Oromia Zone

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For the Ethiopian Region of this name, see Oromia Region.
A map of the regions and zones of Ethiopia

Oromia Zone (Oromo: Godina Oromiyaa; Amharic: ኦሮሚያ ዞን) is a zone in Amhara Region of Ethiopia. Oromia is named for the Oromo people, who settled along the edge of the Ethiopian Highlands that form this Zone. Oromia Zone is bordered on the southwest by North Shewa Zone, on the northwest by South Wollo and Argobba special woreda, and on the east by the Afar Region. Kamisee is the administrative center of the Zone; other towns include Baati.

The Oromia Zone was created in the late summer of 1994, according to one account in response to pressure from the Oromo Liberation Front, which was actively agitating for autonomy for Wollo Oromo during late 1991 and early 1992.[1] Four woredas were taken from Debub Wollo—Baati, Dewe, Esseya Gulla and Artuma—and two woredas from Semien Shewa—Fursi and Senbete—and appointing Kamisee to be the Zonal capital. The new zone was organized into five woredas by combining Artuma and Fursi into one and renaming Esseya Gola to Chaffa Gola.[2] The numbers and areas of the constituent Districts have since changed.

Demographics[]

Based on the 2007 Census conducted by the Central Statistical Agency of Ethiopia (CSA), this Zone has a total population of 457,278, a decrease of -1.23% from the 1994 census, of whom 227,328 are men and 229,950 women; with an area of 3,470.04 square kilometers, Oromia has a population density of 131.78. While 51,728 or 11.31% are urban inhabitants, a further 2,005 or 0.44% are pastoralists. A total of 101,442 households were counted in this Zone, which results in an average of 4.51 persons to a household, and 97,957 housing units. The two largest ethnic groups reported in Oromia were the Oromo (86.07%), and the Amhara (12.54%); all other ethnic groups made up 1.39% of the population. Oromo was spoken as a first language by 82.13%, and 16.99% spoke Amharic; the remaining 0.88% spoke all other primary languages reported. 97.07% were Muslim, and 2.4% of the population said they practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity.[3]

The 1994 national census reported a total population for this Zone of 462,951 in 97,025 households, of whom 232,461 were men and 230,490 women; 39,666 or 8.57% of its population were urban dwellers at the time. The three largest ethnic groups reported in Oromia were the Oromo (65.34%), the Amhara (31.79%), and the Argobba (2.29%); all other ethnic groups made up 0.58% of the population. Oromo was spoken as a first language by 65.08%, and 34.29% spoke Amharic; the remaining 0.63% spoke all other primary languages reported. 98.01% were Muslim, and 1.92% of the population said they practiced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity.[4]

According to a May 24, 2004 World Bank memorandum, 5% of the inhabitants of Oromia have access to electricity, this zone has a road density of 23.9 kilometers per 1000 square kilometers (compared to the national average of 30 kilometers),[5] the average rural household has 0.6 hectare of land (compared to the national average of 1.01 hectare of land and an average of 0.75 for the Amhara Region)[6] and the equivalent of 0.5 heads of livestock. 10.9% of the population is in non-farm related jobs, compared to the national average of 25% and a regional average of 21%. 25% of all eligible children are enrolled in primary school, and 3% in secondary schools. 100% of the zone is exposed to malaria, and none to Tsetse fly. The memorandum gave this zone a drought risk rating of 565.[7]

Attacks in Oromia Zone[]

According Hassan Hadiya, a resident of Kamisee, Conflict started between Oromo residents and Amhara Special Forces after Amhara Special Forces killing an individual at the entrances of the grand mosque in ataye, North Showa Zone of Amhara region. Another resident of Kamisee, Ahmed says The Amhara region Liyu Police are attacking civilians and ongoing a blazing movement. eyewitness evidences blame the Amhara regional special forces while the Amhara regional government accuse both OLF-Shene and TPLF as scape goat of the violence.[8][9] Two Members of Ethiopian parliament accused Amhara liyu police for killing Oromo civilian in ataye, Oromia Zone by labelling them what he called ‘’bread name” refers to OLF. “Amhara Militia used OLF-Shane as a pretext to commit war crime on Oromo farmers in Wollo for the three major reasons the MP said on 11th Session of parliament of Ethiopia. The reasons are (1) their national identity (being an Oromo), (2) their religious identity (being Muslim) and (3)use the atrocity as a bargaining threat to fulfill all their demands in Oromia region”[10] On the occasion of the attack of Wollo Oromos in Oromia Zone of Amhara Region by Amhara region militia in March 2021, OPP and APP came with opposite statements, each blaming the other ethnic group for being the cause of the violence and killings.[11][12] website and Amhara region official claimed OLF involved ataye town[13]

By the end of August 2021, an internal note of the EU delegation in Ethiopia mentioned that the Oromo Liberation Army occupied several rural districts of the Oromia Zone in Amhara Region.[14]

Notes[]

  1. ^ Sarah Vaughan, "Ethnicity and Power in Ethiopia" Archived August 13, 2011, at the Wayback Machine (University of Edinburgh: Ph.D. Thesis, 2003), p. 240 n. 259
  2. ^ "Field Trip to North Shewa, Oromo and South Welo Zones of Region 3 (Amhara) 31 August - 3 September 1994" UNDP Emergencies Unit for Ethiopia report, dated September 1994 (accessed 13 January 2009)
  3. ^ Census 2007 Tables: Amhara Region Archived November 14, 2010, at the Wayback Machine, Tables 2.1, 2.4, 2.5, 3.1, 3.2 and 3.4.
  4. ^ 1994 Population and Housing Census of Ethiopia: Results for Amhara Region, Vol. 1, part 1 Archived November 15, 2010, at the Wayback Machine, Tables 2.1, 2.11, 2.14, 2.17 (accessed 6 April 2009)
  5. ^ "Ethiopia - Second Road Sector Development Program Project", p.3 (World Bank Project Appraisal Document, published 19 May 2003)
  6. ^ Comparative national and regional figures comes from the World Bank publication, Klaus Deininger et al. "Tenure Security and Land Related Investment", WP-2991 Archived 2007-03-10 at the Wayback Machine (accessed 23 March 2006).
  7. ^ World Bank, Four Ethiopias: A Regional Characterization (accessed 23 March 2006)
  8. ^ Addisstandard (2021-03-22). "News: Unknown number of people killed in ongoing violence in Oromia Special Zone and North Shewa Zone, Amhara region as warring factions trade blame". Addis Standard. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
  9. ^ NEWS: SECURITY FORCES ORDERED TO TAKE MEASURES AS WEEKEND VIOLENCE CLAIMS LIVES, retrieved April 8, 2019
  10. ^ Gaaffilee Hirmaattota Mana Mareerraa ka'ee, retrieved March 24, 2021
  11. ^ Addis Standard, 24 March 2021: Amhara & Oromia PP engage in war of words as relative peace returns to violence hit areas
  12. ^ Addisstandard (2021-03-22). "News: Unknown number of people killed in ongoing violence in Oromia Special Zone and North Shewa Zone, Amhara region as warring factions trade blame". Addis Standard. Retrieved 2021-03-24.
  13. ^ "Ataye : Oromo Liberation Front opened war in Amhara region". Borkena Ethiopian News. 2021-03-20. Retrieved 2021-03-29.
  14. ^ Tghat, 24 August 2021: A Leaked Document: Delegation of the European Union to Ethiopia

Coordinates: 10°40′N 40°00′E / 10.667°N 40.000°E / 10.667; 40.000

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