Falls Church, Virginia — The Oromo diaspora community is organizing a rally on December 9th in Washington D.C. They are calling on the U.S. government to take action in response to an attempt on the lives of leading Oromo political prisoners, including by publicly calling for their release, and to condemn a recent series of airstrikes against civilians.
As previously reported by OLLAA, several leading members of the Oromo non-violent, pro-democracy movement were arrested following the assasination of Oromo activist and singer, Hachalu Hundessa in June 2020. These political prisoners, including Jawar Mohammed, Bekele Gerba, and others continue to be detained on trumped-up terrorism charges to this day.
As reported by OLLAA on November 23rd, the families of these political prisoners recently issued a statement alleging that, on the evening of November 18, 2021, several NISS security agents arrived at Kaliti prison, and immediately began asking to be taken to Jawar Mohammed’s cell. When the guards refused their request, which was made without authorization, an altercation ensued, and only ceased when the prison’s commander on duty arrived and asked the men to leave the compound. The families of these prisoners believe that the NISS security agents planned to assassinate or move the prisoners to unknown locations, and have called on the Ethiopian government and the international community to ensure their safety, including by calling for their immediate release.
OLLAA stands with these families and echoes their calls for the U.S. government and the UN to take action, including by calling for their immediate release or protection.
In addition, the rally aims to raise awareness to a series of airstrikes that have been ongoing since OLA and TDF took control of the Wollo Oromia Special zone of the Amhara region. In addition to Wollo, several drone attacks took place Nov 29, 2021 in the East Wollega zone of the Oromia region, where witnesses reported that hundreds were killed. OLLAA has not been able to independently verify this report, as internet and phone lines have been cut off in Wollega for nearly two years. Protesters are calling for the U.S. to condemn these attacks against civilian populations and for the UN to launch an independent investigation into these allegations.