Ethiopia

Ethiopia, the oldest state in Africa and except for a period during the Second World War when it was occupied by Italy, it has remained independent through most of the centuries. It borders Somali, Sudan, and (now an independent) Eritrea. It is one of the continent’s poorest countries and is best known for Mengistu’s dictorial ‘communist’ regime (that overthrew Emperor Haile Selassie) and the ‘red terror’ that continued through the 1970s, the Eritrean war for independence that ended in 1991 at the same time as the Tigray Peoples Liberation Army (TPLF) overthrew Menguistu, and for a history of severe and reoccurring famines.

Eritrea assumed de facto independence in 1991, pending the results of a national referendum that was held in 1993. After the referendum, a form of ethnic cleansing too place: Eritreans were expelled from Ethiopian and Ethiopians living in Eritrea were also made to feel unwelcome. People of mixed parentage or mixed marriage were expelled from both countries and became de facto or de jure stateless. Many of such people have sought asylum in Egypt, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, and Yemen, as well as in other parts of the world. Persecution of such people continues in their country of exile by some ‘nationalist’ Ethiopians and Eritreans.

The Eritrea-Ethiopian 1998-2000 war over their border was followed by yet another famine. Although the war officially ended in June 2000, debate and clashes over demarcation of the border continues to threaten security in both countries.

The situation of the Oromo is another story of tragedy in Ethiopia. The Oromo are the largest ethnic group in the country, but were ruled for years by the minority Amhara. They were known as the ‘gala,’ a derogative term that means slave. Since the 1980s they have formed themselves into an opposition group fighting under the banner of the Oromo Liberation Front, which has offices in many Western countries. The ruling Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) has variously treated them as a legal group and has arrested members who they suspect are promoting violence. As a result, there are many Oromo refugees in many countries, including Egypt. While Oromo members of the OLF want to revive their lost culture and language, over the years many Oromo have become ‘amharized’, especially those living in the capital, Addis Ababa and suffer an ambiguous identity in the contemporary political landscape of Ethiopia.

Most recently, in 2005 a series of protests were held surrounding the re-election of Meles Zenawi from the ruling Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF). On 5 June 2005, 26 people were killed as a result of these riots and hundreds were arrested by the police. When protests broke out again in November, 46 people were killed (seven police officers) and thousands were arrested. As of February 2006 over 600 were still detained and awaiting trial. The results of these events has found more Ethiopians seeking asylum across the borders.