Continuous massacres of Civilians vivid sign of breakdown of law and order in Ethiopia.
OLF Press release – December 3, 2021
Since the government of Prosperity Party came to power in 2018 the mass murders of Oromo and other civilians have reached unprecedented scale. Currently, the targeted massacres are widespread throughout Oromia and the lives of many civilians including children, women and elderly are spent every day. The intensity of civilian massacres is increasing in terms of sizes of mass murders as well as the frequencies in which the murders occur. This is extremely worrying and becoming similar to the worst mass murders of 1880s that was carried out during Menelik II invasion where more than 5 million of Oromos had been mercilessly massacred including the chopping of their hands, legs, and breasts. We are witnessing that the leader of PP Dr. Abiy Ahmed vows and dreams to restore the past Ethiopian empire system and working tirelessly to implement his plans. The dream of extending the colonial system in a renewed fashion has already started in different parts of the country against the oppressed peoples of Ethiopia. It is clearly visible that under the leadership of Prosperity Party, the 1880s colonial invasion history is repeating itself. This is demonstrated by the current movements of the Menelik Revival Campaign (Zemecha Menelik) that carry out brutal massacres in different parts of Oromia including Shoa, Wollo, Wallagga, and other parts of the Oromia as well as Tigray. It is unfortunate that the PP is determined to bring about the colonial empire of Ethiopia with the power of gun and under the supremacy of “one people”- one language – one-party royalty principle of ‘Medemer’.
Although this unitary empire formation is under way since Abiy Ahmed took power and killings going on in different parts of Oromia, we are particularly shocked by the massacre of Karrayyuu Oromo civilian carried out on November 30, 2021 and December 1, 2021 in Fantale Woreda, East Shewa, Oromia. It is a premeditated massacre that was perpetrated by the PP government security and armed forces to quell civilians in cold blood. On the 30/11/2021, the PP government ordered a door-to-door search of youngsters in Fantale villages for no crimes committed but for not supporting PP. While they couldn’t find the youngsters, they were looking for they had beaten their parents and inhumanely treated them by dragging on the ground; and trying to take them to detention centers. The local resident who were watching this inhuman treatment asked the armed forces to stop abusing these civilians and requested to solve the problems peacefully. To restore peace in a traditional way, the Oromo elders in the region gathered on 01/12/2021 to discuss the matter and to solve the problem in consultation with the armed forces. But unfortunately, the PP armed forces opened fire on the gathered local elders and murdered 13 civilians in one place including Abba Gadaa and abba Bokku (local respected elders). While these massacres happened, the local people who had been shocked tried to express their grievances peacefully by demonstration against the actions. Shockingly, the armed forces opened fire on the demonstrating civilians and massacred another 50 civilians at one place, raising the victims to 63. The number of wounded and arrested are uncountable.
These murders are clearly indiscriminate genocidal act as most victims are civilians who are not involved in any sort of hostilities. They are peaceful citizens trying to earn their daily lives. Some of them are vulnerable elders, children and women who cannot make any resistance to the ruling party. Also, they could have been arrested and taken to trial, but we are surprised that the PP government has chosen the indiscriminate murder of these civilians. The PP government carried out such cruel brutalities against Oromo people without any responsibility for the lives of its citizens.
Similarly, the government of PP carrying out drone attacks on Wollo Oromos. As we speak this morning the ruling party army is bombing Kamise and Bati towns of Wollo and indiscriminately killing civilians. We strongly denounce the Government of Prosperity Party for its brutal actions on civilians. These indiscriminate civilian massacres are reminding the past wounds of the Oromo people and lead the country to further chaos.
The PP ruling group has opened wide ranging military campaign in many parts of Oromia; continuously carrying out hostilities on these civilians. We strongly warn the PP ruling group to bear responsibility for its crime against humanity and genocidal act on Oromo people. These actions further worsen the multidimensional crises of the country. Also, the international community should denounce such actions and we ask to monitor the crime against humanity carried out by prosperity party ruling group on daily basis, specifically on Oromo civilians. Particularly we ask the international Human Rights Commission, UNSC, AU peace and security bodies and the responsible world leaders to exert efforts in their capacities to protect Oromo and Ethiopian Civilians as per the international humanitarian laws and conventions.
In general, it is unfortunate that the ruling Prosperity Party has committed itself to implement the hidden policy of Abyssinian territorial expansion and unitary empire reformation against the will of the oppressed peoples of Ethiopia.
Therefore:
1. We strongly denounce the Massacre of Fantale; call for independent investigations and bringing the perpetrators to justice. We also, denounce the Wollo drone attack and widespread military campaign declared on Oromia and caution the ruling party to stop immediately.
2. We strongly caution the Oromo people that the genocidal massacres and territorial expansions efforts coordinated by the dictatorial ruling group of the Prosperity Party are underway in many parts of Oromia. The Oromo people and other oppressed people are not ready to accept another colonial expansion of the 1880s in the 21st century civilized world. You must unite yourself more than ever to end the century long consecutive subjugations and territorial expansions. Particularly you must be alert of the indiscriminate massacres on you at your home, and on your soil. Particularly you must be caution of the PP ruling party’s actions of killings and detentions of your leaders, elders, and talented individuals to dismantle your institution; keep you disorganized and rule you under colony for another century. It is your duty to defend your institutions, leaders, talented individuals and to control peace and security in your region.
3. We also call all the peoples of Ethiopia to understand and denounce any sort of ethnic based civilian massacres, detentions, and atrocities by the ruling party as these acts intensify conflicts among peoples and destruct the country. We also, call up on some Ethiopian elites and political groups who are obsessed by territorial expansion and revival of the colonial empire to stop hate speech and inciting conflicts among Ethiopian peoples to fulfill theses individual egos. Rather we call upon you to engage in genuine and peaceful way of re-establishing interim Federal Republic Governance involving multi-nation societies and work together for political dialogue.
4. We urge again and again the international communities to fairly and genuinely monitor the behaviors of the dictatorial PP ruling party and warring groups and to make effort for all-inclusive genuine negotiation to solve multifaceted crisis in Ethiopia.
Finally, we would like to call on all political actors and stakeholders to be free from self-centered interest; show sign of responsibility for citizens and work towards attaining peace, justice, and equality for all peoples of Ethiopia.
Victory to the Masses! Oromo Liberation Front December 3, 2021
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