By Rahmatou Keita
“We don’t need to use language of Colonizers while we have an African language and Script.” President Sekou Toure
President of Guine, Sekou Toure, when Organization of African Unity (OAU) was established in 1963 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, as head of the assembly emphatically said “It is not appropriate and thus we shall not write African Union’s Charter with a language we are forced to use by Colonizers and Slave Masters. Instead, since we have Ethiopian born African language Amharic language and script, we shall use this same language now and for the future, respecting that it’s ours.” His strong assertion was accepted and approved by the assembly unanimously and thus Organization of African Unity’s Charter was written by this African language and script which we call Amharic.
Progressions and current status of Amharic.
![Rahmatou Keïta is a Nigerien journalist, writer, and film director, whose film career began in 1990. She won the prestigious 7 d'or for L'assiette anglaise,(2005), the Sojourner Truth Award[1] for Al’lèèssi…, her first feature film.](http://zehabesha.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/381-681x1024-1.jpg)
1. Amharic is one of public (government) Working languages used in the US America. It has become customary to read an Amharic Phrase “እንኳን ወደ WESTEND በደህና መጣችሁ!” which means “Welcome to Westland” on City Buses of Alexandria Dash in Virginia province of the US. And Now Amharic is being delivered in Alexandria Secondary School as well as Montgomery County School, Maryland.
2. It has been suggested to be used for African Union to be used as one of official working language. It was previously used when Organization of African Unity was established the charter was written and approved by African language – Amharic in 1963.
3. It was chosen for translation of scientific language to Africa
4. It was also chosen as one of candidate working languages in Israel.
5. It has been presented for government sector in Jamaica
6. More than 75 churches are using the language in Trinidad & Tobego
7. It’s been more than a year since DSTV announced that it shall stream it’s services like World Athletics Championship, English Premier League, Spain’s La Liga, Italy’s Serie-A and Champions League including Olympic competitions in Amharic.
8. American Scientists learn 90% of it
9. In Hollywood Film Industry; Amharic Script, dressing including Ethiopian Cross, among others were shown in the movie “Coming 2 America”
10. Thanks to Abel Tesfaye (aka The Weekend) Hollywood has seen Amharic in its music.
11. Amharic has been used as subscript to “The Wedding Ring,” movie by an African Star from Niger called Rahmatou Kieta and is being watched globally.
12. It is being taught in more than 15 renowned Universities worldwide. It has become more than a century now since Amharic is being delivered in Hamburg University, which is among the well-recognized universities in Germany.
13. Most of the Scientists in the US do learn Amharic.
14. Apple Technology Center has included Amharic in the list of giant global languages and has made it language of technology in 2007.
15. Google Technology Center has made Amharic one of Translation languages .
16. Among historical literature sources UNESCO has registered, one can find “Tarike Negest ZeDagmawi Menelik”/ Chronicle of Menelik II, Letter dispatched from Tewodros (King of Ethiopia) to Victoria – Queen of England, Letter written from King Menelik to Ceazar of Moscow, Nikolaos II, and others written in Amharic language
17. Amharic is the only African language with its own script. A computer application has been developed where by a single letter represents one sound. Needless to mention that it was an Ethiopian language used to organize the military from different tribes in war fares that took place in Gundet, Gura’e, Adowa and Maichew. King Tewodros II gave order to England in Amharic, King Yohannes IV issued his decree in Amharic, King Menelik II exercised a leadership that impressed the world in Amharic, King Hailesellassie I delivered his speech at League of Nations in Geneva in Amharic, National language of Ethiopia during dictatorial rule of President Mengistu Hailemariam was Amharic, Prime Minister Meles Zenawi led Ethiopia his entire life time using Amraric. Amharic is spoken Eritrea, Djbouti, Sudan, South Sudan, Egypt, Somalia, and South Africa. In general Amharic is spocken by more than 150,000,000 people worldwide.
18/ For Ethiopia is the country that maintained her independence beating Italian Colonizers at the Battle of Adowa that happened in 1896, she has reflected light of liberty for Africa and the entire black world, as a result of which Ethiopian flag; Green-Yellow-Red, is used by 99% or Pan Africanists. Considering the Ethiopian flag as a symbol of independence, proud and Self-respect most African countries have pursued the same. While 10 African countries used Green-Yellow-Red flag in a similar pattern, 37 others have used one or two of the colors in a combined form; 47 countries from the 54 African states have used colors in Ethiopian flag in one way or another.
19/ Ethiopia was Bieng The Symbol Of Fredom By Deafting Colonialist Italy At Adwa 1896 And Since Then For A Century Was Struggled For All African Freedom From Colonialism Up to The last Country South Africa Got Freedom
By Creating African Union Association And By Providing Shelter And Training For Many Libration Front’s Among Them Mandela Of South Africa And Robert Mugabi Of Zimbabwe.
On the basis of facts and figures mentioned above one can easily learn that Amharic with its script is African and is a natural resource and heritage for All Africans and shall be maintained and fostered by making it one of official working language of the African Union.
I agree with her completely: but these lunatics in Addis: are trying to make 4 other languages ‘Official’ by rewriting the law. As one historian said Amharic was created by the Ethiopian Royal family from different tribes, the royal family from Tigray, from Amhara, from Oromo, these different sects yet Royal family created a language other than Ge’ez to communicate and these individuals created the language known as Amharic, these individuals are the Ethiopian Royal Family, so saying Amharic is the language of “amhara people only” is saying that the Royal family of Shewa or other parts for example contributed nothing for amharic which is completely false. Therefore, i love to say Amharic is for all and not ethnic based, yes, it is the first language of the Amharas but don’t forget it is also not the SECOND but also first language of many Oromos, Tigray’s, Gurage’s and others as well.
Thank you, Mme Keita
You put together a clear and very convincing argument for adopting Amharic as one of the working languages of the AU. It is heartening to read such a strong argument for the cause from a staunch Pan-Africanist. I just wondered why this took so long, though the idea was put forward many decades ago.
Long live Pan-Africanism!
May I join in the Historical Admiration upon Madame Rahmatou Keita
of Nigeria for the proposal to make the Ethiopian written language AMHARIC as one of the official languages of the African Union. THANK YOU AGAIN, MADAME
ፔቲሽን አማርኛ የአፍሪካ ህብረት የስራ ቋንቋ እንዲሆን
በኢትዮጽክ አድቦካሲ ኮሚቴ በሐረርወርቅ ጋሻው መሪነት
1/ዶክተር አበራ ሞላ
2/ሚስተር ማርክ ፖውል
አሜሪካዊ
3/ራማቱ ኪያታ
ኒጄር
4/ሲምባ ጃማ
ዚምባቢዌ
5/ፕሮፌሰር ማሞ ሙጬ
6/ ፕሮፌሰር
ፍቅሬ ቶሎሳ
Thank you for your support ????????✌????