by Mohammed Ademo @OPride
Activists claim security forces have killed at least seven students in more than two weeks across Ethiopia’s Oromia state, where students have been protesting a government plan to expand the area of the capital, Addis Ababa, into Oromia.
Oromia police have confirmed three fatalities in what it termed provocations by “anti-peace elements.”
Images of severely injured students have been posted on social media, and hundreds of other protesters have reportedly been rounded up in a crackdown on those demonstrating against several state-led development projects.
Oromo students, the opposition and diaspora activists liken the proposed Addis Ababa and the Surrounding Oromia Special Zone Integrated Development Plan, or the Master Plan, to a land grab. They fear that it will displace Oromo farmers and undermine Oromia’s interests by expanding Addis Ababa’s boundaries.
Addis Ababa is in the state of Oromia and serves as the regional and federal capital. In theory, the Ethiopian constitution protects Oromia’s “special interest” in Addis Ababa in the provision of social services and use of natural resources and on joint administrative matters.
While the city, home to 4 million people, has experienced massive growth over the last decade, Oromo activists have long decried the lack of social facilities for its Afaan Oromo speakers, including schools, hospitals and cultural institutions.
The protests broke out in November Ginci, a town about 50 miles west of Addis Ababa. Students from universities, high schools and even some primary schools continue to stage sit-ins and demonstrations around the country.
Oromia, the largest of Ethiopia’s nine ethnically based states, is home to close to half the country’s population of 100 million. The Oromo people have long had a contentious relationship with the national government.
“Many Oromos have felt marginalized and discriminated against by successive Ethiopian governments and have often felt unable to voice their concerns over government policies,” Felix Horne, the Horn of Africa researcher for Human Rights Watch, wrote in a Dec. 5 blog post.
He called for an immediate halt to the excessive use of force by security personnel, an independent and impartial investigation into the killings and the prosecution of security forces involved in the violent crackdown.
‘Long-simmering grievance’
Protesters say the central government is trying to evict Oromo farmers from their land under the auspices of urban development, with little or no compensation, essentially turning them into street beggars and daily laborers.
The government says its plan is mutually beneficial, will enhance cooperation and will make the area globally competitive by remedying its disorganized spatial growth.
Addis Ababa serves as landlocked Ethiopia’s primary gateway to the outside world. Last year the New York–based consultancy A.T. Kearney named Addis Ababa “the third-most-likely city to advance its global positioning,” adding, “the Ethiopian capital is also among the cities closing in fastest on the world leaders.”
Modest economic growth and the lack of opportunities in rural areas have fueled massive rural-to-urban migration. The Master Plan is part of an effort to mitigate the city’s resulting rapid expansion. But critics contend that the proposal focuses mostly on attracting investors and will ensure the continued erasure of Oromos’ historical and cultural values from the city.
The Oromo students’ protests are not new. They been demonstrating against the central state for most of the last two decades.
In April and May 2014, Ethiopian security forces fired live ammunition at unarmed protesters, killing dozens of students and wounding many others. Hundreds of students were arrested and charged under Ethiopia’s sweeping anti-terrorism law, and many remain incarcerated.
A federal court last week convicted five students for participating in those protests. In the early 2000s, Ethiopia saw similar protests and violence over a government plan to move Oromia’s capital from Addis Ababa. The decision was reversed in 2005 amid a public outcry.
There has been limited media coverage of the ongoing protests. There are strong restrictions on the free press in Ethiopia, one of the most censored countries in the world, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Government critics and the independent press face increased scrutiny.
Analysts warn that continued violent responses to peaceful protesters could bode ill for Ethiopia’s future.
“The Oromo have long been humiliated with their still marginal status in Ethiopia’s power arrangement,” said Hassen Hussein, an Ethiopian-born university professor in Minnesota. “These almost annual student protests give voice to these long-simmering grievance and perhaps a harbinger of what is to come. The authorities cannot forever count on an aggrieved nation remaining docile.”
Oromo activists and community leaders in North America, Western Europe and Australia are planning solidarity rallies for next week, when more violence is anticipated.
Bonnie Holcomb, an author and anthropologist based in Washington, D.C., said the current situation mirrors the violence of 2014. “The international media were silent when Ethiopian police opened fire into crowds, killing 68, permanently disabling hundreds and arresting thousands. Now the next stage of the Master Plan is being implemented,” she said.
“Ethiopian police have moved in to suppress this united demonstration of protest. Government sharpshooters are firing into crowds and killing students again,” she said.
source:-http://america.aljazeera.com
Students protesting development plan met with violence in Ethiopia
Latest from Blog

IMF Leader to Travel to Ethiopia Amidst Economic Turmoil
The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Kristalina Georgieva, is scheduled to visit Ethiopia on February 8 and 9 as the nation progresses with its comprehensive economic reforms. Ethiopia, home

A plea to Eskinder Nega
By Allelign Sisay I recall one of your interviews about the Judgment of Solomon (1 Kings 3:16-28). In it, you urged Ethiopians to act in the spirit of the wise king and

Unpacking BABY KING Abiy Ahmed’s Claims on Jimma Homes: Insight or Illusion?
In this article, we endeavor to unravel the narrative spun by Ethiopian Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, around the destruction of an estimated 15,000 homes in Jimma. His startling assertion that the affected

Why Have Jawar’s and Lidetu’s Non-Violent Movements Failed to Get Traction?
Yonas Biru, PhD Lidetu has been in Ethiopian politics for over three decades. Jawar’s political ንክኪ is a tad shorter. In total, he has a quarter of a century worth political stripes

Abiy’s Idiocy: How One Man’s Stupidity Crippled a Country
(THE HABESHA) – This article offers a comprehensive analysis on the leadership style and decisions of Abiy Ahmed, the current Prime Minister of Ethiopia. Renowned on the global stage, Abiy Ahmed has

Breaking the Chains of Tribalism
Dula Abdu Mohamud A. Ahmed (Prof.) as an individual or an organization promoting Sustainable programs through the OWS Development Fund, located in the Somali region of Ethiopia suggests that ethnic federalism

Minority Faction Negotiations Ignite Widespread Outrage Among Amharas
(The Habesha) –Controversial negotiations have been triggered between minority factions of the Amhara Fano forces and representatives from the EU, AU, USA and IGAD, sparking fierce unrest among the Ethnic Amhara community

Ethiopia Urges King Charles to Return Looted Sacred Artifacts from 150 Years Ago
By OLIVIA ALLHUSEN / Daily Mail Ethiopia has formally requested that King Charles and the British Army return artefacts deemed ‘sacred’ that were taken during a conflict 150 years ago. These significant items

The Leaders of Fano Groups at the Heart of Amhara Operations
(The Habesha) – In the vast political landscape of the Amhara Region, the role and influence of Fano groups continue to generate interest and discussion. Who leads these compelling collective forces? What

The Development Strategies of Singapore vs. Ethiopia: A Comparative Analysis of Education and Beautification
Dr. MeKonnen Birru (birrum@uhd.edu) Over the past few decades, Singapore and Ethiopia have pursued distinct paths to development. While Singapore’s transformation into a global economic powerhouse is often attributed to its focus

FANO Leader Zemene Kasie Denies Engagement in Government Negotiations
(THE HABESHA) – In the ever-shifting landscape of power struggle and negotiations, FANO Zemene Kasie stands as a steadfast bulwark, maintaining their stance of not yet engaging in dialogue with any government

Why Both Ethiopia-Centered and Tribe-Based Change Agendas Continue to Fail
Yonas Biru, PhD (unedited draft for discussion) A caveat is in order at the outset. The article focuses on Oromo, Amhara and Tigray extremist forces and their conflict-brewing sidekicks in the diaspora.

Statement on current developments by the Amhara Fano People’s Organaization (AFPO)
The Amhara Fano People’s Organization (AFPO) proudly represents the armed resistance of the Amhara people a movement born out of necessity in the face of systemic Genocide, state-sponsored violence, and deliberate political

Eskinder Nega: A Portrait of Two Faces – Freedom Fighter and Divider
Dr. MeKonnen Birru (birrum@uhd.edu) Eskinder Nega, a name synonymous with the struggle for democracy and freedom in Ethiopia, is a man of undeniable courage, but also one of stark contradictions. Known for

The Legacy of Professor Getachew Haile: A Tribute to an Extraordinary Scholar
(The Habesha) – In the world of academia, few individuals made as indelible a marked as Professor Getachew Haile. The famed scholar, celebrated for his profound researched and deep expertise, was a