The Scrabble for the land in Ethiopia by Trance National Companies and rich foreign states in the past four years had already evicted more than 3million people in Oromia, Gambela, Benshagule and other areas. To halt the land robbery of TPLF Government many international Civic Society Organizations and medias were demanding the donor organizations and Countries to put pressure on TPLF Government. However no measure has been taken to freeze this genocidal act of TPLF led Ethiopian Government action.
The Oromo community of South Rogaland, Norway, released an appeal demanding the International Civic Organizations, International Diplomats and others to cooperate with them to fight against the TPLF Government to stop the land grab ruining the lives of million citizens in Oromia, Ogaden, Gambela, Benshangul and others.
The following is an appeal from the Oromo community of South Rogaland, Norway sent to HRLHA head office
Oromo community of South Rogaland Postboks 638,
4305 Sandnes, Norway
Email: oromorogaland@oromain.net
To Human Rights League of the Horn of Africa/HRLHA
210-761 Jane Street
M6N 4B4 Toronto, ON
Canada
Tel; (416) 767 8784 or (647) 280 7062
E-Mail; hrldirector@mail.org
19 December 2011
Dear Sir/Madam,
Over the past years scramble for vast tracks of agricultural lands in Ethiopia by foreign transnational companies and foreign governments have been made thousands of families homeless and exposed them to malnutrition, famine, starvation and poverty. Much of this land is located in Oromia regional state with fast increasing populations suffering from hunger and under-nourishment.
Today, the family farming land which our people used for centuries to produce different crops to meet their dietary needs has been taken by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) led Government of Ethiopia and leased to the foreign transnational companies and states to produce food for exports.
This massive land grabs targeting tens of millions of acres of the Oromia, Gambella, Ogaden, Benishangul-Gumuz and Southern Nations, Nationalities and peoples(SNNPR) regional states and arable land for the benefit of private investors and for the interests of foreign states, violate the rights of our people by depriving their rights of livelihoods, restricting their access to natural resources, and exacerbate poverty, hopelessness, insecurity and loss of their cultural identity. It will also accelerate eco-system destruction and the climate crisis which affect the future generations.
We Oromo Community in Rogaland, Norway call on the Ethiopian Government to respect the constitution of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Proclamation No 1/1995, article 40/3 “Land is a common property of the Nations, Nationalities and Peoples of Ethiopia and Shall not be subject to sale or to other means of exchange” and immediately halt all massive land grabs current or future and return the plundered land to the owners.
Finally, we appeal to Human Rights League of the Horn of Africa(HRLHA) to support our struggle of fighting against land grabs in Ethiopia by putting pressure on the Government of Ethiopia to respect the right to property of Oromo nations and others granted in Ethiopian constitution of 1995.
Sincerely
Yours Sincerely
Dugassa Nemie
Chair man of Oromo community of South Rogaland, Norway
