Sidama region changed to military zone - two students shot dead
Sidama Nation Online
March 17, 2006
1. Death of students and a teacher in Leku town
Police shot dead two high school students and a teacher March 14 during a peaceful demonstration against the government's anti-Sidama plan in Leku town, Shabadino district. One of the murdered students was a female student.
Four other students were seriously wounded and taken by the security
forces to an unknown location. The bodies of two students and the teacher also have
been taken away by the security forces. Their families couldn’t mourn the deaths of their loved
ones. Their names and ages have yet to be confirmed.
2. Special Commando has been ordered to take action against the Sidamas
Special commando of Meles’s regime named ‘Aga’azi and Gambella’ special forces; the
group that is feared for its ferocious acts against human beings; and that took part in the
massacre of innocent demonstrators in post-May 15, 2005’s rigged Ethiopian election in
Addis Ababa in June 2005 is assigned to take chilling action against the Sidamas. These
bitingly aggressive and non-communicative commandos are roaming on the streets of the
Sidamas towns and city and ready for attack any time if Sidamas dare to peacefully
demonstrate against the action of the government. Awasaa, the capital of Sidama region
remained entirely military Zone until today when some of them left to the gold mining
company (Shakiso) that was set on fire in Oromia region that neighbours Sidama, last
night.
As we have uncovered about the military build-ups in Sidama region couple of days ago,
the armies of the regime started to operate in a massive scale and torturing students who
are emphatically resisting such an acts in entire region. The beatings and suppression
associated with the killings is pervasive. Leku town is also surrounded by the ‘Aga’azi-
Gambella’ Special Forces since the death of two students and one teacher.
3. Sidama influential figures put in Prison, others are in hiding
Students and peasants were and are victims of continued arrest and relentless torture
since the May 15, 2005 election. At the moment the arrest is reaching all segments of the
society. The following are fractions of the victims of recent waves of arrests whose
names we manage to get. Otherwise, it’s impossible to go from place to place to visit
friends or relatives to exchange information as the region is patrolled by the army:-
- Tadesse Washo:- Awassa, Senior Nurse, head of Health Division; Human rights
Activist, arrested on 14th of March 2006.
- Haileyesus Nagesso:- Awassa, Sidama Development Corporation (SDC)staff,
disappeared on 13th of March 2006
- Abate Elendo, Awassa, SDC staff, arrested on 14th of March 2006
- Abera Dukamo,
- Abraham Tuula,
- Hanaga Tuula, 3 of them are from ‘Gaara Riqita’ Farmers Association and
arrested on 13th of March 2006.
- Yosef Lalimo;
- Tefera Jomba, whose leg broken and became incontinent, but arrested. Both of
them from Awassa Tabour high School arrested on 13th of March 2006.
4. Students Movement Continues as does the torture
All over the region the movement of the Sidama people in particular students continued
unabated. Entire 10 districts are engulfed with major popular unrest although the
presence of the military in most part of the region is palpable. The treatment of the
students by the police and security forces is very inhuman. Today, in the evening, there is
an unconfirmed rumour of death in Awassa city. In another development one high school
student in Abosto town, Dale district was beaten by the police and left unconscious. He is
said to have been taken to Intensive care Unit of Yirgalem Hospital and remains
unconscious until we brought this news to the public domain.
(Source: Sidama Nation Online: March 16, 2006)
ETHIOMEDIA.COM - ETHIOPIA'S PREMIER NEWS AND VIEWS WEBSITE
© COPYRIGHT 20001-2006ETHIOMEDIA.COM. EMAIL: webmaster@ethiomedia.com
1. Death of students and a teacher in Leku town
Police shot dead two high school students and a teacher March 14 during a peaceful demonstration against the government's anti-Sidama plan in Leku town, Shabadino district. One of the murdered students was a female student.
Four other students were seriously wounded and taken by the security
forces to an unknown location. The bodies of two students and the teacher also have
been taken away by the security forces. Their families couldn’t mourn the deaths of their loved
ones. Their names and ages have yet to be confirmed.
2. Special Commando has been ordered to take action against the Sidamas
Special commando of Meles’s regime named ‘Aga’azi and Gambella’ special forces; the
group that is feared for its ferocious acts against human beings; and that took part in the
massacre of innocent demonstrators in post-May 15, 2005’s rigged Ethiopian election in
Addis Ababa in June 2005 is assigned to take chilling action against the Sidamas. These
bitingly aggressive and non-communicative commandos are roaming on the streets of the
Sidamas towns and city and ready for attack any time if Sidamas dare to peacefully
demonstrate against the action of the government. Awasaa, the capital of Sidama region
remained entirely military Zone until today when some of them left to the gold mining
company (Shakiso) that was set on fire in Oromia region that neighbours Sidama, last
night.
As we have uncovered about the military build-ups in Sidama region couple of days ago,
the armies of the regime started to operate in a massive scale and torturing students who
are emphatically resisting such an acts in entire region. The beatings and suppression
associated with the killings is pervasive. Leku town is also surrounded by the ‘Aga’azi-
Gambella’ Special Forces since the death of two students and one teacher.
3. Sidama influential figures put in Prison, others are in hiding
Students and peasants were and are victims of continued arrest and relentless torture
since the May 15, 2005 election. At the moment the arrest is reaching all segments of the
society. The following are fractions of the victims of recent waves of arrests whose
names we manage to get. Otherwise, it’s impossible to go from place to place to visit
friends or relatives to exchange information as the region is patrolled by the army:-
4. Students Movement Continues as does the torture
All over the region the movement of the Sidama people in particular students continued
unabated. Entire 10 districts are engulfed with major popular unrest although the
presence of the military in most part of the region is palpable. The treatment of the
students by the police and security forces is very inhuman. Today, in the evening, there is
an unconfirmed rumour of death in Awassa city. In another development one high school
student in Abosto town, Dale district was beaten by the police and left unconscious. He is
said to have been taken to Intensive care Unit of Yirgalem Hospital and remains
unconscious until we brought this news to the public domain.
(Source: Sidama Nation Online: March 16, 2006)
ETHIOMEDIA.COM - ETHIOPIA'S PREMIER NEWS AND VIEWS WEBSITE
© COPYRIGHT 20001-2006ETHIOMEDIA.COM. EMAIL: webmaster@ethiomedia.com
