Mereja Forum

[Za-Ilmaknun]

"Minority Rights Group International (MRG) unequivocally condemns the recent violence, harassment, and intimidation against minorities in Ethiopia’s Oromia region, which show disturbing hallmark signs of ethnic cleansing.

Reports to MRG as well as media coverage show that following the tragic murder of Hachalu Hundessa, a renowned Oromo singer and activist, an organised and large group of predominantly young people from the Oromo community killed members of ethnic minorities in the region and burned down hotels, schools, business centres and residential homes belonging to ethnic Amharas and Gurage people, though the properties of Christian Oromos were also damaged.

1.The attacks were premeditated

Attackers carried a list with the names of individuals and households to target. The group were going home-to-home checking identity cards, specifically targeting Amhara and Gurages (who make up an estimated 3 per cent of the population). Accounts indicate that many of the attackers were not from the areas, suggesting that transportation had been arranged to go from town to town.


2. Federal and local government officials turned a blind eye

In many areas of Oromia region, the federal and regional government were not willing to deploy security forces in time to protect minorities. In one case in Dera town, a father was murdered in front of his son, who himself sustained serious injury in the attack. Moments before his father’s death, his son called law enforcement personnel for support, but they responded by saying they were not authorised to intervene. Instead, reports indicate that when victims tried to defend themselves, Oromia region Special Forces attacked them.

3. Media outlets allowed hate speech and incitement of violence to air

Media outlets were actively propagating the attacks live and giving guidance to the attackers. Oromo Media Network (OMN) operating from Minnesota, USA, broadcasted a series of inflammatory hate-filled messages, including calls to lock and burn the homes of Amhara people.

https://minorityrights.org/2020/07/22/e ... ng-oromia/

[Dawi]

We should look at what happened in Ethiopia squarely in the face and call a spade a spade!

It is shameful to wear a shallow mask.

"Minority Rights Group International (MRG) unequivocally condemns the recent violence, harassment, and intimidation against minorities in Ethiopia’s Oromia region, which show disturbing hallmark signs of ethnic cleansing.

Reports to MRG as well as media coverage show that following the tragic murder of Hachalu Hundessa, a renowned Oromo singer and activist, an organised and large group of predominantly young people from the Oromo community killed members of ethnic minorities in the region and burned down hotels, schools, business centres and residential homes belonging to ethnic Amharas and Gurage people, though the properties of Christian Oromos were also damaged.

1.The attacks were premeditated

Attackers carried a list with the names of individuals and households to target. The group were going home-to-home checking identity cards, specifically targeting Amhara and Gurages (who make up an estimated 3 per cent of the population). Accounts indicate that many of the attackers were not from the areas, suggesting that transportation had been arranged to go from town to town.


2. Federal and local government officials turned a blind eye

In many areas of Oromia region, the federal and regional government were not willing to deploy security forces in time to protect minorities. In one case in Dera town, a father was murdered in front of his son, who himself sustained serious injury in the attack. Moments before his father’s death, his son called law enforcement personnel for support, but they responded by saying they were not authorised to intervene. Instead, reports indicate that when victims tried to defend themselves, Oromia region Special Forces attacked them.

3. Media outlets allowed hate speech and incitement of violence to air

Media outlets were actively propagating the attacks live and giving guidance to the attackers. Oromo Media Network (OMN) operating from Minnesota, USA, broadcasted a series of inflammatory hate-filled messages, including calls to lock and burn the homes of Amhara people.

https://minorityrights.org/2020/07/22/e ... ng-oromia/

[Za-Ilmaknun]

borkena
July 21, 2020

"Ethiopians living outside of the country, mainly in the western world, have formed a network to launch a campaign to hold individuals conveying hate messages accountable.

The action is born out of a conviction that hate speeches and messages on social media and other media outlets (like Oromia Media Network to be specific) have contributed to the latest massacre in the Oromo region of Ethiopia. Looked closely, the attacks seem to have an ethnic cleansing agenda. Yet, at some point, it meanders to what appears to be religious-based attacks in some parts of the Oromo region.

Dozens of hate messages (both in video and text formats) were shared on social media by radical ethnic Oromo activists hours after the news of Hachalu’s killing was confirmed. They openly called for burning “neftegas” alive. As it turns out, the radicalized, heartless and gullible youth in the Oromo region carried out what they were advised to do. It is confirmed from state media that five family members are among those savagely massacred.

https://borkena.com/2020/07/21/ethiopia ... -campaign/