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Ethiopian Regional Leader said to Admit Role in Ethnic Killings
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Ethiopian Regional Leader said to Admit Role in Ethnic Killings
Ethiopian Regional Leader said to Admit Role in Ethnic Killings
Peter Heinlein | Addis Ababa
VOA News
The president of a volatile Ethiopian regional state has been fired from his party leadership position after reportedly admitting involvement in a 2003 ethnic massacre. The leadership of the southern Gambella region is coming under increasing scrutiny for corruption and abusing the rule of law.
Two privately-owned Ethiopian newspapers are reporting Gambella Regional President Omod Obang Olum has been removed from his post as head of the ruling Gambella Peoples' Democratic Movement. The GPDM is affiliated with the country's ruling party, the Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Democratic Front.
It was not immediately clear whether Omod Obang would retain the post of regional president, but in Ethiopia's de-facto one-party system, party positions are considered more important than government titles.
Several other GPDM executive committee members were also reported to have lost their jobs.
The dismissals followed a week-long self-evaluation of the government's performance. Among the issues raised were corruption, the controversial practice of leasing huge tracts of land to foreign investors, and a December, 2003 massacre of more than 400 members of the minority ethnic Anuak community.
Sources contacted by VOA's Amharic language service in Gambella say the normally secret proceedings caused an uproar after the testimony was surreptitiously recorded and made public. Omod Obang reportedly can be heard on the recording admitting a role in the mass killings, and arguing that if he is to be held accountable, so should Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi.
A 2005 Human Rights Watch report accused Ethiopia's military of widespread murder, rape and torture of ethnic Anuak in Gambella in December, 2003. But a subsequent government investigation largely absolved the military of wrongdoing.
Coincidentally, Human Rights Watch is releasing another report about Gambella on Tuesday. That report criticizes the Ethiopian government policy of forced villagization, the resettling indigenous people from land that is being leased for commercial agriculture. Many of the estimated 70,000 people being relocated are Anuak pastoralists.
In a telephone interview, Human Rights Watch researcher Ben Rawlence said Omod Obang's apparent confession should prompt a reopening of the investigation into the 2003 massacre.
"Human Rights Watch investigated the events of 2003 and 2004 in Gambella and we called for an investigation of that at the time, so if he is now talking about his role, I would hope that that might provide an opportunity to investigate what happened back then and to hold some of those people to account," Rawlence said.
In an apparent coincidence, U.S. Ambassador to Ethiopia Donald Booth made what officials called a long-planned two-day visit last week to Gambella. An embassy press release said the ambassador spoke to Regional President Omod Obang to share views on regional development and commercial farming issues. The statement said Booth had also met representatives of the U.N. refugee agency.
24 comments
This should be a lesson to all, who are torturing, looting & killing..... The regime is not going to protect you. They are going to blame it on you and wash their hands.
This fellow should be trialed in the International criminal court, as there is no real justice in Ethiopia. Meles Naziawe also should get indictment for his role in the killings, and also for treason, corruption and promoting state terrorism!!
.
"It is not immidiatlly clear..., some private papers...., voa amharic sources..., bla bla.." wow!!
This is true to all you cyber cadres as well.
We shall build a better Ethiopia soon.
.....further more those of who have really a lowered social awarness should take some psychology courses......
This is in-human!
This is Nazism!
The Government and his tribe are responsible for the 21st Century Genocides!
The Genocide against Millions of Amhara people that keep happening and committed since the Derg Government until now, is hidden by Meles Zenawi and Tigray people must be exposed and the full extent war against TPLF must be declared.
There is no place on earth to hide from truth. He can't escape to Sudan those anyuak with their fellow Ethiopian are there.In Ethiopia his master is very very mad at him. When you become TPLF supporter and involving in any thing with them,you are in a very small world. we have to look around,the only power stay for ever is our creator GOD, humans don't be fool again and again. After TPLF collapse where will be a safe place for them? for all who involve in TPLF. when I remember Melles I remember many dictators final moment including Gadafi. I think it is late now to stop that from happening.
what about us ?
why Meles kills so many
many Somalis innocent people ?
why TPLF invaded Somalia ?
if ICC not take the right action, we Somalis are all over the world, and every body should have to understand this !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The TPLF (Ethiopian) government is simply trying to shield/save your ass from the Alshabab bullet. So, you need to shut up and be saved. You did not complain about Alshabab beheading innocent women, children, seniors and others citizens of Somalia. Is it ok if Somalis kill Somalis? Ignorant jack asses like you are drugging the people of Somalis through misery. My Advice for you and your likes is keep your mouth shut and wait and see the end result.
No one ask your or TPLF help,we all Somalis are one people,first go and try to solve your home work of federalism in your country,
you and TPLF must patient to see the
final result,
we Somalia are not cowards like your peoples !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why should Ethiopia save Somalis from their landsmen Somalis? No Somali gave his blessing for Ethiopia to come among the brothers in Somalia and play savior while woyane torture, kill, imprison, looth and deprive the people of Ethiopia.
No criminal in the world have the right to kill another criminal for his fame
They deserve it, because they have applied the cruel crime upon their own people. And should have expected that Woyane would someday will come to hunt them as well
Why serve someone who torture, kill your people? You have to learn that sooner or later will come back to you too. Jiloch !Gambella and Anuke people are real Ethiopians killed by evil Meles unnecessarily and inhumanly.
Now Meles is selling their land as it belong to him.
addis zemen
The cold blooded criminal tyrant Meles supporter,
You are smelling yourself . The big bad smelly fish is you.
You don’t even care about the innocent massacred by your criminal Meles but you are quick to hide the truth and to point your finger somewhere else. But you guys were crying at every forgeries front door to accuse Mengistu for killing Tigreas.
You guys who sell your own people for temporary selfish gain should get some lesson of this terrible unlucky person.
Woyane will use and abuse you and at last you will be thrown either to jail or die a terrible death.
We are all going to die sometime, but those who make the best of their life, get remembered of their good dees while those who do all evil remembers for their crimes like Hitler/Woyane.
Live your life in harmony, obey 10 commandaments and Respect humanity!
Neibourly advice
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