Oromantic’s Weblog

Contrary to its own constitution and to the international treaties it has ratified, the ruling TPLF/EPRDF party of Ethiopia has taken the Afaan Oromoo TV programme off the air without any consultation or prior notice, leaving about sixty journalists without job. The Afaan Oromoo programme, which was a separate desk within the only national TV station - ETV, was launched in 1991 following the toppling of the Communist Derg regime as a part of the package of the newly introduced democracy and freedom of expression.

The Afaan Oromoo TV programme, which was unanimously and warmly welcomed among the Oromos, the biggest ethnic group in Ethiopia with the population of more than half of the total population of the country, has been playing a significant role in promoting the rich linguistic, social and cultural traditions of the Oromo people through various daily and weekly shows. It also has been contributing enormously to the revival of the Oromo language, culture and overall social traditions, which have been suppressed and condemned to extinction for over a century.

Although no official explanation was given as to why the TV programme was taken off the air, HRLHA has learnt that it was closed down under a new agendum called “localizing” TV programmes. As to HRLHA’s understanding, this action is not only discriminatory, but also fully political. The fact that the decision and the action spared the Tigrigna TV programme, which was launched at the same time with the afaan Oromo programme and has been broadcasting parallel, makes it discriminatory. The Tigrigna desk has continued broadcasting its regular programme without any change. And the fact that the so called “localizing” policy takes the huge Oromo audience away from the relatively professional Ministry of Information and places them in the hands of the pure political cadres of the Information Bureau of Oromia makes it political. The fate of the former employees of the Afan Oromo desk, who were said to have been laid off and have been holding demonstrations in protest at the action, is not known. Most of them have been placed under surveillance and their movements have been restricted within the Capital Finfinne/ Addis Abeba/, according to HRLHA informants.

For the full press release, visit HRLHA’s website.