Rt Hon Boris Johnson MP
UK Prime Minister
10 Downing Street
London SW1 2AA
Re: Harassment, Intimidation, and Lack of Institutional Guarantee for the OLF to Carry Out Peaceful Political Activities in Ethiopia
Dear Prime Minister,
While Ethiopian Dr Abiy Ahmed was appointed as a Prime Minister by the previous ruling EPRDF party on April 2, 2018, he promised to improve the political crises and bad human rights record of its predecessors and to transform the country into democratic political system. He invited the OLF and other opposition parties for peaceful negotiations to resolve Ethiopian political crises. Based on this invitation, the OLF exiled leaders have been moved to Ethiopia on 15 September 2018. OLF is one of major political organisation in Ethiopia struggling for freedom and democracy for over 50 years. OLF is striving to contribute to shaping the political landscape of Ethiopia through its all-inclusive democratic principles. However, despite its genuine ideology and deep-rooted popular support, the Ethiopian government is marginalising, harassing, blackmailing, and blocking every avenue of its operations in the country.
Since the OLF been moved to Ethiopia, it has been singled out by the government authorities and put under intensive harassments and intimidations. Currently, the security and safety of our leaders and members is at high risk. The regime is constantly intimidating our people; arrest large number of our leaders, members, and supporters; break into our offices and destroy documents and furniture and closing our office around the country. So far, our organisation has a record of over 300 offices closed, and over 20,000 detentions of members and supporters including 103 OLF leaders at different levels. In addition, since the last few months alone, we witness the arrest of over 10,000 members and supporters. This include senior OLF leaders and members detained from our headquarters in Gullellee (Addis Ababa) including Abdi Raggaassa, Dr Shigut Geleta, Michael Boran, Kennesa Ayyana, Colonel Gammachuu Ayyaanaa, Amaan File, Lammi Beenyaa, Yaasoo Kabbadaa, Kaayyoo Fufaa and Waagoo Noolee, and Caaltuu Takele (breast feeding mother).
Currently, there are repeated presence of Government armed police and security forces at our Main office in Gullelle (Addis Ababa) without obvious reasons. We have reached stage where we have no institutional guarantee for our peaceful political operations in the country. The government armed police force repeatedly harass our leaders and members and want to enter our office and carry out searches without any search warrant. For example, on 1st August 2020, while the OLF General Secretary returned to his office after 15 days of house arrest and communication block out, a large number of police came to the Headquarters and tried to search Mr Dawud's office. Mr Dawud asked them if they have search warrant to do so and insist them not to carry out illegal search. They instructed to him to leave his office and go home. The OLF leaders particularly, the General Secretary Mr Dawud Ibsa is under constant surveillance at his office, home, and wherever he goes. This an intimidating activity by the government police and security forces put extreme pressure not only on political activities but also it is a complete human right violation.
PM Abiy Ahmed who is the 2019 Noble peace Prize Laureate; sadly, who suddenly became ruthless dictator has broken his promise and neglected to negotiate with oppositions parties and armed groups that have been fighting for freedom and democracy for over 27 years. He also failed to meet at least basic international human rights standards. Instead PM Abiy Ahmed holds on to totalitarian system of governance as an extension of the previous EPRDF rule. Currently, he is undertaking huge crackdown to destroy the OLF. The blocking of OLF activities and other opposition parties endanger the democratisation process and negatively impact the humanitarian and human rights situation in the country- if it is not properly and immediately managed, it could lead to a catastrophic situation and disintegration of the country. There is very alarming instability and fractured political scene in Ethiopia in general and Oromia in particular.
Therefore, on behalf of the OLF, I strongly appeal to your excellency to immediately request the Ethiopian government to refrain from intimidating and obstructing OLF operations. I also appeal to you to intervene and put pressure on the Ethiopian government to refrain from crackdown of the OLF and human rights violations and urge them to engage with peaceful negotiation with oppositions and all-inclusive democratization process. Particularly, we ask your excellency to urge the Ethiopian government to:
1. Provide safety and security to OLF leaders and members at their work and private lives and offer institutional guarantee to the OLF.
2. Immediately stop the presence of armed forces in our offices and interfering to day- to- day activities of the OLF.
3. Unconditional release all OLF political leaders at all levels and allow them free movement and stop arbitrary arrests and detentions in the future.
4. Resume negotiation and formal discussion with the OLF and other opposition parties and jointly set out a road map to all-inclusive democracy.
And finally, we call up on the your excellency and the U.K. Government to impose sanctions on the Ethiopian government if it does not address
the above issues and break the international human rights covenants and continue the gross violation of human rights.
I look forward to your immediate response to this letter and hope that your excellency and your government will take serious action in commending institutional guarantee of the OLF and safety and security of its leaders, members and supporters and urge for peaceful resolution to the political crises in Ethiopia.
Peace and justice for all,
Sincerely,
Dr Bersisa Berri
Head of Diplomatic Relations
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