As Ethiopians are expressing frustration and anger over Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s handling of what many Ethiopians say is an orchestrated campaign that claimed several dozens of lives, Ethiopian Human Rights Commission tells government that those who are directly or indirectly involved in the inhuman and shocking killings of citizens should be held accountable.
borkena
October 30,2019
Ethiopian Human Rights Commission Commissioner, Daniel Bekele, had an interview with DW Amharic service, which was published on Monday, regarding the recent violence in the Oromo region of Ethiopia.
He confirmed that the number of deaths is between 70 and 80. 10 of them were killed by a bullet during a clash with security forces that were deployed in the region to restore order. The remaining were killed shockingly by a group of mobs either in the streets clubbed to death, or stoned to death. Others were burned alive. They were killed either in the street, in their residence or churches. Worship places (churches and mosques) were deliberately targeted.
The number of people wounded, this is also confirmed by government sources, is well over 200 of which some could face a long term disability while the condition of others is said to be life-threatening.
Properties worth millions of Ethiopian birr, either belonging to individuals or public, are destroyed.
The commission has issued a statement on Wednesday calling for legal action against those who were involved directly or indirectly. “Those who are directly or indirectly involved in the violence must be held responsible legally,” said the statement.
As much as the ongoing reform measure has achieved tangible results within a short period, it is also experiencing complicated challenges, it was said.
It also pointed out that apart from the loss of lives, destruction of property and affecting normal life, it has challenged the rule of law and has endangered basic human rights; it was worrisome.
“The existing situation in Ethiopia is one that is believed to be conducive for expressing any demands or complaints in a legal and peaceful means. Although there were people who were interested in making their voices heard peacefully on the issue that caused the controversy, it is undeniable that there were also those who invited and committed violence directly or indirectly,” said the statement.
The commission commended the government statement in which it expressed that it will decisively ensure the rule of law and being those who are responsible before the law. But it also called for the Ethiopian government to implement it and embark on a systematic investigation.
Meanwhile, Amnesty International said on Wednesday that the violence in Oromo regional state last week, the intensity and manner of it is worrisome. It is the organization’s East African researcher, Fisseha Tekle, who told DW Amharic news. He said that there were signs of it from experiences before and that the government should have understood the early warning and attempt to prevent them, he said. The researchers also said that the magnitude of destruction that happened demonstrates the weakening in the capacity of the defense force.
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What the government should also investigate is the sources of revenue for these so-called media outfits be it those that advance ethnicity in its rawest and angering form or others with blurred line between news broadcasting and activism. They should be asked to provide the origins of their capital and on-going revenue and that should be the requirement to obtain the needed permit.
We should not be standing just to blink at the facts that those 60 or 70 citizens dead now were alive and kicking just a few hours before someone went on the social media and told everyone what happened that night. That is the source or the instigating factor for those savage mobs to go out and commit such barbaric acts on innocent citizens. Who knows how many are now just hanging on their last breath? Who knows how many of the wounded will be disabled needing caretakers the rest of their lives? Who guarantees in absolute terms that such barbaric acts will not happen tomorrow or will not be instigated once again at any time in the future? I hate to say this. The federal and regional governments have failed their citizens. This is going to be a defining moment for both. They have to prove that they don’t condone it or even they were NOT part of it by dragging the behind of everyone who is responsible for this shameful act. Those victims didn’t just drop dead from natural causes. Those who clubbed, stoned and hacked the victims didn’t decide to do that just on a whim. They must have been incited by someone. That young man, the president of the Oromia region should never move his poison spitting jaws ever again. He should know better that holding such highest office comes with responsibilities, protecting the safety of residents of the region at all time. Every word that comes out of his mouth should be guarded and thought twice. He should know that thanks to the irresponsible social media warriors that atmosphere these is so charged up all its needs is small spark to turn it into a raging fire. And stop making excuses that the carnage was beyond your ability. That was just bovine scatology. It also shows the very poor relationship with community elders and the regional government. Our fathers used to stop any fracas even before they erupted. And they did not have a ‘special force’ toting fully automatic rifles to make themselves heeded. They were not magicians either. They did not go to ivy colleges to learn how to stop mob actions. There could have been just 10 police officers armed with bolt action rifles for the entire large districts. They were the ones the local government counted on. It relied on them. That was true for Oromos, Issas ad Afars. And when they handed down their justice they did not discriminate. If the instigator was one of their own, he is gonna get it!!! They grabbed his rowdy behind and would hand him over to the government. I will wait and see if everyone over there in the regional government has the guts to do just that.
The the government officials are also at it as more secret videos are showing up of Oromia police commissioner commanding orders to clean and imprison non Oromos.
https://t.co/Kzu6hg3UR9
These are self hating people that are self
appointed as vanguard’s of the Oromo people. They are actuay a danger to the Oromo people that have to be neutrilized quickly. The Ethiopian people can not wait anymore and it has to start its own struggle to bury for ever these ethnic hate mongers and their venous killis once for ever.
Sorry I posted the wrong link
The the government officials are also at it as more secret videos are showing up of Oromia police commissioner commanding orders to clean and imprison non Oromos.
https://youtu.be/u9ofXbOpafA
These are self hating people that are self
appointed as vanguard’s of the Oromo people. They are actuay a danger to the Oromo people that have to be neutrilized quickly. The Ethiopian people can not wait anymore and it has to start its own struggle to bury for ever these ethnic hate mongers and their venous killis once for ever.
Apparently – fake translation.
We should still not forget these illegal mob groups.
I do suspect Ethiopua will be engulfed one more time into gorilla fwarfare both urban and rural battleground like EPRP style time. But this time around for avoid reason and not just to take power where both factions were leftist and progressive like between DERG and EPRP but this time is between good and evil, between barbarism and humanism, between real freedom fighters mad complete mad fascists. Long live to the Ethiopian people.
It is time to house Jawar in a military camp where his safety is not not an issue anymore guarded with tanks and whole battalions.