Ethiopian Woyane/TPLF government has
shut down the Afan Oromo TV program of ETV
Although Afan Oromo is the single largest language in the Ethiopian Empire, which
is a house for about 80 or so different languages, it is also the single most suppressed
language during all the Ethiopian successive regimes in the empire. During the Hailesillasie
monarchic regime there was no radio or TV program in Afan Oromo. The military junta
of Mengistu Haile mariam opened a two hour radio program in Afan Oromo, but there
was no TV program in the Oromo language during this regime. When the current TPLF/EPRDF
regime came to power in 1991, OLF became part of the government forming the then
called “Transitional Government of Ethiopia”. As a result of the pressure
from the Oromo people in general and the OLF in particular, the regime opened a
one hour TV program for Afan Oromo as a gesture of attempting to restore freedom
and justice for the suppressed Oromo nation. Although this was seen as one positive
step forward when compared to the previous Ethiopian regimes, it was clear for the
Oromo people that this was no justice yet since the same amount of air time was
given to the Tigre language which is spoken by less than 7% of the population of
the empire simply because the current rulers come from Tigrai region. A real justice
for the Oromo people is to give the maximum air time for Afan Oromo, radio or TV,
than any other language, including Amharic, which is spoken by only about a third
of the population of the empire but unjustly designated as the “official language”
of the regime on power.
Despite the fact that all government controlled media in Ethiopia are propaganda
outlets for the TPLF-Woyane regime, some of the Afan Oromo TV programs related to
culture, recreation, education, linguistics, and international news are loved by
millions of Oromos and non-Oromos who can understand the Afan Oromo language. These
programs are now eliminated as of Semptember 12, 2008 and replaced by a local program
known as STVO, completely prepared by unprofessional OPDO cadres and used by the
regime for propaganda purpose. The Oromo people are now denied access to information
and international news and are forced to listen and watch only the propaganda of
the OPDO, which is a puppet Oromo organization completely controlled by Meles Zenawi
and the TPLF. It is clear that the decision to shut down the Afan Oromo TV program
from the federal level ETV programs is made to limit the growth and radius of influence
of Afan Oromo making it inaccessible to non-Oromos and Oromos living outside of
Oromia, once again an attempt to reduce or eliminate the Oromo people and their
language Afan Oromo from the empire and the face of the earth.
It is reported that the 60 Afan Oromo TV journalists, who are expelled from job
and are denied entrance to the office of the Ethiopian Television Station, are opposed
to the unjust decision and appealed to PM Meles Zenawi’s office, to the Ethiopian
Parliament, to the OPDO office and to the so called Oromian president Minasse Woldegiorgis
for the reversal of the decision. Disappointed by the appeal of these Oromo journalists,
the regime is reportedly following these journalists denying them movement outside
of Finfinnee due to the fear that they may incite resentment on the regimes’
decision to shut down the TV program.
The expelled journalists also appealed to the Oromo people at home and abroad to
stand on their side and oppose this unjust decision and restore freedom, justice
and equality through a liberation struggle.