What Does Oromia Lose if Oromia Special Zone Surrounding Finfinne Incorporated into Finfinne?

What Does Oromia Lose if Oromia Special Zone Surrounding Finfinne Incorporated into Finfinne?
Finfinne, the seat of masters of Oromia, was established about 126 years ago. Since its establishment, Finifine has been stretching its size by taking the surrounding areas. Starting from Tullu Dalati, the hill on which the residence of the Prime Minister is found , Fifinne stretched to Akaki in the east, Gulale in the west, Garji in the south and Entoto in the north. Unlike the nine federal states of Ethiopia, Finfinne is not a member of Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE). 

According to Article 47 (1) of the constitution of FDRF, member States of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia are the following:

1. The State of Tigray
2. The State of Afar
3. The State of Amhara
4. The State of Oromia
5. The State of Somalia
6. The State of Benshangul/Gumuz
7. The State of the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples
8. The State of the Gambela Peoples
9. The State of the Harari People

When we read Article 47 (1) with Article 49 (5) of FDRE which reads as follows:

“The special interest of the State of Oromia in Addis Ababa, regarding the provision of social services or the utilization of natural resources and other similar matters, as well as joint administrative matters arising from the location of Addis Ababa within the State of Oromia, shall be respected. Particulars shall be determined by law.” it is clear that the constitution of FDRE accepts that Fifinne belongs to Oromia and separating Finfinne from Oromia is unconstitutional. But the realty on ground is the opposite. 

In violation of the constitution which it praises as a supreme law of the land, EPRDF recruited Finfinne and Dire Dhawa as a member of FDRE and increased the member states from 9 to 11. To confuse the people, it calls 9 Federal States and 2 City Administrations. For the last 20 years, after the constitution has been proclaimed, no law was issued to determine the particulars of “ special interest of Oromia in Addis Ababa”. EPRDF is indefinitely postponing the determinations of particulars by simply appointing mayors who have Oromo names such as Birhanu Dheresa, Kuma Demeksa, Diriba Kuma. Putting aside the future status of Finfinne, in reality as it stands now, Finfinne and Oromia are different and treated as equal and separate members of FDRE. If that is the case, why one member of FDRE is going to take part of the other member?

About six years ago, in 2008, the State of Oromia (this is the name given by the constitution and “Region” is the name that EPRDF cadres used to undermine the autonomy of FDRE members) established Oromia Special Zone Surrounding Finfinne. This special zone comprises 8 towns found around Finfinne, namely, Dukam, Galan , Sabata, Burayou, Holeta, Laga Tafo-Laga Dadhi, and Sandafa. Dukam, Galan, Burayu and Sabata have been identified as industrial zones while the rest have been identified as both industrial and settlement zones.

The greedy TPLF led government, to fulfill its long term economic and political objectives, working to take control of the Oromia Special Zone Surrounding Finfinne. TPLF’s economic interest is to continue selling Oromia land to finance its government and to protect Tigrian “investors” in the Special Zone as well as to create more jobs to its loyal cadres. Its political objective is to break Oromia into two and to weaken Oromos by dividing them and rule the country for the next 80 years or so. The below map shows TPLF’s plan to break Oromia into two (source Gadda.Com).



The question is what does Oromia lose if the surrounding towns taken by Finfinne? If this annexation plan is fulfilled, Oromia has many things to lose. Below are some of the evils to come:

1. The shrinking of Oromia- Oromia will lose control over this special zone and Oromo will lose representation in these towns;
2. Losing of income from tax- the State of Oromia will lose the power to collect income in these towns;
3. Lose of job opportunity- the jobs of Oromo workers in this special zone will be taken by others;
4. Political representation- as these town are going to be administered by others, political support and constituency of Oromo political organizations including OPDO will dwindle; 
5. Oromo Language and cultural spiral down- The official working language of these towns will be changed to the extent where Afan Oromo never used. With the language, Oromo culture will dwindle to the extent it is going to be buried again; 
6. Eviction of more Oromo farmers- without any mercy and compensation- TPLF will evict Oromo farmers in the surrounding areas and sale their land;
7. Lose of vote in election- Oromo Political organization no more be a power in these towns;
8. Lose of buffer zone- these towns are currently serving as a buffer zones protecting Oromos from domination of Habesha culture. Oromia will lose this buffer service.

So what should be done?

As the history of Oromia shows us, Menelik and Hailesellasie controlled Oromia and its resources slowly by slowly under the guise of civilization & development. If keep quiet, history of annexation of Oromia and domination of Oromo by Habesha is going to repeat itself. Therefore, all Oromo political organizations as an organizations and Oromos as a group and individual should cooperate to foil this plan which aims to annex Oromo land and to negatively affect Oromos in many ways.