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While the unfolding crisis in the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia has attracted international attention, the conflict and tensions between the Oromo people and the Ethiopian government persist despite the lack of extensive media coverage o of an international action on the subject.
Jawar Mohammed, a prominent Oromo political activist, has been in prison for more than eight months and little action has been taken to make his release a priority. Jawar was arrested in June 2020 and charged with a number of terrorism-related charges.
Many have claimed that Jawar’s arrest was politically and strategically motivated to suppress opposition to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed ahead of the 2020 elections. Jawar had previously indicated plans to oppose Abiy.
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Jawar Mohammed is one of Ethiopia’s most prominent political activists and founded Oromia Media Network while living in exile in the United States due to political violence. His influence and his network played an important role in the protests that led to the fall of the previous government and the election of Abiy Ahmed.
However, he has since become an outspoken critic of Abiy, stating that he has failed to deliver on his promises to transition to democracy. Jawar has also advocated for greater regional autonomy for Oromia, a concept Abiy has strongly opposed.
While Abiy Ahmed himself is also an Oromo, Jawar Mohammed has criticized him for being a poor representative of Oromo interests and acting as an authoritarian rather than a champion of democracy.
Considered by many to be the voice of the Oromo people, Jawar Mohammed has defended his beliefs and positions, accusing the government of targeting opposition figures like him and telling a court in September: “I am proud to be accused of terrorism for the second time. in my life.”
The suppression of Oromo voices and opposition parties in Ethiopia is a genuine problem and should be a legitimate international concern, even if it is not being widely covered or discussed.
The Oromo people have long been at odds with the Ethiopian government. In 2015, protests broke out among Oromos after the government outlined plans to expand the administrative boundaries of the capital Addis Ababa around Oromia.
On June 29, 2020, Hachula Hundessa, a popular Oromo singer and musician, was killed in Abbis Abada. Hachula was also an outspoken political activist, and his music is closely tied to the struggles and resistance efforts of the Oromo people.
Hachula’s assassination sparked widespread protests and unrest throughout the Oromo region as ethnic unrest continued to escalate.
Jawar Mohammed responded to the killing via Facebook, saying: “They didn’t just kill Hachalu. They shot into the heart of the Oromo Nation, once again !!… You can kill us all, you can never stop us !! NEVER!!”
The aftermath of the Hachula Hundessa assassination and the unrest that ensued were met with energetic repression by the Ethiopian security forces.
According to Human Rights Watch, the period of conflict and unrest that followed Hachula’s assassination resulted in more than 170 deaths and the arrest of more than 9,000 people.
The Ethiopian Human Rights Commission concluded in a report on January 1, 2021 that some of the killings constituted crimes against humanity.
The day after Hachula’s murder, Jawar Mohammed was arrested in connection with an incident between his guards and the Ethiopian police that resulted in the death of an officer. Jawar’s allies have denied that he was involved with the death.
“The actions of the Ethiopian investigating authorities raise concern because they have not outgrown past practices of arresting first and investigating later,” said Laetita Bader, Horn of Africa director at Human Rights Watch.
Ethiopia has a long history of ethnic tensions and conflicts, much of which the Oromo people have been involved in. Despite being the largest ethnic group in Ethiopia, there were no Oromo prime ministers until the election of Abiy Ahmed.
For many Ethiopians, Oromos in particular, the election of Abiy Ahmed was destined to represent a turning point and hope for a more optimistic future. Many hoped that it would bring about a shift from autocracy to democracy, as promised.
However, Abiy Ahmed has taken actions as Prime Minister that should be categorized as dictatorial and regressive. Rather than chasing progress, Abiy’s leadership has sparked numerous humanitarian crises and exacerbated ethnic tension across Ethiopia.
Jawar Mohammed is still in detention today. During his incarceration, he has received some attention from US Senators Tina Smith and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, where he resided for about a decade as a US citizen.
The two senators sent a letter to the US State Department in August and issued public statements advocating the “long-awaited” release of Jawar and his Oromo colleague, Misha Chiri.
“I will support the Oromo community by calling on the United States Department of State to support a peaceful resolution to the violence in Ethiopia and to continue to advocate on behalf of Misha Chiri and Jawar Mohammed,” Senator Smith said.
“I will continue to support the Oromo community and ask the United States Department of State to help find a resolution that ends the violence and restores respect for human rights,” said Senator Klobuchar.
Continued human rights violations in the Tigray region have made Ethiopia the subject of much international attention and scrutiny, and the United Nations, the United States and numerous humanitarian organizations condemn the abuses.
However, the international community must not overlook other regions of Ethiopia in doing so. There are huge humanitarian crises and injustices in other regions of the country and also against other ethnic groups. The international community has the opportunity and the prerogative to oppose ethnic violence and to condemn political persecution in whatever form it occurs.
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