Some Tigrayans are pushing the controversial proposal that Tigray secede from Ethiopia
The national flag was nowhere to be seen - summing up the nationalism that has been growing in Tigray since Abiy Ahmed became prime minister in April last year.
So strong is the feeling that some of the academics were advocating the controversial proposal that Tigray secede from Ethiopia.
‘’Tigray is more than enough to be an independent country in terms of population, wealth, history, and psychology. There are far smaller countries in Europe and Africa,” said Mehari Yohans, a lecturer at Mekelle University.
He dismissed critics who pointed to Eritrea, which gained independence from Ethiopia in 1993, as a reason not to secede.
The problem with Eritrea was not its independence, but its failure to democratise after its liberation, he said.
Tigrayans, who comprise just 6% of Ethiopia’s population, have until recently dominated the federal government.
The state’s ruling party, the TPLF, says it is still committed to the Ethiopian federation, while acknowledging Tigrayans’ growing sense of alienation amid a raft of recent reforms.
Farmer Kahsay Gebretsadkan, summing up the feelings of many in rural areas of the state, said there seemed to be a national campaign “to weaken Tigray" - but he told the BBC that most people he knew did not like the idea of seceding.
Mr Abiy has sought to calm feelings of anger in Tigray, saying his government has not been targeting Tigrayan officials in a crackdown on abuses of the previous government.
But his move to set up a commission to resolve a boundary dispute between the Tigray and Amhara regions has only upset people more - they see his action as interference in the autonomy of Ethiopia’s nine states.
One of the prime minister’s mantras is, “Ethiopia will never be dismantled’’.
With elections set for next year, growing ethnic nationalism across the country remains one of his greatest challenges
Source : https://www.bbc.com/news/live/world-afr ... type=share

Some Tigrayans are pushing the controversial proposal that Tigray secede from Ethiopia