Hugo Swire MP
Minister of State, Foreign & Commonwealth Office
King Charles Street
London
SW1A 2AH

14 April 2016

Dear Hugo

Lobbying Ethiopian government on oppression of Oromos

I would like to draw your attention to the situation of the Oromo people in Ethiopia and to urge you to raise relevant points with the government of Ethiopia.

A human rights crisis is taking place in Ethiopia yet it has received little attention internationally. The situation has worsened since last November when Oromo people staged peaceful demonstrations in opposition to plans to expand the boundary of the Ethiopian capital, the Addis Ababa Master Plan. These plans would see the eviction of over a million Oromo farmers and the continuing marginalisation of Oromos.

Ethnic Oromos, who make up approximately 35 percent of Ethiopia’s population, have long felt politically marginalised and culturally discriminated against by successive governments. A number of Oromo refugees have settled in my constituency after fleeing Ethiopia. I have heard from them and from other sources about their government’s response to recent peaceful protests: rather than addressing the protestors’ demands through peaceful means, the Ethiopian government used live ammunition, killing at least 300 peaceful Oromos. Over 10,000 people have been imprisoned, including leaders of opposition parties. The organisation Human Rights Watch has documented security forces firing into crowds of protesters with little or no warning, the arrests of students as young as eight, and the torture of protesters in detention. Security forces have arrested teachers, artists, political opposition leaders, and other influential Oromos who they believe are mobilising protesters.

Protests have now subsided – and the Addis Ababa Master Plan has been cancelled - but the killing, torture and unlawful imprisonment of Oromos continues.

This comes within a context of draconian government restrictions on news reporting, human rights monitoring, and access to information. For example, social media sites have been blocked, and last month security officials detained two international journalists overnight while they were trying to report on protests. There are many cases of people being arrested after being interviewed by journalists and many Ethiopians fear speaking out against government policies.

In 2014 at least 30 journalists fled the country and six independent publications closed down. Similarly, the US-based Oromia Media Network has been jammed 15 times for varying periods since it began broadcasting in March 2014. Radio broadcasts are also jammed. Independent non-governmental organisations that might be reporting what is happening face huge restrictions as a result of the Ethiopian government’s 2009 Charities and Societies Proclamation.

My understanding is that the UK government has expressed concern over developments in the Oromia region to the Ethiopian government in private. However, as the second largest provider of foreign aid to Ethiopia, the UK government could do much more. Specifically, I would urge you to take up the requests of Oromos in my constituency and put pressure on the Ethiopian government to:

·         Stop the continuing killing, torture and harassment of peaceful Oromos

·         Release the thousands of Oromos who are detained in government prisons and military camps as a result of exercising their constitutional right to peaceful protest against government policy.

I look forward to your response.

Yours sincerely