Seventh Year on:- Sidama’s Loqee Massacre is Commemorated by the Sidamas and friends of the nation while another tragedy unfolding,

Kambata Xoola, May 24, 2009

I. The Commemoration,

The Sidamas are commemorating the massacre of their sons and daughters those who have been brutalised; yet innocent, unarmed and non-violent who have been carrying the leaves of palm trees as a sign of non-violence and peace. Ironically, another form of atrocity is taking place in Sidama region since last week.

The massacre of the Sidama people on the May 24, 2002 was executed by the security forces of Abyssinian Meles’s authoritarian regime is seventh with additional bloodshed that is once again orchestrated by his political apparatus. It took place while the Sidama people were peacefully and non-violently claiming their fundamental and constitutional rights to regional autonomy- which is enshrined in Ethiopian constitution that grants unconditional rights to regional autonomy- to the level of cessation in article 39. In practice the said constitution is simply kept in place to deceive their Western donors (sponsors), humanitarian organisations and to manipulate and manoeuvre peoples of the nations of their empire state.

II. Dead bodies devoured by hyenas!

The Sidamas who have been mercilessly massacred by those who are supposed to protect them-an over hundred of them, from whom about 69 names have been recorded, their bodies were left lying on the streets for days. Several hundred were wounded and left to bleed to death without any medical help. There are several unaccounted for and several have been devoured by the hyenas including the body of 12 years old boy-as their families were not allowed to collect the bodies of their beloved ones for two to three days immediately after the aftermath of the massacre. The city was turned to ghost city as no one was allowed to move out and about during those times. Nor were allowed an international Red cross and others observers.

In particular, speaking the Sidama language (Sidamuu-affo) in their own city was considered crime for several weeks and months after the massacre. The Sidamas were obliged to speak only the language of the rulers if they want to go out and were seriously warned not to meet with one another. Doing so was treated brutally by the security force that has swamped the entire region and over hundred thousand have been arrested and tortured all over the Sidama region afterwards. Assassinations and disappearances were rampant.

III. Deploying live ammunition on those who are carrying leaves of trees reveals utter brutality of Abyssinian rulers!

The Sidama demonstrators were responded with live ammunition from an undercover security forces, highly armed police personnel and several battalions of military who have been ordered by the federal and regional Meles’s authorities. The killers have been waiting for the Sidama demonstrators until they approach to the vicinity of the Sidama capital, Awassa (also known as by the Sidamas as Hawassa) from over five km distance from where the Sidamas have been discussing for about four days about the peaceful and democratic action that ought to take place after they have fully exhausted the necessary pre-conditions as per their pseudo-constitution prior to their demonstration.

The Abyssinian security forces brutal action was in response to the Sidamas non-violent and highly civilised quest for regional autonomy which actually granted to the under 300.000 populated Adres nation of eastern Ethiopia. This is a reminder of Abyssinian’s regimes cruelty and mercilessness to their Colonies peoples and their over all barbarism and incivility!! They don’t tolerate any quest for regional autonomy and self realisation; but would like to continue to hoodwink their subjects by talking only Ethiopia without respecting the rights of its legitimate owners.

Since they conquered the lands of legitimate Africans, their regimes depersonalised, massacred and caused cultural and religious genocides to the Sidama nation as well as to those who are under similar situation only to perpetuate ultra poverty and human misery.

Unable to accept and entertain the ideals of humanity and genuine democratic practices; Abyssinian successive regimes including the current incumbent remain one of the most dictators ever world had. Meles's and his predecessor dogmatic ideology revolves around fallaciously made up histories whose rhetoric emphasises on three thousand years Ethiopian existence under the rules of their illusionist Solomonic dynasty. Therefore, apart from treating their subject in most abhorring, uncivilised and barbaric manner, they didn't do and can’t do any good for their colonies and even for their own peoples who languish under ultra poverty.

IV. The Perpetrators,

None of the perpetrators from federal as well as regional players have been brought to justice -the system that practically does’t exist in Abyssinian empire apart from those judiciary systems-a type of Kangaroo courts those themselves are remote controlled by Meles; for the crimes against humanity they are casing and have already caused. Instead, those who have ordered, masterminded and executed the killings of innocent and unarmed civilians and continues to do so- have been promoted to the higher authority levels and are groomed to repeat the same genocides as is the cases in Oromia, Ogaden Somali, Gambella and elsewhere in Ethiopian state empire.

V. Deliberately Orchestrated Atrocity Between Sister nations is taking place

The killing is may taking place just now when I’m writing this piece of news in Sidama and Oromia. The government instigated a conflict between two downtrodden nations- the Sidama and Oromos to cause loss of innocent lives unnecessarily to further social unrest and instability between the two who have peacefully co-existed for centuries and brothers and sisters to each other. Both nations whose fates are decided by Meles’s regime don’t have fundamental differences that causes them fight with one another unless they are instigated to do so to satisfy the agendas of their colonisers and serve the very purposes of divide-and- rule tactics. In reality they both and other colonies share the same tragic sufferings since they all have befallen under such barbarism that has facilitated and facilitating their sufferings by inducing excruciating poverty and gross abuse of their fundamental rights.

Meanwhile, we have also received some of the names of those who have been killed during the said unnecessary conflicts and from armed forces that is being sent by the federal and regional authorities in the last tow weeks. Out of confirmed 13 peoples from the Sidama side. The names include;

1. Haile Hobaasso (Farmers association chair in Ballela ‘kebele‘-clusters of villages)
2. Ogato Qarrissa
3. Golla Gorsiima
4. Tenbbo Yotee
5, Gangesso Qorra's son (name not known yet) and others 8 yet to be identified in due course.

Sadly, we haven't received all lists of the peoples who have been killed by this unnecessary conflicts from both sides.

VI. The Commemoration plan aborted!!

Meles’s politicians are assigned from federal and regional governments to abort the plan of the Sidama nation that aimed at commemorating its sons and daughters who have been massacred on May 24, 2002 by Meles's security forces. We have received reliable information and crosschecked its credibility from various sources from both Oromos and Sidamas, that Meles’s politicians are named to instigate fighting between the Sidama and Oromo so that the attention of the Sidama nation can be diverted to the fighting instead of commemorating their martyrs. The commemoration was organised underground to peacefully remember their dead ones. Those who are involved in planning are from all over the Sidama region and are entirely genuine Sidama heroes who are committed for this to happen. Due to the Sidamas plan to commemorate its massacred, the regime was under serious pressure and obliged to send special armed forces to patrol all over the Sidama region and its districts to intimidate and harass the Sidama nation for the last over four weeks.

Those who are assigned to implement this most hideous agendas against the two nations are according to the sources;

1. Bereket Simeon (From Federal Meles’s Aide who has ordered the massacre of the Sidama on May 24, 2002 and continuing to remote control southern region with particular emphasis on Sidama)
2. H/marian Desalegn (former southern Ethiopian regional puppet government president and who is promoted for his role in killing and torturing the Sidamas to the federal government at status of regional affairs minister)
3. Shiferaw Shuguxee (the current southern regional puppet government president who doesn't have any say, but continues to harass and torture the Sidamas and who breathes with TPLF’s lung)
4. Eshetu Elias (From Oromia who is assigned to play key role in organising anti-peace elements from Oromia side)
5. Teferi Fikre (From Sidama who is also known to have participated in the planning of the Sidama killings of May 24, 2002 and plays significant roles in stirring Wondogent's conflicts that coasted lives in the last and the previous years with similar instigations).

According to the sources these are key players although their are hundreds of their sympathisers who clap their hands without knowing the longer effects of their action to their children and generations to come under abhorring Abyssinian colonisation.

VII. Sidama University Students Condemned the acts of the Abyssinian colonisers

In another development, about two weeks ago, the Sidama university students numbered over 450 from Awassa Agricultural engineering University conducted urgent and an unannounced meeting at the shore of lake Awassa (Guudumalle) where they have been dispersed by the security forces after they have exhausted their discussion prior to the arrival of the security forces. The theme of their meeting according to the confidential sources was that the issues of gross human right abuses, ultra poverty, lack of opportunity, lack of freedom of expression and unnecessary conflicts that is instigated between Ormos and the Sidamas. Condemning the irresponsible acts of the colonisers, they unanimously asked both nations people to restrain themselves from serving the purposes of the colonisers and advised them to bring peaceful co-existence between two sister nations and per their egalitarian and most democratic systems. They further advised both nations to defend their fundamental rights together instead of standing for the brutal rulers whose purposes remain an unimaginable crimes brutality against man kind.

VIII. The Response of International Medias and Community

Although it is difficult to understand the scales of tragic acts against humanity exactly are unfolding at a global scale; it is reasonable to expect an independent opinion from the international medias from where freedom of expression receives its due respect. Yet the said medias are tiring themselves with their issues that concerns the West almost all the times. They also keep confusing their audiences about what actually is happening in Meles’s hail -where people are butchered mercilessly without genuine intervention from the global powers who pretend to protect human rights of peoples. Contrary to the values of their ancestors on humanity, the global powers politicians sponsor the sufferings of innocents and helpless civilians by supporting such dictators under the pretext of War on international terrorism as is the case with Meles’s invasion of Somalia supported by US’s former president G. W. Bush, that remains unresolved to this date after the change of White House regime. Mr Bush was sponsoring the massacre of the innocent Sidamas, Oromos, Ogaden Somalias despite relentless efforts of campaigners from the international humanitarian organisations including the HRW report of June 12, 2008 on crimes against humanity that is perpetrated by Meles's regime against the Ogaden Somali people.

VIIII. Conclusion

The need for international community and powerful nations to support the movement of those people from Abyssinian empire, who are struggling to realise their dream for independence, justice and freedom of choice remain a matter of moral duty. It is also God-given rights the all peoples regardless of their backgrounds need to claim these rights with all possible means without bowing for unjust system that is imposed on them under whatever definitions. Those who are also under Abyssinian treacherous system all need to come together to facilitate the final downfall of their regime without surrendering their God-given rights. The need for both Sidamas and Oromos to bring peace and harmony between both nation as per Gadaa and Luuwa systems will be very important to embarrass the rulers who rejoice by the suffering of both nations and unite to harness their debacle. Liberation front movements need to condemned the act of Abyssinian regime with its entirety and alert their peoples to refrain from engaging in unnecessary conflicts to serve the purposes of rulers.

May you all rest in peace the Sidama martyrs of the Loqee massacre of the May 24, 2002!!

Kambata Xoola, May 24, 2009