History Repeats Itself!

The Case of Sidama nation (North East Africa-South Ethiopia)

By Akako Wonshsho, From Sidamaland, May 2, 2013

Human quest for freedom, respect for own identity to preserve and protect it from obliteration, naturally craving for human and democratic rights and asserting its continuances, realization of self-determination, socio–economic, socio–cultural, political and by large progress in development advancement had been started  since time immemorial. Even though such desire for freedom, liberty and emancipation does not exempt any segment of societies residing in every corner/region of the world,  a quest for freedom encountered in developing countries is more pronounced, particularly in least developed ones as compared to developed. The secret behind this is that political subjugation and economic exploitation of the oppressors against the oppressed is significantly higher in least developed countries. This hypothesis becomes credible when we see the fact that the level of resistance against oppression is lower in poorest countries.

However, we can logically argue that it remains quite certain that as long as political oppression and economic exploitation of oppressed and suppressed nations persists, the resistance to get rid of the rulers will continue indefinitely. The more the oppression, the bitter will be the struggle. This argument also flares up the fact that ‘as the period of resistance struggle increases the irreconcilable contradiction between the oppressed and the rulers will be more intensified’, and at the end of last phase of the struggle the conflict between these antagonizing groups will reach to its highest climax which marks that arduous, bitter and vehement struggle waged by overwhelming majority of the oppressed against the rulers will be more intensive which eventually results in overthrow or demolishment of given despotic regimes of any country.

However, after it is defeated, the previous ruling group will try its level play best to weaken the new state established by oppressed nations of any country. The despotic rulers or parties use various means of coercion to disintegrate the unity and solidarity of the new government. The new rulers deploy all sorts of divide and rule tactics to dissolve the establishments by giving power to their obedient, empowering small ethnic groups, dividing the people by ethnic, geographical area, religion, wealth and so on. Moreover, they use previous ones and create new elite group at various levels who serve the very interest of despotic leaders.

In most cases the aforementioned elite groups become running dogs of rulers and serve as instrument of subjugation and exploitation of their own people on behalf of the rulers whose objectives remain ruling the subjects with barbaric tyranny. Such despotic actions of the rulers and their affiliates play freedom impeding and emancipation prolonging role on the part of the subjugated. Even if after lapse of considerable period of struggle against the tyrants and if it eventuates defeat /overthrow of the rulers, similar cycle of events of political subjugation and economic exploitation of the oppressed by the oppressor will continue until the intensification of irreconcilable contradiction between the subdued and the ruler sharpens more than ever to become more extensive and intensive until the ruling regime is totally ousted to replace it with the systems that values humanity on equal basis.

The systematic tactics and methodology of political subjugation and economic exploitation adopted by the oppressors against the oppressed might differ from the previous oppressors in its style when the new one assumes authority. Even though some sorts of confusions and misconceptions arise resulted from different social orders that are claimed to be used as various forms of exploitation instruments; the substances of political subjugation and economic exploitation will be the same- further indicating the relationship created between the rulers and ruled is essentially similar to that of the former.

Such cycle of political subjugation and economic exploitation by ruling regime is maintained until radical and new state building and strengthening measures taken; and these events in the course of history include (external powers interference, divide and rule tactics being deployed, impeding roles of elites at various levels, role  of hypocritical historians, lack of integrity, unity, levels of socio –political consciousness on the part of the peoples at alrge, unfulfilled subjective as well as objective conditions, high levels of poverty). Quest for freedom is relatively limited as result of which levels of active involvement against resistance is less significant, as is the case with Sidama nation in particular and other oppressed nations, nationalities and peoples of Ethiopia in general- under the three successive regimes including the current one.

Radical change bearing struggle of resistance must be launched against despotic regimes for emancipation of the oppressed nations and break the cycles of political subjugations and economic exploitations adopting consorted efforts involving all stakeholders. To put it in crystal clear manner, it is becoming more and more logical on the fact that there is an ever increasing need to wage arduous and bitter struggle against such hideously brutal, savagely bestial, so despotic and authoritarian regime that brutalize citizens whom it is meant to protect- to bring about its inevitably faster downfalls.

To re-put it in a net shell, it would be quite obvious that the need to undertake such comprehensive and protracted struggle of resistance enhancing and strengthening  of active involvement and alliance of all parties/organizations of oppressed nations to bring about the final doom of this ethno-fascist regime. Doing so can be achieved through coordination, maintaining and leading of concerted and collaborative efforts of all segments of societies, social groups, liberation organizations/parties at large involving the entire public to assert the accomplishment of such tasks. These tasks are indeed considered as fulfilment of such sacred historical mission expected from every beloved citizen and the peoples of the country at large--whose unreserved and relentless efforts  are not only essential but also mandatory to eventually uproot and dismantle such rapacious and tyrannical/vulgar regime on whose grave establishment and consolidation of democratic social order in which every oppressed nation enjoys from its outcome (equality, emancipation, unity, prosperity, integrity, solidarity, etc) as privileged group from mutual assistance for mutual benefits of all involved in the vehement struggle waged against such voracious and indeed barbarous regime that of the current TPLF/EPRDF’s one.

If we work hard based on unity of purposes, we all shall triumph!

Victory to Sidama People and others subjugated Nations!

Akako Wonshsho, From Sidamaland, May 2, 2013

Ollonkke Qerxeemmo!!

Sidaama Poem by Akako Wonshsho, 

May 2, 2013, from Sidamaland!

Ollonkke Qerxeemmo Qarra buqqisate

halamme xoolate,

Sidaamuu dagara Kajinne loosate!

Manchu beetti heeshsho beebbaho tugaawori,

Meeya labbaahura wotto kalaqaawori,

Hexxo kudunsite lopho hunttannori,

 Qarruwa bacate rewote ebbannori,

Kalaqamu abbe naqaawo dirbabbanna,

Heeshsho huluullise gadachitawo manna!

Darbino daninni xeenu wayi hoogeenna,

Loosamino gidi xoxewe ba’eenna,

Korkaatunni ka’e hude burqiteenna,

Intayiri angayiri horontta hoogeenna,

Qarraho unbbanni hude quursiteenna,

Uulate tenqeenyi hattono xiwanna,

Olunna lolahu jaddo kalaqeenna,

Dawaawano goonfayi quxoonni fulteenna,

Xissonna xidanu gobbate uwiro,

Tayissara dandiitawo manchi siddo horo!

Qarruwa buusante beeshshiteenna faro,

Gargadhe ajishate qarruwate bikka,

Balanxe huwantayi rakkote ka’ima,

Aanchine buuxate qarruwate dana,

Sufote loosinni abbate woyyimma,

Xiinxallote gumi ikeenna wodaaha,

Dhiibba taraawaaha garuyi ittisate,

Kalaqamu qarri bikka ajishate,

Ballimmanna baambbe buqise hunate,

Rumudda buximayita buqqise fushshate,

Qarruwa baalantta loonse qerxeemate,

Mittimma kaajinshshe laalaante loosate,

Halamme loonsiro miinjja batinsanni,

Heeshsho woyeesate injjo halashshinanni,

Qarra rakko baala mitee buqinsanni,

Buxuqqamme loonsse buljja ikkinanni,

Dagoomu miinjjano baasa lossinanni,

Xaphoomunino lopho latinssanni,

Woyaabino lophpho gumuni la’ate,

Sidaamu uurinshsha Ledo  Mitteni (SLM) lonssani

Sidaamu dagara halaaluyiya lopho kajishe lossate

Ledo gutu gaara kalanqqenna

Mittimma sharramate deerra aggaxinanni

Garinni sigiigee wolapho abbi’dha

Hati yenomoti mitte dogo note!!

Poem by Akako Wonshsho, from Sidamaland May 2, 2013

Qeelle Sidaamu Dagara!!!

Hypocritically Instigated Simulations!

Poem by Akako Wonshsho, May 2, 2013

Everything that appears

never tantamount to that it actually seems!

For milk of magnesia,

dare not identify itself to cow’s milk scum,

As all that is gold does not shine,

as other metal that fully glitters,

Remote past common proverbs,

Never uncommon,

if they are not predominantly used sayings,

of descendants of human races,

Used to make contradistinction,

between things and events by many ethnicities,

Knowing many languages,

and their use under various circumstances!

We heard and read about,

their centuries lasted stories,

to justify them by providing eye witnesses,

as evidence for  generation old,

social  - orders’ (three)  based clues!

Their forms seem to differ,

but have essentially one content,

which boils down from “three contents”

to only one serving as denominator!

Having encountered them all along decades,

Non of them were open for dialogues,

nor geared to compromise with,

Claiming as if each of the three,

manifested no feature of impudence,

It was a disgusting,

nay, despotic, regimes,

Fulfilled objective realities,

should be considered as guiding compass,

the clue of which need to be used by joined naysayers,

who signed the pact to eventually to demolish

the evil current system!!

For better and most dependable development let’s always elect SLM!

Victory to Sidama People and others subjugated nations and nationalities of Ethiopia!

By Akako Wonshsho, From Sidamaland, May 2, 2013

Amate Sokka (Wiinamu Sokka Baalunkura!)

By Akako Wonshsho, 

May 2, 2013, From Sidamaland

Diinu woyya wolqanna burkuta hayyo hoo’roonsire hedeweelchcho horre Sidaamu gobbana manna kadote gashshootira ewe sa’asi sa’u woggati dagoomu xagge qullaawu garinni xawisse sa’inno halaaleeti. Hattenne yanna albaanni Sidamu manni umisi gashshoote, dagoomunna–miinjjju, dagoomunna budu, botolikunna wole lophote handaarra gashshooti annaati. Kadote gashshooti hundda gadado qunaate gala hanafihu gedensaanni allagichu manninkke aanna loonsotinna loosanni noo buuto, hantaalonna dawaawano bikkimale ikkase faajjete.

Woyyaawino garinni manchi beeti taaloonyira uurinoha gadate gashshoote billaalise diinu gashshooti rumuxanno gede asse gadadise gashsha, miinjjanna kalaqamu jiro baala raawe mulqi’re horronsi’ranni heera, qoonqossi, budesi, jirtesi, seerasinna ayimasi xawo fushano injosi horo ba’anno asse umisi budinna seerira guluphite galtanno asse ciigishshe gashshanni heerasinna xaphomunino hajo baalantera aliidiha ikke dagoominkke heeshsho addintanni lowo geeshsha gadadaame ikkiteenna manninkke darbitino buxima giddo uwe heeranno asitay keeshansa Sidaamu manni sa’u gashshootubba hundaanni gadadame gali xagge reqecci assite sa’inno halaaleeti.

Allagichu dagoominkke ayiimma qoosso, manninaatunna demokraaste qoosso, kalaqamu uuyinota umo gashshate qoosso, miinjinsanna botolikinssa gashshaano ikkannoki gede agawe hoole umisi gashshooti hundda wolqate gadadame guluphanno assate babbaxitinno hayyo hoo’roonsiranni keeshshasi xawoho.

Wolqqa hooroo’nsira, waajishiisha, babbada, sacha, harunssa, shiimu mannira woxe woy uulla woy yara gashoote uwaateennina wole hayyo ho’roonsire kadamino manni mereero baxillu, mittimma, halama, allagicho aaninni hoo’late gutu gaara kalaqqannoki gede assaninna kadote mannu fulanokki assitanno farrana dano loosaniiti xa yanara he’nonihu. Kuni aleeni la’numori ikino daafira sa’u gashshootubba mimmituwayichinni baxitannohu heedhu/kalaqantu yannannina su’minsanninna kadote hayyonna wolurinni callaati kadote amadooshensa la’ahunni baalunkku assooti jeefo manchi beetto gargadhanno wolqqanna hayyora ka’ima ikkitanno injjo baala roqqite hoolte kade gashshate.

Sidaamu mannino heeshonsara woyya qarruwa kalaqe hundasii guluphe galannota malano diina aaninni hoo’late afoo arrawo xaade mittimmate sharramanni yannasi, woxesinna lubbosi baatanni keeshasi dagoomu xagge xawisino halaaleeti. Ikkollana xaa geesha manigadu allagichi wollqanna burkuta hayyo horoonsiranni noo daafo hendanni garinni wolaphosi afira didandiino.

Tenne yannarano mannankke darbbimalu qarri giddo tugate woyya irkko ikkitannosi farra loosanni mannankke yawuuchishannina mittimasi diiganni leellano. Hasattosi wonshirateno xaa yannara mannankke minfulunni, qachunni, qametenni, olluunni, ga’retenni, woradunni, amma’notenni, woxunni, shiimu mannira uulla, yara gashootena wolere qeeche babbadaninna mittu ayiidoomi ooso mereero uminsa botolikkira guluphphitanno gaamo kalqenna wole dawaawano sirse manninkke mittimma beco hune ciigishe gashshate woyya woxenna badaase gashate lowo irkko ikitanno hayyo horo asi’re mannankke woyya qarri giddo tuge hegeraawate buxuqame loos’iranni noo yannaati.

Ikiyo daafira manninkke ayiimma huwachiishate, manninaatunna demokraasete qooso garunni agadhate, meessi gashshoote uurrisiratenna xaphomunnino wolaphonkke afi’ne kado aaninni hoo’late afoo arrawo xaandde mittimmate sharrama noo dooriweelonkeeti.

Ayiiradu Sidaamu mannankke teenne ikito wo’mu wodaninni huwaxite kaajado mittimma kalaqidhe kadotenna darbbimale buximara ebbannota bacu daninni akkimalete qarruwara reqeci asitannota allagichu mixo sigiiggino sharronni buluushshine wolaphonkke ilate diinu babbadooshira ayee bakko ikkeennano guluphinummokkinni dhdhabata mittimmanna silisu hayyo horo assi’ne diinu gano batachate illete liphphora nafa huluullamummokkinni mittimma ka’no!

Qeelle Sidaamu Dagara!

By Akako Wonshsho, from Sidamaland, May 2, 2013

The Sidama Liberation Movement (SLM) Withdraws from the Ethiopian Local Elections amid Widespread Rights Abuses!

Press Release

By United Sidama Parties for Freedom and Justice (USPFJ)

14 April 2013

The 14 April 2013 local government elections in Ethiopia have been marred by widespread abuses of the representatives and supporters of the Sidama Liberation Movement (SLM), which remains the main opposition political movement in the Sidama region. The SLM accuses the regional and Sidama EPRDF cadres of continued intimidation, harassment and persecution of its representatives and supporters during the period leading up to the elections.

 

The SLM members in all 19 districts of the Sidama administration who were nominated to contest in the stated elections have often been arrested and imprisoned for prolonged period of time to intimidate them and deter them from contesting the elections. The elected SLM representatives were barred from freely campaigning in the Sidama region. To the astonishment of the Sidama people and in an outright contempt to any democratic principles, Duka’le Lamisso, the Vice Chairperson of the Sidama Liberation Movement continues to languish in EPRDF jail in Hawassa. The hope for his release to campaign for the local elections was dashed as the EPRDF regime chose to unleash further crackdown on the remaining elected officials of the movement.

The ERPDF administrators in the Sidama region and Southern Regional State blocked any access by the opposition political parties to the media. Opposition political parties in the region including SLM were barred from accessing the government owned regional television services, as well as the only radio services in Sidama that broadcasts in the Sidama language.  The latter was established by the support of donor funds under the Sidama Development Programme to broadcast academic and adult education programs and promote the development of the Sidama language and culture. The radio station was however confiscated by the ruling EPRDF cadres and is currently being used as the party propaganda machine.

Following the botched general elections in 2005 and 2010, the EPRDF government closed any political space for its political opponents throughout the country turning the country in to a virtual one party state. Currently there is only one representative in the legislator, the House of People’s Representatives, with 545 members. The continued intimidation, harassment, arrest imprisonment and torture of the representatives of the opposition political parties decimated any hope for political pluralism, good governance and accountability in the country. Citizens’ democratic and human rights have been abused at massive scales with impunity throughout the most regions in the country.  The country is in downward spirals in democratic dispensation.

The support for EPRDF in the Sidama region evaporated following the failure of the regional and federal governments to address the age-old demand of the Sidama people for regional self-administration. The demand for regional self-administration was re-echoed from all corners of Sidama in 2012 following the announcement by the regional EPRDRF cadres to place the administration of the Sidama capital city, Hawassa, under the federal government http://www.sidama.org/persecution/2012-06-23-ethiopia-regime-manfesto-uprooting-sidama-from-city.pdf. The main objective of such announcement was to permanently silence the Sidama question for equitable political voice and accountability in the country. The Sidama nation rejected the forced amalgamation by EPRDF in 1993 into the Southern Ethiopia Regional Administration, which constitutes 56 different nations and nationalities in the Southern part of the country stretching from the Ethio-Kenyan boarder in the South to the country’s border with South Sudan in the west.

As an organization founded on heroic Sidama anti-feudal resistance movement since the late 1960s, the SLM spearheaded the Sidama demand for regional self-administration during its armed struggle with defunct military–cum-socialist dictatorship between 1975 and 1982 during which the movement liberated three former high land districts from the then brutal regime. During the armed struggle the Sidama nation lost over 30,000 heroic fighters.

Following the downfall of the socialist regime in 1991, the Sidama Liberation Movement was one of the few opposition political movements that formed the Transitional Government with the EPRDF. However, the alliance was short-lived as the EPRDF systemically purged all the national liberation movements and free political organizations and replaced them with “people’s democratic originations” that it quickly fabricated after 1991.  In Sidama, it created the Sidama People’s Democratic Organization (SPDO) in 1992 which was dissolved recently to create a single EPRDF branch for the 56 nations in the South.

In essence, therefore, SLM remains the only political organization that is operating in Sidama today outside of the Sidama political parties primarily based in Diaspora, notably the United Sidama Parties for Freedom and Justice.

As the sole voice of the people SLM therefore echoed the voice of the Sidama people under the prerogatives of the very constitution promulgated by the EPRDF itself. However, this was not to be. In few days leading up to the 14 April 2013 elections the EPRDF regime made it impossible for the SLM representatives and its supporters to hold meetings, travel to districts to visit polling  stations, and contact the electorates. The elected officials, members and supporters of SLM have been arrested and beaten and imprisoned. One member in Hawassa district was beaten unconscious and dozens were wounded across the 19 districts. Nevertheless, this did not intimidate the Sidama people. They rose in unison from corner to corner and rejected the regional cadres who attempted to visit the 19 districts to garner support for EPRDF candidates. In all districts the regional puppet president visited, he faced stiff opposition. The Sidama people told him to his face that he was a traitor who denigrated the Sidama people due to their rightful demand for regional self-administration. In most districts civilian’s chanted slogans with the Sidama wise words: “lukkichchu quuppe qallano, Gobba mamani hiranno!” roughly translated as: “even chicken give birth to eggs; who betrays his land?” 

Cognizant of the total rejection by the Sidama civilians, the regional puppet president requested military assistance from the federal government to quell the “unrest” in Sidama leading up to the third botched elections on 14 April 2013. Sidama is once again like a war zone, soldiers roaming in districts towns reminding the people of the brutal Loqqe massacre of May 24, 2002.

Preliminary assessment by the election observers of SLM who managed to reach to the polling stations have confirmed that the Sidama EPRDF cadres have been filling ballot boxes with fake electorate names and distributing them to all polling stations. EPRDF has made it clear for the consecutive 22^nd years that it does not care about the voice of the people. Even if SLM was able to contest, the votes of the electorate do not matter. Results are predetermined making a mockery of democracy in East Africa where our neighboring country, Kenya, just conducted the most democratic and successful elections in the history of the continent, praised by the international community.

Under these circumstances, SLM had no choices but to announce its unequivocal withdrawal from the sham election; while affirming to the Sidama people that it would continue its peaceful struggle until the Sidama people achieve self-determination.

The United Sidama Parties for Freedom and Justice, therefore,

·  Condemns the gross violations of the fundamental human rights by EPRDF in Sidama; and call up on the regime to desist from further ill treatments of the Sidama people!

·  Calls up on all democracy loving institutions in the country to condemn the ongoing atrocities in Sidama!

· Calls up on the international community to condemn the Ethiopian regime for continued violations of fundamental human rights in Sidama!

·  Calls up on the African Union and the United Nations organizations to condemn the brutal acts of suppression by the Ethiopian regime in Sidama and within entire Ethiopia.

United Sidama Parties for Freedom (USPFJ)

April 14, 2013

A Call to the Ethiopian Regime to unconditionally stop Systematic and Continuous Violation of the Constitutional rights of Sidama People! 

United Sidama Parties for Freedom and Justice (USPFJ)

Press Release, June 10, 2012 

The Systematic and Continued Violations of Human Rights by the Ethiopian Regime 

The current Ethiopian regime continues to grossly violate the rights of its citizens disregarding its own constitution that guarantees these rights. Human misery and suffering continues amid abject poverty, high diseases burden and lack of respect to fundamental human rights such as freedom of expression, assembly and continued intolerance to diverging ideas and opinions. 

The complete absence of the aforementioned essential elements in a modern democratic principle makes the current Ethiopian regime the only place on the planet where the disciples of darkness lead the country towards an unpredictable end. The regime does conduct such hideous actions enjoying the support of Western powers politicians whose vested interests outweigh the sufferings of over 85 million Ethiopians although the majority of the citizens (tax payers) of the Western countries don’t share their politician’s unfair foreign policy stances. 

The Ethiopian regime is so virulent to any opposing ideas contrary to its malicious ideologies of brutalizing citizens and targeting all without distinction. Due to the heinous nature, actions and behaviors of the incumbent regime, the citizens of the country live in an atmosphere where relentless intimidation and surveillance is a daily phenomenon. 

The majority of the citizens of the country are collectively repressed, suppressed, intimidated, tortured, killed, imprisoned and abused for their views and political opinions. A very few cadres in each region and 
administrative areas are given absolute power to do the job for the regime enjoying regime’s uncompromised protection. The Sidama people commemorated one of such heinous acts of the regime, the 10th Anniversary of the Loqqe massacre on the 24th of May 2012. Most of the architects of the Loqqe Sidama massacre were promoted to higher authorities for ordering the massacre of innocent Sidama civilians and effectively managing reactions of the Sidama people to the massacre after the aftermaths of the atrocity; and still the culprits are circulating in the society. 


The state expropriates the resources of Sidama as well as other regions by leaving the majority in absolute poverty. Its political party owned trading companies have increasingly monopolized most businesses using the names of various investors. Business opportunities are increasingly interlinked with party membership and loyalty to the regime’s political cadres- as do employment opportunities at the public sectors. Religious rights are often restricted and closely supervised including recently planned religious monasteries for demolishing without being given due attention to religious freedom. The current Ethiopian Muslim’s movement for their rights is so politicized where the leaders are regarded as an anti-regime elements or terrorists. However, the demand of the citizens from all corners of the country regardless of their religious background for freedom and liberty and justice continues unabated. Several political prisoners and journalists languish in prison where kangaroo-courts exist symbolically. 

Divide and Rule tactics to cause further bloodshed between Sidama and Oromo

The current Ethiopian regime continually deploys ‘divide and rule’ tactics. This involves creating artificial conflicts between the two subjugated nation’s peoples such as Sidama and Oromo, Sidama and Wolayita, Oromo and Afar, Oromo and Sumali....and others. Currently, the regime is orchestrating such conflict between Sidama and Oromo around Wondo Tiqa, Tatessa and Rimma areas of the Sidama region neighboring Oromia. The said plan is underway and is mature enough to cause further bloodshed between the two. Since 1992 such regime’s masterminded conflicts caused incalculable damages to human 
lives and resources to both Oromo and Sidama peoples that peacefully and fraternally coexisted for centuries resolving minor conflicts arising and related with land grazing. The need to understand the hidden agendas of the regime is paramount as is resolving any minor conflicts in costmary manners where elders of both parties resolve issues wisely and democratically in Gadaa and Luwaa systems respectively. 

Regime’s further vicious plans targeting Sidama People.

Since day one, the Sidama region remained the focal point of repression and suppression in the South from where the regime’s business companies and politicians expropriate the resources to enrich their region. Besides, the Sidama nation didn’t accept regime’s hidden policies of divide and rule since its inception. Therefore, silencing the Sidama people in the south remains one of the key objectives of the regime. The ultimate goal of stifling the constitutional rights of the Sidama people to self determination is therefore 
nullifying their economic role in their own city as the regime is determined to use Hawassa city as its capital for about 56 distinct southern nations under the name of ‘Southern Ethiopia Nations and Nationalities and People’s Regional State. 

The regime leaves, no stone unturned to ensure that the voice of the Sidama people is silenced. While some regions with population smaller than 300,000 are accorded regional status, the Sidama people whose population is 15 times larger than these regions remains squashed under the South region. As a result, the Sidama people continue to pay precious sacrifices of their lives seeking these very constitutional rights. 

Recent development in Sidama and the Action Plan of the dictatorial regime! 

Recently, about several dozens of the Sidama people are collectively imprisoned from whom none has received fair trial to date. The majorities of the said groups of Sidamas who are in jail currently were hand picked by the regime for this particular purpose and currently imprisoned under the pretext 
of corruption. The regime intends to prove a fallacious point that the Sidama cadres are unable to govern the capital city of Sidama, Hawassa, therefore to justify a continued economic exploitation of the Sidama city without the involvement of its legitimate beneficiaries. The Sidama people fully recognize that this is a carefully designed plot by the regime to further undermine the continued Sidama demand for self determination. 

To implement the said undemocratic, unconstitutional and criminal acts against the constitutional rights of the Sidama people the systematic preparations are almost being finalized to completely uproot the Sidama people from administering their capital city, Hawassa. This is one of the preplanned objectives of the current foreign affairs minister (former Southern regional president prior to the Loqqe massacre of the Sidama civilians and the major player of the ordering of the massacre of the Sidama civilians); the current southern regional president and the PM are tirelessly working towards the said objectives. Their scapegoats, ‘the hand picked Sidama cadres’ renegades) were already thrown into jail. 

To further the above plans aimed at incapacitating Sidama nation’s all round lives, the regime recently conducted a week long meetings for both political appointees and the employees of the municipality of the city of Hawassa. The purposes of the meeting that’s started on June 4, 2012 was about systematically lobbying Sidama people to fully handover their nominal power of administering Hawassa to the rulers as the Sidama failed to develop their city as it was fallaciously claimed by the regime to substantiate its hidden agendas of uprooting them from their land. The meeting was carried on until up to the 8th of the June 2012 where the outcome was disaster for the regime’s hidden agendas & it’s a typical tale-tale sign that the regime’s totally lost in all over the country. The Sidama proved this where all cadres as well as employees those who were summoned to the said meetings unanimously rejected regime’s plan defying odds. 

Most of the participants gallantly walked out of the meetings. The regime’s cadre facilitators were found soothing entire Sidama representatives of 19 Sidama districts including elders & the employees of the city of Hawassa without success. As the meetings were held separately for the regime to be able to garner support and deploy ‘dived and rule’ tactics; the representatives in all separate meetings unanimously requested for the immediate enquiry into the Loqee massacre of civilians for this very reason & for those who have ordered & carried out the massacre of the Sidama civilians on May 24, 2002 to be unconditionally brought to independent justice where the regime received an unexpected blow & the situation remains fluid. 

The failure of the current regime to understand and appreciate the extent, magnitude and depth of the consequences such tragic actions produces, is a cause for alarm by all! 

The outcome of such actions will be extremely dangerous to the whole region and beyond -as the Sidama people never give up their land and never give in to intimidation, torture, knell down to harassment, relentless imprisonment and killings!! 

Therefore, USPFJ:- 

1. Urges the current Ethiopian regime to unconditionally allow the Sidama people to exercise their constitutional rights to self determination without provoking and causing another bloodshed and massacre. The government would be reneging on its promise made by the PM himself after the failed May 2005 elections that the Sidama administration would never be moved from Hawassa and by the time the PM stated that he strongly believes that the Sidama people are constitutionally entitled to regional autonomy and therefore he agreed to fully endorse their claim that remains unresolved. The consequences of such breach of agreement would be catastrophic!


2. Unconditionally demands that the regime to stop imprisoning Sidama civilians whether they are cadres handpicked by them or otherwise to foster the unconstitutional, undemocratic and criminal agendas that aims at depriving the Sidama people of their rights to full economic involvement in their own capital city by removing their rights of administering their capital city.

3. Demands the regime to stop harassing, intimidating, imprisoning and torturing the Sidama people who raise about their legitimate rights to land ownership in their own capital & return their plots of lands they previously owned without further delay.

4. Urges the regime to stop trading the lands of all Ethiopians to the transnational companies unconditionally and return the lands to legitimate owners who are left without choices but destitute and are starving to death.

5. Calls up on all Ethiopian democracy cherishing civic organizations, political and non-political establishments to support the Sidama’s quest for self determination to avoid further bloodshed concomitant to this effect as the Sidama people never surrender their legitimate rights to their land! 

6. Emphatically rejects the incumbent regime’s undemocratic, uncivilized and barbaric behaviors, attitudes and practices and unequivocally reminds the regime that the Sidama people will have no option if it doesn’t respect their constitutional rights to self determination, but they will be obliged to take measures to protect their interests and fundamental rights. 

7. Requests the continued support of other Ethiopians who live in Sidama region and share their values, ways of lives and lived in Sidama region with the Sidama people peacefully and fraternally. 

8. Requests the Support of all others Ethiopian nations and nationalities that believe in democratic principles, fairness and equality that the Sidama people deserve in their demand to regional self determination. 

9. Also unequivocally affirms that it stands shoulder to shoulder with all Ethiopians who aspire to create just, fair, equal and democratic Ethiopia where the rule of law becomes supreme and all citizens shall have equal say and equally share the fruits of their country. 

10. Once again urges the incumbent regime to unconditionally respond to the demands of the Sidama people to avoid the emergence of further demand that not only shall be unpalatable to the regime but also that might be unsettling to those with whom Sidama people co-existed and continued to do so for dozens of decades peacefully and fraternally! 

11. Call up on international community, human rights organizations, Western nations and emerging economies politicians and their wider societies to urge the Ethiopian dictatorial regime to respect the fundamental and constitutional rights of the Ethiopian people in general the Sidama people in particular and further call up on them to urge Ethiopian regime to unconditionally stop selling the lands of Ethiopians for its financial gain at the expense of others’ severe pain! 

12. Mobilizes the struggle of the Sidama people and asserts that these are fully materialized democratically for freedom, justice, democracy and liberty! 

13. Strongly advises both Sidama and Oromo peoples to refrain from serving the hidden interests of the regime by exercising utmost restraint and working towards common interests of removing common enemy that brutalizes its citizens; and further advises other nations of Ethiopia with similar situations to understand the hidden agendas of the regime and respond accordingly. 

14. Makes crystal clear to the current dictatorial regime that our struggle with likeminded democracy loving Ethiopians shall continue unabated until Ethiopians in general and the Sidama people in particular are free from persecution, imprisonment, harassment, intimidation, unlawful killings and torture where eventually they are in a position to make their own choices without coercion. 

United Sidama Parties for Freedom and Justice, USPFJ,
June 10, 2012 

http://www.sidama.org/persecution/2012-05-31-uspfj-press-hawassa-city-plot.pdf

The 10th Anniversary of the Loqqe Massacre of Sidama Civilians Coincides with the Formation of ‘United Sidama Parties for Freedom and Justice 'USPFJ'!

Press Release by ‘USPFJ’ Press Release by ‘USPFJ’

May 24, 2012 May 24, 2012 , 

The Loqqe Massacre of the Sidama Civilians, 

On May 24, 2002, Sidama people of all walks of life staged on a peaceful, nonviolent and unarmed demonstration claiming their unconditional rights for regional autonomy that was accorded to the nations whose population is significantly smaller than that of theirs. The current estimated population of Sidama is over 5.5m. Despite their peaceful demand for regional autonomy, the demonstrators were met with live ammunitions from the army and the police forces that were assigned to monitor the protest. The regime’s political leadership from Sidama Zone, Southern Ethiopia Nations and Nationalities and People’s Regional State up to the central government carefully planned and managed the massacre. 

Up to 100 Sidama demonstrators from whom 69 were confirmed were slaughtered in a broad day light for which neither the killers nor those who ordered the massacre were held accountable for their hideous crimes against humanity. To this date, the Sidama families whose fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, relatives, sons and daughters died continually mourn their loss, and continue to do so until justice prevails.

The Current Political Developments in Sidama and Ethiopia at large,

The Ethiopian government continues to grossly violate fundamental rights of its citizen disregarding its own constitution that unequivocally guarantees these. The basic human rights and freedom of expression and assembly are not respected. There is no serration of powers and checks and balances in state apparatus. The legislative, the executive and the judiciary branches of government do not function independently. The defence and police forces solely serve the interest of the regime. People are incriminated for their political views, opinions, and their affiliation and for being members of certain ethnic/national groups. Currently, the Sidama people are reduced to virtual slaves in their own land where a very few renegades trade by their names. 


Abject poverty, deprivation, extra-judiciary arrests and killings and human misery characterize the lives of the majority of the citizens of the entire country. Sidama is not immune to the above. The security forces of the current regime indiscriminately fire into peacefully demonstrating crowds that claim constitutional rights enshrined in the constitution promulgated by the regime itself and collectively massacre hundreds with absolute impunity. 


The culprits and miscreants widely circulate among the society creating unstoppable havoc. The regime is so virulent to any opposing ideas contrary to its malicious ideologies of brutalizing citizens and targeting all without distinction. Citizens of the country live in an atmosphere where relentless intimidation and surveillance is a daily phenomenon. The regime’s politicians expropriate the resources of Sidama as well as the entire country by leaving the majority with absolute poverty. 


Although the degree to which the Sidama people are subjugated differs, all peoples of Ethiopia are being collectively repressed and punished by the incumbent regime for their views and for being ‘who they are’. There is no safe heaven for all who are being ruled by the incumbent regime. Thus, the need to work together to ensure the transfer of power to the people is increasingly becoming a matter of survival for all involved. Cognizant of this fact, three hitherto independent Sidama political organizations came together to form a united front for freedom and justice under the banner of ‘United Sidama Parties for Freedom and Justice’ (USPFJ) on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Loqqe massacre, i.e. May 24, 2012 whilst globally Commemorating Sidama victims of atrocity. 

Brief Background on Sidama Resistance Movements, 

The Sidama people had never accepted the conquest of King Minelik II since the early 1890s peacefully. Several initial attempts by the invading army were repulsed by the Sidama heroes and heroines. Leulesged and Beshah Aboye, the two famous war leaders of the said King, met formidable resistance from the Sidama people. The first wave of Menellik’s invading army was fully defeated by the gallant Sidama warriors led by their (Mottes) kings and Gaadana (war leaders). However, the second wave of invaders came up with superior and the then modern weaponry provided to them by their European colonial counterparts to consolidate their grip onto the Sidamaland and its resources to tame the nation for eternal subjugation. Several atrocities were committed by the invading army during pre and post WWII periods as to avenge those armed resistance movements. Some villages were totally wiped out with their entire population amounting to genocide. 


The Sidama people however continued their resistance for the last 122 years albeit limited success. The current derive to consolidate the fragmented Sidama political movements signifies the importance of preserving the achievements of the liberation struggles of our forefathers and forge ahead in unison for self determination. 

Sidama Opposition Parties and the Need for a United Voice,

The Sidama Liberation Movement (SLM), Sidama Liberation Front (SLF) and Sidama National Liberation Organization (SNLO) are a continuation of over 120 years of resistance movements of the wider Sidama nation for freedom, justice, and self-determination. The USPFJ aims at harnessing political, economic, social and cultural advancement of the Sidama people. It also strives to forge alliances with likeminded political and nonpolitical organizations that work towards asserting justices, freedom, liberty and equality of opportunity to all Ethiopians where the ultimate goal shall be enabling the majority to determine their own destiny. 


In light of such extremely appalling situation that all Ethiopians are in general and the Sidama people are in particular are; the Sidama Liberation Movement, Front and National Liberation Organization agree to create a conceptual understanding on the need to have an Umbrella organization whose main objective is to mobilize and lead popular struggle that enables the Sidama people to exert consorted pressure to bring an end to the highly repressive and authoritarian system that reduced the lives of its citizens to a virtual slavery under its deceitful tactics of ‘Divide-And-Rule'. 



Therefore, the Sidama opposition parties unanimously agree that the collective approach to bring an end to the suffering of the Sidama people primarily and the wider peoples of  Ethiopia at large shall be paramount. 

The need for a globally collaborative action to stop the Sufferings of Ethiopians! 

In the light of the available evidences on the nature, attitude, behaviours and practices of the incumbent Ethiopian regime that depersonalised  dehumanized and reduced its subjects to virtual objects where its political cadres use and throw them as perishable items:- 


• The USPFJ urges all Sidama people within the country as well as in Diaspora to stand shoulder to shoulder in their attempt to work towards ending the vicious circles of injustice and systematically denigrating treatment imposed on Sidama people by the incumbent regime. 

• The USPFJ calls up on international community in particular Western politicians to hold the incumbent regime solely accountable for the Loqqe massacre of the Sidama civilians on May 24, 2002 and request an independent inquiry into the massacre where the culprits are brought to an independent justice. 

• The USPFJ calls up on all likeminded Ethiopia related liberation movements, democracy loving civic and political organizations and personalities, religious groups and intelligentsia to condemn the incumbent regime’s uncivilized treatment of its citizens and work towards common ground for the best interests of all Ethiopians where the fruit of struggle shall be enjoyed equally by all. 

• The USPFJ calls upon UN, OAU, HRW, AI, and others organizations to condemn the undemocratic and authoritarian nature of the current regime that keeps its citizens as virtual slaves in their own lands. 

• The USPFJ calls upon the International and Regional organization to support all genuine democratic movements with care and sensitivity. 

• We urge the incumbent regime to unconditionally stop mass killings of Oromo, Somali, Amhara, Sidama, Afar, Gambella’s Agnuak, Kefa Shaka….and all Ethiopian nations that raise the issues of their fundamental rights to freedom and self determination; and requests to stop stifling freedom of expression and unconditionally release all political prisoners and journalists. 

• Finally, the USPFJ calls upon all Ethiopian related democracy cherishing organizations, establishments, fronts, movements and others to put their differences aside and stand shoulder to shoulder to fight common enemy to genuine democratic principles, justice, liberty, freedom and equality of opportunity to all Ethiopian without distinction. 


May the souls of innocent Sidama victims of the Loqee massacre as well as victims of similar other atrocities carried out across the country by the incumbent regime rest in peace until justice prevails on their behalf!! We salute you all who have paid and are paying precious sacrifices of your lives for liberty and justice in the country! 

United Sidama Parties for Freedom and Justice (USPFJ) May 24, 2012 

http://www.sidama.org/persecution/2012-05-24-tenth-anniversary-establishment-uspfj.pdf