Part II
This paper presents the slightly modified version of the resolution the House of Peoples Representatives endorsed focusing on the crucial points and convincing justifications that led Tigray People Libration Front (TPLF) and Shene to be designated as terrorist organizations.
SHENE
It is known that the Oromo liberation front was established in the 1960s to ensure the Oromo people rights. The party started a struggle following the disagreement with transition government. By then, the party was labeled as a terrorist organization as its attempt was coupled with armament.
Following a comprehensive reform in the country three years ago, the organization came home and continues a peaceful struggle despite its designation as a terrorist group.
However, some parts of the party are now shield in the forest at different parts of the country continued firing.
The society elders, religious fathers, Aba Gedas were trying to go between the Shene and the government; however, the former refused accept so.
Rather it has continued killing and displacing civilians in the region.
Due to the organization’s extreme crimes, 463 people have suffered in Oromia Region in 2020/21. Lives of some 112 police members, 57 militias, and 18 officials at various levels were claimed. Some 76 polices, 36 militias and 2 officials had been injured. Over 160 houses, 44 vehicles and 84 offices had been burnt down, residents had been led to displacement and sufferings.
Again some 36 civilians were killed in West Wellega, Guliso Wanga Kanka district on 28th October, 2020.
Shene, an armed guerrilla group, had launched a campaign called Aba Torbe which ambushes and attacks government officials as well as kills and attacks innocent civilians.
Presumed criminals who are categorized under Kisu Kituma’s cases have been serving as member and leader in the armed group called Shene. The armed group called Aba Torbe had been looting, destructing and burning government offices, public institutions, and various financial institutions in the different districts of West, East, Kellem and Horo Guduru Zones of Wellega.
Aba Torbe has been ordering and executing missions against security forces member’s and government supporting individuals and institutions.
Kisi Kituma, for instance, has been accused of causing injury by throwing bomb on police station located in Ambo Town on 8 Jan 2020.
Lilise Fekadu and Tolera Aga have been accused of killing and torturing five individuals whom they believe are tipping the whereabouts of the terrorist groups to the security forces after taking them to their military base which is found in Begi Wereda, Begi Kebele in West Wellega of Oromia Region since July 2019.
They were accused of killing Colonel Tesfahun Amberber and Cabinet member Abdella Delush at a place called Aba Torbe Bridge for not supporting Shene.
Melkawirtu is another presumed criminal who is accused of holding missile and two RPG Rocket on 16/08/2011 E.C in Ambo Town.
Birhanu Gingi and his comrades were accused of kidnapping officials and government employees in a Garab Bollo military camp in West Wellega, East Wellega, Horo Guduru and Dembi Dollo.
Hundessa Degu, a government employee has been taken to Abajira Forest and threatened by the group after knotting his hands together on 4/4/2011 E.C.
They severely harmed him by tying his legs, beating his body by stick and hanging heated plastic Jerri can on his body.
On December 5, 2011 E.C they severely hurt militiaman Tesfaye Cheweka in a place known as Abajira, took him to the jungle, tying his legs and hands hanging heated plastic Jerri can on his body.
On December 4, 2011 E.C a victim named Temesgen Tekeba was taken to a jungle in Abajira and died there because of the harm he was inflicted dipping a burnt plastic Jerri can on his body.
Some 17 defendants including Kelifa Abdurahman being members of the armed group abducted Amhara University students while coming back to their family from Denbi Dollo University.
On November 22, 2012 E.C they discussed what to do in different places of Qelem Wollega zones Siye Woreda to abduct the students on November 24, 2012 E.C at 7:00 in the afternoon. The students were traveling by a dolphin car code number 3-34629 in fear of conflicts but were abducted as they cannot speak Affan Oromo, the charge says.
The armed group also destroyed infrastructural developments. For instance, in the charge document of Dejene Serbesa going to neighboring countries to take political and military training, they intended to come back to Oromia and Addis Ababa to accomplish mission of OLF Shene apprehended to be charged.
Plus, on March 21, 2013 in Western Oromia, Babo Gambel Woreda, Bone Kebele, the group took measure on innocent civilians and killed 28 people and injured many.
According to Article 3 of Proclamation No. 1176/2020 on the Prevention and Suppression of Terrorism Crimes, anyone who commit terrorist act on people or specific part of society or claiming lives to force government, foreign government or international organization, those who make people hostage, abduct, targeting natural resources, hampering for social service institutions would be labeled and punished as a terrorist.
All the wrong deeds the Shene did separately or in collaboration with TPLF are more than enough to designate it as a terrorist organization.
As stated earlier, if any organization takes terrorist to hit its target, attacks and kills civilians to realize its political ambition or if leaders of the organization or executive bodies accept the crime or when they command the attack, it is automatically fit to be labeled.
The group has not taken peaceful struggle as a means to attain its goal.
As their vision is making terrorism attack and actively operating to do the same, high team officials or leaders of these organizations are admitted the crime they made on civilians. This rationale presented indicted that the two organizations such as Tigray People Liberation Front (TPLF) and Shene as terrorist organizations according to proclamation number 1176/2012 article 18 and 19.
As stipulated in Article 23 of Proclamation No. 1176/2020 on the Prevention and Suppression of Terrorism Crimes, both TPLF and Shene have directly or indirectly shared similar thoughts, did the same deed.
There is concretized evidence that witnesses TPL F and Shene as terrorist organizations.
As far as document evidences are concerned, TPLF Central Committee made a meeting and ratified in December 2012 E.C and called on the people to defend as the federal government was readied to destroy Tigray in general and TPLF in particular. They used a false propaganda to prepare the public for war.
The TPLF office had presented a document holds it has decided to remove government once and for all. In April 2012 E.C, till then, the analyzed document indicated that Tigray state should remain as a De facto state. They then made people, especially the youth and elites ready to engage in the war, according to the document presented to them. Different documents that have been loomed at the hands of TPLF directly show the terrorist nature of the group.
Among the documents, there is a plan ratified by the group concerning to run terrorism during the upcoming elections.
At the document stipulates, there are strategies how, when and what to do to form a transitional government by removing federal government at any cost. That is why the group attacked National Defense Force
The group has been coordinating, leading and providing different ethnic and religious based conflicts through establishing different task forces outside of Tigray State.
As to documents, as part of TPLF supports conflict actors outside of Tigray State, it signed agreement with Agawu Shengo, another terrorism reflection of the group, and the state provided military training for Agawu gunmen.
The document that shows TPLF planned to provide Agew gunmen with military training was unveiled, too. Actually the document reflects the connection between the two groups.
The agreement between TPLF and Kimant was also presented to the house. The agreement pretends to undertake peaceful activities, but its goal was TPLF decided to provide Kimant gunmen with military training to back the effort geared towards destabilizing the country.
There was a document containing the assigning of military leaders. The policy paper which dictates the assigning of security force under the guise of ‘Organizing Forces’ through establishing new structure under the administration of civil service bureau of the state was presented.
Under the document entitled “assigning forces” it is the paper reflected that security bureau of the state prepared the state for war through training and assigning military forces.
Under the military command, the president of the state signed the foundation of military command.
In our country, establishing military command is an exclusive mandate of the federal government. However, what TPLF did in this regard was absolutely contravening the constitution, it was really anti-constitution act.
As far as damaging resources is concerned, there is a documentation which dictates the destruction of resource by the terrorism act of TPLF and Tigray military command.
A photo which dictates the attack of innocent people by Shene Group was also documented. The presented photo accepted from Kisi Kituma Charge archive to show only the extent of the damage.
With regard to living proofs or human eyewitness, the House can cross check and hear what the Federal, Oromia, Tigray police commissioners and National Intelligence and Security Service officials have at hand or what kind of convincing justifications have they reached so far to get more aware of the terrorist acts of TPLF and Shene.
BY STAFF REPORTERS
The Ethiopian Herald May 14/2021
