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UN Human Rights Council – 32nd Session
13 June – 1 July 2016
Geneva, Switzerland
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June 22, 2016
Presenter: Mr. Garoma Wakessa
Director, HRLHA

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Human Rights Crisis In Oromia Regional State of Ethiopia

Mr. Chairman and Council Participants;

• Brutal and often fatal crackdowns by the Ethiopian Government’s special squads against the peaceful protests by Oromo nationals have been going on since November 2015, and have been reported on by several human rights organizations such as AI, HRW, and some western government agencies like the US Department of State, the EU Parliament and UN Human Rights Experts.
• So far, over 400 deaths of innocent citizens have already resulted from the shootings by the government’s armed squads and the protests have continued.
• Victims of the brutalities of the government’s killing squads, known as Agazi and the federal police, include an eight-year old child, a seven-month pregnant women named Shasitu, and an 80 year- old senior citizen.
• Although the country’s constitution provides for fundamental freedoms and respect for the rule of law, Ethiopia is continuously demonstrating its authoritarian way of governance, yet again with no accountability for its actions.
• Lawlessness has reigned in the Regional State of Oromia and the state has been placed under the undeclared military rule since February 2016.
• Absolute inhuman actions and brutalities have been committed by the federal armed forces deployed in Oromia in the past seven months.

Mr. Chairman

• In the face of such a large- scale crisis and countless brutalities, there have been almost no tangible and effective actions taken by international communities.
• Over the past 25 years, thousands of Oromos have been killed, disappeared, tortured, and murdered.
• Tens of Thousands are languishing in prisons or have been prosecuted under the terrorism law adopted by Ethiopia in 2009 with no fair process
• Journalists, bloggers, opposition political party members and, peaceful demonstrators all have been convicted under the terrorist act.

Mr. Chairman

• This is the wrong time to remain silent in regards to the human rights situations in Oromia /Ethiopia.
• The nations of the world should react to prevent the loss of more innocent lives, mass immigration and the suffering of tens of millions of Oromos before it is too late

Therefore, the HRLHA respectfully asks the UN Human Rights Council to use its mandate to establish a commission of inquiry on human rights in Oromia Regional State of Ethiopia.

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