The following report is from Qeerroo.

January 11, 2012 Naqamte

The ongoing university and high school students’ revolution is shaking the city of Naqamte after the students committed themselves for days of sit-in within Wollega University Campus. Shocked by the commitment and stand of the students, the huge security forces, assembled of different groups of the government armed apparatus, have forcefully entered the campus which resulted in a sustained combat in and out of the University, and it is being intensified in the city. Accordingly, one student named Lenjisa Ragassa, from 3rd year Afan Oromo Department, was hospitalized after he sustained a serious injury by a gunshot from the security brigade.

What is more, the University is trying to silence the students with intimidation, withholding the cafeteria food and violence. Accordingly, Siraj Jamal, 2nd year Law student, and Kamal, 2nd year engineering student, had died from causes related to chronic hunger, and more than 60 students were forcefully taken away after serious of beating and mistreatment. The whereabouts of the students are yet not known, and there is high probability of torture.

But, the students are still persisting through the trouble, and they are still active within the campus, and the city with the support of the working class and the residents of Naqamte.

After the students defended their campus from the invading police force, the heavily armed and ruthless army of the dictatorial regime have stormed into the campus at midnight – causing huge damage and losses, leaving dozens injured and apprehensions of hundreds of students.

The demand of the students include:

· The release of all political prisoners (of which Oromo accounts more than 90%),

· The halt of the land grabbing policy; which is evicting farmers and impoverishing thousands, if not millions,

· The realization of self-determination and self-governance as written on the Ethiopian Federal constitution, and other campus related academic and administrative matters.

But the regimes’ agent attempted to cover up this students’ revolution on VOA, as small incident of students’ conflict, have angered the high school students in the West Wollega Zone and the residents’ of the city. Accordingly, they are standing in solidarity with these students. The support and care of the Naqamte city residents in helping the injured students is said to be of very crucial and historical.

Naqamte is one of the Oromo cities that resisted the brutal dictatorship of the current government for the last two decades.

Justice Shall Prevail!