January 13, 2004



Why Are Oromos Staging Today A Peaceful Demonstration in New York, USA?

1. To protest against the tyrannical Meles Zenaw, Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF),  led government of  أ¢â‚¬إ“Ethiopia",  which has ordered illegally and illegitimately to move the capital city of Oromia from Finfinne (أ¢â‚¬إ“Addis Ababa") to the rural town, Adama. Meles Zenawi's arbitrary and irresponsible decision to evict Oromo institutions and uproot Oromo culture, language, and identity from Finfinne, the heartland of Oromia, is unconstitutional, undemocratic and unacceptable.

2. To show our solidarity with compatriots in Oromia who are challenging the regime's illegitimate decision to move the capital of Oromia from Finfinne to Adama against the wishes of the Oromo people.

3. To inform and solicit the support of the international community against Meles regime's genocidal policies and ethnic cleansing. This regime has been denying peoples' democratic rights and resorting to brutal force to silence all opinions that question its misguided policies. Police brutality and indiscriminate killings have been employed readily against demonstrators in أ¢â‚¬إ“Addis Ababa", Awassa, Gambella, and many other parts of the country.

4. To expose that the TPLF regime's transfer of the capital of Oromia from Finfinne to Adama is part of its grand scheme to create colonial settler enclaves in Oromo territory and perpetuate the Tigrayan colonial rule over the Oromo people.

5. To bring to light that the regime's actions and policies are to make colonial settlers a majority population in Oromo cities and to relegate Oromos to mainly rural life, occupation, and poverty. The plan will systematically deprive the Oromos of modern education, commerce, and communication and other amenities of modern life.

6. To challenge the regime's genocidal policies that has put the very existence and progress of the Oromo nation and others in the empire at risk. The regime's destructive famine relief policy, instigation and perpetuation of conflicts and destruction and its failure to fight against pandemics of HIV/AIDS and malaria are to be condemned.

7. To convey to the international community the plight of over 30 million Oromos who are struggling for empowerment, justice, human rights, and national self-determination.

Ad Hoc Organizing Committee

Barartuu 2ffaa

January 13, 2004

Apartheid Tyranny in Ethiopia

The Oromos in "Ethiopia" are conducting peaceful demonstrations across the world today--in New York City, Minneapolis, Seattle, Portland, Berlin, and various cities in Ethiopia--to protest against the totalitarian government in "Ethiopia".

Who are the Oromos: The Oromos are the indigenous people to the horn region in Eastern Africa. There are over 30 million Oromos living in "Ethiopia" and they constitute half of the population in "Ethiopia". Over the past 100 years, they have been colonial subjects under the various totalitarian governments in that region, suffering under administrations that suppress the Oromo culture and right to self-determination. This is despite the fact that they are the most numerous people in the area. The Oromos are struggling for basic human rights, justice, and national self-determination.

The Intolerable Action by the Totalitarian Government in "Ethiopia":

The Oromos are protesting the current actions by the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF)-led government of Meles Zenawi which has recently ordered the move of all Oromo-led institutions and political structures out of "Ethiopia's" and Oromos'  Capital city of "Addis Ababa" (Finfinne) to a small rural town, Adama.

Why is this action intolerable?

1) "Addis Ababa", renamed from its traditional name of Finfinne, has been Oromos' capital city and historically their territory for centuries. It is unconscionable to move Oromos out of their own city, and it is against the wishes of the Oromo people.

2) This move takes Oromo leadership and most Oromos in the city away from their homes and romo students from their schools-- forcing thousands of families to move diminishing the Oromo population in the city. It also takes the Oromo leadership away from the current, and illegitimate, government and isolates them. This action greatly impairs the ability of the Oromo leadership in "thiopia" to challenge the Zenawi government, on the critical issues of suppression and the basic human rights of the Oromo people and culture.

3) This action by the Zenawi government is simply the most recent of a long series of actions and policies to suppress the Oromo people. The regime's destructive famine relief policy and its' failure to address the pandemics of HIV/AIDS and malaria are unacceptable and genocidal. This government has a history of resettling other peoples with the purpose of diluting the Oromo culture, and relegating the Oromo people to a rural life of poverty and subjugation. Any effort by Oromos to protest is met with brutal force to silence any opinion that questions the government's policies. Police brutality, imprisoning Oromos for political dissent and indiscriminate killings by the government have been consistently employed against the Oromo people. These actions have systematically deprived the Oromos of modern education, commerce, communication, and industrial or technological development.

What Can You Do?

Any form of apartheid and the suppression of basic human rights of a person or culture is intolerable, atrocious and is an affront to all human beings. Do not accept it. Contact your government and request them not to send money to support the racist and brutal Tigrayan dictatorship in "Ethiopia".

Organized by: An ad hoc committee of Oromo communities in North America and Europe.

Jaaramee hindhumne