By Hawi Chala | August 19, 2013
It is obvious that Oromia and Oromo people are the backbone of Ethiopia; economically, socially and culturally though that is not true politically. Isn’t it a paradox?
Here I am not interested to talk about the resources of Oromia, the coffee exported, nor the gold, nor the arable land nor other agricultural and mineral resources exploited from Oromia. But I have developed an interest on what makes Ethiopia known at international level and Oromia’s contribution towards that.
Bear in mind that Ethiopia is known very little at international level. Among the things that make Ethiopia known at international level are: the 1983 famine, the Adwa victory, Lucy, Axum obelisk, the ark of covenant, Lalibela, HIV/AIDs, drought, land of dictatorial leaders, land of athletes … add me more.
More than the aforementioned cultural heritages, athletics played significant role in introducing Ethiopia to global level. Many of Ethiopia’s proudest moments had come when our stars won competition and raise the Ethiopian flag to the world level. In fact the world doesn’t know much about where in Ethiopia these athletes come from, they generally consider that Ethiopia as the land of legends or a running mecca, as the New York Times wrote in 2008. Dare to say over 90% of these legend athletes come from Oromia region. These are few of Oromia’s legend children from past to contemporary: Abebe Bikila, Mammo Wolde, Wami Biratu, Tolesa Kotu, Darartu Tulu, Geremew Dirbaba, Worku Bikila, Fatuma Roba, Gete Wami, Abebe Mekonen, Mohammed Kedir, Kenenisa Bekekle, Sileshi Sehni, Tariku Bekele, Tirunesh Dibaba, Genzebe Dibaba and Ejigayehu Dibaba, Gezahegn Abera, Tsegaye Kebede, Lelisa Desisa, Tiki Gelana, Kture Dulecha, Tilahun Regassa ……. and many more.
From early days of Abebe Bikila to present, hundreds of oromo Athletes have brought home gold while simultaneously popularizing the name Ethiopia at athletics field.
These athletes are the proud of not only the Oromo people, to whom they belong to, but also to Ethiopia, to whom they run for and also to whoever is a fan of athletics. Exhausted by the race and overwhelmed by the feeling of happiness, making an interview to journalists is an inevitable duty on the champions’ job description. Since I have started watching athletics, what I could witness on their interviews after their victories is that we don’t see them making interview in their mother tongue language, Afan Oromo. Why do you think so?
It seems that the athletes fear to speak Afan Oromo, because they fear loosing careers due to the racist attitude from Habeshas, who would only want them to identify as “Amharic-speaking” Ethiopians champions. They are made not to believe in themselves, made to look down on themselves and made to think that their language is not good enough for interview. Isn’t it ironic? With such systematic psychological means of deterioration, our superstar Oromo athletes loose the confidence to be proud of themselves and their language, and then forced to make interview in Amharic, a language they couldn’t speak fluently.
Having contributed all these super stars legends, who lifted up the name of Ethiopia up to the sky, what Oromo people has got in return back from Ethiopian government is the opposite. Being denied the fundamental human rights, Oromo people have suffered decades of persecution, intimidation, harassment, massacre, abused and imprisoned for life. For the cause of struggling for their fundamental human right, Oromo people are regarded as a terrorist, tribalist, racist and many students have been killed are fled from their country. While our athletes raise the Ethiopian flag in the competition abroad, the Ethiopian government killed their sisters and brothers back home.
Isn´t it ironic that while Oromia has contributed so much to Ethiopia, but has in return gained all those injustices? This is not my only question rather it is a question at the heart of all Oromo people.
Hawi Chala
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