Wide spread arrest in all corners of Oromia continues unabated

The Advocacy for the Fundamental Rights of Oromos & Others (AFRO-O) would like to inform Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch about the ongoing mass arrests and torture of hundreds of Oromos in Ethiopia at the present time. Last week, when pressed by Oromo opposition parliament members the Ethiopian prime minister admitted that his government is arresting some Oromos because they were Oromo Liberation Front members and supporters. He went even further by accusing senior opposition MPs, including the honorable Bulcha Demeksa and the honorable Dr.Marara Gudina, of being OLF leaders themselves. He further threatened them by saying that “once the government had enough evidence the culprits would be arrested and put on trial.” This in itself is a clear breach of principle of any democratic governance, for the leader of the ruling party to threaten members of parliament with arrest.

The Advocacy for the Fundamental Rights of Oromos & Others has just received a list of a list of 148 Oromo men, women, students and farmers and their places of residences and locations of their detentions. We notice the fact that many individuals are brought to the famous Makelawi detention center in the capital, Addis Ababa, known to Oromos as Finfine. We strongly suspect that the reason for transporting these individuals to the Makelawi is to torture them. The Makelawi in Ethiopia is synonymous with torture to the people of Ethiopia. All the listed Oromo individuals are suspected of involvement with the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF). We believe that the list is a “tip of the Iceberg,” since the arrests are in the thousands according to news reaching us and are ongoing.

We appeal to Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch to follow up and investigate this new arrests and their plight to all peace loving people around the globe. We suspect that the real reason for these new arrests is to intimidate the electorate into supporting the ruling party of Prime Minister Zenawi.

Thank you for all your work in supporting those whose rights are denied

Sincerely,

Advocacy for the Fundamental Rights of

Oromos & Others (AFRO-O)

P.O. Box 422

Burtonsville, MD 20866

Website: www.afro-o.org


Partial List of Oromos Recently Detained by the Ethiopian Regime
NO Detainee's Name Place of Arrest Held At:
Profession


1 Chanalew Beliu Bedele FPCCF Businessman
2 Jiad Said Matu FPCCF Self employed
3 Tamrat Demise Bedele FPCCF Self employed
4 Ethiopia Temesgen Bedele FPCCF Self employed
5 Kalifa Jima FPCCF Student
6 Windimu Fiqire Bedele FPCCF Businessman
7 Sherif Ibrahim Jima FPCCF Businessman
8 Feqadu Bulti Jima FPCCF Development Agent D.A
9 Aduna Balcha Addis Ababa FPCCF Teacher
10 Germa Tesfaye Jima FPCCF Businessman
11 Dawit Kana'a Jima FPCCF Businessman
12 Mohammed Abanaga Jima FPCCF Businessman
13 Mohammed Siraji Jima FPCCF Businessman
14 Tola Chali Addis Ababa FPCCF Barber
15 Muzeyen Gudeta Bedele FPCCF Carpenter
16 Muzeyen Itana Bedele Bedele P.S Teacher
17 Ayana Zewude Bedele Bedele P.S Development Agent D.A
18 Meseret Binor Bedele P.S Bedele P.S Student
19 Naser Abamagal Bedele P.S Bedele P.S Self employed
20 Mitiku Gamta Bedele P.S Bedele P.S Farmer
21 Habtamu Waga Bedele P.S Bedele P.S Civil Servant
22 Solomon Tadese Bedele P.S Bedele P.S Student
23 Feqede Jifar Bedele P.S Bedele P.S Bedele Bear Factory employee
24 Mokonen Kanaa Bedele P.S Bedele P.S Bedele Bear Factory employee
25 Aliyi Waga Gachi Bedele P.S Farmer
26 Mintesenot Banti Bedele Bedele P.S Employee
27 Chala Teshome Bedele Bedele P.S Employee
28 Sefu Indashawu Bedele Bedele P.S Agri. Development Agent
29 Mohaba Abdir Gachi Bedele P.S Teacher
30 Itageny Kebede Gachi Unknown Self employed
31 Tadele Gorre Unknown Student
32 Abiot Hailu Matu Unknown Businessman
33 Alemayo Tola Urumu Unknown Employee
34 Dereje Alemu Dega Unknown Employee
35 Elias Naro Matu Unknown Employee
36 Gamachu Shambi Shashamane Unknown Employee
37 Kadir Waritu Shashamane Unknown Teacher
38 Umar Haji Abdirqadir Shashamane Shashamane P.S Farmer
39 Ahimed Aliye Shashamane Shashamane P.S Farmer
40 Shibru Tasisa Chawaka Bedele FPCCF
41 Desta Addis Shashamane Shashamane Job not specified
42 Jamal Nure Dodola Dodola P.S Job not specified
43 Lole Haji Titmo Dodola Dodola P.S Job not specified
44 Husen Shale Dodola Dodola P.S Job not specified
45 Mulugeta Tesfaye Dodola Dodola P.S Job not specified
46 Mohamed Ibrahim Dodola Dodola P.S Job not specified
47 Awal Bekele Dodola Dodola P.S Job not specified
48 Abera Deresa Dodola Arjo Police Station Job not specified
49 Mulugeta Barisisa Jima Arjo Arjo Police Station Job not specified
50 Abebe Wasane Jima Arjo Arjo Police Station Job not specified
51 Ashebeir Getacho Jima Arjo Arjo Police Station Job not specified
52 Amsalu Getacho Jima Arjo Arjo Police Station Job not specified
53 Fanta Tesema Jima Arjo Arjo Police Station Job not specified
54 Bedasa Chowaka Jima Arjo Arjo Police Station Job not specified
55 Luli Fekada Jima Arjo Arjo Police Station Job not specified
56 Kasahun Bekele Jima Arjo Arjo Police Station Job not specified
57 Dereje Fufa Jima Arjo Arjo Police Station Job not specified
58 Jirata Oljera Jima Arjo Arjo prision center Job not specified
59 Kidane Chala Jima Arjo Arjo prision center Job not specified
60 Bekuma Ragasa Jima Arjo Arjo prision center Job not specified
61 Mekonen Ifa Jima Arjo Arjo prision center Job not specified
62 Merga Ordofa Jima Arjo Arjo prision center Job not specified
63 Aduna Jalata Jima Arjo Arjo prision center Job not specified
64 Buli Tadese Jima Arjo Arjo prision center Job not specified
65 Galane Tadese Jima Arjo Arjo prision center Job not specified
66 Iticha Tadese Jima Arjo Arjo prision center Job not specified
67 Tadese Qadir;u Jima Arjo Arjo prision center Job not specified
68 Addisu Dinkayo Jima Arjo Arjo prision center Teacher
69 Abarash Rafisa Unknown Nekemte Businessman
70 Gamachis Wodajo Nekemte Nekemte Teacher
71 Workine Dinsa Nekemte Nekemte Businessman
72 Fekadu Nagari Nekemte Nekemte Job not specified
73 Tesfaye Burayu Nekemte Nekemte Job not specified
74 Kebede Nanara Nekemte Nekemte Job not specified
75 Jerena Kaba Nekemte Nekemte Job not specified
76 Akasa Wakene Nekemte Nekemte Job not specified
77 Waqshum Namosa Nekemte Nekemte Student
78 Tamerat Tadese Nekemte Nekemte Student
79 Tekalin Alemayo Nekemte Nekemte Teacher
80 Ashiqu Degefa Chawaka Bedele Student
81 Tufa Furi Chawaka Bedele Teacher
82 Duguma Firrsa Chawaka Bedele Teacher
83 Awalu Alemu Chawaka Bedele Job not specified
84 Darge Galata Chawaka Bedele Job not specified
85 Melkamu Chawaka Bedele Job not specified
86 Getacho Chawaka Bedele Job not specified
87 Ismael Husen Darimu Darimu Job not specified
88 Husen Ibrahim Darimu Darimu Job not specified
89 Alemayo Olana Darimu Darimu Job not specified
90 Gabbata Darimu Darlmu Job not specified
91 Ibrahim Husain Darimu Darimu Job not specified
92 Jamal Abdi Darimu Darimu Job not specified
93 Gelda Geso Akaki Dukem Police Station 80 year old farmer
94 Amana Korbe Kofele Kofle Police Station Farmer
95 Amana Korbe Kofele Kofle Police Station Farmer
96 Pawlos Gemechu Adama FPCCF Farmer
97 Bera Adama Adama Police Station Farmer
98 Desalegn Obse Adama Adama Police Station Farmer
99 Denkinesh Unka Shashamane Shashamane Farmer
100 Addisu Badasa Addis Ababa FPCCFID University Student
101 Demelash Taye Addis Ababa FPCCFID Job not specified
102 Desalegn Debela Addis Ababa FPCCFID Job not specified
103 Jirata Falmata Addis Ababa FPCCFID Job not specified
104 Amsalu Tolesa Shambu Shambu Police Station Government employee
105 Mosisa Jallata Shambu Shambu Police Station Pharmacist
106 Tesfaye Hordofa Shambu Shambu Police Station Government employee
107 Haile Hambisa Shambu Shambu Police Station Government employee
108 Seyum Girma Girar Jarso Fichee Farmer
109 Girma Tefera Girar Jarso Fichee Farmer
110 Selemon Tsega Girar Jarso Fichee Farmer
111 Fesiha Lema Girar Jarso Fichee Farmer
112 Berhanu Abera Girar Jarso Fichee Farmer
113 Dereje Janka Girar Jarso Fichee Farmer
114 Cheru Zewde Girar Jarso Fichee Farmer
115 Kara Zewde Girar Jarso Fichee Farmer
116 Negash Meko Girar Jarso Fichee Farmer
117 Fekadu Girar Jarso Fichee Farmer
118 Sibhatu Banja Addis Ababa Makelawi Employee
119 Berhanu Mulisa Addis Ababa Makelawi Employee
120 Hailagebriel Ararsa Addis Ababa Makelawi Employee
121 Kalbesa Abalu Addis Ababa Makelawi Employee
122 Dereje Yiheyis Addis Ababa Makelawi Employee
123 Furdisa Yadata Addis Ababa Makelawi Employee
124 Tewodros Mijena Lalo Asabi Unknown Job not specified
125 Fexene Imana Gaba Robi Gaba Robi Farmer
126 Raga Imana Gaba Robi Gaba Robi Teacher
127 Abiot Fekadu Bishoftu Unknown Student
128 Abdi Gari Bishoftu Bishoftu Student
129 Dadi Gallan Bishoftu Bishoftu Student
130 Kibru Bishoftu Bishoftu Student
131 Melka Tegenu Bishoftu Bishoftu Singer
132 Tuji Korjo Bishoftu Bishoftu Student
133 Efrem Lama Bishoftu Bishoftu Student
134 Abata Bekele Nakemte Makelawi Student
135 Dejeni Xasew Bishoftu Bishoftu Student
136 Asafa Mulat Bishoftu Bishoftu Student
137 Berhanu Tolera Bishoftu Bishoftu Student
138 Qatee Gidris Addis Ababa Makelawi Employee
139 Tamrat Abdo Bishoftu Bishoftu Student
140 Nanesa Lemu Yaya Gulele Yaya Gulele/Fital Farmer
141 Girma Gemeda Yaya Gulele Yaya Gulele/Fital Farmer
142 Kidane Girma Yaya Gulele Yaya Gulele/Fital Businessman
143 Tesfaye Gari Yaya Gulele Yaya Gulele/Fital Student
144 Ayelech Werku Yaya Gulele Yaya Gulele/Fital Student
145 Addis Bezaw Yaya Gulele Yaya Gulele/Fital Student
146 Dereje Hailu Yaya Gulele Yaya Gulele/Fital Businessman
147 Selemon Shumi Yaya Gulele Yaya Gulele/Fital Businessman
148 Teddi Berhanu Yaya Gulele Yaya Gulele/Fital Farmer