Statement of Opposition to the Decision to Transfer Oromia's Capital from Finfinnee to Adama

Issued by the Board of Macha and Tulama Development Association



Reasons for opposing the decision to transfer the capital of Oromia from Finfinnee to Adama only a month before the closure of the previous Council (Parliament) and opening of the new one.



Although the decision is said to have been passed unanimously, it should be recognized that the element behind the decision is a click which has been rejected by Oromia and Oromos and an element which is against the prevailing peace and stability between the Oromos and other ethnic groups; an element determined only to give expression to their own points of view and to benefit a few individuals, ignoring the views of others. This element is now passing an unfair and unconstitutional law;

The constitution adopted by the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia provides:

That the special interest of the State of Oromia in Addis Ababa -- regarding the provision of social services, the utilization of natural resources and other similar matters as well as joint administrative matters arising from the location of Addis Ababa within the State of Oromia -- shall be respected. The national constitution of the state of Oromia enshrines this concept.

The Regional Oromia Constitution gives no power to the Council (Parliament) to establish a new capital city for Oromia.

Before passing the Resolution, the Oromia Council did not carry out a national referendum (considering the vital importance of the matter) nor has it sought any professional view or conducted a symposium of Oromo intellectuals on the subject; nor has it, at any time, sought the amendment of the Federal Constitution on the subject.

Finfinee and the rest of Oromia were under conquest until 1991 when peoples, nations and nationalities of Ethiopia came together in peace and resolved the old age political construction of the country by giving self-determination to all including the Oromo people. Now the latest Resolution undermines these fundamental freedoms of the people of Ethiopia by:

Reaffirming the old conquest by inflicting new wound on old scars and creating the basis for future conflict among the peoples who thought that peace and democracy had finally come to their rescue.

By denying to Oromia the right to have Finfinnee as its capital city, the click in the Oromia Council is dividing East and West, thus undermining Oromia’s essential unity and singularity;

On Emperor Menelik’s territorial map of conquest, former Oromo territories and places were renamed as:



Dire Birbirsa as Menelik square

Kafil Dabas as Churchill Avenue

Tulu Dalati as Old Palace

Bulbula (River) as Ginfile

Haro (River) as Kebena

Qurtumee (River) as Habtegiorgis Bridge

Qamalee (River) as Ras Mekonen Bridge



It is to be noted that as "their" Addis Ababa expanded from Old Gulalee to Ekaa Galan, Sululta, Damee and the present stadium for water, Oromo farmers were driven out without any compensation or provision exactly as it is being done today. History is surely repeating itself.





Indeed, Menelik's invasion of Oromia today continues with EPRDF, despite the 1991 peace conference. EPRDF erroneously assumes that Oromos do not believe that force can solve political problems and that perfidy or robbery cannot be the basis of a permanent solution. Unfortunately for Wayane, Oromos do not tolerate further dispossession of their resources and any attempt to continue disenfranchising the Oromo people shall only result in irreconcilable confrontation among neighboring peoples. The clique indirectly promoting the current invasion of Oromo territory shall be entirely responsible for the tragedies that may follow such massive confrontation.

While Oromos do not oppose the growth and expansion of cities they resolutely demand that when Finfinnee expands to Oromo land, such expansion shall remain within Oromia and the benefits thereof shall accrue to our people.

The Federal Constitution of 1995 provides that as regards matters linking Oromia and Finfinee the special interests that Oromia has in Finfinnee shall be maintained.

As Finfinnee is curved out of Oromia, its underground resources including fossil fuel, energy mineral and water must benefit Oromia.

Finfinnee relies on the resources of Oromia and must therefore share all benefits with Oromia which is the legitimate stake holder in this part of the country.

The surroundings of Finfinnee as part of Oromia has suffered a great deal by being the recipient of sewage and chemical waste from Finfinnee.

Oromia must play a role in the framing of environmental policy of Finfinne. The removal of Oromia Regional Government from Finfinnee will deny it the right to participate in policy decisions on matters that affect the life and health of Oromos leaving around Finfinnee.

The Oromo Council which should have been the representative of the Oromo people, has acted contrary to Oromo interest and sovereignty by deciding to remove the Oromo capital from Finfinnee to Adama. It must therefore be condemned by all Oromos and its decision repudiated as unjust, illegal and contrary to Oromo fundamental interest.

A capital city is normally selected on the basis of its sight as provider of such things as water, centrality, depository of any of people’s cultural heritage and historical and sentimental attachment of the people to the locality. Adama is not endowed with such characteristics.

Adama is not central to various Oromo zones. It is not close to any Oromo religious or cultural shrines. The choice of Adama as a capital city for Oromia is a long thought out conspiracy between an Oromo group and non Oromos to fragment and weaken the Oromo people. Oromos cannot accept such an open and flagrant assault on their interest.

Adama does not provide the following elementary amenities:

Housing

Medical facilities

Educational infrastructure

Transport infrastructure

Communication Infrastructure

No electric power infrastructure

Adama does not provide sufficient water even for the present population of the city.

Even if the Oromo people on their own free will want to move away from the present capital, they would look for a locality which can serve 24,000,000, Oromos and is free from malaria and fluoride.

It is universally acknowledged that Adama is infested with Malaria Mosquitoes and that the problem of fluoride in the water of the locality has not had any solution. Oromia must do all in its power to solve these intractable problems for the people already in Adama instead of condemning more people to mass death and debilitating diseases.

The decision to make Adama the capital of Oromia erroneously assumes that Oromia has billions of Birr to construct the required office buildings to accommodate the Oromia Regional Government. Oromia is not in a position to undertake such a massive construction program. Any available resources should be used to uplift the abysmally low level of existence of the masses of the Oromo people. That is the most urgent priority. Among the reasons given for moving away from Finfinnee is that Oromia needs its own capital to develop. This is the most ludicrous reasoning of all the artificial justification drummed up for the infamous resolution.

The decision to develop Adama as a capital is a virtual reversal of the so-called rural-centered development policy of the present government, thus making the policy contradictory and inconsistent.

A city can be held answerable to two governments. In other words, Finfinnee can pay different flexes to the Federal and Oromia governments.

On the basis of the foregoing, we call on the Oromo people:

To demand the reversal of the decision to make Adama the capital of Oromia through whatever means is available to them and also to oppose the implementation of the resolution in every possible way.

To demand of the Oromia council to hold an emergency session and reverse their illegal, undemocratic and anti-development resolution to make Adama the capital of Oromia.

We call on all those who believe in the power of the people whether they are individuals or organizations and on members of the Federation Council and Council of Peoples Representatives to support our appeal for the reversal of the Resolution.

We hereby inform our people everywhere to remember July 12 every year (the date resolution was passed) as a day of mourning until such a time when the Resolution is completely reversed.

Done, July 2000

Finfinnee, Ethiopia