September 4, 2016
Grave Concern and a Call for Immediate Action
The Oromo Communities in North America are saddened and gravely concerned about the tragic incident that took place at the Qilinto Prison, a detention facility on the outskirt of Addis Ababa (Finfinnee), on September 3, 2016. Qilinto detention center is where many political prisoners, including high profile opposition leaders such as Bekele Gerba and others are held. Eyewitness accounts claim that the prison fire was preceded and accompanied by gunfire by security agents, and at least 20 prisoners are presumed dead. But the actual number is believed to be much higher. It appears that the prisoners were killed by the gunfire from security agents. Family members of the prisoners and the public at large are anxiously waiting for reliable information about the status of their loved ones. But the Ethiopian government is not willing to provide such information and a full accounting of the incident.
Holding them in custody, the government bears full responsibility for the safety and the wellbeing of the prisoners. If the fire started accidentally, it is still the responsibility of the government to urgently evacuate the prisoners to safety. Unfortunately, the eyewitness accounts claim that the government agents may have deliberately killed the prisoners and burned the facility to cover the evidence.
This is an extremely disturbing heinous criminal act that needs to be investigated immediately by independent authority. The Oromo Communities in North America (OCA-NA) condemns the savage and inhuman acts of the Ethiopian dictatorial regime particularly for shooting and killing prisoners trying to escape the raging fire from the burning Prison building.
We request the international community—the United Nations Commission for Human Rights, the African Union, African Human Rights Commission, the International Committee of the Red Cross, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and other organizations—and all governments who hold diplomatic and economic relations with the Ethiopian government to put pressure on the EPRDF regime to immediately release the list of all victims, killed or wounded, and provide full accounting of how and what happened at the Qilinto Prison on September 3. The Ethiopian government should also take full responsibility for the incident immediately.
From its well documented violent behavior, the Ethiopian government cannot be trusted to conduct independent and credible investigation. For this reason, we request that the United Nation Commission for Human Rights should get involved and investigate this incident and bring perpetrators and high ranking government officials who enabled the tragedy to justice at International Criminal Court (ICC). We also appeal to all Oromos in Diaspora to support the families of the victims at this critical time as they cope with the loss of their relatives. We know that the EPRDF government will not stop its violent and repressive actions, and the Oromo other people in Ethiopia will not live in peace until this regime is removed from power.
Oromo Communities Association in North America (OCA-NA)