What can Ambo learn from India’s 1919 Amritsar; reflection on Woyane’s weakness, its use of military

Posted: Onkoloolessa/October 26, 2017 · Finfinne Tribune | Gadaa.com 

On April 3, 1919, thousands of Indians gathered in Amritsar, in India’s Punjab province, for a religious and cultural celebration. The time was at the turning point of the nonviolent/peaceful movement against the British occupation of India. Thus, similar to Oromia’s Irreecha celebrations, there were expressions of pent-up protests against the occupation at the celebration. These expressions of protests didn’t settle well with the British army in India.

The vast gathering place was all fenced with few gates here and there. On the orders of the British army leaders in India, the military was brought in and ordered to seal all but one of the gates, then machine guns were fired on the unarmed celebrants. Bodies piled up in the hundreds. The incident brought international condemnation against the British occupying force in India. This incident was also one of the motivations for Mahatma Gandhi to turn his focus into building a formidable nonviolent/peaceful movement that finally ended the British occupation of India in 1947.

Today (on October 26, 2017), we have witnessed a similar incident in Ambo, Oromia/Ethiopia. Ambo was sealed off while Woyane’s military brutalized the Oromo people, killing at least 10 people, according to media reports. There’s no doubt that it was a military operation by Ethiopia’s Defense Forces against own citizens (against own unarmed civilian citizens). That it was a military mission has now been confirmed by Woyane’s Deputy Prime Minister (PM) Debretsion Gebre-Michael on his official Facebook page. There are also photos of the military in Ambo on social media (one is attached here).

The Deputy PM, after calling the incident in Ambo a “military operation,” congratulated the “Defense Forces” for carrying out the “mission” successfully. This provocative statement was posted on his Facebook page (see quote below). This, as you can see in the video of the 1919 Amritsar below, shows his weakness, and the weakness of his government, not his or his government’s strength as he put it on his Facebook post. There is no reason for sending in troops of the “Defense Forces” against own unarmed civilian citizens unless it’s out of weakness and desperation.

The formidable and mightier Oromo force is the nonviolent/peaceful movement that has brought the Woyane government to its current weakest and most desperate state. Inspired by the Oromo Gadaa ethos of complete reverence for all creatures of The Almighty (Waaqa), including for those – like Debretsion Gebre-Michael – who knowingly inflict pain on this great Oromo nation, the Oromo nonviolent/peaceful movement has become a force to be reckoned with in the Horn of Africa, which has, for decades, hosted the world’s deadliest violent struggles for freedom and democracy with no sign of freedom and democracy in the region. There is absolutely no shred of doubt that the Oromo nonviolent/peaceful movement has become stronger, and will also become stronger, with each drop of blood spilled by the ever weakening Woyane force. Let Debretsion gloat in the blood of the Oromo spilled in Ambo; let him show his weakness by declaring war on defenseless citizens. We shall continue to believe that Waaqa will not let us down in our quest to be free of all forms of oppression; Waaqa will not let us down. We will be free of Woyane – nonviolently/peacefully.

#OromoProtest#OromoRevolution

Unrest in Ethiopia's Oromia region, federal forces blamed for deaths

There is an uneasy calm in Ethiopia’s Oromia region following the deaths of fifteen
civilians at the hands of federal security forces. About a dozen others are said to
 have suffered gunshot wounds.
The Addis Standard news portal cited the Oromia region communications Bureau chief,
Addisu Arega Kitessa, as implicating members of the national defense force,
adding that a probe was underway to ascertain how peaceful civilians had been killed.
Adissu Arega said people in the region’s east Hararghe zone had hit the streets to

protest the killing of an individual leading to the latest clashes that have
claimed more lives.
Locals told the Addis Standard portal that a notorious paramilitary force the
Liyu Police – were to blame for the death of the individual, for which reason they
staged the protest.
The security forces were said to have applied superior force to dismantle road
blocks in other parts of the region. Hospital staff in the city of Dire Dawa
confirmed that a dozen other people had been treated for gunshot wounds.
“On December 09, 2017; residents of Babile and Moyale towns in east Hararghe
 and southern Ethiopia respectively have told the VOA Amharic that there were
everyday killings committed by members of the Liyu police.
“Several pictures showing wounds of gun shots and dead bodies are circulating in
 Ethiopia’s social media space,” Addis Standard noted in its report on the situation.
The Oromia region was the heartbeat of anti-government protests that hit Ethiopia in
 late 2015 through the better part of 2016. The protests spread to the Amhara region
leading to deaths after a violent security crackdown.
The widening protests led to the imposition of a six-month state of emergencyin October
2016. It, however, lasted 10 months after the parliament voted an extension
after the initial expiration in April this year. It was eventually lifted in August 2017.

Calanqoo ( Oromia,Ethiopia ) Massacare !

Calanqoo: "Daa'ima ganna 

kudhanii mataa keessa dhahanii ajjeessan"

Goodayyaa suuraaCalanqootti raayyaan ittisa biyyaa namoota ajjeese

Jiraataan magaalaa Calanqoo maqaan isaanii akka eeramu hin feene, kan kaleessa hospitaala Calanqoo keessa turan, "ofii kiyyaan reeffa namoota 20 lakkaaheen jira, kaan riifariin hospitaala birootti ergaman, lakkoofsichi sanii ol ta'uu mala jechuun BBC'tti himanii jiru.

Jiraataan kun akka jedhanitti namoota ajjeefaman keessa daa'imni ganna kudhanii kan rasaasaan mataa keessa dhawame ni jira, abbaafi ilmi waliin ajjeefaman akkasumas kan ilmi rukutame lubbuun hafe garuu abbaan biraa du'ellee ni jiru.

Jiraataan magaalatti biroo BBC'n bilbilaan haasofsiise Obbo Sufiyaan Usmaan, "jalqaba Aanaa Meettaa araddaa Sarkamaatti liyyuu poolisiin Somaalee nama tokko ajjeefte, sana booda mormii uummataa ka'e irratti kan raayyaan ittisa biyyaa nama ajjeese," jedhu.

"Raayyaan ittisa biyyaa gariin magaaluma Calanqoo turan, gariin ammoo Harar irraa dhufan," kan jedhan Obbo Suufiyaan, "bakka Qullubbii jedhamtu as dabarraan namumaa karaa irratti argan, kana sana osoo hin jedhiin dhawaa seenan," jechuun dubbatu.

Kan manatti itti seenanii ajjeesanillee ni jiru jedhu jiraattonni kunneen.

Wayita bilbilaan haasofsiifne, namoota ajjeefamaan awwaaluuf gara giddugala Siidaa wareegamtoota Calanqoo deemaa akka jiran kan nutti himan jiraattonni kunneen humni waraanaa meeshaalee gurguddoo hidhatee uummata doorsisaa jira jedhu.

Dubbi himaan mootummaa naannoo Oromiyaa Obbo Addisuu Araggaa lakkoofsi namoota haleellaa raayyaa ittisa biyyaatiin ajjeefamanii 15 gahuu fuula Feesbuukii isaanii irratti himanii jiru.

Mootummaan Naannoo Oromiyaa ajjeechaa raayyaan ittisa biyyaa namoota nagaa irraatti fudhate cimsee kan balaaleeffatuu fi tarkaanfiin kun maaliif fudhatame akkamitti fudhatame kan jedhu qaamni qulqulleesu caffee Oromiyaa irraa kallatti Pirezidaantiin Oromiyaa kaa'aniin bobba'e jira, dhimmichi akka qulqullaa'ee xumurameenis ummata keenyaaf ifa goona jechuunis barreessanii jiru.

Namoota ajjeechaa kana raawwatan seera duratti dhiyeessuufis ni hojjenna jedhan.

Dhimma kana hordofne, odeessawwan dabalataa isin biraan geenya.

Oromo Youth Cultural night in Trondheim 2012

Hachalu Hundessa “was deep, enigmatic, resilient, enduring, and affirming

 - all at the same time. Rhythmically rejuvenating, and beautiful, 

that performance was [almost] pitch-perfect!

He not only harnesses and deploys the deep well of Oromo traditional music with

 an astonishing directness and depth, he also represents a new generation of Oromo

 musicians who can capture and mesmerize the imagination of the Oromo

 public and beyond. “

Freedom Fighters and Legitimate Leaders of the Masses - Dr Merera Gudina - Bekele Gerba - Ahmedin Jebel

Freedom Fighters and Legitimate Leaders of the Masses 
- Dr Merera Gudina 
- Bekele Gerba 

Ahmedin Jebel

This is what the dectator of Ethiopian government want to do to stay on power

December 6, 2017 1:01AM EST

Letter to Cyberbit Solutions re Sale and Use of Cyberbit Systems in Ethiopia

Dear Mr. Dar,

Human Rights Watch is an independent international organization that monitors human rights in more than 90 countries around the world. I am writing to request your input and perspective to incorporate into Human Rights Watch’s reporting on surveillance abuses in Ethiopia. Our reporting is based on a forthcoming report by Toronto-based research group, Citizen Lab.

We have recently learned through research conducted by Citizen Lab that several Ethiopian activists and commentators based in the United States and United Kingdom, along with one of Citizen Lab’s own research fellows, were targeted with email phishing attacks that, if successful, would have infected their electronic devices with spyware. The report also identifies dozens of other successfully infected devices belonging to unidentified targets in 20 countries. Once infected, the entity that controls the spyware would have unauthorized access to information stored on the targets’ devices. Citizen Lab’s analysis of the spyware log files for these attacks links them to Cyberbit’s PC Surveillance System (PSS) product and places the spyware’s operator inside Ethiopia. The report also identified potential product demonstrations to possible clients in several other countries, including Kazakhstan. Thailand, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.

The Ethiopian government has a documented history of abusing surveillance technologies, which has facilitated a range of other human rights violations. In a 2014 report, Human Rights Watch documented how the Ethiopian government misused telecommunications surveillance systems and spyware to monitor the activities of perceived political opponents and to silence dissent and intimidate critics.

[1] The report describes how Ethiopian authorities have previously used spyware products sold by two other companies, UK/Germany-based FinFisher and Italy-based Hacking Team, to similarly target journalists and government critics outside of Ethiopia. Ethiopian authorities continued to misuse Hacking Team’s system to spy on individuals abroad through at least 2015, when a widely covered breach of the company’s corporate data confirmed its business in Ethiopia.

[2]Ethiopia’s national laws lack meaningful protections for the right to privacy, and the country’s broad security and law enforcement powers are not adequately regulated to prevent arbitrary, unlawful, or disproportionate surveillance. The Ethiopian government has also long invoked national security as a pretext for clamping down on human rights. For example, in a 2015 report, we documented how the government used counterterrorism laws to target journalists and others critical of government.

[3] At least 75 journalists have fled into exile since 2010.

Given this context, we want to better understand the circumstances under which Cyberbit’s product was obtained by the Ethiopian government and the steps Cyberbit takes to address any abuse of its products and services by its governmental customers, particularly government agencies seeking lawful intercept, intelligence, or offensive capabilities. We would appreciate specific replies to the following questions. This will greatly assist our understanding of Cyberbit, the products and solutions it offers, its approach to human rights risk, and how it would respond to credible reports of illegal surveillance and other human rights abuses linked to its products and services.

What products, services, or training has Cyberbit provided to the Ethiopian government? Has Cyberbit specifically sold its PC Surveillance System (PSS), PC 360, or a similar product that enables covert information gathering from remote computers to any Ethiopian governmental agency?

 Does Cyberbit currently have any governmental clients in the other countries identified in the Citizen Lab report as locations of potential product demonstrations, including Kazakhstan, Nigeria, the Philippines, Rwanda, Serbia, Thailand, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, or Zambia?

What policies and procedures does Cyberbit have in place to vet potential sales or governmental customers? To what extent does Cyberbit inquire about the end use or end users of its products and services?

 Has Cyberbit ever conducted due diligence with respect to sales to the Ethiopian government, particularly by examining the government’s human rights record and past surveillance abuses targeting journalists and activists (for example, using FinFisher or Hacking Team products)?

 Can Cyberbit elaborate on any policies or procedures it has in place to address and prevent human rights abuses linked with the use of its products or services by governmental customers?

 How does Cyberbit monitor whether governmental customers are complying with the terms of their contracts or otherwise misusing its products? What steps, if any, does Cyberbit take if it uncovers violations of company contracts or the use of its products to facilitate human rights abuses by its customers?

 We would appreciate a response by December 5, 2017 in order to reflect your response, as well as any other perspectives you may wish to share, in our reporting.

Thank you for your consideration and we look forward to your responses to our inquiries. We would also welcome the opportunity to discuss these issues with you further.

[1] Human Rights Watch, “They Know Everything We Do”: Telecom and Internet Surveillance in Ethiopia, March 25, 2014, http://www.hrw.org/reports/2014/03/25/they-know-everything-we-do.

[2] “Ethiopia: Digital Attacks Intensify,” Human Rights Watch news release, March 9, 2015, https://www.hrw.org/news/2015/03/09/ethiopia-digital-attacks-intensify; “Ethiopia: Hacking Team Lax on Evidence of Abuse,” Human Rights Watch news release, August 13, 2015, https://www.hrw.org/news/2015/08/13/ethiopia-hacking-team-lax-evidence-a....

[3] Human Rights Watch, “Journalism Is Not a Crime”: Violations of Media Freedoms in Ethiopia, January 22, 2015, http://www.hrw.org/reports/2015/01/21/journalism-not-crime.

Region / Country Ethiopia

Topic Business Free Speech Internet Freedom

https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/12/06/letter-cyberbit-solutions-re-sale-and-use-cyberbit-systems-ethiopia

Trondheim OMN Fundraise and demonistration.

https://www.oromiamedia.org/2016/01/26/gabaasa-hiriira-mormii-biyya-norway-magaalaa-trondahaayimitti-taasifame-amaji-252016/

Oromo Libration front Leader

https://youtu.be/hPVHUxRpGb0

Down down wayaanee

https://youtu.be/YcxrjnsJwTI

#OrompProtests#OromoRevolution

The Ethiopian government can no longer justify the continued existence of the paramilitary force called Liyu Police. There can be no legitimate reason for a country that plays an active part in regional and global peacekeeping operations to keep its own peace with a notorious paramilitary force known for its lethal ferocity.

Lemma Megersa's administration and the OPDO should demand the immediate dissolution of this criminal force. If the federal government can't grant this, they too should be allowed to set up their own special forces to keep their own people from forces the Ethiopian army was unable to protect. When the federal government abnegates its supreme responsibility to provide peace and security - the last two public goods on which it legitimized its very existence - it falls on the regional government to defend its people and the nation's borders.

This force was created with a nefarious end in mind. Since its creation, its vicious particularity has been on display for the entire world to see. If it is not dealt with soon enough, it will be a much serious threat to Oromia and the country.