Ethiopia: Army Commits Torture, Rape
Gambella Atrocities Follow Attack on Commercial Farm; New ‘Villagization’ Abuses

AUGUST 28, 2012

HRW (Nairobi) – The Ethiopian military responded to an April 2012 attack on a large commercial farm in Gambella region [owned by Saudi billionaire Mohamed Al Amoudi] with arbitrary arrests, rape, and other abuses against scores of local villagers. Forced displacement, inadequate resources, and other abuses against Gambella’s population persist in the second year of the government’s “villagization” program.

“Waiting Here for Death” “What Will Happen if Hunger Comes?” Ethiopia: Terrorism Law Used to Crush Free Speech - the attack on Saudi Star was a criminal act but it does not justify reprisals against Gambella’s population. The Ethiopian government should put an immediate end to abuses by the military in the region and investigate and prosecute soldiers found responsible for these heinous acts, regardless of rank.

Human Rights Watch has previously reported on the Ethiopian government’s policy of “villagization” or resettlement of Gambella residents from their traditional lands to clear the way for the commercial farms. The government has used threats, intimidation, and violence against those who resist moving.

Hundreds of villagers from Abobo woreda (district) fled the military operation and crossed into neighboring South Sudan in the months since the attack on Saudi Star. In June Human Rights Watch interviewed more than 80 recent arrivals from Gambella in South Sudan.

One former detainee told Human Rights Watch: “They said we were to go into the bush and show them where the rebels are – with whom they claimed we had a relationship. They beat me after I said I didn’t know where the rebels are. After they beat me they took me to the barracks. I was in custody for three days. At night they took me out and asked me to show them where the rebels are. I said I don’t know. So they beat me and took off their sock and put it in my mouth to stop the screams.”

“The military’s abusive response to the Saudi Star attack is only making an already turbulent situation in Gambella worse,” Lefkow said. “After what the people in the region have suffered at the government’s hands, the only thing that will begin to clear the air is a comprehensive and independent inquiry into the situation.”

A 17-year-old girl from Abobo woreda who had recently arrived in South Sudan said that soldiers killed her father when he refused to move from their farm near Tegne to the new village: “We were sitting at our farm and soldiers came up to us: ‘Do you accept to be relocated or not?’ ‘No.’ So they grabbed some of us. ‘Do you want to go now?’ ‘No.’ Then they shot my father and killed him. We all fled into the bush. I still do not know where my sister or husband is.

Human Rights Watch urged the Ethiopian government to stop the arbitrary arrests, beatings, and intimidation of Gambella residents and to release those who have been arbitrarily detained. The government should investigate and prosecute military personnel and officials implicated in human rights violations associated with the villagization process.

More details are at: http://www.hrw.org/news/2012/08/28/ethi ... rture-rape

Is this is also the accomplishment of the late Meles Zenawi's leadership?
Villagers must leave their ancestoral land to clear way for Arabs, Chinese and Indian investors. If they refuse, they get shot dead on the spot. Such is prompt justice, Woyane style, credited to the late Meles Zenawi's good governance.

While this may be a true story, i remember how we used to fabricate stories of how our dad was killed oir mom was tortured our brothers were shot etc... I know that some of these stories could be fabricated for political gain. There is so much lie floating around. I have witnessed in the past few days how i was tricked i to believing everything the opposition was saying. I do not regret it, because i made my determination based on information provided by the opposition. The fact on the ground is totally different. While i am still cautious about what is going on in ethiopia, it is a paradime shift for me. After all meles is not the monster i thought he was but rather a cheguvera type fighter who gave his life for a cause. He has earned my respect.

This reminds me high school history in Ethiopia, "Begotch sewochin eyebelu new = The sheep are eating people."

A 17-year-old girl from Abobo woreda who had recently arrived in South Sudan said that soldiers killed her father when he refused to move from their farm near Tegne to the new village: “We were sitting at our farm and soldiers came up to us: ‘Do you accept to be relocated or not?’ ‘No.’ So they grabbed some of us. ‘Do you want to go now?’ ‘No.’ Then they shot my father and killed him. We all fled into the bush. I still do not know where my sister or husband is.

Murder, rape, land grab and forced relocation is the legacy of the genocidal dictator Meles Zenawi

[quote="revolutions"]

A 17-year-old girl from Abobo woreda who had recently arrived in South Sudan said that soldiers killed her father when he refused to move from their farm near Tegne to the new village: “We were sitting at our farm and soldiers came up to us: ‘Do you accept to be relocated or not?’ ‘No.’ So they grabbed some of us. ‘Do you want to go now?’ ‘No.’ Then they shot my father and killed him. We all fled into the bush. I still do not know where my sister or husband is.

Murder, rape, land grab and forced relocation is the legacy of the genocidal dictator Meles Zenawi[/quote]


Clear message for woyane orphans

[quote="Ethiopian soldiers frequently arrested and abused the female family members of young men they were seeking. Three women and a girl told Human Rights Watch that soldiers arrested, detained, beat, and then raped them to pressure them to disclose their male relatives’ whereabouts. Two additional women said that they witnessed other women being raped in detention.