Anthony Byrne (Holt, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Members of Melbourne's Oromo Ethiopian community continue to be concerned by ongoing political tensions in Ethiopia. According to Human Rights Watch, in 2020 the security and human rights situation in Ethiopia deteriorated as Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed struggled to retain order amidst growing unrest and political tensions. The government postponed scheduled national elections in March 2020, citing COVID related health risks. National elections are now due to be held on 5 June 2021. However, the local Oromo community does not believe that these elections will be free and fair and, as a result, two of the most popular political parties, OLF and OFC, have pulled out of the election.

Since the terrible assassination of popular Oromo singer Hachalu Hundessa, which triggered protests on 29 June 2020, heavy-handed security response and large-scale property destruction has taken place in Oromia. The Oromo community around the world remains deeply sceptical, distrustful and frustrated about what is happening. There are two people who have been imprisoned, in particular, Bekele Gerba and Jawar Mohammed, for some period of time. The Oromo community also wants release of those two individuals, who are suffering and have been on hunger strikes, and others who have been held by the Ethiopian regime.