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Information on the Massacre of the Sidama in Awassa by the TPLF/EPRDF Government

The TPLF/EPRDF government has once again displayed its despotism by its savage act of brutally massacring unarmed Sidama who attempted to hold a peaceful demonstration on May 24, 2002. This brutal murder of innocent peaceful citizens was in outright violation of the constitutional rights of the Sidama people to peacefully demonstrate. It is to be noted that the estimated ten thousand Sidama demonstrators consisting of peasants, government workers and school children were unarmed and were only waving Ethiopian flag and placards. Following the mass massacre, the government has tried to justify why it chose to shoot into a crowd of civilians. It claimed that the demonstrators had opened fired at the government forces and killed two policemen. This is an irresponsible act of disinformation because independent eye witness reports showed that the two policemen were members of Sidama nationality and were trying to persuade the demonstrators not to proceed towards Awassa town. The policemen knew that the government had made all preparations to stop the demonstration by any means. Therefore, the fact of the matter is that the two policemen were hit by the volley of gunfire aimed at the demonstrators by the armed forces of the government. Hence this is a shameful lie that the government is using to justify its savage act of mass massacre.

Therefore, the attempt of the ruling party and the government to camouflage its flagrant act of genocide, under the international standard that tolerates intentional use of lethal force by law enforcement officials, when protection of life is the only motive, is immoral. On the other hand, it is a vindication of an outright tyrannical EPRDF rule that has rooted in (lie country. This government has time and again demonstrated its resolve to apply brute military force to shoot and kill unarmed citizens that attempt to demonstrate to demand their basic constitutional rights. The genocide in Wolayta, Hadiya, Tembaro, Sheko-Mejjengar, Oromiya and elsewhere makes the Awassa massacre part of the continued aggression of TPLF/EPRDF against all peoples that demand their rights and question its dictates.

We are appalled by the resolve of the TPLP/EPRDF government to shoot and kill civilians in tens of thousands and by the fact that it is still regarded as a respectable government by the diplomatic community. In the face of this genocidal act of the government the total silence of the international donor community that blindly supports it is even more appalling. Our populations that attempt to stand up for their basic rights are gunned down with impunity in thousands and yet this does not seem to be violent enough to warrant an expression of dismay, if not condemnation.

This tolerance of the brutality of the EPRDF government by the international donor community has been undermining the desires of our peoples to free themselves from the grips of dictatorial rule. The leadership of TPLF/ EPRDF has been arrogantly bragging about how well received its rule is by the international community and hence it can raise as much support as it would desire from the donors. Thus public disapproval and grievances are being disregarded as irrelevant and never heeded to. This has created an unfortunate situation whereby our voices of opposition to the monstrous acts of the regime and the woes of the suffering masses are totally disregarded and are dismissed as irrelevant by the ruling party.

As an additional proof to the continued acts of genocide the EPRDF government has been perpetrating against our peoples, we list below the names of Sidama people that were cold-bloodedly murdered, critically wounded or illegally imprisoned in Awassa. It must be noted that school children also are among the victims.

We hope that all peace loving organizations and diplomatic representations will make their own follow up on this human tragedy of far reaching magnitude and take appropriate action.

(SEPDC)

Table 1. List of Sidama People Massacred by Government Armed Forces as they attempted to Demonstrate in Awassa on May 24,2002

	Name of victim	Job	Woreda	Kebele	Remark
1	Sato Saakecha Maticha	Businessman	Awassa	H2-K07	_
2	Atota Auto	Peasant	Awassa	H2-K07
3	Yoseph Seyoum	Not known	Awassa	Alamura
4	Belay Guta	Student	Awassa	Alamura
5	Labalo Dukamo	Student	Awassa	Alamura
6	Misru Biyene	Not known	Awassa	Alamura
7	Mathewos Ergamo	Peasant	Awassa	Alamura
8	Hanisso Bekele	Peasant	Awassa	Alamura
9	Nauusha Ribso Gachano	Peasant	Awassa	Alamura
10	Tadesse Killae	Policeman	Banssa	Banssa
11	Sheme Debena	Not known	Awassa	Awassa Tulla	Eaten by Hyena
12	Elias Tekaamo	Peasant	Awassa	Tulla 01
13	Maarufa Mengesha	Peasant	Awassa	Tulla 01
14	Surafel Mathewos	Policeman	Awassa	Alamura
15	Seid Tungamo Tura	Student	Awassa	Alamura	Grade 10
16	Abraham Bekele	Peasant	Awassa	Bushalo
17	Yonas Arjamo	Student	Awassa	Finchawaa
18	Yoseph Esayas	Policeman	Awassa	Awassa
19	Markos Mengasha	Peasant	Awassa	Finchawaa
20	Daniel Hobaasa Kunaasa	Peasant	Awassa	Alamura
21	Hansa Kiessa	Student	Shabadino	Shabadino	Grade 8
22	Buuna Bulano	Student	Shabadino	Shabadino	Grade 9
23	Hirjato Gidessa Shabe	Student	Shabadino	Marancha	Grade 9
24	Kedir Abdulkadir	Student	Shabadino	Marancha	Grade 9
25	Lubolaa Dukaamo	Peasant	Shabadino	Alawa Arka
26	Tolaamo Tumaato	Peasant	Shabadino	Alawa Arka
27	Bunnara Gonaama	Peasant	Shabadino	Alawa Arka
28	Rekssa Boshaala	Peasant	Shabadino	Alawa Arka
29	Tafesse Yobo	Peasant	Shabadino	Alawa Arka
30	Kefyalew Dayamo	Peasant	Shabadino	Alawa Arka
31	Yoseph Dudamo Sufa	Student	Shabadino	Nuro Dalcha	Grade 9
32	Mechal (Wotas)Woyessa Rikiba	Student	Shabadino	Nuro Dalcha	Grade 12
33	Manissa Kiiassa Barasa	Student	Shabadino	Nuro Dalcha	Grade 12
34	Bezuneh Lankaamo	Peasant	Shabadino	Nuro Dalcha
35	Sileshi Chakamo	Peasant	Shabadino	Nuro Dalcha
36	Matto Mekuria Sasifa	Peasant	Shabadino	Marancha
37	Bekele Harisso Kaawiso	Peasant	Borcha	Alawoarka
38	Belay Paulos Doyaamo	Peasant	Borcha	Alawoarka
39	Abraham Kiessa	Student	Awassa	Alamura
40	Unidentifiable	Not known	Borcha	Not known	Eaten by Hyena; Only skull found
41	Unidentifiable	Not known	Borcha	Not known	Eaten by Hyena; Only skull found
42	Unidentifiable	Not known	Borcha	Not known	Eaten by Hyena; Only skull found
43	Unidentifiable	Not known	Borcha	Not known	Eaten by Hyena; Only skull found
44	Unidentifiable	Not known	Borcha	Not known	Eaten by Hyena; Only skull found

Table 2. List of Sidama People Wounded by government

armed forces in Awassa on May 24, 2002.

	Name	Job	Woreda	Kebele	Remark
1	Letta Lakacha Maticha	Peasant	Awassa	H2 K07
2	Desta Baku	Peasant	Awassa	H2 K07
3	Hailu Hayamo	Peasant	Awassa	Alamura
4	Tariku Tulu	Peasant	Awassa	H2 K07
5	Ladiso Gobi	Peasant	Awassa	H2 K07
6	Tariku Abicha	Student	Awassa	H2 K07
7	Maaticha Magaane	Peasant	Awassa	Alamura
8	Aberra Butee	Peasant	Awassa	Dato Oda
9	Adama Lamacha	Peasant	Shabadino	Shabadino
10	Yoseph Bocholla	Peasant	Awassa	Bushulo
11	Biiliiso Biiru	Peasant	Awassa	H2 K07
12	Abraham Hatuuma	Peasant	Awassa	Hushulo
13	Yonas Esayas	Peasant	Awassa	Sentaro
14	Bogale Petros	Peasant	Daale	Fiifo _lst
15	Tadesse Debella	Peasant	Shabadino	Tawerako
16	Wonago Kumaalo	Peasant	Awassa	H2 K07
17	Milkias Urgassa	Peasant	Awassa	H2 K07
18	Adaama Julla	Peasant	Awassa	Alamura
19	Daanu (Degefe) Wonchafo	Peasant	Awassa	Alamura
20	Diballa Botalla	Student	Awassa	Alamura	Grade 8
21	Abraham Hiilo	Student	Awassa	Alamura	Grade 10
22	Milkias Kidane	Student	Awassa	Alamura	Grade 8
23	Amano Beyene	Student	Awassa	Alamura	Grade 8 _
24	Aberra Barassa	Student	Awassa	Alamura	Grade 7
25	Tamrat Botolla	Civil Servant	Awassa	H2 K07
26	Yonas Hatiya	Student	Awassa	H2 K07	Grade 8
27	Manamo Gurmessa	Student	Awassa	H2 K07
28	Tesfaye Kamisso	Student	Awassa	H2 K07
29	Zerihun Harmo	Student	Awassa	H2 K07
30	Genna Assefa	Student	Awassa	H2 K07
31	Marsa Ugamo	Student	Awassa	H2 K07
32	Abraham Atuma	Student	Awassa	H2 K07
33	Yoseph Bochola Baramo	Peasant	Shabadino	Galuko Haro
34	Abraham Assefa Takamo	Student	Awassa	Alamura

Table 3. Illegally Imprisoned for allegedly organizing the
Awassa Demonstration On May 24, 2002.

	Name	Job	Woreda	Remark
1	Biiru Baale	Civil Servant	Awassa	EX-Zonal Chairman
2	Alemu Esayas Ataro	Police lieutenant	Borcha	Zonal Police Chief
3	Demisse Gakiiso	Policeman	Awassa
4	Duressa Dudamo Kankessa	Civil Servant	Awassa
5	Tamiru Dabassa Shiire	Civil Servant	Awassa
6	Belay Nauhe Genamo	Civil Servant	Awassa
7	Samuel Barasa Sancha	Civil Servant	Awassa
8	Chemere Shalka	Policeman	Awassa
9	Takele Kitessa Dukkaamo	Civil Servant	Awassa
10	Tsegaselassie Daniel Uuge	Civil Servant	Awassa
11	Hatiya Waare Guuto	Civil Servant	Awassa
12	Adane Getisso Baamo	Civil Servant	Awassa
13	Madi Haji Sagaaro	Civil Servant	Awassa
14	Mathewos Letimo Yona	Civil Servant	Awassa'
15	Yaecob Shafe Buche	Civil Servant	Awassa
16	Lema Lamisso Ligido	Civil Servant	Awassa
17	Eshetu Kitecha	Civil Servant	Awassa
18	Uundo Biiliso Gemeda	Civil Servant	Awassa
19	Yohannes Tunsisa Roma	Civil Servant	Awassa
20	Samuel Ero Anisso	Civil Servant	Awassa
21	Solomon Shamana Lola	Civil Servant	Awassa
22	Adane Abraham	Civil Servant	Awassa
23	Tesfaye Ganbul	Civil Servant	Awassa
24	Seyoum Sunbassa	Civil Servant	Awassa
25	Petros Chama Galga	Civil Servant	Awassa
26	Yoseph Tesfaye	Policeman	Awassa
27	Anato Arussa	Civil Servant	Awassa
28	Chilota Arussa	Civil Servant	Awassa
29	Tesfaye Berasa Wome	Civil Servant	Awassa
30	Argata Gunsa Guracha	Civil Servant	Awassa
31	Sankurata Bekele Gedana	Civil Servant	Arorsa
32	Daniel Uugamo Uurago	Civil Servant	Arorsa
33	Alemu Nigusse Gaasara	Civil Servant	Arorsa
34	Shamsian Watta Warsamo	Civil Servant	Awassa
35	Tariku Bekele Sakuma	Civil Servant	Awassa
36	Seyoum Atsede Tossa	Civil Servant	Awassa
37	Kassa Adisso Tulla	Unemployed	Aroresa	A refugee returnee
38	Kifle Abate	Peasant	Aroresa
39	Asnake Argata	Peasant	Aroresa
.40	Ketsela Tsegaye	Peasant	Aroresa
41	Kebede Handa	Peasant	Aroresa
42	Mude Guracha	Businessman	Bansa

Source is SEPDC