Posted by Mesfin Tadese
Ethiopia, an Identity not only imposed but also enforced upon others
Adunya Dinka | July 10, 2013
The expansion of Abyssinia at the second half of the 19th century was
the main reason for the creation of less than 130 years old Ethiopian
empire. Around the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th
century, with the help of some European powers and the alliance they
get from some northern Oromo federation, the Abyssinians managed to
control and colonize Oromia, part of Somalia (Ogadenia), the sothern
people (Sidama, Gedeo, Walaita, Hamar, konso, Burji …ETC), Afar, Gambela
and other nations and nationalities.
The Abyssinian took a very old term ‘Ethiopia’ that Greece used to
call the people from the then southern Egypt (now Sudan) to down to
today’s Tanzania and apply it to their new empire. They register their
empire as a member of the League of Nations during the formation of this
organization. It was all after this that, they threw away their
Abyssinian ‘Kaabba’ and replace it with that of Ethiopia, though they
still want to be called Abyssinians. They even managed to propagate the
idea of Abyssinia being the old Name of Ethiopia.
They didn’t stop there. They start fabricating 3000 years history for
the empire they created. Of course Abyssinia may have a more than 3000
year’s history alone, but the colonized people in the Ethiopian empire
don’t share the Abyssinian history. On the contrary, every nation and
nationality has its own separate history. The common history with
Abyssinians is not more than 130 years. Almost all the 3000 years
history they teach and advocate is Abyssinian history. They either
ignore or hide the history of other nations and nationalities in the
empire.
When foreign historian or anthropologists come to the country they
misguide and provide them with their version of history. They just try
to show the ‘glorious history’ of the Abyssinians by hiding the culture
and history of others. If some historians manage to write a book about
Oromo or other southern people they hide it from the public or ignore it
in the empires educational system.
In Schools, colleges and universities, the curriculums were designed
in such a way that they can advocate and propagate the culture, language
and history of the Abyssinians. The culture of other nations and
nationalities were considered back ward or uncivilized cultures (Goji
bahils as they call it) and they teach that it has to be replaced by
‘modern’ Abyssinian culture.
In elementary schools, a teacher used to have a full right to change
pupils name if he is not happy with it. That means an Oromo name given
to a student by his parents can be changed to Amharic name at school by a
teacher. A young boy or girl was used to be forced to adapt
himself/herself to a new Identity.
Nations and nationalities were demoralized with their Identity
through giving them derogatory names to the entire population. For
example, they gave a derogatory name ‘gaallaa’ to an Oromo nation,
‘Walaamoo’ to Wolaita, ‘deraasa’ to Gedeo, or ‘Baria = slave’ to nations
and nationalities with darker skin. To escape the application of these
derogatory terms to them, individuals were forced to have Amharic names
and identify themselves as Amhara.
Having non Amharic name causes discrimination. Having Amharic name
and identifying oneself as an Amhara used to give one more chance to get
job, more respect and more appearance in front of a public, which of
course was a show of who is smart and a genuine leader. Later on this
was actually replaced by identifying oneself as Ethiopian.
It is not clear when the Abyssinians started using a ‘green – yellow –
red’ flag. What was clear was the flag gets the green-yellow-red
configuration during King Minilik time. When the Abyssinians controlled
the southern people and Oromia, they banned everything that helps
identify the nations and the nationalities. They replaced the flag of
nations with the ‘green – yellow – red ‘flag of Abyssinians. For example
the ‘ Black – Red – White ‘ flag/ color/ of Oromos or the ‘ Faajjii
Walaabuu or Faajjii Abbaa Gadaa’ was effectively banned from public
appearance starting from the time of Minilik . The Abyssinian flag was
the one that was imposed all over the empire.
Imposing one’s flag upon others by disbanding theirs is a complete
imposition of one’s Identity upon others. Because, flag is a symbol of
Identity and Nationality. Abyssinians, specifically the Amharas had
managed to impose the Ethiopian Identity upon nations and nationalities
during the last 130 years. The TPLF dominated government of Ethiopia
just took over from where Amhara stopped, but this time the method is a
little different.
It is also worth mentioning that imposing Ethiopia upon nations and
nationalities at the expense of their identities carried out through
legal enforcement too. One good example is, as I mentioned above, the
‘green – yellow – red ‘flag was not only imposed upon people but it is
also legally enforced. This flag is Legally the flag of the empire and
breaking the law of the flag is punishable which in some cases can cause
torture until one agree to obey the law or end in death.
The other legally enforced Ethiopian imposition is the language.
Amharic, though it was the language of one ethnic (Amhara), was and
still is a defacto official language of the empire. It was the working
and teaching language of the pre- TPLF weyane governments and the
working language of the pseudo federal government of today’s Ethiopia.
As it is legally the official language of the empire, it is a must know
language, which makes it legally imposed and the enforcement is through
making it the only official language and a must learn language, which
otherwise one is punished through the system by being unfit. Before the
TPLF government one has to know Amharic to get job throughout the
country and now all the pseudo federal government jobs are reserved for
those who speak the language. But if the country has a multiple official
languages people from most part of the country can have job at all
levels (regional or federal).
Ever since Aljazeera stream aired a TV clip about Oromo, there is a
saga between Oromo nationals on one side and Abyssinian elites on the
other side. Aljazeera TV and the well-known Oromo political analyst and
nationalist Jawar Mohammed with journalist Mohammed Ademo promoted Oromo
cause on Aljazeera stream. These two Oromo nationals clearly showed the
world who Oromos are and how Abyssinians imposed the Ethiopian identity
on Oromos. They also showed the world how Oromos identify themselves
and how they distance themselves from Ethiopian identity. In addition to
these, Oromo liberation front’s Fido Ebba clearly showed how oppressive
the successive Ethiopian governments are including the present one.
The Abyssinians who saw the exposure of their system and what they
did to nations and nationalities across the empire during the last 130
years started to criminalize the Oromo nationals. What they didn’t know
is that, these Oromo nationals spoke the feeling and view of every
Oromo. Abyssinians must get it right that Oromos identify themselves as
Oromos and Ethiopia is an imposed and enforced Identity.
They have to get it right that Jawar Mohammed is not only Oromo
intellectual, but also a hero who brought Oromo cause to international
arena. He took Oromo struggle a great leap forward. He has a personality
whom every Oromo admire and the enemies envy.
Aljazeera took a great initiative by airing Oromo cause to a global
audience. They played a great role in exposing the behavior of the
successive Ethiopian governments and how oppressive they were to the
Oromos. They also exposed how Oromos are prosecuted and imprisoned under
today’s Ethiopian government. They showed the world that a voiceless in
an empire can be heard too.
I wish other international media outlets follow Aljazeera’s example
in exposing the oppressive nature of Ethiopian government and how Oromos
are still suffering under the colonial Ethiopia. Oromo nationals must
follow Jawar Mohammed’s example and try to bring Oromo issues to global
Audience.
Adunya Dinka
source: http://ayyaantuu.com/horn-of-africa-news/oromia/ethiopia-an-identity-not-only-imposed-but-also-enforced-upon-others/
