Country: Ethiopia

Group: Oromo

Date Finalized: 3/14/2020

Team: Vianney Mancilla (lead), Arisha Khan, Maya Shrikant

Content Warning: ethnocide, slavery, homicide, genocide, forced imprisonment

Approximate Time Period: 1855-1942

            The Oromo of Ethiopia have been victims of targeted lethal violence and oppression since the founding of the Ethiopian Empire in the 19th century (Jalata, 2010). The Amharas and Tigarayans committed targeted lethal violence against the Oromo through massacres, slavery, and depopulation during the colonization of Oromia (Jalata, 2010). The Oromo are still subject to targeted lethal violence as they protested against a city expansion plan which threatened their livelihood in 2015 (Getahun, 2018). The protest resulted in the death of thousands of Oromo protesters and detntion of tens of thousands of Oromo (Getahun, 2018). Consequently, Ethiopia declared a state of emergency in 2018 (Getahun, 2018). Dozens of Oromo have been killed by security forces and the government has failed to investigate the killings (Getahun, 2018). The United Nations has taken action against the regime. However, regime has reportedly continued to intensify its violation of human rights against the Oromo (Getahun, 2018). The data quality is a 3 considering the acknowledgment and support of the United Nations. 

Sources

  1. Dugo, H., & Eisen, J. (2018). The politics of genocide denial in ethiopia. Africology: The Journal of Pan African Studies, 11(4), 61-89.
  2. Getahun, B. Y. (2018, April 20). Ethiopia’s Crisis: What is Causing the Political Turmoil and Ethnic Tension? Retrieved from https://www.genocidewatch.com/single-post/2018/04/19/ Ethiopia’s-Crisis-What-is-Causing-the-Political-Turmoil-and-Ethnic-Tension
  3. Hassen, M. (2002). Conquest, tyranny, and ethnocide against the Oromo: A historical assessment of human rights conditions in Ethiopia, ca. 1880s-2002. Northeast African Studies, 9(3), 15-49.
  4. Jalata, A. (2010). The Ethiopian state: Authoritarianism, violence and clandestine genocide. The Journal of Pan African Studies, 160.