Ethiopian migrants, all members of the Oromo community of Ethiopia living in Malta, protest in Valletta against the Ethiopian regime's plan to evict Oromo farmers to expand Ethiopia's capital, Addis Ababa, Dec. 21, 2015.
GINCHI, ETHIOPIA—
Schools are closed, businesses have just reopened after
being closed for almost a week, and there is tension in Ginchi, Ethiopia, one
of the first towns where the Oromo people began protesting last month against a
plan to expand the capital, Addis Ababa.
Police are on the main road in Ginchi, which is about 80
kilometers west of Addis Ababa. Interviews have to be conducted on the basis of
anonymity and on the outskirts of the town.
A waitress says that despite the reopening of the cafe where
she works, life is not back to normal yet: She says that there is not an
official curfew, but that young people risk being randomly detained if they are
out in the evening.
The most recent protest in Ginchi was last weekend, after a
funeral. Citizens said security forces killed three people before the protest
took place.
The Addis Ababa master plan is a blueprint to expand the
capital into the Oromiya region. The protesters believe that the expansion will
lead to land grabs without proper compensation and a loss of the Oromo culture
and language.
A shop owner, who participated in the protests, says those
who created the master plan do not understand that life is tough and that
people like him will not benefit from the promised development. He says there
is no benefit for the people to have outside investors who take their land.
Established in 1991
The Oromiya region was established when the current
government came to power in 1991. The federal system was divided along ethnic
lines. The Oromos are the largest ethnic group in the country.
Bekele Gerba, leader of the opposition Oromo Federal
Congress, lives in Adama, the former capital of the Oromiya region. The city,
about 60 kilometers south of Addis Ababa, has also seen protests in recent
weeks.
Gerba says Oromos have never been treated like equals by
Ethiopia's leaders, but he believes the current government is the worst.
“The ruling classes, usually, they think that Oromo is a
threat," he said. " 'One day they can overwhelm us. Therefore, they
have to be treated in such a way so that they won't have any power.' Therefore,
for example, we don’t have any power in the military. All the military
commanders belong to a different ethnic group.”
Gerba’s party says more than 75 people have died since the
protests began, and that many of his party members have been detained. Rights
organizations such as Human Rights Watch say the government is using
"excessive lethal force" on the protesters.
A government spokesman, Getachew Reda, told VOA on Wednesday
that security forces had exercised restraint, "even under circumstances
where they found themselves overwhelmed."
Source: VOA
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