Mr. Hussein Osman, a torture victim and an Oromo national, in an oral statement he presented at the 45th UN Committee Against Torture at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland on Tuesday, November 2,2010 explained he was tortured because of his different political believe; and consequently paralyzed by EPRDF/TPLF Security agents. He reminded the participants that his situation was one out of tens of thousands of similar cases that have been, and that are still behind those bars; but didn’t get the opportunity to be heard.
Finally Mr. Hussein demand the participants to do all their bests to save the lives of those citizens in hidden detention centre from EPRDF/TPLF torturers.
Read the Transcript of his speech
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Oral Statement by Hussein Osman, delegate from Oromia Support Group
Committee against Torture (CAT) on its 45th Session (1 to 19 Nov. 2010, Geneva)
Related to the discussion of the country situation in Ethiopia (November 2& 3)
Dear Mr. Chairman, My name is Hussein Ahmed Osman. I am a delegate from Oromia Support Group (OSG). I was born on 20 January 1970, in Eastern Oromia, Ethiopia. I am currently residing in Oslo, Norway.
Before 1994, I was a healthy and physically fit person capable of doing everything that other persons of my age could do. However, after 1994, I became paralysed due to the continuous torture I was subjected to in various detention centres in Ethiopia under the current EPRDF/TPLF regime. Today, being in front of you, I would be giving my witness on two things:
First, for those of you who believe in almighty God, I am a sign that the forces of God, the forces of justice and love are stronger than the forces of death, that of violence, torture and hatred. It was only because of the will of God that I survived; and that I happened to be here today. Second, the limitless atrocities that the Ethiopian Government, a state party of CAT, is committing against its own innocent and defenseless citizens for the simple reason of their political beliefs or belonging to certain ethnic group other than theirs need to be exposed. Today, thousands of Ethiopians are suffering in various detention centers; and many more are dying because of excessive torture.
Some of detention centres where I was detained are:-
- Ø Midhaga Lola Military Camp,
- Harar Ex-Party Office,
- Ø Hirna private house,
- Ø Bokko Military Camp,
- Ø Harar Town Qalad Amba Military Police (underground prison),
- Ø Hurso Concentration Camp and
- Finfinnee Unknown Military Camp
As the names indicate, these detention centers are military camps; and the rest are hidden or secret prisons that victims usually call Bermudas
Ladies and Gentlemen
some of the methods that the EPRDF/TPLF regime uses to torture me are
- They forced me to run and crawl bare feet on sharp gravel stone.
v Being tied my arms suspended me on top of a Cliff Rock and pull me up and down to make me feel like I was being thrown down.
- Forced me to dig ground pit of 1mt by 2mt. I was told that it was my grave, laid me down in it and fire gun in it.
- One night I was taken to bush and persons who were talking Afaan Oromoo (Oromo Language) were brought and they all were shot and killed in front of me while they were crying and begging for mercy. After that they warned me that if do not confess their accusations, I will be killed at the end and they shot over my head after which I became faint and awoke next morning with all my clothes soiled with urine and faeces and my neck injured.
- Kept me in a plastic tent in a very hot temperature and I was suffocated.
- I was kept in a small room suffocated with a smoke that irritated my eyes, caused me to cough and sneeze continuously.
- I was forced to carry certain of 80 Kg. Stone on my shoulder and walk up and down stairs while at the same time I was beaten from behind by stones and stick on back.
- Beat me on my mouth by a handle of a pistol and as a result my 12 teeth were fractured.
- I was forced to sit for a long time in a small room full of biting and stinging insects.
- I was terrorized by putting a muzzle of a gun in my mouth and aiming a gun at my forehead.
- I was forced to sleep on a cold cement floor for a long time and I was not allowed to have any bed sheet or blanket.
- A very strong and blinding torch light was applied to my eyes several times.
- I was allowed to go to toilet only once in twenty four (24) hours.
- I was given food only once in 24 hours and the food that was given to me were usually infected.
- I was held incommunicado and not allowed to be visited by any one
Mr. Chairman,
It goes without saying that no amount of compensation can restore my physical and mental being shattered as a result of tortures inflicted on me by Ethiopian Government security force; and the overall experiences I went through. And, I would like to remind everyone that my situation was one out of tens of thousands of similar cases that have been, and that are still behind those bars; but didn’t get the opportunity to be heard.
Before I sum up my witness I want to express my most heartfelt gratitude for Norwegian Government who took over to support the rest of my life and who tremendously helped for the revival of my Healthy.
Mr. Chairman,
Thank you very much for your patience. I have great pleasure to see this occasion happened
