Today, I presented a petition in the House of Commons on behalf of the Canadian Oromo community in Edmonton
They’re concerned about ongoing human rights violations in Ethiopia.
As the Member of Parliament for Edmonton Griesbach I’ll always champion universal human rights for all people.
Petition to the House of Commons
Whereas:
- On June 29, 2020, Hachalu Hundessa, the celebrated young Oromo musician and human rights activist, was assassinated, unleashing an avalanche of unprecedented violence;
- Government forces descended on mourners, killing and arresting protestors who came out to express their rage;
- They arrested leaders and members of Oromo opposition parties, Oromo traditional elders, youth leaders, scholars, journalists and other civilians;
- Government shut down the Internet and Oromo independent media such as Oromo Media Network;
- Since then, state-sponsored atrocities have escalated, hundreds were killed and tens of thousands were imprisoned;
- Political prisoners contracted COVID-19 and suffered from strange illnesses but were denied treatment and access to lawyers.
- This adds to the ongoing merciless killing, beating, jailing, and raping of innocent civilians under the indefinite Martial Law; and
- Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Ethiopian Human Rights Commission, members of U.S. Congress and parliaments of European nations have expressed deep concerns.
We, the undersigned, Oromo Communities members in Canada, call upon the House of Commons to be our voice by calling upon the Canadian government to encourage Ethiopia to:
1. End the unconstitutional Martial Law and withdraw its military from civilian areas;
2. Recognize that Canada’s foreign aid is linked to the respect of human rights;
3. Free all political prisoners without precondition and start dialogue with all opposition parties, especially the targeted Oromo leaders;
4. Commit to independent investigation of Hundessa’s murder and bring perpetrators to justice.
You can see the full petition at here.