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...

Tags: ioya

Protest in Oromia runs into 5th day

OLF
November 15, 2005

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As has been widely reported over the past week, the Oromo people are engaged in a nation-wide protest against the Ethiopian repressive government. The popular uprising is ignited as a response to the call made by the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) urging the people to protest against Meles Zenawi’s regime.

As a continuation of this recent popular uprising, several demonstrations took place in various parts of Oromia over the last few days:

Oromo students in the Faculty of Health at the University of Haromaaya held a demonstration in their campus voicing their protest against the regime’s repressive treatment of the Oromo people. In this demonstration more than 500 Oromo students took part. Among the slogans displayed by the students were “we want the OLF in Oromia”, “release all Oromo political prisoners immediately”, and “rename our university with its proper name: Haromaaya”. Panicked by this event, the regime deployed its brutal Special Forces in the campus in attempt to intimidate the students. However, the students were not deterred by the regime’s display of force and continued their demonstration throughout the day. The regime also sent members of the...

Tags: meles zenawi, olf, oromia, protest

IV. SUPPRESSION OF STUDENT ACTIVISM

Look at the seventeen students arrested in [my home town]. Is it because they were questioning education policy or that producing productive Oromos would take us backward? I fear no educated Oromo will be able to lead Oromia. We are ready to be jailed, even killed rather than accept this. It is immoral.
-Student who was arrested in 2002, July 25, 2002.

Students have been among the most vocal critics of government policies, and they have paid a heavy price for their dissent. On numerous occasions, students have taken to the streets to express their discontent with a range of political issues including changes in education policy, denial of academic freedom, and the negative impact of economic policies. High school and university students are among the most educated people in Ethiopia. High school students in particular are sensitive to the hardship government policies may cause as many come from rural areas where their families live in abject poverty. As a European diplomat said, "it is perfectly logical . . . . Students are always more idealistic and active!"³⁹ Yet the government appears to feel threatened by their protests and repeatedly overreacts in suppressing demonstrations,...

Tags: human rights watch, protest, students

Tags: ioya, students