United Nations should investigate violence against the Oromo in Ethiopia

The Society for Threatened Peoples (STP) asks Navi Pillay, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, to deploy a commission of inquiry to Ethiopia to investigate the bloody crackdown of a demonstration by Oromo students and school pupils. According to information by the STP, at least 80 students and pupils were shot dead by the security forces during protests in nine University cities in Ethiopia since the beginning of April. More than 50 died last week alone, while about 300 people were injured and more than 2,000 young people were arbitrarily arrested. 

"The escalation of violence by the security forces must stop – and the detained young people must be released immediately. They did nothing but take part in peaceful protests against a controversial government reform," said Ulrich Delius, the STP's Africa-consultant, in Göttingen on Wednesday. 

The protest movement is campaigning against the planned expansion of the city borders of the capital Addis Ababa, which will include the surrounding countryside inhabited by Oromo farmers in the state of Oromia. Thus, the urban space will be expanded from currently ??54.000 hectares to 1.1 million hectares of land. The land ??reform will affect Oromo people within a radius of more than 120 kilometers around the capital. Tens of thousands of farmers fear that they will be expelled due to new settlement projects and investments. Thousands of farmers have already lost their livelihood because several new farms were established in the area of Adis Ababa in recent years, specialized on growing roses for exports to Europe. Even Oromo organizations that are close to the government reject the territorial reform.

The Oromo are the largest ethnic group in Ethiopia. However, they have been complaining about discriminations work related areas and society and about serious human rights violations for decades. After all, the security forces consider anyone who stands up for the human rights of the Oromo people to be a supporter of the Oromo liberation movement or a "terrorist".

Ulrich Delius, head of STP's Africa department, is available for further questions: +49 551 49906 27 or afrika@gfbv.de.