“The blood flowing in Oromia is our blood too”: Why Oromo-Amhara solidarity is the greatest threat to the Ethiopian government

For decades, the ruling party has governed by pitting the Oromo and Amhara against one another. Now the two groups are joining forces against the government.

Protests in Ethiopia have been ongoing since November 2015.
“There are decades where nothing happens; and there are weeks where decades happen,” said Lenin, describing the Bolshevik revolution. For Ethiopia, the start of August 2016 saw such a week – one that will go down in Ethiopian history as a moment in which a grassroots movement achieved in days what organised elites have not been able to achieve in two decades.
In that week, hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets in unprecedented numbers to protest against decades of abuse, discrimination, and marginalisation. This was the culmination of a wave of protests that began nearly ten months ago and has since continued in Amhara and Oromia, two of the country’s most populous regions.
The government responded by dismissing the protesters as agents of foreign forces directed from Eritrea and Egypt, and it deployed armed forces into civilian centres, leading to the deaths of over 600 people, according to estimates, and the arrests of many more.
[Ethiopia’s unprecedented nationwide Oromo protests: who, what, why?]
Despite this disproportionate and excessive force, however, protests and strikes have endured, with a movement of movements mobilising a new generation, tapping into a groundswell of shared discontent. At the heart of this activism is a burgeoning solidarity between the Oromo and Amhara ethnic groups, who make up around two-thirds of the country’s population combined and have begun to come together despite longstanding historical differences.
This convergence has alarmed the government, but how far can collective action based on shared grievances rather than a coherent set of shared ideals and visions go?
Divide and rule
Ethiopia is an assemblage of diverse ethnic and cultural groups. But historically, up to around the 1970s, ‘Greater Ethiopia’ pursued a policy of ethnic homogenisation in which Amhara identity became the identity par excellence, pushing others to the periphery.
In particular, the Oromos, the country’s largest ethno-national group, were not treated as equal partners and did not have influence commensurate with their demographic, geographic, and economic contribution. These asymmetries helped fuel the historic antagonism between the two groups.
Since coming to power in 1991, the current government – led by the Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) – has instrumentalised this rivalry as a political weapon. It has created a governing narrative in which Amharas and Oromos are eternal adversaries, representing an existential threat to the future of the Ethiopian state and stability of the region.
Oromos are framed as secessionists who represent a clear and present danger to the unity and sovereignty of Ethiopia, while the Amharas are presented as chauvinist and violent, working towards the resurrection and re-imposition of the old Medieval-type empire.
Within this narrative frame, the ruling party, dominated by ethnic Tigrayan elites, becomes a beacon of stability and unity in diversity.
“The blood flowing in Oromia is our blood too”
For 25 years, the ruling party has relied on these myths to sow the seeds of division. But this is now beginning to unravel.
[Behind the Ethiopia protests: A view from inside the government]
The violent response of the ruling party to both the Amhara and Oromo protests has brought into sharp focus the shared vulnerability of the oppressed in Ethiopia. The mutual experience of loss and suffering has generated intense collective emotions, exposing the porous nature of the faultlines that both divide and unite the two communities.
As the violence of the state has intensified, former arch-foes have set aside their mutual rivalry to congregate and endure with one another. An extraordinary groundswell of solidarity is emerging at all levels, exposing the shaky foundation of the regime.
“We are all Oromos”, “I am not Oromo but I stand with my Oromo brothers”, “Amhara is ours, Oromo is ours”, “The blood flowing in Oromia is our blood too” are just some of the many expressions of solidarity declared at rallies.
These are not just words, but actions that exist as words, actions that threaten to unsettle the myths that hold together the ideological edifice of the system. They are words that go beyond the repressive and divisive discourses of the state to create conditions for a collective politics and new forms of alliances. They are gestures that seek to imagine a different kind of world.
At the same time, Oromo and Amhara protestors have also begun to hold solidarity rallies together, flying their respective flags – both symbols of resistance – alongside one another. No collective action is more destabilising to the narrative of the state than the joint appearance of these two symbols, which entered the country’s political imagination as antithetical and irreconcilable.
A regime that seemed invincible has begun to tremble at this sight, with officials expressing their disgust and fury at these two symbols of resistance being presented together. For instance, Government Communications Minister Getachew Reda expressed his outrage at the alliance between Oromos and Amharas and his government’s determination to destroy it, describing it as “unholy” and a “gamble”.
Dilemmas of unity
While politically significant, however, the solidarity we are currently seeing is not based on a shared vision so much as shared grievances. Oromo and Amhara elites have been at an impasse in discussions for the last two decades and have not been able to build up mutual trust to confront contentious issues of historical and political significance.
While mainstream Amhara politicians insist on national unity as a condition for collaboration, Oromo nationalists reject these demands on the basis that there is not yet a shared set of democratic values, principles and ideals that could ‘unite’ the two groups. They insist that any values that are shared between the groups did not emerge out of a relationship of equality and therefore should not be the starting point for a new vision.
This lack of consensus may seem like a weakness, but it is crucial to note that these long-standing historical disagreements do not need to be definitively resolved in order for the two groups to come together to chart the best route for the future. In fact, the arduous task of coming to terms with a contested past requires a robust and inclusive debate that can only happen within a democratic state capable of reconciling social conflicts according to shared rules.
However, to create this democratic platform, the Ethiopian people must first be released from the weight of oppression imposed by Tigrean elites. And neither Oromos nor Amharas need surrender their identities to pursue this goal. In fact, in multi-ethnic countries like Ethiopia where identities are co-opted by the powers that be, those same identities become the very crucibles that provide the energy and passion for the struggle.
Solidarity is not about oneness, but building cross-cultural understanding, tolerance, respect and acceptance of differences. Accordingly then, Oromos and Amharas are increasingly accepting solidarity, not unity, as the principle underpinning their collective actions.
Contrary to some fears, there is great strength in these weak ties, and this emerging solidarity – incipient and precarious as it is – represents the greatest threat to the regime’s long-standing policy of divide and rule.
Dr Awol Kassim Allo is Lecturer in Law at Keele University.
It is a well areticulated piece which is more powerful than a holo book . Keep it up to bringing the concerns of Oromo and Amhara as manifested in their solidarity. Freedom, ultimately, belongs with those driven by truth and neglected for no reason.
Thank you!
The author himself has in clear terms supported what Ato Getachew has said, “unholy” when he says, this solidarity is not based on mutual trust and unity. Is not the sloga of EPRDF also unity in diversity? This narrow minded layer has not brought anything new but only trying to put is share of fueling the animosity among Ethiopian people if different nationalities.
it is well organized and clearly shows the importance of oromo- Amhara unity based on shared values.
Good job Awelo.
Great article. The blood spilling in the country is all our blood. I agree the solidarity between the two major tribes is the greatest menace to TPLF’s divide and rule strategy. It is my strong belief that the two tribes could build trust as they work together fighting against the common enemy. I am Amhara and am tired of TPLF saying the Amhara rulers traded in my name. To me it is TPLF through the so called “Amahara national democratic movement” which is trading in my name. It fights for TPLF’s interest but trades in my name as does OPDO trading in Oromo’s name while it truly represents TPLF’s interest.
Oromo and Amhara do not need to have a cultural and historical merge in order to build a democratic country. Democracy is a system whereby different groups can live in collaboration without necessarily destroying their natural and God given identities. It is a positive thing to Ethiopia that these people groups are coming to understanding the current political system is their sole existential enemy. The Amhara people should stop being over-concerned about the unity of the country. They have to assert their ethnic identity and continue to work for their group interest. If these two groups are able to accept one another, they can make a great country in which another minority groups will benefit from. The Amhara suffered a lot for keeping the unity of the country at the expense of their group identity. They are now being attacked and persecuted because of their ethnic identity. Amhara should not pay unnecessary price in order to keep a country in which the people of Amhara are considered as bigots for the last twenty-five years. We should help ourselves first before we cry about other things. We are in existential threat for the last twenty-five years. While we cry and die for one Ethiopia, others have been working for the elimination of Amhara. We should not be foolhardy. This is a God-sent opportunity to reflect on our past political struggles and realign ourselves with our Oromo brothers struggle. We should not see the Oromo right movements as a national threat or as a threat to Amhara. We should learn from Oromo right movements and reconcile our shared vision of Ethiopia. As far as I know, a true Amhara does not seek to impose his or her culture on others but believes in a shared democratic values. Let us build the new Ethiopia on a shared value and vision with our Oromo brothers. Amhara and Oromo should start afresh by learning from their past shared suffering and marginalization. Let them work for a stable and democratic Ethiopia in which people’s rights and privileges are respected. Both groups have the cultural heritage to do so. I encourage both groups to show leadership in this matter.
Well articulated given the size of the presentation.
It is prudent to add that the two biggest ethino-nationals need to display mutual respect at its highest civility in order to move forward and bring a meaningful change in the long term. The bottomline is that it is better to buy into the ideals being propagated at grassroots level which the autor tightly observed could bethe stimulai to give the current public demand take the shortest pass to victory.
Very good analysis. He ariticulated and pointed out the long lived differences between the two largest groups.
Very well done article based on the fact on the ground and relationships between people and regime. We hope from shared grievances and shared solidarity will come common understand of Amara and Oromoo people.
Mr. Aschalew very well said as per the article of the author Awol Kasim Alo… We totally disagree because he takes small events and amplifies them to feed anger… Ethiopia has seen a tremendous growth in the last 10 years! Like us many foreigners invest in rural country and Addis Abeba itself. The government gave long ago SELF RULE to these ethnic groups in their own environment! We cooperate with all groups very well and we have not seen any real problem at all ! Of course if you are with the opposition you will find things to grumble, even in Germany we always had that…
Awol Allo is at it again, the canard that TPLF is to blame for the problems in Ethiopia, although the country is run by EPRDF (a coalition of all ethnic groups). He seems to have this irrational venom and hostility towards Tigreas. I sense that Awol’s ethnic identity is probably Oromo. And now, he is justifying/encouraging ethnic uprising of Oromos and Amharas which would plunge the country into chaos. Awol the PhD writes like an arsonist. Shameful.
Mr. Ralf Zimmerman, it sounds like you are blind to what’s really going on in Ethiopia. It has been the intervention of some short- sighted and ignorant foreigners like you who have been a problem to Ethiopia’s peace, not only since the TPLF came to power, but for over a century. I am surprised people like you still exist who support an oppressive government on the expense of oppressed people. I wish people like you refrain from being involved in the issues such as these. Keep in mind that the suffering that the Ethiopian peoples, especially the Oromo are experiencing didn’t start only 25 years ago. It is a result of century’s long oppressive system which foreigners are a part of by endlessly supporting bad governments. But now some of them have come to realize their mistakes and taking the side of the oppressed people to condemn such governments. But you sound very backward still!
This narrow minded people are still ignoring the various ethnic groups of Ethiopia like the wolaita, sidama, hadya, afar, somali, gurage, gambella, benishangul, hadiya, kembata, and soon. This sort of regrouping one ethnic with another group will never take you far except that it will farther elaborate your racist ideology which you have demonstrated in the Amhara region. So, I thing you better bring a noble idea that will unite the people from north to south and from east to west. If not I think you will celebrate the golden jubilee of Woyane without bearing any fruit.
Thanks Dr. Awol. Happy to read such articles written by educated man!! It’s well articulated. I will not add but fully agree on Yalew’s comment and compliment. Thumbs Up!!
Thank you for your concern regarding these two groups being not only marginalized but also they are the most being imprisoned, tortured, died and psychosis ed by this minority ruling party. I hope you will come up with those articles which can expose much which is under occasion. You can get more plenty of videos, photos and articles from the two group activists which help you more informed.
This shows that you are in a desperate condition to bring down the woyane regime with the full support of shaebiya and egypt. However still you don’t understand the strength of woyane to reverse any sort of racist ideology like the one that was implemented in gonder by shaebiya and its foot soldiers. That is why you don’t really make any progress while you are fighting in full scale for more than 25 years. I am sure this current plan of struggle will not be successful for the reason that even you don’t have the appetite to bring unity within the Amahara people (gondere, gojame, woleye, agew, Kimant etc) and among the oromos (bale, arsi, welega, illu aba bora, kotu, shewa, borena, etc.) let alone to bring these two large ethnic groups together. Therefore, don’t waste our time in vain for such kind of nonsense idea.
u are talking about amhara and oromos as the most core people in this nation. But u simply leave the other people of the nation. What does it mean? Who pays blood for this nation to exist as nation? u can not answer this question because u are extremists
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Thank you Dr. Awol for presenting the reality prevailing there in Ethiopia. Everyone should welcome the solidarity but not at the expense of losing one’s basic values. Oromos have been demanding democracy, equality and justice to be established in the country. The essences of democracy and equality are so fundamental that no one would compromise. What Oromos are asking today e.g. language, cultural issues should not be threat for any peaceful non-Oromos living in Ethiopia, as a federal country. At least one can think that their numerical majority can allow them to exercise their right pretty well. I would say these issues are the minimum demands Oromos are claiming for. Discussion and mutual understanding is key to strengthen the solidarity which is now at its infant stage.
Dear Awol,
Why do you always refer to the old generation Amharans (if at all they are truly so) as representative of the Amharan people’s idea? Specifically you said mainstream Amhara politicians go about national unity. Why don’t you refer to the needs and thinking of the new generation of Amharan politicians whop give priority for Amhara as an Amhara than calling for national unity? I think you are talking only the old, detached and unrealistic diaspora politicians who claim to be Amhara but for who are not truely Amharans for the large majority of the new generation of Amharans. So please update yourself and open your eyes to see the true Amharans who want to live together with other ethnic groups but importantly think about Amhara than Ethiopian unity.
So is the author suggesting that Ethiopia be balkanized into several new ethnic states? I would like him to comment on this possibility.
First Eritrea seceded in 1993, does he not see the possibility of the break up of the Ethiopian State as we know it?
It’s well articulated but not realistic as the current wish-bond between the two groups doesn’t come from inside but outside.External forces who knows well that they can’t see weak Ethiopia with out removing the current Government are trying to show that this two groups are co-operating ,knowing well that they can’t survive unified-THE AMHARA CHAVUNISIM-OROMO NARRWOISM’
CAN YOU REMOVE THE WORD “GALA” FROM AMHARA DICTIONARY, NOT IN 1000 YRS…
Lets think beyond this if we really need strong unified Ethiopia
I am really upset with the doctors’ article. In the first place why you do not want to see Ethiopians as an entity rather than seeing Ethiopians based on their ethnicity.
As we know that Ethiopia as a nation exists for the last three thousand years. Ethiopian identity is a deep rooted identity to the soul of Ethiopians for the last three thousand years. Millions has sacrificed their precious life for this identity and this country .The identity of Ethiopia is a symbol of freedom and resistance for Africans, blacks and the whole oppressed nations. All of them they were inspired by Ethiopians ; for instance, Mandela,kenyatta, nukruhma , Mao, the Rastafarian movement and so on. Ethiopia is a country which has never colonized . At the same time Ethiopia is a blessed nation by the two great religions Christianity and Islam. Ethiopia as a country has granted an asylum to the prophet Mohameds’ family and his followers . When the prophet , his followers and Islam were in danger , The Ethiopians were there .
Having said that recently a lot of fabricated histories have been told , or written purposely by paid agents in the name of ‘scholars’.
I do not want to go in detail but What does awol wants to narrate , The question of unity suffocated to one tribe (amhara) . It is wrong. He is telling us there are two flags , Do amhars got another flag separately , the same thing for oromos. Both of them they do not have flag , their flag is Ethiopian flag.
We saw in the demonstration one flag which is an Ethiopian flag and the other is a banner of OLF ( a political organization ). I do not know what type of message awol wants to send. At the demonstration; according to your analysis , it means that the Ethiopian flag belongs to amharas. Who is taking that flag as their flag is only the amharas. It is shame , all Ethiopians scarified their precious life to defend this flag , it is their flag . As afar said it ” Let alone we afars , even our camels know our Ethiopian flag”
When we are referring to our recent history , in the 19 /20 th century Ethiopian history , almost all of the ethiopian leaders were either oromos or with oromo lineages. for instance Emperor minilik half oromo, Empress zeweditu half oromo, Lij eyassu half oromo, Emperor Haileselasse the son of mekonen weldemichael gudissa 3/4 oromo,mengistu hailemaryam 50% oromo . Almost more than 60% of ethiopian generals were full oromos or have got an oromo lineage like ras Gobena, fitawrari gebeyhu, fitawrari habtegirorgis dingde, fitawrari balcha…
ras abebe aregay , general abebe gemeda, general merdassa lelissa, general erikyhun bayssa, general regassa jimma, general jagema kelo, general regassa jima, general mulugeta buli…are some of them.
The oromos were the leaders in building the modern Ethiopian nation .
The Ethiopian discourse belongs to all Ethiopians, not only for amharas and oromos . According to your analysis, It seems that you side lined the other Ethiopians . Any how i advice you to see Ethiopians as Ethiopians beyond their ethnicity. At the end of the day we Ethiopians are intertwined , no body could separate us.
For all genuine and enlightened popular struggles, the determinant requirement for its success is the righteous program and honest common vision. From this perspective, this article is highly short sighted, full of hatred, extremely racist and arduously working for the benefit of Ethiopia’s arch enemies who doesn’t want to see further democratic, social and economic progress of the country.
So what is the point of your article? Do you think the problem is only for OROMIA and AMHARA groups only? And you are talking about unity? I think you should rewrite your article including every ethnic of Ethiopians. Very offensive article. I have blood of Amhara, Oromia,Tigria Guraga . Which side do you want me to take? I thought we are fighting to stop divisions. Your article makes me think the two groups which is the Oromia and Amhara joining together to destroy the other ethinc groups. As Ethiopians to fight the government we should be united all the Ethiopians together. May God help us to love one another not to hate.
Good point Yalew: Amharas must cease imposing or wishing to impose their version of UNITY. People in that country need respect and understanding of each other. This must the platform to begin any longterm discussion; hence, if all people start to see themselves as a partner rather than as a Uniting force or more patriotic than other, the road ahead will be much smother. Let’s all begin to examine our rules in shaping the future of the country.
TPLF junta is a dangerous and cruel organization, yes I repeat the term “Organization”, who is trained and equipped with a weapon of mass terrorizing and destruction and has been killing innocent people asking for their fundamental rights. The untold horrifying killings going on unreported once exposed will horrify the world which will be too late.
To Ralf Zimmerman:
Ralf,
Of course you can’t see any problems because by the time you arrived in Ethiopia the land had been cleared for you at gun point.
In fact the US, Germany, UK, China, Netherlands, India, World Bank, IMF and greedy so-called “investors” like you are the international enemies of the Ethiopian people and obstacles to peace democracy in Ethiopia!!
The “SELF RULE” you wrote in upper cases is just what you were told. It doesn’t not exist on the ground. Tens of thousands of children wouldn’t have have died of gun shots by the terrorist state soldiers if people ruled themselves.
Millions of people wouldn’t have been displaced and their land given to you to satisfy you if the people ruled themselves.
Tens of thousands of refugees would not have died fleeing the regime if people ruled themselves.
I think you still have a long way to understand why people set flower farms on fire. I am very sure your investment will be next if you remain ignorant.
European governments hates immigrants reaching Europe, but these governments are the very source of trouble in Africa and beyond by providing terrorist states like Ethiopia with political, diplomatic, military, logistic and financial support while enjoying full democracy themselves.
If there is no united Ethiopia there is no Amhara or Oromo or any other tribe . We should work together genuinely to bring the country together. Yes ! Amhara been pushed, oppressed for trying to unite the country. Remember we won Italy because we stood up as one united Ethiopia with no modern wore equipment. We can win again as one united Ethiopia .They are scared . Yes!! they should be .There is no limit to what we can do together we proofed it before.
Peace!
mirab, blessing toall, etc … you may want to listen into Awol Allo’s lecture on this issue a while ago where he outlines this issues in greater detail. His argument is that the emphasis on the two groups is necessary not only because they constitute 2/3rd of Ethiopia’s population but also because the rivalry between the two helped sustain TPLF rule. You may disagree with his analysis but it is clear that his proposal for solidarity is somewhat more complex and broader than you think.
http://richmedia.lse.ac.uk/centreforthestudyofhumanrights/20160825_1830_competingNationalismsInEthiopia.mp3
He also discussed these issues here in Amharic in greater detail:
https://www.facebook.com/OromiaMedia/videos/1813562785523247/ [towards the end]
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