Teshome M. Borago | Zehabesha – Satenaw Columnist
United States (US) Congressman Mike Coffman asked for an independent investigation of the ethnic violence in Southern Ethiopia that has killed dozens of Wolaitas in Hawassa and other southern towns between June and August of 2018.
In the letter from Congress of the United States signed by Coffman to the Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, it stated “more than 15,000 individuals from the Wolayta ethnic group were displaced due to the violence” in Hawassa.
Last week, the Wolayta Committee for Human Rights (WCHR) published a report condemning a cover-up of the investigation on the “Wolayta massacre” and the suffering of Gurage, Gamo and other minorities living in Hawasa; as some Sidama politicians (supported by Oromo activist Jawar Mohammed) are pushing for a referendum on independence from the southern state.
In an email response to questions, WCHR said it is concerned that human rights is taking a backseat to tribalism. “New SEPDM leaders are brainwashing their youth, claiming that Hawassa is only Sidama land, similar to the ‘Addis Ababa is Oromo land’ slogan of recent years,” according to WCHR.
Meanwhile, the famous Ethiopian activist and artist Tamagn Beyene is reportedly facing threats as he plans to tour Awassa this weekend. Top Sidama and SEPDM officials are plotting riots to block Tamagn’s visit to the town, according to inside sources.
Tamagn is viewed by many as an unofficial spokesman for the Patriotic Ginbot 7 group by promoting Ethiopian nationalism over ethnic nationalism. His tours nationwide has produced massive crowds, angering many tribal politicians and activists. Particularly, Tamagn’s enormous crowd in the Oromia Capital of Adama was reportedly an embarrassment for Jawar’s side.
Due to concerns of more embarrassment that very small local crowd will show up to welcome Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) chairman Dawud Ibsa in Addis Ababa last week, Jawar and some OPDO politicians mobilized and drove tens of thousands of Qeerroo Oromos from outside Addis Ababa to travel many kilometers into the city. This controversial political decision led to tensions between Qeerroo and the locals, causing the shutdown of the city for days; followed by the massacre of non-Oromos around the city, especially in Burayu suburb.
The alleged Qeerroo involvement in this gruesome massacre of mostly ethnic Gurages, Gamo and Wolaitas in Burayu led to condemnation of Oromo agitators by Patriotic Ginbot 7 (PG7) spokesman Ephrem Madebo.
Mr. Madebo specifically blamed the Australia-based Oromo politician Tsegaye Ararsa who was recently seen agitating against non-Oromos living in Burayu and urban areas. The PG7 spokesman Tweeted that Tsegaye Ararsa dehumanizing “a large group of Ethiopians as “‘settlers’” is a sign of “mental decaying.”
This rare war of words between opposing politicians was followed by Jawar Mohammed’s meltdown, when he first boasted on Twitter about the big crowd size welcoming OLF in Addis Ababa compared to the smaller crowd in Bahir Dar welcoming Ginbot 7’s Dr. Berhanu Nega. Then, Jawar attacked the famous Ethiopian journalist Eskinder Nega for reporting on the Burayu massacre by Qeerroo. In response to Jawar’s attacks, Zone9 bloggers co-founder Berhane defended Eskinder by comparing Jawar’s Oromia Media Network (OMN) to the Rwandan media that instigated the genocide of Tutsi minorities.
Despite these online disputes; Jawar, OLF and PG7 are making cordial joint statements on national TV due to their common fear that escalating tensions nationwide will hurt Dr. Abiy’s reform agenda or possibly lead to a coup attempt by the formidable TPLF military.
Tamagn’s upcoming Awasa tour follows his last major stop at Dire Dawa City; while Patriotic Ginbot 7 leaders also received enormous welcome in the northern Gondar city. During his speech in Dire Dawa, Tamagn told the massive crowd to stay united and committed to both their multicultural heritage and Ethiopian nationalism; citing examples of Ethiopian patriots who rescued Dire Dawa during the 1977 Somalia invasion. “Instead of being segregated with tribal identity, remember Dire Dawa is famous as a welcoming town and we identify with our Ethiopiawinet,” he said.
Tamagn also condemned ethnic killings and internal displacement due to tribal conflicts in eastern Ethiopia.
“Our languages and our cultural diversity is our beauty. But there is no big ethnic group or small ethnic group in Ethiopia. We are all equal citizens, with human rights to live anywhere in Ethiopia. There is only one Ethiopian people, one nation,” Tamagn shouted with the crowd repeating.
If Tamagn is planning to take his message of unity down to Hawassa, he will face new challenges from tribal movements led by Qeerroo and Ejjeetto (Sidama youth). Human rights defenders are already warning local citizens of possible violence in the next few days. “There is currently no impartial or accountable government in the south,” said Ermias Asale, an Ethiopian activist from the area.
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