(OLF News, April 02, 2010) A report we received from Finfinne (Addis Ababa) revealed that the 3^rd Bench of the Woyane/Ethiopin Kangaroo Federal court has given death sentence on an Oromo nationalist and political prisoner Mesfin Abebe Abdisa and a life prison sentence on another Oromo nationalist and political prisoner Tasfahun Camadaa Gurmessaa on March 31, 2010. The court also gave a long term imprisonment of 10 years to 12 years on 13 other Oromo nationalists listed below.

 

1.       Masfiin Abbabaa Abdiisaa, Death Sentence,

2.      Tasfaahuun Camadaa Gurmeessaa, Life Sentence,

3.       Baqqalaa Nagarii, 12 years without parole,

4.      Isheetuu Kitil, 12 years without parole,

5.      Kabbadaa Booranaa, 12 years without parole,

6.     Waabee Hajii, 12 years without parole,

7.      Baqqalaa Jiraataa, 12 years without parole (in Absentia),

8.      Dajanee Dhaabaa, 12 years without parole,

9.      Dajanee Booranaa, 12 years without parole (in Absentia)

10.   Abarraash Yaadataa, 12 years without parole,

11.  Roobaa Gaddafaa, 10 years without parole,

12.  Baayisaa Huseen, 10 years without parole,

13.   Lalisee Wadaajoo, 10 years without parole,

14.   Olaanii Jabeesaa, 10 years without parole,

15.  Haayiluu Dalasaa, 10 years without parole,

 

Among the convicted, two of them, Tesfahun Chemeda and Mesfin Abebe Abdissa were apprehended by the Keniyan Government and handed in to Woyane in April 2007, and have been severely tortured by the regime and finally brought to court in 2008. Many others have been falsely accused and abducted from their homes and their work places. 

 

Mr. Bekele Jirata was the secretary general of the OFDM and was arrested by the regime on November 04, 2008 and then accused of having relations with the OLF and stayed in prison for several years, and was then released on bail on February 04, 2009.

 

Mrs Lelise Wodajo, a former journalist in the government run Ethiopian TV and a mother of three was arrested on November 14, 2008 and stayed in jail since then. Her husband Mr Dhabessa Wakjira was also been jailed for more than three years and went to exile, after being released.

 

Our reporters added that the Woyane judges who gave this irresponsible verdict are all Tigreans whose names are 1.Sa'adii Huseen,  2. Tahaliit Yimasil, and the rest are temporarily unknown to our reporters because they [our reporters] are operating under difficult conditions, hiding themselves from government forces.

 

Oromo political parties and fronts who received this news, most notably the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) have strongly denounced saying the said verdict is despicable and filled with pure hatred and contempt the current minority regime has towards the Oromo nation in general. In a message released to its members and supporters through its mailing list, the OLF have said “no government who cares for the future healthy relationship of people in its country will pass such discriminatory verdict”. OLF added, “while this verdict clearly shows the racial discrimination against the Oromos in open public, history will one day tell about those Oromos who have been executed in secret prisons and thrown into jungles and their bodies eaten by wild animals”.

 It is to be recalled that the Woyane regime have said on several occasions that they have destroyed OLF for once and for all, while at the same time convicting innocent Oromos for allegedly having ties with the same organization they claim to have destroyed. The fact of the matter is, OLF and the Oromo people’s struggle for freedom and justice will remain until their alienable right on their home-land has been restored and such racial conviction and the widely hidden killing and suffering of the Oromos continued.

It is also known that previously other innocent Oromo nationalists such as Fissehaa Birraasaa, Araarsoo Abbaa Humna, Isma’el Ahmed Muudaa and Jemal Musxafaa have been convicted to death and languishing in jail awaiting for the date of their execution. Meanwhile, among Oromo nationalists who have been previously convicted to life imprisonment and being daily tortured in jail are: Masfin Itana, Charinat Yemane, Mangistuu Hordofaa, Daani’el Ayyaanaa, Abdurashid Abdullahi, Said Hussen, Tashaalee Shifarraa, Mitikkuu Tafarraa and Duulaa Mootii.

Oromo nationalists warn that up until the Oromo people stand up and get rid of this terrorist regime, the conviction, open and hidden execution, torture, arrest, abduction, and disappearance of innocent Oromos will not stop, and call upon all Oromos to intensify their just struggle for their freedom.

OLF News