Letter to Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield about Atrocious Actions of the Ethiopian Regime on the OLF Leaders

April 9, 2021

Letter to Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield about Atrocious Actions of the Ethiopian Regime on the OLF Leaders

H.E. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield
Permanent Representative of U.S.
Mission to the United Nations
New York, 799
United Nations Plaza New York, NY 10017
E-mail: usun.newyork@state.gov
Telephone +1-212-415-4000

We are exceptionally concerned about the atrocious actions of the Ethiopian regime on the Oromo Liberation Front leaders, members and supporters. The current heavily imposed restrictions of free movements on our leader, Mr. Dawud Ibsa’s home is under armed forces control. No one is permitted to enter or exit the site. He is disconnected from the public.

It is to be remembered that in 2018 the Oromo Liberation Front leaders, members, and supporters enthusiastically anticipated the peaceful way and decided to end the years of hostility with the Ethiopian government to direct the country to genuine democracy and sustainable peace. The foreseen hope was shattered within few months when the regime started taking extreme measures on the OLF leaders and members.

Over the last three years, the Oromo Liberation Front and its leaders are committed to bringing the democratic reform in the country. However, the Ethiopian government was not willing to consider the genuine solution proposed by the OLF. Contrary, it engaged itself in well planned and sinster act to crack down the organisation and dashed the hope we have for the country.

Here are what concerning us at most:

  1. More than 103 OLF offices (including the headquarter in Gulalle) are confiscated and illegally closed by the country’s government.
  2. More than 84 top OLF leaders are suffering in detention simply because they are opposition party leaders
  3. More than 50,000 Oromo civilian are languishing in detention without any due court process or access to legal support. They are detained because of fraud allegations and baseless accusations rather they are members or supporters of OLF.
  4. Systematically to frail the Oromo nation and eliminate the opposition political party supporters, Oromia (Oromo region) seized under military operation.
  5. Civil unrest, ethnic conflict, and major crisis in the country are in making if it ignored.

Therefore, we strongly recommend and urge your support to put pressure on the Ethiopian government to:

  1. free all political prisoners without any precondition and lift the systematic restriction of from our leader’s free movement, Mr Dawud Ibsa.
  2. Restore offices of opposition parties currently closed;
  3. End active hostilities in all parts of the country and conduct an all-inclusive negotiation;
  4. Start a process of political dialogue in which all stakeholders participate with political settlement’s ultimate objective.

We appreciate the efforts of the various Human Rights groups, Democratic Governments, and the International Community that expressed their concerns about current alarming situation in Ethiopia.

Hoping for your utmost consideration,
Respectfully