The Proposal of TPLF/EPRDF’s regime on Federalizing the Sidama Capital, Hawassa, will Remain Illegal and Irreconcilable!

Press Statement

By United Sidama Parties for Freedom and Justice (USPFJ)

June 12, 2013

Unable to receive fair justice for crimes committed against unarmed and nonviolent Sidama civilians who were seeking justice and fairness for their nation, yet were slaughtered by the government army and police in broad day light; the Sidama people have remembered the Loqqe massacre of Sidama civilians whose marches were cut short of reaching their intended destination to lodge their concerns about the failure of government in responding to Sidama nation’s constitutional quest for regional self administration.

The current regime’s federal, regional and Zone officials remain solely responsible for the massacre of the Sidama of civilians. However, so far none of them are brought to justice. Just 2 weeks ago the 11^th anniversary of the said massacre was remembered all over the glob. The massacre has taken place by the direct orders of  the Federal government http://www.oromoliberationfront.org/News/2013/TheSidamaNationCommemoratesthe11thAnniversaryofitsFallenHeroes.pdf,  staunch regime loyalists to do the  regime’s abhorring jobs in Sidama land by giving them absolute power and authority to plan the massacre of the civilians, implement the said barbaric on-slaughter, monitor its effective implementation and appease the reactions of the Sidama people after the aftermaths of the massacre.  

Some of the prominent officials from the federal government who have orchestrated this massacre from the federal government involve:-

*Bereket Simeon (the then information minister who’s maintained his position to date)

*Abadula Gamada (the then Defense minister who has ordered a brigade of army to appease the killings and reaction of entire Sidama people post Loqqe massacre)

*Girma Biru (the then minster of Industry)

*Mulugeta Alemseged (TPLF’s Central committee & protocol adviser to late PM Meles Z.)

*Tadesse Kassa (the then Amhara regional State Vice President, symbolic rep of northern domination)

From regional and Sidama Zone administration the culprits were:-

*Hailemariam Desalegn (the then regional President, the current PM, promoted to his current position for his part in effectively coordinating and managing the aftermaths of the massacre of Sidama civilians)

*Melese Marimo (the then regional vice president who was promoted to Ambassadorial posts for his role in massacring and silencing the civilians of Sidama nation after the massacre).

*Shiferaw Shugute (the current southern regional president who was immediately assigned to take over from Hailemariam Desalegn for his ability of brutalizing civilians and for his unique capacity in dogmatically implementing the orders of TPLF without slightest questions involving violence) 

Pertos Woldesenbet (who was an advocate of anti-Sidama programs and policies from Sidama Zone and who took active part in the process of decision making)

Galalcha Janje (extremely barbaric and uneducated, wild Schizophrenic, yet assigned to terrorize Sidama civilians with others 11 regional and Zone cadres) none of them are held accountable to this date.

The Current Proposal on Federalizing Sidama capital, Hawassa.

Unsatisfied with the bloods of innocent civilians and sufferings of families of victims; most of those officials who have ordered and staged-managed the massacre from the federal, regional and Sidama Zone are still out there plotting for another crimes against Sidama nation’s constitutional rights. After the massacre, the said regional and Sidama Zone officials were promoted to higher positions including the current PM Hailemariam Desalegn who was regional president during the massacre, Shiferaw Shugute who was immediately promoted to regional presidency for his barbaric acts & for lacking humanity whilst committing crimes against his own people. These are the people who are currently preparing the Sidama nation for another massacre as we speak.

The objective of the Sidama civilians who have been slaughtered on May 24, 2002 was democratically demanding the government in peaceful demonstration to respond to Sidama nation’s quest for regional self administration which was continually denied.  Disregarding the fact that the quest is active, legitimate and constitutional, those officials who are responsible for Loqqe massacre are actively playing the devilish  roles in silencing Sidama nation and planning the federalization of Sidama capital, Hawassa. Therefore, it appears to us that they are preparing the people of Sidama for another massacre.

In June 2012 the regime’s cadres attempted to federalize Sidama capital- the unwise plan became counterproductive and out rightly infuriated the Sidama nation by angering the entire Sidama people from corner to corner in unison. Finally, the Sidama people staged on a peaceful demonstration throughout the entire Sidama demanding for immediate reversal of the plans; and the united actions of the Sidama nation resulted in a repeated and categorical denial of cadres. http://www.sidama.org/persecution/2012-06-23-ethiopia-regime-manfesto-uprooting-sidama-from-city.pdf . An inhumanly baptized regional president has blabbered unpalatably using government owned Medias to deny the fact that the plan on federalizing Sidama capital was from the government instead claiming as if it was the fabrication of Sidama Diaspora oppositions- shamefully to swallow back his regurgitated words 6 weeks later. Several thousands have been detained for voicing their anger and taking part in demonstrations; detention and torture is an ongoing business in Sidamaland and it is the case as we speak. Federal regime and its regional agents change and chop their accounts-promising one thing today and do another the next morning. 

Time and again to this date, the Sidama nation has shown their utter disappoint for such failure of the regime in responding to the quest of Sidama nation for regional self administration despite the promises of late PM who had repeatedly went to Sidama land to deceive Sidama nation by telling them that the Sidama nation can be an independent country as per the constitution let alone be able to administer its own region. On several occasions the late PM had also promised the Sidama nation to be granted regional status until he passed away without allowing the Sidama nation to have its own regional status.  

For demanding these constitutional rights, several thousands of Sidama civilians, Sidama Farmers, University students, Intelligentsia, Business community and the society at large are continually threatened, unlawfully arrested, intimidated, repressed and excessively suppressed, economically marginalized and continually terrorized by the direct order of the current PM whose command gets implemented by his regional entourage, Shiferaw Shugute and his other Sidama Zone collaborators all of whom conspire with the central regime, the regime that grossly violates the fundamental rights of Sidama people individually & collectively; http://www.amnesty.org/en/region/ethiopia/report-2013. 

Therefore, as long as the constitutional quest of the Sidama nation for regional self administration remains unanswered, planning on federalizing the Sidama capital is a crime the regime commits against its own constitution. Blatantly undermining the ongoing voices of over 6 million Sidama people for the last 22 years is also another crime against humanity.  In the past 22 years of the regime’s reign, the consequences of its actions caused unnecessary deaths, poverty, continued repression and gross violations of civilian rights in Sidamaland and others parts of the country.

The culprits of the Loqqe massacre are still at large and to make the situation worst they are planning for similar or for bigger genocide if they dare pushing with their proposed plan on federalizing the Sidama capital without proper consultation and approval of the Sidama nation. This is simply because the Sidama nation never allows its ancestral land to be given away for the benefits of a few of regime cadres who have massacred and keep actively involved in all injustices perpetrated against the Sidama people in Sidama land.

Therefore, the USPFJ strongly condemns the said plan and demands its immediate and unconditional reversal. We also demand the regime to unconditionally grant Sidama nation its constitutional rights to regional self administration that are granted to others nations whose populations are 16 times smaller than that of the Sidama nation. There hasn’t been, there isn’t and there will never be justifiable reasons in stifling the Sidama nation’s quest for regional self administration as long the constitution remains intact.  

The sons and daughters of Sidama nation those who are unlawfully imprisoned for claiming their rights must be unconditionally released and reinstalled to their respective positions of employments. Those who are plotting for another massacre are mainly the individuals who were actively involved in the decision and management of Loqqe massacre of Sidama civilians. These individuals and groups must be brought to justice involving the current PM, Hailemariam Desalegn. For any Sidama life likely to be killed due to this plot, Mr Desalegn bears prime responsibilities. The economic injustice, deliberate and systematic poverty induced in Sidama land as means of punishing and silencing Sidama nation must be also unconditionally stopped.

We call up the entire subjugated nations and international humanitarian, governmental and nongovernmental organizations to support the just causes of the Sidama nation and to hold the current Ethiopian regime for all crimes unfolding in Sidama region in particular and in the entire country in general into account. We also urge donor- Western governments and NGO’s to critically review their indirect support of injustices in Sidama in particular and in Ethiopian in general and demand Ethiopian TPLF/EPRDF regime to stop gross violations of human rights and impinging on civil liberties. We also urge the HRW, AI and others international human rights organizations to work with Sidama and others Ethiopian Diaspora to exert pressure on their respective governments until the current Ethiopian regime abides with international values and  respect fundamental rights and civil liberties.  

Peace, Justice, Liberty and Fairness to all Humanity!!

United Sidama Partied fro Freedom and Justices, June 11, 2013

The Sidama Nation Globally Commemorates the 11th Anniversary of Its Fallen Heroes of May 24, 2002!

 

Sidama Community United Kingdom, May 25, 2013

On a very bright morning in Sidama land, on May 24, 2002, between 10:30 and 11:00am local time; the Sidama people of all walks of life staged on a peaceful and non-violent Demonstration after fully exhausting the constitutional requirements that is needed to undertake such an activity. Carrying the leaves of trees and Ethiopian flags, the demonstrators peacefully started to march towards their capital city, Hawassa which is located at the distance of about 3 km from where they have been planning to hold the said peaceful demonstration when they were encountered with deliberately targeted barbaric acts after they have nearly travelled about a kilometre from the point they were gathering.

The objectives of the demonstration was in protest of the government’s decision to remove the administrative right of their capital (Hawassa)- from Sidama to the federal government in addition to the issues related with regional self administration quest, the Sidama nation is constitutionally guaranteed, yet denied. Whilst the Sidamas were peacefully demonstrating, suddenly, they were met with several armoured vehicles with machine guns and others hundreds of army personnel all of whom live shot into the upcoming crowds without warning-instantly killing over hundred Sidama civilians and wounding about 250-300.

With Sidama civilian demonstrators about three Sidama police officers were also summarily executed by the army for demanding them and police officers to stop the killing of Sidama’s peaceful and unarmed civilians. For being humane and genuine the said Sidama police officers also paid ultimate sacrifices for the causes of justices with others Sidama civilians. The dead bodies of hundreds of Sidama civilians were left on the street for the entire day whereas others seriously wounded unfortunately died in the middle of highly grown up corn plantation; most of whose dead bodies eventually devoured by hyenas. Others several seriously wounded civilians were also left to loss their blood and die in an agonising pain as health professionals weren’t allowed to help them until after 6 hours, after the shootings. After 6 hours of the shootings, the dead bodies of the Sidama people were dragged and some of them thrown to the pickup cars and an ISUZU lorry to be eventually dumped in Hawassa health centre. The families of the dead Sidama civilians weren’t allowed to collect the bodies of their beloved ones up until 3rd or 4th days.

Strict curfew was imposed throughout Sidama region for weeks and the Sidama was fully militarised from corner to corner. Those culprits who have ordered, stage-managed and monitored the massacre of the Sidama civilians are widely circulating in Sidamaland to date until now, and most of them are promoted to higher authority statuses.

As we commemorate the 11th anniversary of such tragic acts of the regime sponsored terrorism against law abiding Sidama civilians with our brothers and sisters [the sons and daughters of others subjugated nations of Ethiopia], our thought goes to the families and relatives of Sidama victims of Loqqe massacre of May 24, 2002. We also salute their courage, determination and indefatigable decisions whilst they took to the streets of Sidamaland demanding their fundamental rights defying the mightiness of the regime’s live ammunitions to pay ultimate sacrifices. We also believe that this is the kind of crime taking places in Oromia, Ogadenia, Gambella, Shakicho Kaficho and others regions of subjugated nations with varying degrees. We salute the strengths of all civilians whose ultimate contributions in the end will make the dreams of their respective nation’s reality.

We’re commemorating Sidama victims of atrocity of May 24, 2002, in conjunction with psychological thought of those all Ethiopians who have lost their precious lives for simple reasons of seeking justice, liberty, human dignity and respect for fundamental rights; the essential elements all are denied by the successive Ethiopian regimes including the incumbent one.

As we all gathered here in London on May 25, 2013, in a free land where the rule of law is part and parcel of the whole society, our hearts and minds travel thousands of miles, dissecting clouds and ocean alike to share the sufferings of those who are unfortunately left back in Ethiopia, under the rule of jungle where democracy and democratic values remain meaningless.

Therefore,
The Sidama nation wholeheartedly reaffirms its oaths on its determination until it asserts the rights of Sidama nation for which cause its fallen Sidama heroes paid ultimate sacrifices!

The Sidamas in Sidamaland and in Diaspora remember this Day, as the day of Sidama Martyrs and salute them all for their precious sacrifices of life. We all Sidamas, young and old, female and male alike never forget the ultimate sacrifices those heroes paid on behalf of our nation.

We the Sidamas wholeheartedly thank the representatives of Oromia, Ogadenia, Shakacho Kaficho and others subjugated nations’ brothers and sisters for showing us their usual solidarity by taking part in whatever we do on behalf of our systematically subjugated and deliberately brutalised nation.

Finally, we demand the support of the international community and strongly suggest to hold the Ethiopian current regime into account for its inhuman treatment of civilians and bring those who’re responsible for Loqqee massacre of Sidama civilians and others similar massacres and genocides committed by this very regime all over the country. We also demand the current Ethiopian regime to stop the acts of barbarism towards civilians, intelligentsia, journalists, opposition members and the wider societies at large.

May the Souls of Sidama Victims of atrocity and others Ethiopian nation’s peoples who have paid similar sacrifices Rest in Peace!!

Sidama Community UK, May 25, 2013, 

London, United Kingdom