Athletes Ratta Hunde (left), Ratta Nagassa (center) and Tesfaye Amanu (right). Photo taken at Cleavland (Ohaio) Marathon 2000

July 1, 2000
Press Release by athletes Tesfaye Amanu, Ratta Hunde, and Ratta Nagassa

We the undersigned are national marathon runners from Ethiopia, which we represent in international competitions with distinction. However, we are sad to issue this urgent appeal to draw the attention of the international community to the tragic situation facing Oromos in Ethiopia. 

Because of the ever-increasing repression against the Oromo people, it is becoming almost impossible for self-respecting Oromos to live a peaceful life in Ethiopia. The persecution of the Oromo by the TPLF minority government is affecting every sector of life.  Even in a sector like sports, universally assumed to be free from any type of prejudice, the Oromos are routinely discriminated against and treated as second-class citizens. This is a mockery of justice when it was fellow Oromo athletes such as Ababa Bikila, recently named Athlete of the Century by the International Olympic Committee, and Mamo Walde, winner in the Mexico City Marathon, who put the country on the world map. Tigreans are favored and given a priority to compete outside the country in situations where it is clear there are other more superior athletes from Oromo, Amhara and other ethnic groups. Tigrean officials, who have neither the capacity nor the experience, staff the Ethiopian Athletic Federation from top to bottom. Oromo athletes who defy the authorities are intimidated and harassed as OLF members, expelled from competition, or sent to the war front.  Oromo athletes who refuse to sell their heart and soul to the TPLF regime are leading a life in hell under the daily threat of imprisonment or expulsion from the Federation.

I Tesfaye Amenu, One of the undersigned, because I challenged the reason a Tigrean was selected to represent the country while I had a superior record was labeled as “narrow nationalist infected with OLF virus”. I was imprisoned and readmitted to the Federation only after I was given a reprimand and agreed not to challenge such decisions in the future.

I, Reta Hunde, was also imprisoned for three months accused of cultivating Oromo nationalism in the federation. I was beaten and mistreated in detention even at the time when I was representing the country in international competitions. I, Reta Negasa, was expelled from the national team in the past because of my sympathy with OLF when it was part of the coalition government. Later I was imprisoned for two months and released only after I was given “the last warning” not to engage in any kind of political activity. A state of fear and paranoia prevails in the country where refusal to cooperate with the regime results in being unlawfully dismissed, arbitrarily arrested, jailed, tortured and sent to the war front where thousands perished as cannon fodder and mine sweepers.

Celebrity Oromo athletes from Abebe Bikila to Fatuma Roba put Ethiopia on the international athletic scene. However, the succeeding Ethiopian rulers fail to recognize the Oromo contribution to the country and continue to silence the Oromo voice with guns. It would be immoral and intolerable to continue to serve the government that has no respect for our people and for us. As a result of the above we have decided to seek asylum in the USA to save ourselves from political persecution. In addition we issue this appeal to alert the world community to exert pressure on the regime in Ethiopia to desist from the systematic oppression, subjugation and exploitation of the Oromo people.

1.  Tesfaye Amanu                      
2.  Ratta Hunde              
3.  Ratta Nagassa