Ethiopian Soldiers Killed, Injured High School Oromo Students

Qeerransoo Biyyaa

In Oromiya regional administration, west Shawa Zone, government forces killed Wondimu Damana, a 12th grade Gedo High School student. The soldiers also injured Belay Motuma and another female student.

"During the shooting incident, one student was killed, two were injured; and over 30 students, 1 teacher and 1 development assistant of Oromo national origin were taken into custody," MP and leader of the Oromo People´s Congress Dr Marara Gudina told the VOA.

Asked about the cause of the attacks, Gudina said that students discovered a derogatory letter written in Amharic in the school.

Students said the letter was intended to incite conflict between students of Amhara and Oromo nationalities.

Upon the realization of the denigrating nature of the letter to the Oromo people, students from both groups requested the school director to investigate the source of the letter.

On 3 March 2009, the students gathered in the school to hear the outcome of the investigation from the school director, when the elite force suddenly surrounded the school and opened fire.

Chaliya district´s local administrator, Mr. Galata Nagasa commented that government forces took the action to "protect the constitutional order", which is always cited by government officials to justify violence.

Asked about the cause of the attacks, Gudina said that students discovered a derogatory letter written in Amharic in the school.

Students said the letter was intended to incite conflict between students of Amhara and Oromo nationalities.

Upon the realization of the denigrating nature of the letter to the Oromo people, students from both groups requested the school director to investigate the source of the letter.

On 3 March 2009, the students gathered in the school to hear the outcome of the investigation from the school director, when the elite force suddenly surrounded the school and opened fire.

Chaliya district´s local administrator, Mr. Galata Nagasa commented that government forces took the action to "protect the constitutional order", which is always cited by government officials to justify violence.

"Fatino Darash" is the name for locally stationed government elite forces, established to squash dissent and disband rallies. They are notorious for taking similar actions against students and peaceful dissidents in west Shewa zone in particular and Oromiya in general.

Ethiopian soldiers enjoy impunity after carrying out brutal and segregationist attacks. In fact, they are known to have been rewarded for discriminating and killing Oromo students and opponents of the Eth government over the last 18 years.

The rewards take forms of promotion to higher military ranks, salaries and reassignments to other areas.

The 2009 US State Department report on human rights in Ethiopia, documents widespread extra-judicial killings, arrests, and imprisonment of Oromo students and dissidents in Oromiya regional state in Ethiopia.

Notes

See the 2009 State Department country report on Ethiopia:

http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2008/af/119001.htm

The news and commentary you read above was originally broadcast on the VOA Afaan Oromoo Program on March 5, 2009. I repurposed it and translated it into English for English readers.

LONDON INTERNATIONAL OROMO CULTURE & History Workshop July 2009

Exploring Oromo Cultural History: Critical Multi-disciplinary Enquiries

Session 111: Gadla: Past, Present and Future Significance in Oroino History

We are pleased to announce that The London International Oromo Culture and History Workshop is planned to be held in July 2009. The Workshop will be of interest to those interested in understanding their cultural heritage, scholars and students of Oromo studies.

Gada is a highly complex system of constitutional governrnent based an indigenous African democratic principles whereby officials are elected every eight years. At its pinnacle Gada was a fully functional complete system of govemance; arguable even superrar, in some aspect, to the modern democratic systems around the globe. For inistance„ the Gada government has separate legislative (Yaa'ii) and executive (Gumii) Urarsches as as independent judiciary.

The Gada system has been the basis of Oromo culture and civilisation which helped the Oromo nation maintain political, economic, social and religious institutions for thousands of years.
Unfortunately, the Gada system, as a national institution, has been seriously weakened since the Oromo nation lost its sovereignty around the endml of 19th century. Novetheless, it remains dynamic and in cotinuous existence. In fast,Gada heritage has a great deal af influence an the Oromo identity. collective consciousness, values and tradition and world outlook at all levels.

Gada is not only an Oroino cuitural heritage but also a significant World Heritage with huge potential for contribution to the whole of humanity. lt should be part of the school curriculum in Oromia not only as part of history lesson but to broaden th minds of the young Generation.
Further scholarly studies are also required to fully uncover the Gada system itself.

This 'Workshop will attempt to take a holistic view of Gada. It will address the role Gada played and is still playing in the life and development of the Oroino society, its contribution to the world's history of democracy and the potential role it can play in the future.

Topics to be covered include:
· Ideological foundation of the Gada system
· Philosopliical significance of Gada
· Gada ritual cycles
· The role of Gada in warfare
· State and religion under Gada
· Gada political institutions

VENUE: Room U214, City University London,Northampton Square, London EC1V OHB
TRAVEL: Bus: 153, 4 & 56;
Underground: Angel Station an Northern Line
WORKSHOP ORGANIZING COMMITTEE