Ethiopian Students in institutions of higher learning in Ethiopia are living security threats emanating from possible ethnic violence in the university grounds. Metu University in South West , Alemaya University in South East and Ambo University in Western parts of Ethiopia are some of the universities affected by the development. Teaching-learning process has been affected in Metu University for weeks now.
At least 100 students of from Tigray region, political base of the ruling TPLF, left Metu University campus and traveled to Gambella region of Ethiopia on grounds of “security threat” after one student from their region was detained by the regional police in connection with possession of Oromo Liberation Front ( an outlawed opposition group) flag – which pro-TPLF activists think is an orchestrated allegation.
Security forces, apparently with orders from Federal authorities, entered the university campus due to the tense situation which triggered Oromo students to leave the University campus.
Yet, the situation is affecting thousands of students, psychologically and economically,from other parts Ethiopia. Students have no where to turn to as the university is not catering for their basic needs as classes are closed due to the tension in the university.
Oromo students in the campus demanded the resignation of the university president, Dr. Tadesse Habtamu, on grounds that he let the students who was allegedly caught with OLF flag to start school after he was released from police custody. Unable to withstand pressure ( and insult too) from Oromo students, he already submitted resignation paper.
The incident related to the Tigray student is just a trigger point, if not a pretext, for Oromo students to behave they way they do now. The fundamental cause runs deep and has a lot to do with, partly, the way TPLF abused Oromo students for decades under grounds of links to Oromo liberation front and ,partly, it is related to ethnic ideology which nurtured a strong ethnic sentiment at the expense of all other forms of identities.
Ethiopia saw unprecedented ethnic violence in the history of the country. Yet, it did not happen like flashflood. Overshadowed by narratives of “double digit economic growth”, bonds that bind the nation together for many many centuries were consumed by gradually radicalizing ethnic sentiment due to the ideology and administrative arrangement , which TPLF leaders thought would be a panacea for alleged oppression of “nations,nationalities and people” , for many years now.
As it turns out, TPLF happened to be an ethno-chauvinist oppressor with wealth looted from the country the likes of which has no precedence. Read more here
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