To United States Department
To United Nations Human Right Organization
On Friday March 2, 2001, an Ethiopian army unit
stationed in Moyale, in Southern Ethiopia, raided a Gharri Bulladi, at 7:30am,
while people were in the morning mass praying. This was an attempt to take over
the Somali district, so that the town would fall into Oromos hands. In the
process of taking it over, they killed 8 unarmed people including:
Also, they injured over 30
women and children. Eyewitness reports indicated that the army looted one supply
storage, one loading truck, and burned down four homes. In addition, they
kidnapped four local activists including the following people:
Their conditions are unknown at this time.
On Friday February 23, 2001, members of the same army unit shot and killed an unarmed woman and injured three others, when they shot in to a crowd, in order to scare people so that they would replace the Somali flag with the Oromo flag. There was no action taken by the Ethiopian government.
On Friday September 8, 2000, the Oromo regional army and rebels jointly attacked the Gharri refugees camped in Arero City. They massacred defenseless Gharri women, children, and the elderly. They killed 83 people, and injured 32.
All of the above killings are intended to chase the Gharri people out of their homes, towns, and cities so, that the Oromos can take it over before the upcoming referendum is in effect. The government is blaming the victims for their reactions, for the killing of Ms. Amina Abdula, and army’s other activity in the area. In addition, there is no punishment handed down for those 80 accused members of the Oromo militia who were arrested in connection with the killings of the 83 Gharri people in Sept. 2000. There is overwhelming evidence showing that some of the high-ranking army officials are taking bribes from the Oromo area leaders not to interfere with the rebel’s activity in the area against the Gharri Somalis. In March 2000, the Oromo regional army (Fitino Tirash), which is parts of the Ethiopian federal army, savagely murdered over 40 Gharri people. The following people were among the dead.
1. Adow Ilow
2. Yusuf Shonne Ibreen
3. Isaaq Hassan Eidin
4. Malin Diqaye Abdirahaman
5. Amo Abdulah Malin
6. Alima Abdulah Muddow
7. Qala Isaaq Mohamed
8. Ibrahim Aliyow Hassan
9. Hussein Geddee Hapiti
10. Jarree Geddee Hapiti
11. Mohamed Salaad Qalliti
12. Alqare Malin Hassan and Malin Diqa
The Gharri ethnic Somalis have been denied their right to choose, even though, they participated twice in the nationally held federal elections, their victory at the ballot boxes have not been declared and ratified as of now. Members of the opposing Oromo security forces were allowed by the Ethiopian government to safeguard the district from falling into Oromo rebels hands. However, the reality is that they were sent there to control and prevent the ethnic Somalis from administering their own affairs and becoming self-sufficient in their region. It is clear that this government knows that these security forces are from the same Oromo nationality and they are sympathizing with the Oromo Liberation Front’s rebels, and are fully supporting the Oromo causes. By doing so, they violated our people’s trust. They have been terrorizing, torturing, and harassing and killing the Gharri people since 1992. Discrimination on the basis of ethnic origin is practiced daily today in Ethiopia. Therefore, we the Gharri Somalis living in the United States of America are asking the State Department to condemn these ethnic cleansing committed by the Ethiopian government. We beg you to investigate on this report and we will assist you all the way to show your personnel where the mass graves are located if needed.
Sincerely:
All concerned Gharri Somalis living in United States and Abroad.