Horrendous circumstances of Oromo refugees in East Africa
By Qeerransoo Biyyaa
February 7, 2008 — To escape the persecution of the colonial Ethiopian regime, thousands of Oromo refugees fled to neighbouring East African countries over the last four decades. Today, with the rapid discendance of East African countries into internal and external conflicts, it seems that no place is safer for East African refugees in general and Oromo refugees in particular.
The instabilities within the East African countries have created a situation where tyrant presidents/prime ministers are entering into partnership to help each other hunt down the refugees that they themselves created. These kinds partnerships have involved allowing government security agents and assassins to operate in each other’s territories, forced exchange of refugees, denial of refugee certifications and registrations. The instability in Somalia and more recently in Kenya have seen horrendous treatment of Oromo refugees. The main interest of Ethiopia’s war in Somalia was not so much to oust the Union of Islamic Forces as much as it was to squash Oromo refugee dissidents in Somalia. As result tens of refugees were murdered and hundreds have been extradited and are incarcerated in Ethiopian Oromo concentration camps.
The instability in Kenya has also resulted in undocumented disappearances and deaths of Oromo refugees.
One Oromo refugee from Sudan, who did not want not me to use his real name for fear of being victimised, emailed me to let the message out to the world about Oromo rfugees’ ill-treatment in the Sundan. Bookkaasa, not real name, says “Oromo refugee are in a difficult situation in Sudan because of the ties between the Sudandese officials and the Ethiopian government. About 17 people were deported to Ethiopia and were immediately incarcerated”. Bookkaasaa explained that the ill- treatments include sanctioning not to accept any Oromo refugees, and granting refugee IDs through corrupt practices. He said, “ We are asked to pay $ 150-250 to get refugee IDs, and most of us end up getting none because we don’t even have money to buy a loaf of bread once a day”.
“In some instances, Oromo refugees are told that they would get cards only if they produce proof of employment from the Sudanese employers”, he says.
Sudan is just an example of how life has become hard on Oromo refugees. Refugees from other countries in the Eastern African countries also face similar situations. Some blame the HNHCR for paying little attention to Oromo refugees in some countries such as the Sudan.
The author is based in Ethiopia. He can be reached at [email protected]