Oromo Schools: TPLF Shooting Ranges

Emboldened by the support it received from Western governments in return for his role in ousting Union of Islamic Courts (UIC) from power in Somalia, TPLF has now turned its attention to what it does best in the country: Murdering, injuring, incarcerating and torturing Oromo students.

The latest victims, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW), are students in Ghimbi and Dambi Dollo, where four have been murdered, tens have been injured requiring hospitalization and tens have been incarcerated and tortured.

What happened to Gemechu Benesa Bula and Lelsa Wagari Bula in Ghimbi (Guyii) is reminiscent of the often told stories about what KKK did to their black captives. It is said that they would take them to the forest, dare them to attempt to escape, and let them loose. While the black captives sprinted from behind one tree to another to save their lives, KKK target practiced on them. In the end, KKK killed their captives.

Just like the KKK black captives, Oromo students know for sure that no good can come to them from TPLF police. Therefore, at the sight of this blood thirsty force, they take to their heels to escape beating, detention or murder. Unfortunately for Gemechu and his cousin Wagari, this one took place NOT in a wooded area but in an open field around a school. There were no trees to shield them from TPLF bullets raining on them. Consequently, unlike the KKK captives, the cousins did not stand a chance of staying alive even for a few minutes. The trigger happy TPLF police used them for target practice as if they were two targets at a shooting range. As always, their motto is “shoot first and ask questions later!”

The killings, beatings, arrests and torture in Dambi Dollo are not isolated incidents. These kinds of abuses have been and continue to be so pervasive across Oromia that I am personally afraid it will desensitize the world and the Oromo Diaspora. Whether my fear is justified or not, we have to tell the suffering of our people to whom ever is willing to listen. This is the least we can do from where we are.

You may read HRW’s “Letter to Ethiopian Ministers on Human Rights Violations Against [Oromo]Students” While there, please read “World Report 2007” pertaining to Ethiopia. Scroll down to the "Continuing Abuses in the Countryside" section to findout what is happening in Oromia.

The honest truth is that I am personally tired of appealing to western governments and international organizations to hold TPLF to conventions and Human Rights instruments it has agreed to uphold. Letter writing campaigns and demonstrations of the last 17 years have produced no results and there is no hope that they will in the future. What is required to help our people is to defeat TPLF. There are two ways to defeat TPLF: Peaceful means and armed struggle. Which one do you think has better chance of defeating TPLF? Do you ask yourself what you can do to help defeat TPLF?

Have your say!

PS: I invite Obbo Nuguse Biratu and his likes to read HRW’s letter. Once finished reading, please look in the mirror and reflect on what you have done to the great Oromo nation for a few dollars.