1ffaan ka’uu qabuu wayyanee karaa filannoo nagaan angoo irraa busuun ni danda’amaa?

Kana ilalchisee; akka anii mataa kiyyaan yaadutti yoo jaarmiyotni amma kara  maqa Oromoon gurma’ani biyya galuun Ithiopia dimokratessuf  jecha Wayyanee kara nagaan  qawwee malee qabsoofne angoo irra busnee Oromoo garaa angoo qabsisuutti fidnaa jechuun wan tasa yaadamuu hin qabnee dha. Kana ammo akka ragaattii waggottan hedduu kana keeessatti addunyaan marti kan hubatedha, nutis hundi keenya waan argaa jiruu dha. FKN yoo fudhanne, waggottan darbaan keessattii warren qabso bilisumma Oromo abaaranii biyya keessatti gurma’anii filannoo irratti hirmaachuun qabsoo kara nagaa gaggessa jiran irraa barachuu hin dandeenyu taanaan kun rakkoo adda bira akka qabnuu agarsiisa. Numaaf galuu didee malee Malasa Zanaa haala tuffii of keessaa qabuun  durumaanuu ifatti labsataniruu. Akka Malasaa Zenaa utuu hin du’iin dura dubbatettii; qabsoo lafeefi dhignii ilmaan Tigray hedduun itti dhangala’ee karaa filannoon fudhanna jechuun waan hin yadamnee jedhee turee. Ammas kanumaa nutti agarsisaa jiru.

Obboo Bulchaa Dammaqsaa yoo fudhanne ilaallee waa bayyee irraa baranna. Jalqaba Obboo Bulchaan dhaaba qabsoo bilisumma abaarudhaan sirni federalisimi ummata Oromoof ga’a dha sirna kanaan  olitti Oromoof waan biraa hin barbaachisu jechuun biyyatti debi’anii qabso filanno eegalani. Yero amma garu sadarkaa Obbo Bulchaa Dammaqsa irra jiran baruuf hundi keenyaa waan gaffii nu kasisu miti. Kara nagaan falmatanii motummaa Wayyanee angoo irra fudhachuun akkasumas mirga ilmaan Oromoo biyya Itophia keessatti kabachisuun akka hin danda’amne hubatani harkaa fi milaa  sassaabbatani ta’uuf murti irra ga’ani jiru. Yeroo darbaan kana keessattis Obboo Bulchaan kan falmii gaggeessaa turaan Wayyanee qofaa waliin hin turree warren tokkumma Itophiyaa jedhanii kessa isaanitti summii Oromoo fixuu baatanii maqaa tokkummaatiin socho’aa turan walinis turee, kunimmoo sababoota maalirraan ka’anii akka ta’ee garaa boodaatti ibsufan yaala.

Dr. Marara Guddinas yoo fudhannee jalqaba barreeffama isaatiin dhaba OLF abaaruun  jalqabani, ummata Oromoof kan barbaachisu sirnuma amma biyya Itophia keessa sabota biraa waliin jiraachuu ta’ee garuu sirnaa federalizimii dhugaa ta’uu qaba  jedhani qabsoo filannoon Wayyanee mo’atani Oromoo angoo qabsisuu egalani. Haata’u malee qabsoo Dr. Mararanis ta’ee deggartotni isaan gaggeessaa turaniin bu’aan isaan fidan waa takka hin jiru. Kan Dr. Mararaan amma jechaa jiranis filannoon dorgomani motumma Wayyane angoo irraa fudhachuun waan hin yadamneefi filannodhuma irratti hirmachuun bu’aa akka hin qabnee fi Oromoo bilisa basuuf toftaan adda biraa yoo umamee malee akka filannodhaan hin danda’amne haasaa isaanii keessatti  yeroo adda addaattii ibsa akka ture argineerra. Dabalataaniss Dr Mararaan yeroo adda addaattii barreeffamota isanii irraattii sochiin warren Wayyaness dabalattee warren Habashaa enyummaa Oromo balleessuuf deeman waan ummata Oromoo garaa haala fokkisaatti adeemsisuu akka ta’ee ibsaa turaniruu. Waluuma gala garu bu’aan filannoon kara nagaa Oromoof argamsisee  hidhafi ajjeecha hojirra ari’amuu ilmaan Oromo malee bu’a tarkanfataa fide hin qabu. Waan nama gaddisiisu keessaa qabsoo kara nagaa jedhamee gaggeffama ture kessattii kan midhamaa ta’ee warren gaggessitota osoo hin ta’iin miseensotaafi deeggartota warren jala jiraan ture. Sababiin isaas motummaan Wayyane toftaan itti fayyadame gaggeessitoota warren addunyaan isaan bektu dhabamsisuu osoo hin ta’iin deggartotafi miseensota isan jala jiran qulqullessudhaan gaggeessitotaa qofaa isaanii mataa gubbaarratti hambisun dhaba isaani lamshessu ture. Kun ammo Wayyaaneef fixa ba’insaa argamsiseera. Yeroo amma miseensotni fi deggartotni dhaba kana heddun shorerkessittuu jedhanii maqaa sobaa itti maxxansanii mana hidha kessattii darararamaa jiru, kan hidhaa irra hafe Bulcha dammaqsafi Dr. Mararaa akkasumas darbe darbee namotni xiqqon hafani ta’u danda’a. Kan hoji isaa irra ar’iame akkasumas kaan Wayyaanee fi OPDOn wabii jireenyaa dhabsiisuun darara jirtu ammo lakkoofsaan heddu dha. Ammas wanti gara fulduratti jaarmiyoota siyaasaa Oromoo kan akka haaratti  ijaaramaani fi  ijaaramaa jiran   kana eggatu kana irraan adda natti hin fakkatu. Dr. Nagasoo yoo fudhanne ilaallees waan bay’ee irraa baraanna. Innis Dr. Nagaasoon ergaa angoo presidantummaa Wayyanee dhitanii ba’anii kaasee sochii qabsoo kara nagaan Wayyanee angoo irra busuu gaggeessaa turaniruu. Dabalatan ammoo Dr. Nagaasoon Oromoo irraa achii ba’anii dhabota Habashaa  warreen summii Oromoo balleessu of keessatti bataananii maqaa tokkuumma umattota Itophiyatiin socho’an waliin ta’anii sochirra turaniiru, yeroo amma garuu isan walinillee hojjechuu  waan hin dandenyeef dhaba isaniis gadi lakkisanii qabsoon biyya Itophiyaa keessatti gaggeffamu na ga’aa jedhani ba’aniruu. Kunis sababoota waan heduu of keessatti qabaata gara boodaatti itti dhufna. Ammas wanti gara fulduratti jaarmiyoota Oromoo yeroo  amma akka haarawaatti  bakka sagaltamii sagalitti ijaaramaa bu’aa isaan busuu danda’ani humnaa fi tokkumma Oromoo addaan cicciruu malee bu’aa adda biraa waan fidan tasuma natti hin mul’atu. Sababiin isaas kayyoon dhaabota kana kayyoodhuma motumma Wayyane waliin wali galte umudhaan sabota biro waliin ta’uun kara nagan falmani mo’achuun sirna warraqsa federalizimi  wal fakkata umuudha waan ta’eef. Haala waggota hedduu kana keessa  hubanneerran kan ka’e Wayyane kara nagan falmani ango irra molquun mirga Oromoo kabachisna jedhanii yaaduun abjuu guyyaa keessa abjotamu natti fakkata.

Qaphxiwwaan warren kan ammo kutaa 2ffaan itti fufaa. Galatoma!

Yadaa yoo qabaattan kanaan na ergaa, miliyontaddesse@gmail.com

Oromian ni bilisoomti!!

Global Voices: Stemming the African brain drain – out of 3700 Medical Doctors on 700 stay

Oromia: A group of men carry a malaria victim, seriously ill, to get medicine from the nearest town, over 15km away, but no doctor is there

January 29, 2014 (Times Colonist) — Last year the Canadian health-care system managed to save $400 million — by poaching trained doctors from the poorest and most vulnerable communities in the world.

A recent study by the University of Ottawa indicates that even as Canadian aid programs help Africa to build better health-care systems, our health-care system is taking away their doctors.

According to Canada-based CUSO International, between 1990 and 2006, Ethiopia trained 3,700 doctors. Only 700 of them stayed to workthere. Africa’s health-care system isn’t the only sector hemorrhaging skilled workers — there are more African-born engineers and scientists living in Canada and the U.S. than in all of Africa.

It’s called brain drain. In 2000, there was a panic in Canada when reports suggested we were losing as many as 65,000 of our citizens every year to the U.S. It turned out that, for the most part, Canada was gaining as many professionals as it lost.

Africa has not been so lucky. The International Organization for Migration estimates that Africa has lost more than 460,000 educated professionals since 1990.

When the African Union marked its 50th anniversary, stemming the African brain drain was identified a top priority.

African leaders hope to mitigate the brain drain by recruiting expatriate African professionals to return home for a visit and lend their skills as short-term volunteers on development projects. CUSO International is working with the African Union on such a project.

Endashaw Inoldie, an Ethiopian-Canadian and recent CUSO volunteer, explained that using expatriate volunteers can be cheaper and more hassle-free than using Canadian-born volunteers because they can hit the ground running.

“An Ethiopian-Canadian can share their experience in the field and have no problem with language or cultural shock,” he told us.

Inoldie fled political upheaval in Ethiopia in 2001 to study sociology at the University of WesternOntario in London. He became a career adviser in Edmonton and Fort McMurray, Alta., before volunteering with CUSO and returning in 2011 to Ethiopia. There, he helped build a database to connect Ethiopian hospitals and universities with skilled diaspora volunteers from North America.

Inoldie was better equipped to handle work on the ground than his roommate, a Canadian aid worker with no Ethiopian roots, volunteering at the Ethiopian department of education in the capital of Addis Ababa. The roommate had to inform Ethiopians in communities around the capital about a new English language program, but between his rudimentary Amharic, Canadian accent and inability speak any local dialects, few could understand him.

Inoldie received a desperate phone call from his roommate, who asked for his help as a translator.

Members of the African diaspora who can’t afford to take time off to volunteer can still share their skills with their homeland without leaving the comfort of their adopted western home. Tech company Hewlett-Packard and the United Nations agency UNESCO have partnered on a project called the Brain Gain Initiative that uses cloud computing technology to link researchers at African universities with expatriate scientists abroad.

As an example: using remote sensors and Internet technology, Cameroonian expat Christophe Bobda, an engineering professor at the University of Arkansas, works with Emmanuel Tonye at Yaoundé University, in Cameroon’s capital, to study air pollution in African cities.

Helping African nations use the talents of their diaspora populations for development mitigates the impact of the African brain drain.

But this is not a long-term solution. To prosper, Africa must keep her brilliant children home. And developed nations like Canada have a role to play here, too.

For a start, we must address the issues in our own health-care system that requires us to draw so many health professionals from developing countries where they are needed more.

UNESCO suggests that building African centres of academic excellence — such as the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, which we wrote about last fall — will create opportunities that entice Africa’s brightest minds to stay home.

African nations, for their part, must improve wages and living conditions so home becomes the land of opportunity for native-born doctors, engineers and scientists.

For donor countries like Canada, applying some of our aid dollars to support professional retention programs in developing countries would be a wise investment in the long-term progress of Africa.

Source: Times Colonist

Ethiopia – Land for Sale

As the economy thrives, we examine the plight of Ethiopians forced from their land to make way for foreign investors.

NGO’s and policy advocates say the true consequences of the land grabs are almost all negative [Reuters]

January 28, 2014 (Al Jazeera) — Just a few decades ago, Ethiopia was a country defined by its famines, particularly between 1983-1985 when in excess of half a million people starved to death as a consequence of drought, cropfailure and a brutal civil war.

Against this backdrop, it is impressive that in recent years, Ethiopia has been experiencing stellar economic growth. The headline statistics are certainly remarkable: the country is creating millionaires faster than any other in Africa; output from farming, Ethiopia’s dominant industry, has tripled in a decade; the capital Addis Ababa is experiencing a massive construction boom; and the last six years have seen the nation’s GDP grow by a staggering 108 percent.

But it is not all positive news, because for all the good figures there are still plenty of bad ones.

Around 90 percent of the population of 87 million still suffers from numerous deprivations, ranging from insufficient access to education to inadequate health care; average incomes are still well below $1500 a year; and more than 30 million people still face chronic food shortages.

And while there are a number of positive and genuine reasons for the growth spurt – business and legislative reforms, more professional governance, the achievements of a thriving service sector – many critics say that the growth seen in agriculture, which accounts for almost half of Ethiopia’s economic activity and a great deal of its recent success, is actually being driven by an out of control ‘land grab’, as  multinational companies and private speculators vie to lease millions of acres of the country’s most fertile territory from the government at bargain basement prices.

At the ministry of agriculture in Addis Ababa, this land-lease programme is often described as a “win-win” because it brings in new technologies and employment and, supposedly, makes it easier to improve health care, education and other services in rural areas.

“Ethiopia needs to develop to fight poverty, increase food supplies and improve livelihoods and is doing so in a sustainable way,” said one official.

But according to a host of NGO’s and policy advocates, including Oxfam, Human Rights Watch and the Oakland Institute, the true consequences of the land grabs are almost all negative. They say that in order to make such huge areas available for foreign investors to grow foodstuffs and bio-fuels for export – and in direct contravention of Ethiopia’s obligations under international law – the authorities are displacing hundreds of thousands of indigenous peoples, abusing their human rights, destroying their traditions, trashing the environment, and making them more dependent on food aid  than ever before.

“The benefits for the local populations are very little,” said renowned Ethiopian sociologist Dessalegn Rahmato. “They’ve taken away their land. They’ve taken away their natural resource, because these investors are clearing the land, destroying the forest, cutting down the trees. The government claims that one of the aims of this investment was to enable local areas to benefit by investing in infrastructure, social services … but these benefits are not included in the contract. It’s only left up to the magnanimity of the investor.”

And those investors, he continued, are simply not interested in anything other than serving their own needs: “They can grow any crop they want, when they want it, they can sell in any market they want, whether it’s a global market or a local market. In fact most of them are not interested in the localmarkets.”

He cited as an example a massive Saudi-owned plantation in the fertile Gambella region of south west Ethiopia, a prime target area for investors: “They have 10,000 hectares and they are producing rice. This rice is going to be exported to the Middle East, to Saudi Arabia and other places. The local people in that area don’t eat rice.”

But the most controversial element of the government’s programme is known as ‘villagisation’ – the displacement of people from land they have occupied for generations and their subsequent resettlement in artificial communities.

In Gambella, where two ethnic groups, the Anuaks and the Nuers, predominate, it has meant tens of thousands of people have been forced to abandon a traditional way of life. One such is Moot, an Anuak farmer who now lives in a government village far from his home.

“When investors showed up, we were told to pack up our things and to go to the village. If we had decided not to go, they would have destroyed our crops, our houses and our belongings. We couldn’t even claim compensation because the government decided that those lands belonged to the investors. We were scared … if you get upset and say that someone stole your land, you are put in prison. If you complain about being arrested, they will kill you. It’s not our land anymore; we have been deprived of our rights.”

Despite growing internal opposition and international criticism, the Ethiopian government shows no sign of scaling the programme back. According to the Oakland Institute, since 2008, an area the size of France has already been handed over to foreign corporations. Over the next few years an area twice that size is thought to be earmarked for leasing to investors.

So what does all this mean for the people on the ground? In Ethiopia – Land for Sale, filmmakers Veronique Mauduy and Romain Pelleray try and find out.

Source:Al Jazeera

AYYAANI WBO BARA 2014 BIYYA UK MILKIIN XUMURAME

Amajjii 28, 2014

Ayyanni kun gaafa Amajjii 25, 2014 biyya UK, magaalaa London keessatti kabajame ayyana kana irratti kan hirmaata miseensota ABO, deggartootaa fi hawaasa Oromoo biyya UK magala adda adda irraa  heddumminaan dhufan ture.

Kabajaan ayyana kanaa kan eegale manguddoo fi ibsa gabaabaa I/G ABO kutaa UK, Obbo barsiisaa Guutamaa kennanii ture. Itti annasee, Obbo Xahaa Abdii, MGS ABO, seenaa guyyaa WBO bal’inaan ibsaniiru. Itti annansee miseensotni WBO kabajamoon- J/ Lalisee Roobaa, J/ Obsaa Milkeessaa fi J/ Fayisaa (Mul’is) wal duraa duubaan muuxannoo WBO fi aarsaa qabsoon hidhannoo feessisu dhiheessuu dhan dargaggoo fi shammarran hamileessanii jiru.

J/ Abdii Raggaasaa, mataan Damee Waraana Bilisummaa Oromoo, karaa bilbilaa irratti qooda fudhataniiru. Bara 2013 keessaa sagantaalee WBOn baafatee fi tarkaanfiilee fudhataman; injifannoo WBO galmeesse ibsuu dhan waan qabatamaatti WBOn diina waliin falmii godhaa jiru addeessaniiru. Sochiin WBO goddinalee Oromiyaa mara keessaa fi handhuura Oromiyaa, magaalaa Finifinnee, keessatti tarkaanfiileen fudhataman diinaaf raffanna guddaa yeroo tahu, ummata oromoof abdii guddaa akka kenne ibsaniiru. Wagga dhufu keessa WBOn daran jabaatee hanga bilisummaan Oromoo fi walabummaan Oromiyaa dhugoomutti akka itti fufu hubachiisanii, Kanaaf ummatni Oromoo deeggarsa isaa daran akka jabeessu hubachiisan.

Itti annee Obbo Siifan Midhaqisaa, ilaalcha dhaaba siyaasaa alaatti, akka gaazexxeessaa tokkootti sochii qeerroo fi WBO biyya keessaatti godhamaa jiruuf maal akka fakkatuu fi hangama akka diina rifachiise ragaa bahaniiru. Sagantaan addatti WBOf qophaawe shamarran Oromoo London kennaa aaddaa (special surprise gift) qopheessuu dhan WBOf kennaniiru; jaalala WBO qabanii fi fedhii deeggarsa bilisummaa Oromoof qaban ibsaniiru. Sagantaa caal baasii fi tinnisaa ta’ee ummatni Oromoo biyyaa UK maalla guddaa WBOf gummachaniru.

Dhuma irratti ibsa ejjennoo armaa gadii bafatuun ayyanni WBO bara 2014 milkii, injifannoo fi hamilee guutuun kabajame.

IBSA EJENNO

Nuti misensonni ABO, deggartoonni fi hawaasi Oromoo biyya UK magaala adda adda irra ayyaana guyya WBO kabajachuuf wal geenye haala keessa dabarree fi itti deemaa jirru gadi fageenyaa fi bal’inan irraatti mari’anne jirra.

Haala yeeo amma ilaalchise

Yeeron amma keessa jirru, gama tokkon yeero mootummaan abba irree TPLFn durfamu sodaa ummata Oromoof qabu irra  ummaticha addatti akka diina innikkatti fudhata ajjeesaa, qe’ee isaa irraa arii’aa, seera ala; yaakka tokko malee mana hidhaatti dararama  ulfaataa dhala namaaf hin-malle irran geessisaa, baratoota qaroa fi egeree Oromoof bu’aa buusuu danada’u jedhaman ajjeesaa hidhaa, barumsaa irraa ar’aa,  kaan ammoo  qabsoo irra fageessuuf  doorsisaa jiru. Kana malees  humnoonni duran angoo irra turan ammas angootti ol-ba’uuf shira ifa  fi lafa jalaan nurraatti xaxaa jiraan keessa jirra.

Gama biraan ammo qabsoon ummata Oromoo daran dagaagaa tarkaannifin WBO daran jabaachaa, dammaqinsi fi gurmuun Oromoo dabalaa, qabsoon ummata Oromoo fi ummatoota cunqurfamoo biyyatti daran dhageetti argachaa, keessi mootumma Wayyanee daran tasgabbii dhabga, boora’aa adeemaa jira, Qeerroon Oromoo, murannoo dhan mootummaa amma funyaanitti hidhate dura dhaabachaa fi qabsoo saba isaaniitiif wareegama kamiyyuu baasuuf qophi ta’u mirkaneessaa jiran.

Halleen armaan olitti ka’faman gadi fageenyaan erga irraatti mar’annea booda nuti misensonni ABO, degartootnii fi hawaasi Oromoo biyya UK  ibsa ejjennoo armaan gadi baafanne jirra:

1. Haala rakkisa fi ulfaata ta’e keessatti mootummaa amma funyanii itti hidhate, afaan qawween ummata keenya irratti roorrisaa jiru dhabamsiisuf fi dararaa jarra tokko-ol ummata keenya irra ture hundeen buqqisuuf qabsoo hidhannoo ABOn gageeffamaa jiru keessatti qooda ol’anaa gochaa kan jiru, WBO ni mararffanna, muranno fi injifannoo WBO tiin godhamaa jiru ni dinqisiifanna, waan dandeenyun  bira ni dhaabbanna.
2. Sochi baratooni Oromoo QEERRON haraka du’uwwa mootumma amma funyanitti hidhate dura dabatanii falama mirga ummata Oromoof gocha jiran ni dinqisifanna, itti boonnas. Fincila didda gabrummaa bifa adda addatiin  biyya keessaa fi alatti adeemsifamaa  jiru ni deggarra, qooda keenyas ni gumaachina.
3. Moora qabsoo Oromoo jabeessun galma hawwamu shafisiisu keessatti haala gurmuu fi wal-hubannoo dhaabota siyaasaa Oromoo fi hawasa Oromoo murtessaa ta’uu beekne nutis  karakenya waan nurraa eegamu ni gumaachina.
4. Qabsoo ummata tokko keessati qoodni shamarranni fi dargaggoo bakka guddaa qabaachuu beekne haala shamarran fi dargaggoota   Oromoo jabeessinuu fi ijaarru irratti ni hojjenna.
5. Sadarkaan qabsoon Oromoo irra ga’e hirriba kan isaan dho’wwe diinnonni qabasoo Oromoo ammayyuu qabsa’ota Oromoo addan babasuuf carraqii gochaa akka jiran ni hubanna; duras ni dhaabbanna. Ummatni Oromoos bakka jiru akka sochi diinotaa kana dura dhabatu fi sochi isaanis damaqinsan hordofu fi fashalsiisu dhaamsa keenya dabarfanna.
6. Mootumma TPLF bu’ureffama isa irra ka’e mootumman kun kara naga a’ango ni lakkisa jedhanii yaaduun kan hin-danda’amne ta’u isa ni hubanna. Kanaafis dhaabota kara nagaa ni qabsofna jedhaniif haalli ammaan dura isaan mudate ragaa quubsaa dha. Biyya ol-antumman seeraa kessaatti hin-kabajamne, manni murtii bilisa hin taane; biyya komishinni filannoo walaba ta’e fi meeshaan sab-quunnamti mootumma abba-irrettin dhunfatame jiru keessaatti filannoo walabaa gaggeessun tasa akka hin danda’amne irra deddbi’e waan mul’ataa tureef filannoo sobaa maqa ummatootatiin ammas mootummaan abban irree aangoo irra ittiin turuus  bara dhuftu ni deemsifama jedhamu kana irras Oromoon bu’an inni argatu tokkoyyu akka hin-jirre beeke filmaata dharaa kana haala ittin dura dhaabbattu irraati ammumaan akka yaadnu waamicha keenya dabarfanna.
7. Qabsoo haqaa ummatni keenya adeemsisaa jiru, akka firoota horatu gochuu keessatti hubannoo hawaasaa fi mootummaan biyya UK caalatti ol-kaasuaf ni hojjenna, deggarsa barbaachisu ummata keenyaaf akka godhan qabsoo haqa ummata keenya cinaa akka hiriirani gochuu irratti ni hojjenna.
8. Duula farren ummata Oromoo fi cunqurfamoo biyyatti,  amma ille Minilikiin farasaa jiraniin madaa ummata keenya utuu hin-qoorin ammas deeb’ani nutti bubu’a jiran ni balaleffanna.
9. Maqaa investmenti jedhamuun dacheen Oromoo samaamun, Oromoon dachee isa irra buqifamuun, bosonnii fi garreen ibiddaan  barbadeeffamuun; lageen keenya summaa’un hattattamaan akka dhaabbatu ni gaafanna. Ogeeyyiin Oromos bakka jiran hundatti dhimma kana irraatti daran akka hojettan dhaamsa lammumma dabarfanna.
10. Dhaabni kallacha qabsoo Oromoo, Addi Bilisumma Oromo, halla amma keessa jirru; haala fuula keenya dura  as adeema jiruu  fi haala amma dura nu mudatani irraa muuxxannoo argame irraatti hunda’udhan xiinxala jabaa akka godhu jabeesinee gaafacha nutis akka miseensota dhaabaa, yookan hawasaa akkasumas akka nam-tokkootti bakka jirru hundatti murannoon hojechuun waan dandeenyu hunda gumachuuf BO kara dandeenyu hundan deggarsa lammumma nurra eegamu baasuuf waada keenya ni haromfanna.

Injifannoo Ummata Oromoof!

Gadaan gadaa bilsummaa ti!

Miseensota ABO, Degertoota fi Hawasa Oromoo biyya UK

Amajjii 25, 2014