Hate and ethnic conflict has always been one of the most challenging political problems in post-colonial Africa. Two decades ago, Rwanda exhibited how devastating the problem is. No wonder Rwanda had to do everything it could to fight ethnic politics legally to the extent of banning ethnic politics constitutionally.
Ethiopian government is totally different on this matter. It’s exhibiting constant interest in keeping ethnic tension alive and well in Ethiopia. Statue – which virtually stands for hate and ethnic tension- erected in Arsi, South central Ethiopia, is just one more example of government work. It seems to bear seeds of radicalization rather than reconciliation. No question, it will contribute to radicalize young people and incoming generation in the area.
VOA Amharic service reported 20 million Ethiopian birr is spent on it.
Disgusting lie from one of the regional authorities who spoke to VOA Amharic is that he makes it seem like Ethiopians oppose the Oromos on the use of their own language which is utterly misinformation and wrong.
Oromo’s are the largest language speaking group in Ethiopia with significant contribution in Menelik’s unification campaign before and after the Battle of Adwa
Video credit- Ethiopian Review
No wonder the regional government Authority said “Ethiopians oppose the Oromos on the use of their own language”. Listen the YouTube. He said straight right. There are Diasporas who left Ethiopia pre 1991 and there are also parties whom they depend on those Diasporas. Just to fulfill the ambition of those diasporas, the parties are distributing hate venomes among peoples.
Crimes of those Neftegnas should be remembered not to make the same mistake of the past. One more thing you should know is oromos are banned from practicing their language means they are not allowed to use in state affairs, legal and some times their own matters. Until 1991 Afaan oromo has no official script and officially used among public with fullest sense. I remember when Semayawi party leader said “oromos speak their language during minilik, derg, hailesillassie bla, bla… continued Afaan oromo is spoken in villages and still the same” Look how Neo Neftegnas think?? is Oromo language limited to speaking? what about writing their history, culture and language itself?? why was required to mention Afaan oromo is village and Amaric is city?? Has he ever lived in Ethiopia?? or is he Listening diasporas of old guards?? My guess is He may came from Northern Ethiopia where diversity is less tolerated or lived in finfinne or perhaps in some Amharized cities of oromia. I advice you try to understand what Ethiopia contains now than dreaming the past. You are not the only Ethiopian. Every body is Ethiopian of the current and the future Ethiopia
Amhara’s were massacred ever since the time of Gragn Ahmed and the expansion of Oromo’s to the North. During Zemene Mesafinet and the subsequent regimes the Amhara’s played a significant role in the making of Ethiopia.This doesn’t mean Christian Oromo’s did nothing. They played a significant role to Unite Oromo’s under the Ethiopian flag during MenilikII period.Now these Oromo’s are catagorized by the Wollega elites as Gobena. Bulcha Demeksa and Negaso Gidada repeatedly accused Gobena. They don’t want to speak the role Kumsa and Jote played in the making of Ethiopia. Wollega unite with Oromo brothers with their own free will. But elites of Wollega who had ample time in missionary schools are blind to see this fact and hammering Shewan Orthodox Oromo’s. This couldn’t by any standard takes the Oromo struggle to the next ladder. I want to mention here about the confused and the trapped General Tadese Birru did on Mandela. Fueled by an anti Hailesellasie anti Zionist and anti Imperialism thought of Marxism and the money he got from Eritrean Liberation Front. Tadesse made an attempt of the killing of Mandela.For this he assigned squads from Oromo ethnic groups to kill the trainee.When the information leaked out through Fekadu Wakene to him the only thing he did was to promote Fekadu to Corporal status. Finally the Apartheid regime caught and arrest Mandela from the tip of information they got from Tadesse Birru who tip them he is back to South Africa.
Tadesse Birru and Mamo Mezemer were the first terrorist in the history of Ethiopia. Mamo Mezemer was a person who rocked Cinema Ethiopia with a bomb.A friend of him who had no notice of this plot by the name Lt. Girma Hailesslasie who later appointed as Ambassador of Ethiopia to Canada lost his arm with what Lt. Mamo Mezemer planted.
Tadesse Birru was a traitor who also made an attempt to kill Emperor Hailesselasie.
For Tadesse Mandela’s Ethiopic attitude and admiration of its civilization was unacceptable. Above all Tadesse saw any attack on Mandela tarnish the image of Hailesselasie who won great admiration in the black world. His hate towards Ketema Yifru who facilitate ways for Mandela to train in Ethiopia blindly drove him to earn money from the white Apartheid regime.He used that money for the so called ye fidel serawit through which he sought to organize a political party.