About Us

The Oromo Relief Association (ORA) is a non-profit making, charity based humanitarian organization founded to offer support, counseling and care for refugees and displaced peoples around the Horn of Africa. Established in 1979 ORA helped and rehabilitated Oromo refugees and others who fled to the Sudan, Djibouti, Somalia and Kenya due to war and famine. Starting from mid 1970s hundreds of thousands of Oromo nationals fled from their homeland to escape the “Red terror” campaign of the communist Dergue regime.
Particularly the Ethio-Somali war of 1977-1978 was fought largely on Ethiopian land and devastated villages after villages and left thousands of families’ home and helpless both in the countryside and in semi-urban centers. This huge influx of refugees necessitated the formation of ORA to meet the urgent need of these refugees and displaced persons.

Historical Background

ORA (WGO) Past and Present

The Oromo People like all other nations and nationalities in Ethiopia have been and are still suffering from both manmade and natural calamities. The Ethiopia’s never –ending wars that have been and are still going on for well over four decades combined with unsolved famine disaster, have placed millions of lives in ever-increasing dangers. With the aged, women and children left desperately helpless for the obvious consequence, there is death at unbelievable rate. Men and women, young and old alike still in their productive ages maimed, die or disappear by different manmade causalities. Because of poor economic and social development and lack of access to basic social services such as health and education, people exposed untold sufferings and led to poverty. The sufferings resulted in perhaps the largest loss of lives in the Region’s history particularly man-made disasters such as civil war, eviction and displacement, political persecution and ethnic cleansing.

In the early 1970’s, Ethiopia communist styled military dictatorship of Dergue government carried out what it then termed as revolution, better known as the “Red Terror”, a notorious, well-orchestrated, and executed campaign of political cleansing of peoples in the country. It experienced mass killings, imprisonment, torture etc. that caused undue sufferings and fleeing of refugees by hundreds of thousands. Oromo nationals were one of those who faced such conditions. Starting from mid 1970s hundreds of thousands of Oromo nationals fled from their homeland to escape the “Red terror” campaign of the communist Dergue regime. Particularly, the Ethio-Somali war of 1977-1978 took place largely on Oromo land and devastated villages after villages leaving thousands of families homeless and helpless both in the countryside and in urban centers.

The Birth of ORA

With time passing on even after the defeat and retreat of Somalia’s army, the situation in the country continued to worsen with widespread, gross human rights violation of individuals and groups. The persecution, imprisonment, disappearance, killings, dispossession and dislocation that resulted in immense human suffering and affecting millions of Oromo people. In particular, in eastern Oromia, the situation of our people continued to worsen. The Ethiopian army falsely accused the Oromo peasants of supporting the Somalia’s army, ravaged the countryside with vengeance and in retaliation. The Dergue force also took harsh measures on the people to deter the movement of the liberation army in the area.

Hence, hundreds of thousand Oromo nationals forced to leave their villages and take refuge in neighboring countries. It is in contrasting to its custom, culture and belief; that the Oromo people in Ethiopia indulged into enormous streams of refugees in which many more internally displaced. This has been worsened by the country’ never-ending political crisis.

Internal conflict and external wars followed by political witch-hunting culminated into political assassinations, summary execution, detention, torture, disappearances etc. among others threats that led to separations of families, loss of parents and mass exodus out of Ethiopia into neighboring countries like Somalia, Djibouti, Sudan, and Kenya to seek safety for their lives. This caused huge influx of refugees that could not sufficiently be handled by the then existing local and international NGO. Besides being malnourished, the children’s death rate of primitive diseases had been recorded one of the highest that exacerbates the need for much assistance to contribute to the aim of restoring hope to otherwise hopeless persons.

Eventually, the Oromo Relief Association (ORA) established in 1977 as a nonprofit making charity based humanitarian organization constituted to supporting, counseling, caring for refugees and the displaced, and help the disparate peoples around the Horn of Africa in general and the Oromo community in particular. ORA was determined and started to help and rehabilitate Oromo victims of war and famine, offering basic human necessities wherever they may be in the Region.

Contribution and Performances of ORA

ORA has been taking operations across the borders and was directing the material distribution and rendering other social services to those internally displaced people. At its early establishment and operation, the condition under which the Oromo people live and ORA members continued to provide service to the people became extremely difficult. However, some members continued underground working on their humanitarian activities in the most dangerous security situation. This led to substantial reduction of ORA’s activities in urban centers of Oromia. As the situation became quite dangerous for their life, some members left the country for abroad in late 1978 and early 1979. These members were able to campaign for those imprisoned and popularized the condition in which the Oromo people live under the military dictatorship.

In mid-1979, those members who arrived abroad came together in Khartoum, Sudan, and formally formed ORA in exile. The first general assembly held in 1979, adopted the constitution of the association, and became legal body. From that time on, ORA started to introduce itself and the worsening situation of Oromo refugee’s to humanitarian organizations and governmental bodies in several countries in Europe, North America, Australia, Middle East and Africa. Soon the appeal launched for assistance and co-operation started to bear fruit enabling ORA to start to meet some of its obligation. Its humanitarian operations and social service provisions duly expanded over the latter years as the needs in refugees camp mounted. By the beginning of 1980, Oromo refugees in the neighboring countries reached over half a million for which ORA responded in supplying relief materials, rehabilitating, supporting, sheltering and feeding these displaced and refugees.

ORA did not only operate in neighboring countries, but also succeeded in taking operations across the borders and directing the material distribution and rendering other social services to those internally displaced. In doing so, ORA has saved many Oromo lives. The contribution of all individuals, government and NGOs who selflessly responded to ORA’s pledges of relief materials such as food, medicine, clothes, water, and shelter to the Oromo refugees through the efficient hand of ORA are so crucial without which thousands of noble Oromo lives could not been saved! In due course, ORA helped and rehabilitated Oromo refugees and others who fled to the Sudan, Djibouti, Somalia and Kenya who flew away from war, drought, persecution and famine. The increasing new incidents made ORA to expand its services grow fast and continues to reach the need for assistance of those affected. ORA’s external and cross-border operations considerably expanded and opened offices in Europe and Somalia and approached several governmental and non-governmental organizations in the countries with requests for assistance. In response, relief goods such as food, medicine, clothes, etc. received and saved lives of thousands of Oromo refugees in Sudan, Djibouti and Somalia.

As war for liberation expanded from Eastern Oromia, where it started some seven years ago to Western Oromia, the need for assistance to the victims as well grew in the western part of the country. ORA, in Sudan, has been operating from its main office in Khartoum and branch offices in Port Sudan, Sinjah, Demazin and Yabous. From both bases of Somalia and Sudan, ORA continued to deliver relief goods obtained for donors or fund for special rehabilitation programs for internal purchase of grain, farm tools and farm animals. In addition, much of the work was carried out through special program of transferring fund for internal purchase of food grains, farm tools etc.

In 1982, Oromos and British well-wishers founded Oromo Relief Association UK to alleviate the suffering of the Oromo people. ORA UK is an independent registered charity with charity number 284602 of the British Government. It works for Oromo Refugees and Asylum seekers in the UK and elsewhere. Its main activities are to provide a confidential advice on Immigration, Housing, Welfare benefits and interpretation and translation services for Oromo Asylum seekers and Refugees in the UK. In order to fulfil these objectives ORA UK has established strong work relation with different charities in the UK. Their cooperation, support and assistance enabled ORA to operate in wide fields. A number of humanitarian organizations, individuals have also contributed ORA’s efforts and this has greatly contributed towards reducing the immense suffering of Oromo people mainly in East Africa.

ORA has accumulated wide range of experiences while working among Oromo refugees, Mao, Komo, Berta nationalities and others near the border of Sudan from 1979 to 1991. After the Dergue regime ousted from power, ORA moved to Finfinne (Addis Ababa) and registered as an indigenous NGO under the laws of the Transitional Government of Ethiopia. Continuing onward, ORA had undertaken a wide range of humanitarian and development programs in the country. ORA had trained about 800 paramedics (barefoot doctors) in various essentials medical fields including training of midwives. By the middle of 1992, ORA was operating over 45 moderately equipped clinics and 1 central hospital in Western Oromia alone and extensively involved in providing health services.

At the same time, ORA contributed a great role in terms of providing educational services. About 1,700 orphans were attending ORA-managed schools. ORA helped to prepare materials and school supplies for regular basic and adult education in cooperation with the Oromo Liberation Front. It played also a key role in the process of transforming the Oromo language from oral to literary language, in producing and supplying literacy materials written in the Oromo language (known as “Qubee”). Thousands of orphaned children and others affected by the war get the rear opportunity in the society to attend schools and particularly in their own language, “Afaan Oromo”. It was during this time that ORA won the confidence of both international and national NGOs and other donor agencies. It recognized as a genuine Oromo humanitarian organization and the leading NGO in East Africa in general and in Oromia in particular.

ORA at its Peak

From its establishment and during its 16 years operation, i.e. up to the middle of 1992, the existence of ORA saved life of many refugees and displaced people. Its existence as relief association and growth was significant with considerable expansion in its operational areas and the fields of activities. Actually, there was big increase in membership and staff. ORA expanded considerably with capabilities in logistics and infrastructure. It had possessed over 35 vehicles including some 25 heavy-duty trucks, well-equipped garages, storage facilities of several thousand tons capacity. At the end of 1991, the capacity of ORA in co-ordination of the lifting and distributing humanitarian assistance had grown to a self-evident level, with good efficiency and effectiveness with fleets of 35 vehicles in delivering of aid assistance.

By mid-1992, ORA had about 800-trained paramedics (barefoot doctors) on the ground, most essential medicals equipment and medicine in the fields, including training and practicing midwifery with modern facilities. In western Oromia alone, ORA was operating over 45 moderately equipped clinics and 1 central hospital. ORA also catered for and successfully helped in upbringing of about 1,700-orphans providing them with free basic education at ORA-managed elementary schools.

In co-operation with Oromo liberation Front, ORA played a historical role in enhancing education service in areas under the control of the Front. ORA availed and helped to prepare educational materials and school supplies for regular basic and adult education programs ran in refugee camps. Eventually, played a key role in the process of transforming the spoken Afaan Oromo into written language by adopting and developing Oromo alphabets from Latin alphabets popularly known as Qubee.

ORA had earned the confidence of both international and national NGOs and other donor agencies in its genuine service delivery to give hope to the helpless refugees. During the Transitional Government, ORA also credited with recognition as an indigenous Oromo humanitarian organization and the leading NGO in East Africa in general and in Oromia in particular. At that time its office in Finfinne/Addis Ababa closed, late 1997, ORA had 72 permanent workers and 48 subordinates on the ground. Thus, it is this very hope of saving noble lives and honor of serving the people ORA is trying to bring back in the coming years.

Challenges and Setbacks of ORA

Challenges

From its establishment in 1997 the Military Government imprisoned ORA members for the mere suspicion of supporting families of individuals whose bread earners where detained or killed and needed relief assistance. At the beginning of 1980, majority of ORA members rounded up and imprisoned, in which many kept detained for 10 years. In mid 1980s, Somalia Government hampered ORA’s work in Eastern Oromia that forced ORA to provide its services through smuggling into the areas and distribute medicines and some other essential goods to the refugees.

After its fruit full performance in the country during Transitional Government of Ethiopia (1991) and its operation expanded and recognition developed, ORA came under the watchful eye of the politicians in the government sectors. Finally, late 1997, the Ethiopian Peoples’ Republic Democratic Front (EPRDF) regime illegally banned, robed ORA’s assets and imprisoned its workers. At last, it closed the main ORA office in Finfinne confiscated all its properties and put its workers imprisoned including its Chairperson. Most of the humanitarian staff in the field missed, arrested, kidnapped and tortured with the whereabouts of some of these staff are still unknown.

At the same time, the Sudanese Government expropriated large facilities established over same six hectares of land at Demazin with inexplicable reason. Thence, the organization has remained with few trained human powers and means of fulfilling its intended goals. However, in 1998, ORA re-registered under Sudanese laws, with the sole purpose of providing humanitarian assistance and started its operation. Again, after a short period in operation, with an undefined reason the Sudanese Government confiscated all its properties and closed its office. Yet, most of the properties have been confiscated or destroyed and an attempt to reclaim these properties, in spite of repeated appeal, have been fruit less.

Setbacks

It was evident that Ethiopia’s dictatorial military junta/ Dergue Regime has done many wrong things to Ethiopian people and its institutions and finally ended the country in turmoil of war and eviction.

These wrong doings of Dergue Regime initiated Oromo Nationals to establish ORA as non-patrician and non-profitable charity based organization. The downfall of the military regime in 1991 seemed to usher a new beginning to the political situation in Ethiopia. A conference of different political and civic organizations convened and transitional government was set up in which various organizations with different political agendas participated. It was for the first time in the history of Ethiopia that a sort of political tolerance and power sharing exercised.

However, this right step in the right direction did not last long. The EPRDF, dominated by an ethnic based TPLF, reneged its words and agreements and derailed the democratization process by harassing independent organizations that were participating in the Transitional Government and refused to implement the tents of free and fair election. This behavior of the TPLF forced many independent organizations to leave the transitional arrangement. When the desired political change and the democratization process failed, fighting resumed. The old pattern of arrests, kidnapping, mass arrest, torture and killings commenced. Hunting down and silencing persons and organizations that did not support the EPRDF became the function of TPLF cadres. Minority based one party dictatorship was installed. Hence, the sufferings of Oromo people and other nation and nationalities in Ethiopia continued that resulted in the exodus of Oromo refugees and others to neighboring countries again.

The ever-suspicious Meles government not spared ORA from harassment. A final blow came in the late 1997, when the Ethiopian regime closed down the main ORA office in Finfinne. ORA a legally registered under Ethiopian laws as indigenous humanitarian organization closed without due court procedure. This cowardice act of TPLF regime did not only silence ORA but left rehabilitation unfinished and left millions of Oromo beneficiaries without help.

As ORA’s progressive development service of rehabilitation blocked, properties confiscated and its workers imprisoned, its branch offices in Australia, UK, Support Groups in Germany, USA, Canada and Scandinavian countries work on relief services in the boarder and neighboring countries wherever possible. Recovering from its wounds, ORA opened its head headquarter in Asmara on 16 September 2002. Since then, it was operating from Asmara, Eritrea, rendering valuable services to refugees in the Horn region, displaced people and students in custody.

ORA’s service in Asmara continued to mid-2018 until the occurrence of public (Qeerroo) appraisal in Ethiopia, which brought the new prime minister, Abiy Ahmed, into power who announced pace of changer or reform.

As Abiy’s reform called on all nationals and parties neutralizing the political situation in the country, ORA gets chance of returning to the Country. To address the new situation within the existing Ethiopian rules and regulations, the General Assembly of ORA amended the constitution to the Ethiopian regulation and reconstituted the Executive Committee, elected Executive Director and assigned auditor and other administrative staff. With fulfilling the requirements of the Civil Society Organization Agency, ORA reregistered on 31 August 2019 as civil society organization to accomplish about nine typical objectives.

ORA’s Current Status, New Determination and New Hope

ORA’s goal is to provide humanitarian assistance to the marginalized, displaced and refugees of Oromo People in the Horn, namely Eritrea, Djibouti, Sudan, Kenya and Somalia and rehabilitate those victims in homeland Ethiopia. Concomitantly, there are committees for Oromo refugees concern in these neighboring countries that assist ORA in implementation of project and programs on the ground. Currently, the need for providing humanitarian assistance to Oromo refugees in the Horn of Africa and the need for rehabilitation of the displaced and evicted victims in the country has been on even more increasing. With this fact on the ground, considerable efforts made to reconstitute and review ORA in its reestablishment in the Country in the way it be able to support once again if facing the worst humanitarian crisis along with COVID-19.

Now, we are glad to inform that ORA was re-registered under Ethiopian law and has branches legally registered in USA, UK, Germany and Canada. On the other hand, the need for providing humanitarian assistance to Oromo and other refugees in the Horn of Africa is supposed to decrease while internal displacement and instability that insists humanitarian intervention might increase due to internal conflicts.

Nowadays, thousands of Oromo nationals obliged to return home from neighboring countries because of the incidence of COVID-19. To assist these desperate returnee refugees, reconstituting ORA as well as its operations and services is crucial and timely important.

Therefore, ORA is working under Ethiopian laws with accorded legal personality. It is reinstating itself and restoring its capacity and relaunch its humanitarian work in homeland. It has planned the necessary structure and administrative personnel to carry out projects in a more effective and efficient manner. To carry out its mission in the region, ORA systematically build its capacity and induce inclusive operation strategy that involves the target community, local development actors and research institutions for proper implementations of projects and programs.

Objectives

ORA’s Main Objectives as Reregistered under Ethiopian Laws include:

Work on support, assistance and rehabilitation of people victimized to manmade and natural disaster;
Develop and implement projects and programs on natural resource, agriculture, education, community health, potable water supply etc. so that the community to get out of poverty and backwardness.
Initiate study and research to communities’ benefit and organize discussions and forums on government proclamations, policies, guidelines etc., and work on awareness of the community for its implementation.
Ensure gender equality through education, training and awareness creation.
Provide psychological, physical and social services and rehabilitate those socially, physically and morally affected people.

6. Develop and implement livelihood improvement works and ensure equal participation of alienated and discriminated segments of the society due to different reasons, for example, women, the elderly, persons with disabilities, and orphans and abandoned children.

7. Undertake study on existing bottlenecks on growth of children, develop projects and work on societal holistic change.

8. Support and capacitate the establishment of new community based institutions and strengthening the existing once.

9. Undertake holistic communities based capacity-building activities.

10. Participate in national election as observer.

Strategy

ORA intends to

Improve the status of the victims through relief and rehabilitation;
Provide basic health and education services and capacitate the target community; and
Promote self-help activities that would enable full integration of the communities to modernity and ease of life.

Based on the aforementioned organizational goals, objectives and strategies, ORA plans to reach the unreached communities in different parts of the Region with essential services required for improvement of livelihoods of the people.

In all its service provision, ORA starts from small and takes up the experience to duplicate and scale up throughout the Region. ORA inspired and committed to work with all like-minded individuals, community leaders and community based organizations, and local development actors including local administrations irrespective of differences in religion, culture, politics and the like to reach all the unreached communities.