Prof. Berhanu Nega, chair person of Patriotic Ginbot 7, Dr. Merera Gudina , chairperson of Oromo Federalist Congress and Rio’s silver medalist athlete Feyisa Lilesa have delivered speeches regarding the human rights violations by the dictatorial Ethiopian government on innocent civilians and citizens for members and participants of European parliament in Brussels on 09 November 2016. The present situation in Ethiopia has been also raised and elaborated by the speakers. This program was led by Mrs Ana Gomez.
Rio’s Olympic silver medal winner, athlete Feyisa Lilesa, gave a speech representing not a single ethnic group but all Ethiopians in general. He said that his running talent had given him the opportunity to travel all around the world and expose the crimes against humanity committed by the Ethiopian dictatorial regime, Woyane. He added that he would not speak only for one specific ethnic group but for all ethnic groups in Ethiopia, who are under dictatorial rule. He raised the displacement of the Amahras by the current regime after their land was snatched and given to the Tigrians. He went on explaining how the dictatorial regime tried to grab land from Oromos’ farmers under the pretext of expanding the capital Addis Ababa. The athlete has also tried to show how people in Gambella and other regions were forced by the Ethiopian security forces to abandon their land and flee so that investors could grab the lands. He told the participants that those who opposed these land grabbing ,human rights violation and crimes against humanity are jailed or shot dead by the ruling party (Woyane) security forces. In his conclusion, the Olympic athlete remarked the European union to stand with the people of Ethiopia but not with the dictatorial regime EPRDF or Woyane.
Prof. Berhanu Nega and Dr. Merera Gudina have in their own parts requested the European union to put pressure on the current dictatorial Ethiopian government and play their role in solving the problems rather than supporting tyranny.
The members and participants have held deep discussions on the present situation in Ethiopia and on the speeches delivered by the three speaker before the hearing was officially closed. Finally Mrs Ana Gomes has explained that the three speakers’ presentations and elaborations would be reported in a written form to the president of the European parliament, to the president of the council and to the head of European union foreign affair.
