Oppression of the Oromos is being ignored
St. Cloud Times, MN - August 2, 2007
I’m a junior at St. Cloud State University majoring International Relations. I am conducting research on some of the contemporary issues affecting the Oromos in East Africa. One of my goals is to raise awareness about the ongoing atrocities being committed against my people.
The Oromos are the forgotten people in Africa, make up a very large portion of the population in the Horn of Africa. According to the U.S. State Department, in Ethiopia alone Oromo people constitute more than 40 million out of the 77 million inhabitants.
Oromo people call their country Oromia and their language is called Afaan Oromo (Oromo language). Oromia is an evergreen country that covers 600,000 square kilometers close to the size of Texas. Ethiopian authorities have denied their citizens basic human rights by resorting to violence as an attempt to conceal political differences.
Liberty, security, the right to education, freedom of speech and the right to a fair trial are inalienable rights which every human being is entitled to by birth, but these are denied to the Oromos ...