January 3, 2000
WELAITA-SODO MORE THAN 500 DETAINED, HUNDREDS DRIVEN OUT AND NINE DISAPPEARED
The arbitrary decision by the EPRDF government to impose a concocted "language" called Wogageda on the people of Northern Omo region (South Ethiopia) has led, as Socepp had reported earlier, to popular resistance and clashes with the government security forces. SOCEPP had, at the time, revealed that some people were killed, more than 150 brutally beaten by the police, many more arrested, and many others robbed by the government soldiers. A detailed and confirmed report reaching SOCEPP reveals that following the clashes reported in Welaita Sodo and Bodoti (early November 1999), more than 500 people have been detained in the Northern Omo region as a whole and 126 teachers have been driven out of the area. Nine arrested people have disappeared. The people in the area feel that the government drive to impose a made- up language on them is part of a deliberate policy to erase their ethnic identities. To prove this they cite that the government had forcibly amalgamated development oriented NGOs and political parties into joint "Wogageda" units. Thus the four development associations were turned into the Wogageda Development Association while the Dawro Konta, Welaita and Gamo Gofa political organization were fused and turned into the "Wogageda People's Democratic Organization" by government order. There are no people or an ethnic group called "Wogageda". Instead of curbing the violations, the government has reportedly stepped up its repressive actions and has detained elders, teachers and students in an effort to break the popular resistance. Of the 500 people thus detained in the seven districts ("wereda"s) of the zone, we can cite the following names: · Atos Kebede Lemma, Mulu Arge, Tesfaye Langana,Alemu Anjulo, Solomon Seta, Lemma Lemago, Geremew Ganta, Meskele Genebo, Seyoum Fikre, Fikre Sawana, Begashaw Berata, Shudo Sema, Yakob Seba, Asess Anjelo,Israel Belete, Timotios Desta, Mathias Yohannes, Mengesha Mena, Merkne Lorso, Bogale Belete, Abera Geleso, Semayat Goa, Tafesee Hailemariam, Tegrai Teto,Desalegn Tancho, Daniel Kuchafo, Abebe Alaro, Matios Deche, Adola Anamo, Tesema Welde Mariam, Tesema Kachare, Hezkiel Atalo, Tesfaye Tesema, Teshome Takele, Walalu Wada, Major Alemayehu Shanka, Lieuteants Dawit Derpe and Meskele Ashene, and soldier Milkias Jeldu. In addition 59 inhabitants of Welaita region who hail from Gamo have been arrested. · Among the many "disappeared" detainees figure : Atos Funcho Fanta Falaha, Yassin Mola, Abebe Fola, Mengistu Shanka Bala, Samuel Basa, Damene Balcha, Abera Tema, Hailemariam Alchaye, and Deyasera Kocha. · More than 126 teachers have been chased out of the zone by the government and their places taken by teachers (who are said to be unfit for their new posts) brought from other areas. The government's continuing repression is motivated by political ends, observers allege, and is linked to the deliberate policy of punishing areas and ethnic groups who have shown signs of opposition to the government and its ethnic politics. If the government persists in its repressive option, the whole area is bound to be destabilized more by clashes that will inevitably lead to more loss of life. It is to be noted that many areas in the Southern region are affected by the famine presently threatening the lives of 7 million Ethiopians. SOCEPP calls on the government of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi to stop the repression against the people in the Southern region.
SOCEPP
