Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Oromoon wal malee gargaarsa biraa akka hin qabne yoomiyyuu caalaa ifa ta’uu qaba

Abdii Boruutiin | Caamsa 4, 2014
Impaayara Itoophiyaa tana keessatti, sochiilee godhamaa turani fi jiran yoo ilaalle, hamma Oromoon saboota biroo wajjin dhaabbatee adda-durummaadhaan wareegama guddaa kaffale, dhimma saba keenyaarratti garuu saboonni biroo dafanii nuuf mirmatanii nu wajjin dhaabbachuun isaanii hin mul’atu. Kan fagoo hafee, isuma dhiyoo kanaa yoo yaadanne, bara 2005 yeroo deeggartootni jaarmayaa CUD hiriira nagaa bayanii Finfinnee keessatti Wayyaaneedhaan ajjeefaman, saboota biroo keessaa kan dafee isaaniif mirmate fi sagalee dhageessise Oromoo ture. Har’a garuu yeroo ijoolleen teenya kuun reebaman, kuun mana hidhaatti guuraman, kuun ammoo ajjeefaman, saboota biroo keessaa sagaleen takkallee hin dhagayamne. Kan Habashootaa haa dhiisnuu; warrumti kibbaatuu, kan saba Oromoo wajjin hiree walfakkaataa qaban, callisanii nu ilaaluu isaaniitu hubatama. Kun maal nutti agarsiisa? Asirraa maal hubachuu fi barachuu dandeenya?
Sochii diddaa gabrummaa barattootni fi uummatni Oromoo yeroo ammaa godhaa jiran kana ilaalchisee, sabootni Itoophiyaa, kan Oromoo hin taane, maaliif callisanii nu ilaalu jechuudhaan namootni keenya tokko tokko komii isaanii ibsaa jiru. Saboota cunqurfamoo ilaalchisee komiin kun sirrii ta’uu mala. Haa ta’u malee, warrii uummata Amaaraa komachaa jiran waan dogoggoran natti fakkaatu. Maastar Planii Finfinnee babal’isuu kana ilaalchisee, akka natti fakkaatutti kun projaktii Wayyaanee qofaa otuu hin taane, sirumaa kun kaayyoo fi karoora nafxanyoota durii ti jedheen amana. Maaliif yoo jedhame, sochiin Oromoo waan isaan sodachiseef; akkasumas ammoo gaafiin mirga hiree ofii murteeffachuu uummata Oromoos hanga deebii argatutti qabsoon kun akka hin dhaabbanne fi sirumaa cimaa akka deemu waan hubataniif, tooftaa fi shira biraa baasanii akka qabsoon keenya ittiin laaftu; kana birallee dabramee akka Oromiyaan bakkee lamatti addaan cittu taasisuuf fedhii guddaa waan qabaniif, babal’achuu Finfinnee guutumaa guututti deeggaru jechuu dha. Kun karaa tokko dha.
Karaa biraatiin ammoo, wanti hubatamuu qabu, yoo sabni Amaaraa sochii barattoota keenyaa kana deeggaranii fi sochiin kunis milkiidhaan kan xumuramu ta’e; yoo Maasta Plaaniin kun fashale, Oromoon injifannoo tokko goonfate jechuu waan ta’uuf, injifannoon uummata keenyaa ammoo kufaatii isaanii (nafxanyootaa) waan ta’uuf sochii kana akka hin gargaarre waan ifa ta’uu dha. Kanaaf, deeggarsa isaanirraa eeguun waan hin yaadamnee dha. Kanaafan komiin Oromoon Habashootarraa qabu dogoggora jedhe. Saboota biroo, warra akkuma Oromoo Habashootaan gabroomfaman yoo fudhanne ammoo, akka natti fakkaatutti, kunis karaa adda addaatiin ilaalamuu ni danda’a.
Tokkoffaa, olola Habashootni keessumaayuu Wayyaaneen oofturraa kan maddu, sabootni kibbaatuu guutumaa guututti Oromoo waan amanan hin fakkaatu. Isaanumtuu Oromoorraa sodaa waan qaban fakkaata jechuu kooti. Kanaaf, sochiin dhimma Oromoo qofaa ilaallatu kan akka Maastar Planii Finfinnee kun yoo cime fi Oromoon injifannoo yoo argate, gara fuulduraatti waan Oromoodhaan liqimsaman itti fakkaata jedheen yaada.  Asirratti wanti biraa kan hubatamuu qabu, babal’achuu Finfinnee Oromoo malee sabootni biroo waan balaaleffatan natti hin fakkaatu.
Lammaffaa, sochiin ijoollee (barattoota) keenyaa kun dhugumatti cimee; uummata bal’aa Oromoo hammatee; warraaqasa uummataa kaasee, injfannoo fiduu ni danda’a jedhanee waan hin amanneef; sanumaa asitti Wayyaaneenis sochii kana dhaamsuuf ijoollee fi uummata keenya akka fixxu waan beekaniif, dafanii ibidda boba’aa jiru kana keessa seenuuf waan of qusatan natti fakkaatu. Kanaaf, moggaa taa’anii ilaaluu filatu. Yeroodhaaf callisuu haa filatan malee, waayeen akkanaa kun garuu isaaniifis akka hin oolle ni dagatu jedhee hin yaadu. Har’a Finfinnee, boru ammoo magaalota biroo akka ta’an waan nama shakkisiisuu miti jechuu kooti.
Sadaffaa, biyya Itoophiyaa jedhamtu sana keessatti humna qawwee malee sochiin karaa nagaa keessumaayuu Wayyaanee jalatti bu’aa tokko akka hin fidne kunoo sochii Musiliimotaa, kan waggoota lamaa ol deemaa jiru, kanarraa waan hubataniif, kan ammaa kunis (kan barattoota Oromoo) bu’aa fiduu danda’a jedhanii waan hin yaadneef, sochii kanatti makamuu ykn deeggarsa kennuurraa ofqusatu.
Dubbii gabaabsuudhaaf, sochii ammaa kanas ta’ee, walumaagalatti sochii mirga hiree ofii ofiin murteeffachuu saba Oromoo keessatti, Oromoon wal malee gargaarsa biraa akka hin qabne hundi keenyaa hubachuu qabna. Yoo nuti wal bira dhaabbannee, harka walqabannee tokkummaadhaan keessa fi alaan mirga keenyaaf hin falmanne; yoo teenyee gargaarsa ykn deeggarsa biraa kan eegnu ta’e, kaayyoo keeenya bakkaan (galiidhaan) gayuun rakkisaa akka ta’u ifa ta’uu qaba. Keessumaayuu ammoo warra nu bitaa turani fi ammallee sirna durii sanatti nu deebisuuf halkanii fi guyyaa hojjechaa jiran deeggarsa gaafachuun ykn irraa eeguun waan hin yaadamnee dha. Kanaaf malli fi falli jiru, gabaabumatti Oromoon tokko ta’ee; karaa danda’amu hundaan qabsoo kana keessatti gahee ofii taphachuu fi qooda ofii gumaachuu qofaatu galii barbaadnutti nu geessuu danda’a. Yeroon ammaa yeroo gandaan, naannoodhaan, amantii fi ilaalcha siyaasaatiin wal qoqqoodnee mooraa keenya laaffisnu otuu hin taane, yeroo yoomiyyuu caalaa “OROMUMMAA” hundee godhannee mirga keenyaaf tokkummaadhaan falmannu ta’uu qaba.
Har’a diinotni keenya kan nurratti duulaa jiran, amantii fi ilaalcha siyaasaa keenyaa dhabamsiisuuf otuu hin taane, kaayyoo fi karoorri isaanii adda-durummaadhaan eenyummaa keenya Oromummaa balleessuufi. Waayeen Maastar Plaanii Finfinnee, kan yeroo dheeraaf shirri irratti hojjetamaa ture kun maqaa misoomaatiin lafa babal’isuu qofaatti waan hafu otuu hin taane, kun bu’ura ykn jalqaba duula balleessaa eenyummaa Oromoo fi dhiphisuu fi bakka lamatti kutuu Oromiyaa dhiiga fi lafee gootota keenyaatii ijaaramte kanaa ti. Kanaaf, Balaa nutti deemaa jiru alaalatti arguudhaan; nu bira gayee otuu harkaan nu hin qabatin dafnee tokkummaadhaan falmii guddaa godhuu qabna. Har’a dhiigni ilmaan Oromoo dhangala’us; lafeen ijollee Oromoo caccabdus; haa turu ykn haa daddafu malee injifannoon xumuraa kan uummata keenyaa akka ta’u shakkiin hin jiru. Warri bilisummaa fi walabummaa isaanii argatanis lubbuulee lammiilee meeqaa itti dhabanii waan ta’eef, kan keenyaas adda ta’uu hin qabu. Dhiigni ijoollee Oromoos bilaashatti hin hafu. Qabsaa’an ni kufa qabsoon ittifufa.

Galatoomaa!
Abdii Boruu: aboruu@gmail.com
6 comments - What do you think?
Posted by admin - 04/05/2014 at 6:30 pm
Categories: Oromia  Tags:

6 Responses to “Oromoon wal malee gargaarsa biraa akka hin qabne yoomiyyuu caalaa ifa ta’uu qaba”

  1. Jimma says:
    Abdii Boruu jijjirama fiduf sochin jalqabne karaa sirriidha. Waan kessa darbine essaa kaane as geenye dagachu hinqabnus. Waaye saboota kibba kaaste kuni akkuma irratti hojjanedha. Yoo seeran irratti hojjanne jijirama hamma ta’e hinfidna. Gutumaan gututti shakki ballessus yoomiyyu eegu hinqabnu. Waaye tokkumaa jennu samoonuma kana akka ka’u godhani dubatti harkifachu jalqabame. Kana deebsinee gara barbaadamutti qajeelchaa turre. Namni walitti birmatee har’a bakka hundatti hiriiraaf gadi bahaa jira. Kuni waan guddaadha. Sochi biyya kessa jiruf humna akka ta’utti hojjachun sammufi obsa gaafata. Yeroo amaantana gaaffin ummata keenya waayee “master plan” qofaa miti jennera. Gaaffin jajjaboo ta’an kessaa isa tokkodha. Gaaffi jajjaboo amma kaasaa jiru harki caalu saboota cunqurfaamoo biyyatti walii hin qoodanna. Ijoollee biyya jiranfis dhaamsa dabarsineera akka dhaadanollen kan saboota biyyati kakaasu akka of kessaa qabaatu.
    Ijoollee kilo ja’a baratuu hamma ta’e itti dabalaniiru. Kuni gaaridha.
    “We have to know how to roll the ball”. Hin jajjabeessinas. Tari ijoollen Finfinne irraa fagoo jiran, “master plan” qofaa qabatani jiru ta’a. Isaan qofaa miti Dr Merara dabalatee “master plan” jedhe. Asuma biyya kanattis “one question at a time” jedhanii dubatani. Kuni hundi ana biratti “lakki”dha. Nama kana hunda dhume waaye “master plan” qofa ta’u hinqabu kan jedhu ijjanno qaba. Qotee bulaa kanaan midhamu kakaasuf itti yaa himamu malee isa barate biratti gaaffin keenya “broad”dha. “Master Plan” sababa guddaa ta’e as bahe malee gaafin keenya kanaa olidha jechuufi amaantana. Eega seeran hundi kenya “communicate” gochu qabna. Waan humna qabu saboota biyyatti kakaasufi kan Oromiyaati hafu addaan baasne dhaamsa dabarsu itti fufna saboota biraattis. Ummatni keenya yomiyyu caala “network” qabu jabessera.
  2. Jimma says:
    Maalan arge namichi “foreign minister” mudamee hojjatu Tigreen (Dr Tewelde natti fakkaata maqaan). Mal jedhaa “master plan” kuni “public discussion”fi dhiheesina jedhe. Gadaa.com irratti immoo Abbaay Tsahaay akka dide dubbise. “Master Plan” hojii irra olchun yoo hafe wanta hojjatamu kana hin dhisna jechaadha?. Qabsoo amma jalqabne “broad” ta’u qaba jechaan jira. Yoo sababa kaanan “broad” goone hojjachu baanne rakkisaadha. Namni dhumeera. Namoota lubbu nama ballesani seeraf akka dhihaatan gochuunu gaaffi biraa ta’ee dhufe. Anaaf carraa guddaa bane. Ammallee FDG oromiya seeran wali hin geenye. Hojii guddaatu nu fuldura jira.
  3. filebar says:
    qabsoon kun karaa hidhannoon biyya keessatti karaa haaraan itti fufuu qaba malee akka hoolaa masqalaa du’a qofaaf deemuu miti.dhiirro salphina sabni xiqqishuun nutti haa taphattu??
  4. Abdata Dhuga says:
    Dubbiitu dubbii kaasa dhimmi maaster plaanii kun ka’uunsaa carraa gaariidha ummata oromootiif yoo itti fayyadamuu dandeenyeef.Akkasumas amma hogganamuu qambna hoggansa aarsaa barbaadu. Lubbuun wolabummaaf hinworeegamne lubbuu hinta’in, bhijiraatinis.
  5. Obsaa says:
    Xiinxala gaariidha. Amma deeggarsa kamuu diina keenya irraa eeguun gowwummaa guddaadha. Otoo ummanni keenya dhumaa jiruu gaazexeessaan hidhaman jechuun qaamni UN ibsa yeroo baasu dhimmi ummata keenyaa hangama dhageettii akka dhabe mul.isa.
    Hundaafuu wal malee akka fira tokko illee hin qabne hubannee waliin haa dhaabbannu. Wareegama baafnus iyyannaa duwwaa miti kutannoon waan gochuu mallu haa goonu. Erga ijoolleen keenya harka qullaa du’uun hin oollee of irraa lolaa akka du’an ummata keenya waan qabuun akka lolu haa kakaafnu. Sochiin kun karaatti hafnaan duulli ilmaan nafxanyaa kan durii caalaatti akka nutti hammaatu, tuffiin akka heddummaatu, arrabsoon akka daran nu irratti cimu hubadhaa.
    Gama biraan sochiin keenya qindoomina haa qabaatu, tooftaa fi tarsiimoo haa baafannu. Fakkeenyaaf hiriira kana booda maal gochuu qabna? Balaan kana caalu yoo babal’ate hoo?…..Beektoliin Oromoo waan hedduun isin irraa eegama.
    Injifannoon kan ummata Oromoo ti!!
  6. Jimma says:
    Waayee UN kaastu kuni numatu isanitti dabrsa. Habashaanis akkasuma godhu. Gaappii kanas cufu qabna. Sochiin tokko yeroo adeemu “casuality” jiru “International community”dhaaf dabrsuu qabna. Amma dhengadda gurbaan tokko “AF press” irraa “distort” godhee dabrse. Namumti “general manager” dhaaf dhamsa dabrse hinjiru ykn namoota itti gaafataman kan “AF Press” dabrse hinjiru. waanti kuni akak sirrefamu ykn gurbaa akka akkekachisani. Website isaani irra ilaalen akka salphaatti aragchu hin dandenye. Ittan dhiise dijjuutti. Kuni garu sirrefamu qaba.

Ethiopia : Ogadenia, Oromio Communities in U.S Vows engaging Strong Diplomatic ties to topple Addis Ababa

CandlelightVigilOromoFDG2014_5
By Ahmed Abdi 
May 5, 2014 (Ogaden Today) – A joint-meeting between Ogadenia and oromia communities in the United States took place in Minnesota on Sunday.
This session, which was attended by a large number of United States’ Ogadenia and Oromio communities in Minnesota was discussed about the new crisis and atrocities being committed against these two brotherly ethnics of Oromia and Ogadenia by the Tigray-ruled regime of Ethiopia.
For the last several days, the bloodstained regime of Addis Ababa massacred dozens of oromia students in Ambo and many other places in Oromia, following a huge protests amid to stop Addis Ababa’s proposed master plan.
Joint-MeetingFinally, a joint press release was condemned by the TPLF’s  brutal offensive and heinous crimes against the peoples of Oromia and Ogadenia. 
The press release was mentioned that from now on,the two will collaborate supporting the civilians in part of weakening Tigray-People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) politically and militarily.
Meanwhile, the two of the Ogadenia and Oromia communities agreed on to hold a huge demonstration in front of the Minnesota governor’s compound against U.S foreign aid to Ethiopia in the next Friday.
Source: Ogaden Today

3 comments - What do you think?
Posted by admin - 05/05/2014 at 7:16 pm
Categories: Oromia  Tags:

3 Responses to “Ethiopia : Ogadenia, Oromio Communities in U.S Vows engaging Strong Diplomatic ties to topple Addis Ababa”

  1. Buratu says:
    I smell rat in this deliberately ethnically segregated approach. It sounds it is organized by tplf. Remember it is not you who are in foreign countries who will decide what will actually happen in Ethiopia on the ground…. the majority of Oromos and Ethiopian Somalis will die for Ethiopia and fight along side other Ethnic groups as One ETHIOPIANS for ONE COUNTRY …. YOUR APPROACH IS A CAPON COPY OF THE CURRENT MINORITY GOVERNMENT’s divide and rule approach …beware beware we as a people watching you and you will be a legitimate target in our struggle to topple current government and build a democratic ONE ETHIOPIA
  2. qero says:
    Hi,
    Buratu, the main issue is not about one Ethiopia, it is about human right issue. You better join to be voice for voiceless, Material is not such an issue than a human life.
    Thanks,
    Support the people!!! The true leader!!!
    qero
  3. Buratu says:
    Trust me I am doing all I can and I am out with all my family including my little one who hopefully will inherit a peaceful Country that he can genuinely call home rather than spending his entire life wondering from country to country as a refugee like me and his mother…. I am all for it and I feel the pain and suffering as I have sustained the pain and bullet the tyrants shot at me not only once but twice …I am holding my tears and collecting my fighting spirit to see our struggle all the way through to the end victory. But I am fed up and tired of people using us by dividing us across the ethnic line …. not now please stop calling ethnics now … all come next … if you say it is for HUMAN RIGHTS let us stop dividing us across Ethnicity …. trust me I have been through all it and if I may say again I nearly gave my life up. My gut feeling is all other Ethiopians are coming out in mass tomorrow to protest and raise their voice against the tyrants in Addiss (Finnfine) who took away the lives of our brothers and sister. So stop negatively connoting this struggle and put it out of context ,,, what exactly do you understand when the title says “Ethiopia : Ogadenia, Oromio Communities in U.S Vows engaging Strong Diplomatic ties to topple Addis Ababa” ….. exactly that is my point ….. let us all come together first raise our voice that killing innocent people is not the answer to our problem,let us voice against those who did this to come to justice, let us voice that we are tired to be divided along ethnic line and being killed one by one …. then once we are stronger to stand on our feet we will go forward to identify and address our differences … note that our differences seems deep but it is not so let us not give any actual or perceived impression that we are acting along a line of ethnicity …. ” a house divided against itself can not stand …”

An Unholy Alliance in East Africa

John Kerry knows Ethiopia is repressive. So why does Washington keep shoring it up?
John Kerry’s hastily announced trip to Africa last week is something of an occasion: It’s the first time he has set foot in sub-Saharan Africa as secretary of state aside from a brief visit just to Addis Ababa in May 2013.
But the abruptness of the trip—announced barely half a week before Kerry’s departure and conveniently timed to fill a scheduling gap caused by an unmet end-of-April deadline in the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks—is hardly the most troubling part of Kerry’s visit. Far less forgivable is his decision to honor Ethiopia, a country that widely persecutes dissidents, with another visit, and the first on this trip. Kerry’s remarks in Ethiopia included long-overdue public comments on the sorry state of democratic and human rights in the country. But the secretary made clear that the United States is more concerned about strengthening ties with Ethiopia—a repressive regime that Washington nonetheless relies on as its primary strategic partner in the region.
The State Department announced a confusing range of objectives for Kerry’s visit to Africa: to encourage democratic development; promote respect for human rights; advance peace and security; engage with civil society and young African leaders; and promote trade, investment and development partnerships in Africa. In pursuit of these goals, Kerry spent two days in Ethiopia, convening an African Union summit and meeting several regional heads of state. Before heading to the conflict-ridden Democratic Republic of Congo and southern economic powerhouse Angola, he made a previously unannounced visit on Thursday to South Sudan. His remarks about the possibility of genocide in the country will likely eclipse the rest of his visit to the continent—unsurprisingly, perhaps, as Washington’s desire to resolve the conflicts in South Sudan and Somalia has long overshadowed other interests in Africa, especially human rights and good governance.
American national security interests are not at stake in South Sudan, but reputations are: The nation was created with U.S. assistance in 2011, and until it plunged into violence several months ago, it was one of Washington’s favorite “success” stories. South Sudan’s independence struggle against the genocidal regime in Sudan to the north has been heavily romanticized by American activists, even George Clooney. Having invested so heavily in South Sudan’s creation, Washington now feels responsible for its successes and failures. In Somalia, meanwhile, the United States has been deeply worried by terrorism threats, especially since 2006, and has spent time and treasure launching a new government and a host of African troops to protect it.
Both countries deserve Kerry’s attention and American engagement. But Washington’s apparent eagerness to resolve these two crises—while at the same time cutting costs and shrinking America’s security footprint on the continent, especially in Somalia—has forced the United States to develop an unholy alliance with one of the region’s most authoritarian regimes: Ethiopia.
Ethiopia used to be one of Africa’s stronger democracies, but ever since disputed elections in 2005, the government has cracked down heavily on civil society, the media, the political opposition and even organized religious groups. Protests over the 2005 elections ended when the government arrested thousands of peaceful demonstrators, charging hundreds of opposition leaders and journalists with treason. Since then, the government has implemented laws that criminalize social advocacy by “foreigners” (including Ethiopian charities that receive donations from abroad); imposed draconian restrictions on the press (even copy shops can be fined ruinous amounts for printing articles that criticize the government); and enforced such a broad definition of “terrorism,” under a 2009 proclamation, that the mere act of blocking traffic during a peaceful street protest can be punishable by the death penalty.
Bronwyn Bruton is deputy director of the Africa Center at the Atlantic Council.


3 comments - What do you think?
Posted by admin - 05/05/2014 at 7:23 pm
Categories: HOA News  Tags:

3 Responses to “An Unholy Alliance in East Africa”

  1. Tola says:
    This professional similar like Kerry does not have any clues about the brutal blood shade going on today in Ethiopia. Please anyone who can reach him with this information
  2. Falmma says:
    Shame for Keery making deplomatic ties with marderer government . And also ,
    I don’t think so u.s. Getting back Ethiopia from chines hand.
    • Namin says:
      lol that is what they stand for in case ya didnt know. anyone who lived in USA and use their brain can figure out that USA does not stand for freedom. they kill innocent people every single day. they responsible for all the wars that is going on in this world. please people stop thinking American government is angels sent by God. they are satan government. please do research. they always support the government that oppress people and the only time they support the people when they dont like the government. for example, the North African guy Momar Gadafi they supported the people. they gave them weapons beause they didnt like him. also they say terrorist and kill middle eastern people but they are the one who create/support the terrorists. they are not peacemakers. they worship devils please open your eyes people

Sunday, April 6, 2014

IN PICTURES: The Unveiling of the Aannolee Oromo Martyrs’ Memorial Monument in Hetosa, Oromiyaa
Posted: Ebla/April 6, 2014 · Finfinne Tribune | Gadaa.com | Comments
Gadaa.com
The Aannolee Oromo Martyrs’ Memorial Monument was unveiled in Hetosa, Arsi, Oromiyaa, on April 6, 2014 – also inaugurated was the Aannolee Cultural/Historical Museum. The Monument commemorates the Oromo martyrs whose limbs and breasts were cut off atrociously by the invading Abyssinian/Shoan Amhara army of Menelik II in 1886. Known as the harmaf harka muraa Aannolee, the Menelik’s Abyssinian/Shoan Amhara army mutilated an unknown number of Oromo men’s right hands and Oromo women’s breasts for resisting Abyssinia’s conquest of the Oromo land.
According to the recently published book by Prof. Abbas H. Gnamo, “Conquest and Resistance in the Ethiopian Empire, 1880-1974 – The Case of the Arsi Oromo,” the Aannolee Oromo Martyrdom has “become the symbol of Oromo resistance.”
Prof. Gnamo continues:
“Of all the brutalities committed by the Shoan army and its leaders against the Oromo, the worst was the Anole mutilation known as harmaf harka muraa Anole (the mutilation of hands and breasts at Anole) – a tragedy on which Ethiopian sources are silent …
… Anole is located about 25km north of Asella, an area where most battles took place and where the Arsi inflicted heavy losses on the Shoan army. Anole seemed to have been chosen to avenge Shoan losses and to teach a lesson to the Arsi who still resisted after their shattering defeat at Azule on September 6, 1886. Arsi strong men and women were assembled under the pretext of concluding peace. All the men and women present, whose exact number was unknown perhaps more than thousand people, were mutilated; their right hands and right breasts were cut off. As a further form of humiliation, fear and terror, the mutilated breasts and hands were tied around the necks of the victims who were then sent back home.”
- Source: Conquest and Resistance in the Ethiopian Empire, 1880-1974 – The Case of the Arsi Oromo
The following are some pictures from the Unveiling of the Aannolee Oromo Martyrs’ Memorial Monument and Cultural/Historical Museum.

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Monday, March 31, 2014

How Ethiopia Spies on Its Diaspora Abroad

European companies sell surveillance technologies to abusive foreign regimes.
By FELIX HORNE | The Wall Street Journal
March 31, 2014 4:28 p.m. ET
Boys play with a cellphone as Bill Clinton tours an Ethiopian health center. Getty Images
Boys play with a cellphone as Bill Clinton tours an Ethiopian health center. Getty Images
Many Europeans are upset over revelations that the United States government spies on them. But European companies are selling surveillance tools and know-how to other governments, allowing them to spy abroad. Their customers include some of the world’s most abusive governments and at least one of them—Ethiopia—is targeting its diaspora population in Europe. The results extend beyond outrage over privacy violations: They put people in danger.
The global trade in this powerful “spyware” is virtually unregulated and that needs to change. Using digital technology to monitor the Ethiopian diaspora in Europe, the regime in Addis Ababa has brought its abuses right into Europe’s midst. The EU needs to regulate the sale of such technology, at least to governments with such questionable human-rights records.
Inside Ethiopia, Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn’s government abuses mobile and Internet networks to monitor opposition groups and journalists, and to silence dissenting voices. Using Chinese-made telecom equipment, the Ethiopian security agencies have nearly unfettered access to civilians’ phone records and recorded calls. Taped calls have been played back to people being interrogated by security officials and used against them in trials under the government’s deeply flawed antiterrorism law.
For mobile or Internet users in Ethiopia, the violation of the right to privacy is not an abstract harm. One Ethiopian man, who asked only to be identified as “Jirata,” was once a member of a registered political party; he now struggles to survive as a refugee in Kenya.
“I was becoming well known and respected in my political party and one day security officials came and arrested me and showed me list of phone calls I had made,” Jirata recalled to me in a recent interview. “They demanded to know who the foreign numbers were. I told them everything—I had nothing to hide. They began to beat me with a rubber whip, demanding I confess to belonging to the [banned] Oromo Liberation Front. I was kept in solitary confinement for three months and pulled out each night to be beaten.”
His story is too common. Thousands of Ethiopians have fled threats to their lives and security, and many have found asylum in Europe. Now Ethiopian spy agencies are trying to silence any independent criticism of government policy by extending their reach abroad, with the aid of advanced surveillance tools designed and sold by several European companies. These tools give intelligence officials access to files, emails and activity on a target’s computer. They can log keystrokes and passwords and remotely turn on a device’s webcam and microphone—effectively turning a computer into a listening device.
Yohannes Alemu, a former refugee and now a Norwegian citizen who supports an Ethiopian opposition party that the government has banned, found out too late about the spyware. In late 2012, when Mr. Alemu’s wife and two children were visiting family in Ethiopia, security officials detained and questioned her about her husband’s political connections. They sent Mr. Alemu emails demanding more information about his opposition-party associates. He refused, and after 20 days his wife was finally released and returned to Norway.
That was not the end of the incident.
One of the government emails Mr. Alemu received contained an attachment infected with spyware known as FinFisher. FinFisher GmbH, based in Munich, did not respond to Human Rights Watch’s requests for comment regarding the use of its product by Ethiopian authorities.
Once Mr. Alamu’s computer was secretly infected, the Ethiopian security agencies had unfettered access to it. After Mr. Alemu unwittingly forwarded the infected emails to other people, the spyware gave Ethiopian security agencies potentially unfettered access to their computers, too. Researchers at Citizen Lab, a Toronto-based center focused on security and human rights online, confirms that at least one of Mr. Alamu’s contacts’ computers was monitored as a result. Different spyware developed in Italy has been used to target the computers of others in the diaspora.
Such sales are currently perfectly legal, but European companies nonetheless risk complicity in human-rights abuses when they provide products and services that facilitate Ethiopia’s surveillance. Ethiopians living in the U.K., the U.S., Norway, and Switzerland are among those known to have been targeted with Addis Ababa’s spyware. Citizen Lab has documented evidence of use of these tools in over 25 countries.
In December, the 41 member states participating in the Wassenaar Arrangement—a multilateral export-control regime for dual-use technologies—agreed to regulate the export of “intrusion software” and “IP network surveillance systems.” This development signals growing consensus that the trade in powerful surveillance tools being used to violate rights should be reined in.
But much more is needed. The European Commission should lead efforts to regulate the export of such technology to governments with poor human rights records, and to implement the new Wassenaar controls without delay. Until then, Yohannes Alemu will not be the last victim of Ethiopian cyber-surveillance.
Mr. Horne is an Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch and co-author of a new report, “‘They Know Everything We Do’: Telecom and Internet Surveillance in Ethiopia.”
Source: The Wall Street Journal
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