Mass arrest of Oromo professionals continued – OLF

February 23, 2007 – The past couple of months more than 14 Oromo professionals heading the Ethiopia Rural Roads Construction Authority offices in various parts of Oromia have been arrested. The recent victims of such arbitrary detention were engineer Ababa Garoma, manager of the Rural Roads Maintenance Department of the Illu Abba Bora zone of Oromia, and another person heading the finance department of the same office. Currently the victims are being tortured in Mattu police station and are expected to be sent to the notorious Makalawi prison in Finfinnee soon. Victim’s friends have identified a government security agent by the name Iyasu, who also works in the same office, for the imprisonment of engineer Garoma by accusing him of being a sympathizer of the Oromo Liberation Front. Similarly the mangers of the Ethiopia Rural Roads Construction Authority offices in Bale and Hararghe zones have also been arrested.

Witnesses from the Illu Abba Bora zone have identified the following government security personnel who are responsible for the arrest of Oromo professionals in the region and particularly for hunting down Oromos in the Beddelle town:

1. Geetuu Mahammad, 2. Indaalee W/Goorgis, 3. Andu’alam Bafiqaaduu, 4. Nuuruu Huseen (employee of Badelle Brewery).

According to these witnesses Nuuruu Huseen also acts in collaboration with other government agents in Beddelle secondary school and is also responsible for the imprisonment of several students from Beddelle secondary school. Oromo nationalists in the region have warned these government agents to refrain from their criminal actions.

We would like to alert Oromos in the region to be aware of the covert operations of these individuals and take necessary precautionary measures.

Victory for the Oromo People!

OLF Foreign Division of Information

February 23, 2007