Ethiopia: Worrisome Situations in Detention Centres

HRLHA – Urgent Action

May 24, 2014

For Immediate Release

While kidnappings and/or extra-judicial arrests and detentions have continued particularly around academic institutions in different parts of the regional state of Oromia in Ethiopia, disturbing and worrisome reports are coming out of detention centres where the Oromo students arrested in the past two weeks are being held.

According to HRLHA correspondents in Nakamte, Wollega Province in western Oromia, there have been cases of tortures of varying levels as well as detainees being taken away in the middle of the night to unknown destinations for unknown reasons. Fifty (50) detainees, including thirteen females, were taken away at one time alone; and their whereabouts were not known. In relation to tortures, the reports indicate that some of the detainees are isolated from others and held in separate rooms handcuffed and legs tied together with their hands on the their backs. There were ten students subjected to this particular situation, among whom were Std. Tesfaye Tuffa (male) and Std. Bontu Hailu (female). Although not confirmed at this point, there were also eight students who were screened out in order to be transferred to a detention or investigation office at the federal level; and these include:

1. Chalaa Fekaduu Gashe (high school student),
2. Chalaa Fekaduu Raajoo (high school student),
3. Nimoonaa Kebede (Wollega University 5th year law student),
4. Moi Bon Misganuu (Wollega University, student),
5. Abdii Gaddisaa (high school student),
6. Abel Dagim (high school student),
7. Qalbessa Getachew (high school student),
8. Mulgeta Gemechu (high school student),
9. Edosa Namara Dheressa, Civil Engineering, Wallaga University

In the meantime, reports indicate that kidnappings and/or extra-judicial arrests and detentions have continued in different parts of the regional state of Oromia, particularly in Hararge/Haromaya, West Showa, and West Wollega, all in relation to the protests that have been going on in the Regional State of Oromia in opposition to the newly introduced master plan to expand the Capital City of Addis Ababa/Finfinne in all directions by displacing the local Oromo residents. The following are among the hundreds of the most recent cases of kidnappings, arrests and detentions:

1) Edosa Namara Deressa – Wollega University (Civil Engineering)
2) Walabuma Dabale -Adama University, West Showa,
3) Ebisa Dale -Adama University
4) Ganamo Kurke -Adama University
5) Liban Taressa – Adama University
6) Adam Godana -Adama University
7) Bodana (last name not obtained) – Adama University

Name of other detainees arrested May 15-17, 2014,

	Partial Detainees in Wallagga, May 16, 2014
No		Name	Gender		Occupation/Grade		Place /Town
1		Robel Qanno		M	Worker	Mandii
2		Gammachis Hambisaa		M	Employee	Mandii,
3		Bokaa Hundeessaa		M		Mandii
4		Bacaa Kebede		M		Mandi
5		Fiqiru Wadajo		M	Businessman	Mandi
6		Eyob Kumara		M	Businessman	Mandi
7		Raji Abbaya		M	10	Mandi
8		Dabaloo Tolosaa		M	10	Mandi
9		Surra Chali		M	12	Mandi
10		Ebisaa Saqqata			12	Mandi
Haromaya University
1		Nimona Chali		M	Oromo language	Haromaya
2		Magarsaa Baqqalaa		M	Oromo language	Haromaya
3		Firayad		M	Teacher	Haromaya
4		Girmaa		M		Haromaya
West Shawa, Ambo
1		Getachew Qajela		M		Ambo Town
2		Alemu Megerssa		M	8	Ambo Town
3		Debisa Birru		M	-	Ambo
4		Getacho Birruu		M	Previous  Kaliti detainee	Ambo
5		Tamire Chala		M	office worker	Ambo
Arrested on May 16, 2014					Wallagga University
1		Abbabu Tafa		M	student	Nekemt
2		Galata Kumerra		M	student	Nekemt
3		Gammachuu Butuna		M	student	Nekemt
4		Gammachuu Fikadu		M	student	Nekemt
5		Getachew Fikadu		M	student	Nekemt
6		Gutaaa Galana		M	student	Nekemt
7		Lammessa Balay		M	student	Nekemt
8		Mokonoon Abarra		M	student	Nekemt
9		Mokonon Asaffaa		M	student	Nekemt
10		Mul’isaa Tafarra		M	student	Nekemt
11		Nazib Jibril		M	student	Nekemt
12		Shimalis Chaffe		M	student	Nekemt
13		Sofia Kadir		M	student	Nekemt
Arrested on May 16, 2014, West Wallaga Gulisso District
1		Abdii Mokonon		M	10th grade	Gullisoo
2		Chalaa Raggasa		M	Bussinessman	Ayiraa
3		Damee Daddafa		M	Bussinessman	Ayiraa
4		Daawit Tola		M	Bussinessman	Gullisoo
5		Dirriba Gaja’a		M	student	Ayiraa
6		Dirriba Tasfa		M	7th grade	Gullisoo
7		Ebba Kaniiba		M	8th grade	Gullisoo
8		Efirem Qana’a		M	student	Ayiraa
9		Fikadu Gari		M	Farmer	Gullisoo
10		Gammachu Tasisa		M	Businessman	Gullisoo
11		Gammaachuu Wakjira		M	Government employee	Gullisoo
12		Getane Adaba		M	Farmer	Ayiraa
13		Getacho Oljira		M	Farmer	Ayiraa
14		Girma Mulatu		M	10th grade	Gullisoo
13		Hunduma Awetu		M	Teacher	Ayiraa
16		Jifara Busuna		M	student	Gullisoo
17		Lalisa Indale		M	9th grade	Gullisoo
18		Lijalem Immana		M	Adminstrator	Gullisoo
19		Malaku Aaga		M	Teacher	Ayiraa
20		Milkessa Samu’el		M	student	Ayiraa
21		Mulatu Cawaqa		M	Farmer	Gullisoo
22		Obsa Getane		M	10th grade	Gullisoo
23		Obsa Raggasa		M	9th grade	Gullisoo
24		Qabana Hika		M	Teacher	Ayiraa
25		Qanani Daniel		M	7th grade	Gullisoo
26		Toleraa Wakuma		M	student	Ayiraa
27		Wande Nagasa		M	Businessman	Gullisoo
28		Yaaed Dheressa		M	Teacher	Ayiraa

The Human Rights League of the Horn of Africa (HRLHA) is highly concerned about the life-threatening situations in the detention centres where those young Oromos were held, and the safety and wellbeing of those who were taken to unknown destinations. Therefore, HRLHA calls upon the Ethiopian Government to abide by all international human rights instruments that it has signed, and refrain from subjecting the young detainees to such harsh situations. It also calls upon all local, regional, and international human rights organizations including UN Human Rights Council, humanitarian, and diplomatic agencies to put pressure on the Ethiopian Government so that it

1. Unconditionally releases the Oromo students who were detained in the past two and three weeks simply because the attempted to exercise some of their fundamental rights in a peaceful and absolutely non-violent manner.
2. Stop killing,  arresting and abducting Oromo nationals
3. To form an independent committee from civilians for investigation and Prosecution of the killing and torturing crimes.