“We are all Oromo.”
by Mark P. Fancher
Article Reprint
The government of Ethiopia recently declared a state of emergency in response to a wave of massive protests by that country’s Oromo people. For decades the Oromo have been the targets of government oppression and political repression even though they represent more than a third of Ethiopia’s population. The frequency and intensity of Oromo resistance has increased in recent months, and it was highlighted by a cross-armed gesture made during the Olympics by Feyisa Lilesa, an Oromo who ran the marathon for Ethiopia. (Holding the arms above the head to form an “x” is a gesture of Oromo resistance.)