Calgary Ethiopian community calls for action in Oromia student deaths
Oromia student deaths range from 4 to 10 depending on source
About a hundred people from Calgary's Ethiopian community held a rally outside city hall Thursday to draw attention to violence happening in their home country.
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People in the Oromia region have been protesting the Ethiopian government's plan to integrate the country's capital city, Addis Ababa, with surrounding towns in the area.
An opposition leader said 10 Oromo students were killed by police while protesting this week.
An Ethiopian government spokesperson says four students died and 20 police officers were injured when protests became violent.
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Calgary demonstrators say the Oromos are dying at the hands of the Ethiopian government and security forces.
Firatol Shune took part in the rally and wants Canada to send Ethiopia a message.
"Our people are suffering there, we are protesting here, they are being killed for exactly what we are doing," Shune said.
"Yes, there needs to be foreign aid given to third world countries but there also needs to be an intervention and negotiation between the Canadian government and the Ethiopian government to stop harassing people."
Rallies against the violence in Oromia are happening all over the world.
The demonstrators say they want the Ethiopian government to respect the democratic rights of the Oromos and other Ethiopian people.