The Protection of National Minorities in Amhara National Regional State: The Case of Oromo Minorities in Angollela and Tera Woreda
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Date
2010-12
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The Constitution of the Amhara National Regional State, as provided under Article 73(1),
established Nationality Administration (Yebehereseb Astedader) to the Peoples of Himra,
Awi and Oromo in the area inhabited by such peoples. The Nationality Council
(Yebeherseb Mekerbet) of the nationality administration has a number of powers such as
determining the working language of the nationality, ensuring the protection of the
nationality’s rights to speak and write in its own language, develop and promote its own
culture as well as maintain and preserve its own history. In addition to the above peoples,
the Argobas have also their own nationality Administration by virtue of Proclamation
No.130/2006, a proclamation establishing the Argoba Nationality Woreda. This
proclamation guarantees the rights mentioned above to the Argoba people. As a result,
these minority nationalities of Amhara National Regional State are able to exercise rights
significant to minorities like the right to use, develop and promote their culture and
language, the right to self-government and equitable representation in the regional and
federal government.
Although the Amhara National Regional State’s recognition and protection of the
interests of minorities of the regional state is admired, it did not address the interests of
minorities found outside the nationality administrations. This research is intended to
show the protection of the Oromos found in Angollela and Tera Woreda (the study area),
found in North Shewa Zone, outside the nationality administration established for the
Oromo people. The Oromo minorities of Angollela and Tera Woreda, accounting 12% of
the Woreda population, are not able to exercise those rights like the right to develop and
promote their culture, equitable representation in the Woreda Council and Administrative
Council, the right education in their mother tongue and the like simply because they
happen to exist outside the nationality administration established for the Oromos.
As a result, I argue that the Oromo minorities of Angollela and Tera Woreda should be
entitled to equitable representation in the Woreda Council and Administrative Council,
the right to develop and promote their culture, the right to trial in their own language and
the right to be taught in their mother tongue. This requires the Amhara National RegionalState to take appropriate measures including legislative measures dealing to the peculiar
interests of minorities found in such situation. Like wise, the Woreda Administration
should also make its practices in conformity with the peculiar interests of the Oromo
minorities of the Woreda.
Key Words: Angollela and Tera Woreda; Minorities; Oromos; Protection; Right
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Keywords
Angollela and Tera Woreda, Minorities, Oromos, Protection, Right