OromianEconomist

Great Loss to the Human Rights Community as Legendary Dr. Martin Hill Passes On January 19, 2015

(Advocacy for Oromia) We are deeply saddened to hear the death of Dr. Martin Hill, a long time friend and voice for the voiceless oppressed peoples of the world including the Oromo. Dr. Martin Hill passed away on Friday 9 January 2015.

Dr. Hill worked at the Amnesty Secretariat office in London, as a researcher and a campaigner on the Horn of Africa in the human rights field for over 32 years.

I first met Dr. Hill in 1989 when he led the first Amnesty International delegation to Somalia during the period of military dictatorship. At sub-regional level where many human rights violations and suffering for the past three decades and lack of attention globally, Dr. Hill brought human rights issues and concerns in the limelight and earned the admiration and love of many people particularly Ethiopians, Eritreans and Somalis.

Dr. Hill was a friend to me and to my late uncle, Dr. Ismail Jumale Ossoble, (the only human rights lawyer who consistently defended prisoners of conscience in the dreaded national security court). Dr. Ossoble was a prisoner of conscience himself and was Amnesty International’s principle research contact in Somalia during the 80s and 90s. We subsequently established Dr. Ismail Jumale Human Rights Centre in 1996 and I co-directed the centre for 6 years starting in 1996 before I went into exile. During this period, I was the principle Somali contact for Amnesty International and I worked very closely with Dr. Hill.

Dr. Hill worked with us on the protection and promotion of human rights for Somalis including a sign up campaign during the 50th UDHR anniversary celebrations where Dr. Ismail Jumale Centre was able to garner over 1.5 million signatures including first signature by the founding first President, the late Aden Abdulle Osman at his farm in Shalambood District of lower Shabale region, former Prime Ministers, faction leaders, and civil society groups among others.

I particularly remember the first human rights defenders training for Somalis that Dr. Hill organized in 1997 in Kenya and I was part of that training. He was instrumental in organizing sub-regional networks consultation meetings to the run up of the All Africa Human Rights Defenders Conference I 1998 and subsequently the global human rights summit in Paris in December 1998.

He also supported our research initiative during our initial mission, Africa Human Rights Defenders Project in the East and Horn of Africa while I was at York University. Dr. Hill was present as founding member of East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Network in 2005 in Entebbe, Uganda.

Dr. Hill will be remembered for his ardent support to human rights in the Horn of Africa. He inspired and mentored so many human rights activists who are now working with prominent human rights organizations around the world. He contributed to the fight against human rights violations and ending the culture of impunity in the sub-region.

Our thoughts, and those of the wider human rights community, are with his family and many friends around the world. The East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Project staff, East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Network and the Pan Africa Human Rights Defenders Network, extend our sincerest condolences to his wife, Dawn Hill and children.

http://advocacy4oromia.org/2015/01/18/great-loss-to-the-human-rights-community-as-legendary-dr-martin-hill-passes-on/

Martin Hill Funeral Annoucement (1)

Sirna Awwaalcha Dr. Martin Hill

Hawaasota Oromoo UK fi biyya adda addaa keessa jirtan maraaf!

Fira ummata cunqurfame addunyaa fi warri sagalee hinqabne sagaleen isaanii akka dhagahamu godhaa kan turani Dr. Martin Hill biyya lafaa kana irraa lubbuun dabruu isaanii gadda guddaan ibsina. Ummatoota cunqurfamanii fi miidhaan irra gahe keessaa ummatni Oromoo tokko yommu ta’u Dr. Martin bara dhibba kudha sagalii fi saddeettamootaa fi sagaltamoota keessa rakkoo Oromoo irra gahaa ture ifa baassuu fi saaxiluun Oromoon akka gargaaramu godhaa nama turani dha.Yeroo dheeraaf adunyaa irratti mirga dhala namaaf ka falmu dhaaba ‘Amnesty International’ jedhamu geggeessaa ka turan Dr. Martin Hill biyya lafaa kana irraa ka dabran Jimaata dabre Amajji 16, 2015 yommuu ta’u sirni awwaalcha isaanii Jimaata dhufu Amajjii 23, 2015 ganama sa’a 11:00 irratti London keessatti waldaa teessoon isaa kanaa gadi kaa’ametti raawwata. ‘Amnesty International’ dhuma bara 2014 keessas akkuma rakkoo ummatoota addunyaa cunqunrfaman saaxile ka Oromoo irra gahes “Because I am Oromo” jechuun biyyi lafaa akka sirriitti hubatu godhe. Kanaaf Oromoo dabalatee fira ummata cunqunrfamtoota biyya lafaa kan turani sirna awwaalcha Dr. Martin Hill irratti akka argamtan gaafanna.

Guyyaan: Amajjii 23, 2015
Sa’a: 11:00

Bakki:
Holy Trinity Church & Saint Matthias Centre
Trinity Rise, Tuise Hill
London, SW2 2QP

Brixton irraa
Otobusiin: 2, 415, 432 (Stop F)
Bakka kana irraa daqiiqaa 10 deemsisa

Hawaasa Oromoo UK

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To all members of Oromo Communities in the UK and around the world!

We are deeply saddened to hear the death of Dr. Martin Hill, a long time friend and voice for the voiceless oppressed peoples of the world, including the Oromo. The funeral service of Dr. Martin Hill, who was the director of the Amnesty International for a long time, will be held on Friday, 23rd January 2015 at the following address and time.

Date: 23rd January 2015
Time: 11:00 AM
Place: Holy Trinity Church and Saint Matthias Centre, Trinity Rise, Tulse Hill, London SW2 2QP

Transport from Brixton station to the Church,
Buses: 2, 415, 432, (Stop F)
10 minutes from the stop.

Oromo Community UK