First year anniversity of the popular uprising in Oromia

November 9, 2006 marks the first anniversary of the popular nation-wide uprising in Oromia. It was on this day that the Oromo people heave their liberation struggle to a new height, covering the entire Oromo land in a highly coordinated manner that has never been seen before. On this day, the entire Oromo population accepted the call made by its vanguard liberation organization, OLF, and staged protests against the repressive rule of the TPLF/EPRDF government by raising legitimate demands. Our people have shown to the enemy and to the entire world that our struggle has grown in maturity, size and extent. November 9 will be remembered forever as a landmark in the history of the Oromo people.

The sustainability, tenacity and dynamism of the newly invigorated struggle of the Oromo people that started on November 9, 2005 has shaken the very foundation of the regime on power. It has demonstrated once again that no repressive machinery, however elaborate and violently employed, can hold down the voices of freedom and liberty. The Oromo people have finally grasped that for their legitimate cause for freedom to be heard at home and abroad, they have to get organized, speak up and be ready to pay the ultimate price for justice. The year old fire that could not be extinguished by the TPLF regime proved that the Oromo people are not intimidated any longer by mass arrest, torture, and killings in their struggle for liberation. In the past, our inability to conduct a coordinated popular uprising throughout Oromia gave the regime the opportunity to crash isolated protests using brutal force. The current strategy of coordinated, sustained and widespread uprising has severely frustrated the regime. The movement is gaining momentum by attracting sympathy and support even from Oromos who are serving the government as civil servants and members of the armed forces. Important lessons have been drawn from the last year experience.

The popular uprising has given a severe blow to the repressive machinery of the regime and drained its morale. As a result the regime is gripped by a crisis from which it is unable to disentangle itself. Last year’s popular uprising has been very successful in promoting the Oromo struggle. We believe this year’s will enable the Oromo to wrap up the journey towards freedom with total victory. That is the popular resistance should continue with much higher coordination, vigor and intensity. Oromia being the breadbasket of the region, the Oromo need to, this time around, more aggressively and systematically flex its economic muscle as it does its demographic weight.

One of the shortcomings of past efforts was the inability to involve all sectors of society. This should be corrected and all sectors of the Oromo society. In addition the horizon of the struggle need to expand as to involve all oppressed peoples of Ethiopia to jointly usher in a new era of freedom and democracy.

In memory of November 9, 2005 our fallen heroes and heroines who gave their precious lives in the popular uprising of 2005, let us together sing the songs of our martyrs “maal dhaamanii?” (What message did they leave behind?). And let the sweet song of freedom rise from all the corners, all villages, and houses.


Victory to the Oromo People!
The Oromo Liberation Front

Division of Information
OLF Foreign Affairs


In addition to the fallen heroes and heroines, the following courageous Oromos were tortured by TPLF:

No
Name
Detention place
Detention period
Remark (suffering/torture)
1

Shamil Aliyi Mohammed
Ziway, Karchale
8 years
Ribs bone broken
2

Sori Sinyor Deresa/Aresa
Zeway
7 years
Paralyzed hand
3

Rasimo Fite Yadete
Zeway
9 years

4

Abdalla Haji Ali
Karchale
5 years


5
Yibeltal Alemayehu Balata
Harar
7 years

6

Mariam Hamu Nure
Goba
4 years
Malfunctioned hand
7

Jeylan Taba Kamiso
Hurso
4 years

8

Abdulkadir H/Mohammed Hassan
Goba
3 years

9

Rashid Sheikh Hisak
Zeway
5 years

10

Alemayehu Geleta Shogo
Karchale
6 years

11
Abdi Husen Ibrahim
Goba
6 years

12
Kuyu Obsa Betera
Negele
2 years

13
Alemayehu Idosa Ayana
Shambu
2 years

14
Abdulnasir Tibeso Sadu
Bilate
3 years

15
Abdo Adam Bati
Dallo
2 years

16
Mohammed Mahmud Omer
Gurawa
2 years

17
Abu Gemechu Badaso
Asella
2 years

18
Ismail Baker Weday
Diredawa
3 years

19
Kassim Sheiko Lole
Goba
4 years
Deaf ear
20
Jemal Idris Mohammed
Asebeteferi
2 years

21

Feyisa Omar Hassan
Goba
5 Years


22

Anwar Umer AbdulShakur
Goba
4 Years

23

Tofik Suleiman Ahmed
Dire Dawa
5 Years

24

Shamsadin Ibro Osman
Harar
4 Years


25
Abadir Ashim Abdulahi
Hurso
6 Years

26
Mohammed Dadi Tuke
Dire dawa
7 Years

27
Hussein Mohammed Ahmed
Bilate
2 Years

28
Hangatu Bati Imana
Galamso
5 Years

29
Zakir Sharafudin Hussein
Jimma
4 Years

30
Farhan Yusuf Musa
Goba
5 Years

31
Genemo Roba Sheko
Agarfa
2 Years

32
Ifa Jiregna Tisa
Didessa
8 Years

33
Burka Kadir Harka
Goba
5 Years

34
Mohammed Ahmed Omar
Harar
3 Years

35
Abdalla Bekri Omer
Asaba Teferi
4 Years

36
Omer Sani Mohammed
Zeway
3 Years
Amputated Left hand
37
Awal Mohammed Dube
Goba
6 Years

38
Omer Ibro H/Ahmed
Zeway
8 Years

39
Wendimu Feyisa Sida
Zeway
5 Years

40
Mohammed Ismail Kabira
Hurso
4 Years

41
Negewo Bullo
Dedessa
3 Years

42
Mohammednur Adam Butta
Goba
4 Years

43
Ramadan Mohammed
Dallo
2 Years

44
Jemal Hassen Hussein
Dire Dawa
3 Years

45
Abdulkadir Haji Wabe
Asella
8 Years

46
Beker Mama Bati
Goba
3 Years

47
Sultan Mohammed Siraj
Harar
4 Years

48
Hassan Aliyi Bati
Goba
1 Year

49
Jeyilan Kedir Bati
Goba
5 Years

50
Ibrahim Mohammed
Ginnir
2 Years

51
Yohannes Wakbulcho
Dedessa
2 Years

52
Ahmed Kamir Aliyi
Goba
2 Years

53
Kedir Ibrahim Ahmed
Hurso, Ziway, Kerchele
12 Years

54
Abera Yeshitila Feyisa
Hurso, Ziway , Kerchele
12 Years

55
Yusuf Uso Mumad
Shinille, Ziway, Kerchele
7 Years

56
Muhammad Abdulla Ahmad
Hurso, Ziway, Kerchele
12 Years

57
Khalif Zakir Musa
Baddanno, Ziway, Kerchele
9 Years

58
Abdurazak Ahmad Hassan
Hurso, Ziway, Kerchele
11 Years

59
Ahmad Yusuf Osman
Harar
9 Years

60
Abdullahi Musa Ahmad
Hurso, Ziway, Kerchele
7 Years

61
Dr. Jemal Mohammed Gemta
Hurso, Ziway, Kerchele
5 years

62
Yesuf Abdi Ahmed
Hammaressa, Ziway
3 Years

63
Mohammed Abdurahiman Umer
Hammarressa, Ziway
3 Years

64
Zeinaba Jemal
Dire dawwa
1 Year
Fractured leg bone
65
Hangatu Balcha
Sankalle
2 years
Tortured
66
Loko Dullacha
Yabello
2 Years
Raped and torched
67
Annane Ittana
Hidi lola
2 months
Raped
68
Dhakki Sorsa
Mega
8 Months
Beaten and Raped
69
Asefa legesse
Maikelawi, Shewa robit, Kerchele
3 years
Left hand damaged
70
Ramadan Muhammed
Ziway, Shinille, Kerchele, Maikelawi
5 years
Leg and back damaged
71
Deressa Roba
Ziway
3 and half Years
Hand amputated and fired with bullet twice
72
Abdulkadir Mohammed
Jijjiga, Dire dawwa, kerchele
5 Years
Tooth and face damaged
73
Umar Ibro Haji Ahmed
Ziway, Dire dawwa, Hurso, Galamso
9 Years

74
Lelise Roba Gelma
Karchalle
2 Years and 3 months
Left leg damaged totally
75
Araarsaa Lammi
Qore, Dire dawa
7 years
Left hand damaged
76
Mohammed Yasin
Mekele
3 years
Left leg damage, Psychological disturbance
77
Shamsadin Ibro
Machara, Gelamso
5 Years
Neck and hand damage
78
Ahmad Nedi Aliyi
Hurso, Harar, Diredawa
3 years
Damaged on his back from left side
79
Ahmad Yusuf
Kombolcha, Hurso, Ziway, Kerchele
10 years
General physical damage
80
Hayat Shemsedin
Dedar, Diredawa, Maikelawi
6 Years
Tortured, raped
81
Mohammed Jundi
Jijiga, Haromaya
2 Years
General Physical damage
82
Yusuf Ismael
Diredawwa, Maikelawi, kerchele
7 Years
>>
83
Safia Abdulrahiman
Harar
1 year
Beaten
84
Gezaign Bekele
Addis Ababa
2 years
Right hand fractured.
85
Zeleke Kenate
Dedessa
6 years
Damaged leg.
86
Wakoya Goshu
Hurso
1 Year
Hand and leg damaged.

NOTE: All of them had been tortured to differing extent and bear scar on different parts of their body!

Victory to the Oromo People!
Division of Information
OLF – Foreign affairs