Ethiopia committing genocide against Oromo in Somalia – OLF

January 17, 2007 — The Tigrean Liberation Front (TPLF) regime of Ethiopia is unleashing its malignant instinct of death and destructive horror on Oromo refugees in Somalia. It is committing a planned and systematic genocide on the Oromo people by mislabeling Oromo’s struggle for self-determination and democracy as terrorism. The truth of the matter is it is the TPLF- led tyrannical Ethiopian regime that is unleashing state sponsored-terror against our people.

Recent reports by human rights groups and governments are bearing witness that there are grave violations of human rights of the Oromo people by the TPLF regime. These include extra-judicial killings, disappearances, illegal arrests, torture, gang rape and detention for a long period without charge or trial. Disappearances are systematically, incessantly and relentlessly committed against the Oromo people.

As a result of these gross human rights violations and to escape state-sponsored terror, thousands of Oromos have fled and are fleeing their homeland. In countries where they sought refuge, many have been killed or kidnapped by murder-squads organized by the Ethiopia regime in Djibouti, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan and South Africa. Others have been subjected to forced repatriation; particularly form Djibouti and the Sudan.

In its recent unlawful invasion of Somalia, the Ethiopian regime has opened another terror front on the Oromo people. It appears now that the main purpose of invading Somalia was to achieve and maintain its twin objectives, which are the genocidal and systematic terror against Oromo refugees in Somalia and the creation of the TPLF protectorate of Somalia.

Oromo refugees have come to Somalia starting from late 1960s and continued to the present. Even though the security situation in Somalia for the last 16 years has been extremely perilous, Oromo refugees continue to come to Somalia for lack of alternatives. Many have attempted to crossover to Yemen and in the process hundreds have perished in open seas.

According to eyewitnesses, the Ethiopian army and security forces, as soon as they entered the cities, towns and villages, made their sole objective the hunting-down of Oromo refugees to arrest, torture, and kill by lynching them for no apparent reasons except for being Oromo. In addition, credible evidences and eyewitness accounts indicate that members of the Somalia militia are abducting Oromo refugees and handing them over to Ethiopia security forces for a bounty. These actions have continued unabated.

It is a sad reality that the international community has failed to take any meaningful action to discharge its international duty and moral obligation relevant the crimes of the TPLF regime against the Oromo people. It is believed that the respect and promotion of fundamental human rights and freedoms recognized by the “international bills of rights” is the legal duty and moral obligation of the international community. It is incumbent upon the UN and Member States to intervene and stop these acts of genocide by the criminal Ethiopian regime against innocent Oromo refugees in Somalia. Particularly, Somalia as a State Party to the UN Convention relating to the Status of Refugees of 1951, has obligation to accord the Oromo refugees in Somalia “the most favorable treatment” and to refrain from “expelling or retuning” the Oromo refugees to Ethiopia, where their life and freedom will be in jeopardy.

It should be known that, these acts of genocide the Ethiopian regime is perpetrating against the Oromo refugees in Somalia and the Oromo people at large is bound to lead to more political instability and humanitarian tragedy in the Horn of Africa. It is the utmost necessity for the international community to realize the danger that the Oromos as a people are facing under the tyrannical government of Ethiopia led by the Tigrean ethnic minority.

The Oromo Liberation Front, therefore appeals to:

– The international community, particularly those governments financing and advising the Ethiopian regime in its invasion of Somalia, to discharge their international duty and urge the TPLF regime immediately stop the acts of genocide against the Oromo refugees in Somalia;
– The United Nations Higher Commissioner for Refugees to take immediate actions to ensure the protection of the Oromo refugees in Somalia;
– The UN to immediately conduct investigation of the crime of genocide being committed against the Oromo refugees in Somalia;
– Human rights organizations to expose the crime the TPLF regime is committing against the Oromo refugees in Somalia;
– The Somali people to reject the sinister divide and rule policy of the TPLF invaders and continue the brotherly and customary treatment and protection of the Oromo refugees who sought sanctuary in your country.

Victory to the Oromo People!

Oromo Liberation Front