OLF Statement Concerning the Safety and Lives of OLF Leaders and Senior Political Officers in Prosperity Party’s Prisons
OLF members, leaders and political officers who Prosperity Party’s security forces have detained are illegally kept, up until this day, in prison houses despite the court’s acquittance. The Oromo people in general and their families are apprehensive after horrible crimes committed on Jaal Batte Urgessa on 09 April 2024. The government security forces perpetrated countless heinous crimes in every corner, village and town of Oromiya for the last five years. It tirelessly engaged in killings, kidnapping, torturing, and detaining citizens of Oromiya in general and the young and the political actors in particular. The shocking murders of Hachalu Hundessa, Abduljabar Hussien, Mo’ibone Bekele, and Batte Urgeessa are glaring cases.
The OLF has credible information that the government plans to eradicate all OLF leadership from Finfinnee and the regions. OLF has an intense fear and concern for the lives of the OLF members, especially those who are in the government prison houses, such as:
- Abdi Ragassa- OLF Executive Committee Member
- Michael Boran- OLF Executive Committee Member
- Kenesa Ayana- OLF National Council Member
- Lammi Benya- Senior OLF Political Officer
- Dr Gada Oljira- OLF Head Office Administrator
- Dawit Abdeta- Senior OLF Political Officer
- Gada Gebisa- Senior OLF Political Officer
- Girma Tiruneh- leader of the Qeerroo Movement, was detained by the government for the last seven years without a court trial.
The OLF has grave concern for the safety and lives of these prisoners. We call upon human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, UN and African Union bodies and the diplomatic communities to follow the situation and safety of our leaders and officers languishing in the prisons of Prosperity Party in unbearable conditions for the last four years.
We also appeal to local and international organizations, human rights entities and peace-loving people to spare the lives of our leaders in prison, our members and officers everywhere in the country and save the country from imminent disaster.
We strongly advise the Oromo people to remain cautious, vigilant and resolute. We call upon every individual citizen of Oromia and Ethiopian peoples in general to trace any movement of the security who plan to hurt their leaders and community members. Under such forced circumstances, it must be clear that the situation might lead to self-defense for OLF and Oromo political organizations.
Victory to the Masses!
Oromo Liberation Front
April 14, 2024