THE STORY OF A WHISTLE BLOWER:
Galana Imana was a loved and highly respected husband and father of twins who loved his family and country. He was born in 1971 into a large family of seven, in a small village called Diree Hincinii in West Shewa. At a young age, Imana was trusted with responsibilities on his parentsâ farm, such as feeding farm animals and herding goats. These were his duties until 1977 when he entered primary school in his local village. He graduated from primary school in 1985 at the top of his class and was frequently recognized for his charisma and keen ability to problem solve. Imana attended high school in Ambo in West Shewa, then furthered his education at the local College of Agriculture, studying general agriculture until 1995. In 1997, Imana was ecstatic to learn he was offered a government job in his local village in the agricultural department. He worked there until 1999 when he moved to Shananan City so he could work and attend Ambo University, studying rural development and agricultural extensions. He graduated in 2003 and was immediately offered a job in Tokee Kuteeye in West Shewa, to work as head of the agricultural department. It wasnât long after being hired that he realized the Ethiopian government wasnât prioritizing the health and interest of its people.
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Everything Imana did was always for the betterment of his people, so as he learned about the financial misdeeds of his superiors, he refused to keep quiet and became a whistleblower. Imana made the work of government officials very difficult by shedding light on their financial business deals that put peopleâs livelihoods at risk. The highlight of his career was exposing the governmentâs infamous âMaster Plan.â In 2014, Imana learned about former Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegnâs plan to displace Oromo farmers for a development project that would be sold to foreign investors. He took the information he learned about âMaster Planâ and shared it with the Oromo freedom fighters, who halted the construction by blocking roads so materials couldnât come in or out. Soon after, he was fired for his involvement in facilitating these actions, but that did not scare or stop him from fighting for his people.
On November 21st 2020, Imana was enjoying the evening with his family in his home in Ambo, West Shewa, when the governmentâs special forces invaded his property and took him without a warrant or any charges. Once Imana was kidnapped, his family was unaware of his location for days. On November 23rd, locals found an unknown dead body floating in the Debis River, which was later identified as Galana Imanaâs body. Imanaâs family faced many trials and tribulations trying to obtain Imanaâs body from police custody. After countless obstacles, Imanaâs family was able to return his body to the village he grew up in to give him the heroic burial he deserved, followed by a peaceful protest.
This is the horrific reality of Galana Imana
Humans of Oromia are being brutally beaten, raped, murdered and held in detention centers for just simply being Oromo. Follow us as we take you on a journey through their untold horror stories – Written by Nadiya Boru