Booraa inni irraan bureen baa’ee Suphee mattuun hurrumbumbaayee Eee ehee……….been yee Eee been yee Daarimuun baayee
Hiddinaan hiddi malee ya kormakoo Maal maqaan haxanxaarii Sirbinaan sirbi malee yaa dammakoo Maal maqaan na gabbarii!” … Kana olitti kan weellifame kun itti lixa. Hiriyaa waliin geellisu waamuusaati. Erga waamees hin dhaabatin geellisi; sirbi jechuun itti hime. Hin fakkeessin, of nan kadhachiisin yoo sirbite sirbi” yaada jedhuun cabse.
… “Gurraalessa hayyambooraa ya kormakoo Gootichoo barii duulee Ani Innan joorufoo sumaa ayyaantutti Ayyaantutti milkiin tolee
… Yas godhii Sirbi kuullee yaa dammakoo Hortee warra daallamee As asii dhiisi as kommee yaa dammakoo Argaafan si beellame (kan an yaade ijumaan si ilaaluuudha. Iddoo filachuuf hin rakkatin, as as hin jedhin)
Deemnullee waa nun arguu yaa kormakoo Biilaa kichuu hin muranii Waan baaneef erga dhabne yaa kormakoo Gameessa hin takaalanii.
It has come to our attention that the current prevailing media narrative on the situation in East Walaga has been heavily distorted from the facts on the ground. Again we are seeing the media fall into the trap of being misled by the well-organized propaganda campaigns of the irredentist National Association of Amhara’s (NaMA) diaspora wing. This has happened before in regards to coverage of events in Wollo, Metekel, Horo Guduru, and West Walaga. We want to set the record clear on what exactly has been occurring in East Walaga this month and the events that have led up to it.
First, it is important to note that the situation in East Walaga is different from what occurred previously in Horo Guduru and West Walaga. In those cases, government-aligned militias working in coordination with Oromia Special Forces committed horrific massacres of Amhara civilians intending to blame the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA). As the Oromia regional state government and the Ethiopian federal government became more focused on the Tigray War, we have seen a complete halt to those false-flag operations- a hint to who was responsible. Since then, as was the case before, Amharas continue to live peacefully in OLA-administered areas without any issue. As we did at the time and repeatedly since then, for the sake of justice we are still demanding an independent investigation into those massacres- we are confident the truth is on our side.
In regards to the situation in East Walaga, over the last year, we have seen the rise of welltrained Amhara militias arriving in the area. Specifically, they have been operating in the part of East Walaga that lies between Nekemte and the Blue Nile (which is the border to Amhara Regional State). On April 15th, armed Amharas drove out Oromo farmers and burned their crops in a place called Mender 10 (also known as Lalistu Angar). The extent of the fires was large enough to be caught on satellite which shows over 3000 hectares of farmland being burned as well as homes (refer to this thread: https://twitter.com/Quen10Tarantino/status/1384417207912906755). In the same month, seemingly in coordination, armed Amharas launched attacks further north in East Walagaspecifically the towns of Agamsa and Kiramu. The situation was dire enough for both the East Walaga Zone Communication Bureau and the Gida Ayana District Communication Bureau to issue similar statements on Facebook decrying the actions of this militia ((i) https://www.facebook.com/wdhkm.godinawallaggaabahaa/posts/499574804786826, (ii) https://www.facebook.com/giddaa.ayyaanaa.9/posts/895531644324976). According to these statements, the militia had targeted and killed 13 Oromo civilians and destroyed 65 structures (including 47 homes). The statements refer to the militia as a “radical force” trying to agitate revolt among Amhara communities that had been resettled in East Walaga during the famine of the Derg era. They also state that the militia, which wore “pale uniforms” and carried an “illegal flag with the symbol of a lion”, was trying to instigate ethnic clashes between Oromos and the Amhara communities in the area. Flyers were being posted in the town of Gutin stating that Oromos had to “leave the ancestral land of Amharas”.
According to our sources, the militia consisted of fighters without uniforms as well as fighters wearing the tan uniform of the Amhara Special Forces. While the civilian administration of the East Walaga zone denounced their operations, the Oromia security officials did not commit to stopping their activities because the militia was also clashing with OLA forces. It was only after the Amhara militia killed 4 Oromia Special Forces unprovoked that the security forces began to take measures. They evicted many Amhara communities not just from Mender 10, but also from further north in Kiramu. The militia was also driven off the main roads and they remained dormant until the beginning of this month. According to the account given by a resident of Kiramu to BBC (https://www.bbc.com/afaanoromoo/oduu-58313687), the male members of the evicted Amharas left their wives and daughters in Amhara regional state and returned to Kiramu, Agamsa, and Haro carrying weapons. According to our forces, a large contingent of armed Amhara men in civilian clothing were seen arriving in Kiramu, Sire Doro, Agamsa, and Amuru after crossing the Blue Nile on August 13th – exactly one day after Oromia Special Forces retreated from the area. Their arrival in Kiramu on that day is substantiated by eyewitness accounts to the BBC. Since then they have been active throughout the area, driving people out of their homes and burning the houses down. For example, in Lalistu Sombo (near Kiramu), they burned down 18 homes belonging to the following individuals plus two others whose names are currently unknown: 1) Guddataa Jabeessaa 2) Gammachuu Jabeessaa 3) Fiqaaduu Gammachuu 4) Faqqadaa Gamachuu 5) Shaggaa Gammachuu 6) Baabbee Gabulee 7) Dammashaa Girshoo 9) Lammii Jabeessaa 10) Waaqooo Jabeessaa 11) Katamaa Jabeessaa 12) Badhasaa Nagarii 13) Bukkuu Galataa 14) Margaa Abbuyee 15) Tamasgeen Abbuyee 16) Hordofa Abuye
When our forces arrived in Kiramu, it was these Amhara fighters that began engaging them in a firefight. They were armed not just with AK-47s but had heavier weaponry such as DShK (locally known as Dishkas) and Dragunov snipers. It was only after they sustained heavy casualties that they were driven out of Kiramu. That same day, in Sire Doro, these newly arrived fighters slit the throats of 7 Oromo civilians accusing them of passing information to OLA forces. It took several engagements with these forces to drive them out of Sire Doro, Agamsa, and Amuru.
Similarly, further south in Uke Karsa and Horo Aleltu, in what again looks like coordinated activity, a unit of uniformed Amhara Special Forces alongside federal forces clashed with the OLA. Following that clash, they severely beat random young men in Uke Karsa, killing 3 of them. From what we know, the federal military’s coordination with this force has caused a rift between the federal military and the Oromia regional forces due to what had happened in Mender 10 back in April of this year.
Our forces are still engaging with this newly deployed Amhara militia who have been undertaking a campaign of burning down the homes of Oromo civilians to intimidate them into leaving the area. So far over a hundred homes have been burned. These fighters are a well-armed, well-trained group with a clear objective to agitate the peaceful Amhara communities in East Walaga into revolt by sparking ethnic clashes. Even though this militia does not wear uniforms and often operates by blending with the existing Amhara communities that have lived side-by-side with our people for almost a century, our forces have gone above and beyond to ensure no innocent civilians are harmed.
However, we are now seeing the usual cabal of diaspora-based propagandists working on behalf of NaMA and the irredentist elements of the Amhara Regional State government to push a false narrative in the interest of their political agenda. Due to this, the contrast between the current prevailing media narrative and the facts on the ground are night and day. They are purposefully presenting the casualties suffered by the Amhara militia as the victims of random, wanton attacks by the OLA on innocent Amhara civilians. It is deeply disappointing and worrying that the Amharic Program of a reputable media organization such as Deutsche Welle has echoed this propaganda and passed it on as a substantiated fact. If there were any innocent civilians caught in the crossfire, we are prepared to accept responsibility and we will do what we can to assure there is justice. We once again demand an independent investigation by the United Nations or any other concerned third party so that the world can understand just how easily the truth gets distorted.
Moreover, we would also like to point out that what is happening in East Walaga right now is not a unique case in Oromia; Amhara state security forces have crossed the border and launched an invasion in Fantale, Karrayu- located in the northeastern part of Oromia. There has been heavy fighting between Karrayyu Oromo civilians and Amhara security forces which have encroached several kilometers into Oromia. In that situation, we have seen the resettling of people from Amhara state into the captured land in Oromia. This is all part of a trend we are seeing throughout the country: claims of “ancestral ownership” made by the radical, powerful elements in the Amhara regional state’s government are being enforced by the state’s security apparatus. That has resulted in the terror we have seen in Western Tigray, Metekel, Wollo, and now East Walaga and Karrayu. It has been a significant destabilizing factor in the region. When enabled and allowed to reach its objectives; we will see the kind of brutal ethnic cleansing that has happened in Western Tigray be repeated throughout the country. It should be remembered that Deputy Prime Minister Demeke Mekonen- himself a senior official of the Amhara Prosperity Party- not only publicly called for the arming and organizing of Amhara civilians- but personally oversaw training sessions in Metekel (https://addisstandard.com/news-deputy-pm-recommends-arming-civilians-in-metekelbenishangul-gumuz-region-as-spate-of-attacks-by-armed-men-leaves-dozens-killed/). In Wollo, Amhara regional forces launched several attacks on Oromo communities over two years intending to spark a large ethnic clash to use as a pretense to disarm and occupy the local Oromo farming communities(https://www.vice.com/en/article/93ybyy/they-seteverything on-fire-the-paramilitary-forces-killing-people-theyre-meant-to-protect). There was a horrific case of mob violence when an ambulance carrying injured Oromo civilians from Wollo to the federal capital city (Finfinee) was attacked and everyone inside was brutally murdered (https://addisstandard.com/analysis-horrifying-accounts-of-violence-in-amhara-region-fed-ombudsman-slams-regional-govt-performance-says-303-killed-so-far/). It was only when the Oromo farmers began to defend themselves that the NaMA’s propaganda arm began to promote a heavily distorted account of events. This has been an extremely irresponsible undertaking on the part of the Amhara elite implemented with no regard for the lives of everyday Amhara and Oromo civilians. OLA forces do not consider any nationality or people their enemy, they are on a mission to save this region from the brutality of this oppressive regime and remain committed to that cause.
The international community and media must act responsibly and do their due diligence when covering and considering these events. We live in an age of fake news and propaganda, it is easy to fall prey to the specter of legitimacy that propagandist outfits funded by the Ethiopian state (for example; the Global Ethiopian Advocacy Nexus (GLEAN) and the “Genocide Prevention in Ethiopia” organization) rely on to have their falsehoods accepted.
Victory to the Oromo and All Oppressed Peoples! OLF-OLA High Command August 25th, 2021
WASHINGTON — Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned General Filipos Woldeyohannes (Filipos), the Chief of Staff of the Eritrean Defense Forces (EDF), for being a leader or official of an entity that is engaged in serious human rights abuse committed during the ongoing conflict in Tigray. Filipos is designated pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13818, which builds upon and implements the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act and targets perpetrators of serious human rights abuse and corruption around the world.
“The Treasury Department will continue to take action against those involved in serious human rights abuse around the world, including in the Tigray region of Ethiopia, where such acts further exacerbate the ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis,” said Director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control Andrea M. Gacki. “Today’s action demonstrates the United States’ commitment to imposing costs on those responsible for these despicable acts, which worsen a conflict that has led to tremendous suffering by Ethiopians. We urge Eritrea to immediately and permanently withdraw its forces from Ethiopia, and urge the parties to the conflict to begin ceasefire negotiations and end human rights abuses.”
SITUATION IN TIGRAY The ongoing conflict in Tigray has exacerbated a humanitarian crisis that threatens hundreds of thousands of lives. Despite the Ethiopian government’s June 28 unilateral ceasefire declaration, parties on all sides continue to escalate the conflict. The EDF reentered Tigray after an initial withdrawal following the June 28 ceasefire. Meanwhile, the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) has moved into neighboring Afar and Amhara regions, potentially further widening the conflict. Despite an estimated 5 million people in need of humanitarian aid, and more than 400,000 people experiencing famine conditions, Ethiopian federal and Amhara regional forces continue to restrict humanitarian access, while the Ethiopian government has called for all capable Ethiopians to mobilize to support the campaign in Tigray. These escalatory actions risk furthering a severe humanitarian crisis.
ERITREAN DEFENSE FORCES INVOLVED IN SERIOUS HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSE General Filipos is the Chief of Staff of the EDF. In this role, he commands all of the EDF forces that have been operating in Ethiopia. The EDF are responsible for massacres, looting, and sexual assaults. EDF troops have raped, tortured, and executed civilians; they have also destroyed property and ransacked businesses. The EDF have purposely shot civilians in the street and carried out systematic house-to-house searches, executing men and boys, and have forcibly evicted Tigrayan families from their residences and taken over their houses and property.
Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Tigray have described a systematic effort by the EDF to inflict as much harm on the ethnic Tigrayan population as possible in the areas the EDF controls. IDPs reported that in some cases, the EDF used knives or bayonets to slash open the torsos of pregnant women and then left them for dead. The EDF have forced survivors to leave the bodies of the dead where they lie or face execution themselves. Countless IDPs recounted instances of witnessing the rape, murder, and torture of friends and family members by the EDF. Sexual violence is being used as a weapon of war and a means to terrorize and traumatize the entire population; the majority of rapes are committed by men in uniform, such as the EDF. IDPs also spoke of a “scorched earth” policy intended to prevent IDPs from returning home.
Filipos is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13818 for being a foreign person who is a leader or official of an entity, including any government entity, that has engaged in or whose members have engaged in, serious human rights abuse relating to his tenure.
SANCTIONS IMPLICATIONS As a result of today’s action, all property and interests in property of the person above that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. In addition, any entities that are owned, directly or indirectly, 50 percent or more by one or more blocked persons are also blocked. Unless authorized by a general or specific license issued by OFAC, or otherwise exempt, OFAC’s regulations generally prohibit all transactions by U.S. persons or within (or transiting) the United States that involve any property or interests in property of designated or otherwise blocked persons. The prohibitions include the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any blocked person or the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person.
GLOBAL MAGNITSKY Building upon the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, E.O. 13818 was issued on December 20, 2017, in recognition that the prevalence of human rights abuse and corruption that have their source, in whole or in substantial part, outside the United States, had reached such scope and gravity as to threaten the stability of international political and economic systems. Human rights abuse and corruption undermine the values that form an essential foundation of stable, secure, and functioning societies; have devastating impacts on individuals; weaken democratic institutions; degrade the rule of law; perpetuate violent conflicts; facilitate the activities of dangerous persons; and undermine economic markets. The United States seeks to impose tangible and significant consequences on those who commit serious human rights abuse or engage in corruption, as well as to protect the financial system of the United States from abuse by these same persons.
For the last three years continuously there a war b/n the empire Ethiopia and the Oromo people (OLA). But the war results the conflict that happen between Ethiopia and Tigrayans. As my conclusion the northern Ethiopia war is the result and out comes of Oromo Libration Army’s pressure that influence the empire system. The Ethiopians use as an encoding materials of public concern from OLAs successful to the northern contradiction, were the tigrayans was highly blamed and the hate is waged on TPLF by the OPDO via their mercenaries. Using the above cause to gain the mass support they loss from Oromo peoples they declare the war and campaign on Tegarus.
The war declared on Tigray in northern Ethiopia is not a single war to keep rule of law that going on a single party group or TPLF as they code it. Generally the war is declared on Tigray peoples, when you start conflict with people always you are the loser. This is what we realize from the empires challenges.
Due to the lack of military faced the empire Ethiopia today there is a conscription of youth to unnecessary war field from all over Ethiopia. Especially from Oromia there is no Qeerroos today in their house, many of them was leave their house and joins OLA many of them are still distressed in jungle and bush. The rest including under age is recruited by the regime local leaders with out their interest for the military.
The oromo conscripted by the local PP leaders
Still the Empire nationalist( Amhara and their co) can’t learn from the reminiscences of the past, what happen today and going on in all empire region is similar to that of during the derg time. But till today they wage and campaign a war that either they won nor finish by any means. Finally they defeated offensively. Above 10 thousand military of the empire was capitulated by the tigrayans above 60 thousand was killed, but still they call for ethnic tigray cleansing.
Now adays collapse of theempire is imminent, so what is solution for the Oromo and other oppressed nation needs more discussion. The future of nation like Oromo those who have armed body is bright and full of happiness, the others have strong bond of unity.
As Oromo we have a leaders that pay expensive sacrifice including life that was leading and lecturing nations from field about oromos struggle. So the left one is only following our leader, listening them and applying what they command us. If so we have a bright and victory future.
OLAs army commanders
The western friends of the empire and imperialist groups are in an useless effort to save the empire from disintegration. While saving the empire from disintegration is stifling the right of self determination of nations avoiding the empires from destruct is being antisocial, and its also confronting human rights. While the so called inclusive national dialogue is prepared by the western co-ally of the Empire leaders is to save the empire, to survive the Ethiopia system from crisis and collapse and to avoid disintegration of the empire. We don’t need to take a part from the dialogue and any deal with the current PP leaders untill the war criminals presented to ICC.
OLA is an armed wing of Oromo libration front OLF which aggregate all fronts role. Including political, diplomacy, economy and all wings. Today Oromo libration front is the last and final chance that oromos have had to break the bondage of that is pressed by the amhara(ethiopians) on the Oromo nations.
OLAs inauguration program when they finish their military training and their weapons
Finally we Oromos have enough power to break off the bondage and empires colonial rule that constructed on us as Oromo, with our armed shield and wing Oromo libration army. Dealing with the Ethiopia and national dialogue is non of our business, we have no interest to live with amhara in one country either as neighbour or by building federal state.
War marerials captured with the Ethiopian regime army’s by OLA.
