Is Federal Orompia a Transitional Solution Toward an Independent Oromia or an Integrative Oropia?
By Fayyis Oromia*
It seems that Ethiopia’s ethnic federation is now widely accepted as a transitional compromise for the historically troubled Abyssinian empire, dominated by Amharic. Transforming the empire into a union of free nations is not a bad idea. However, the pressing question remains: How stable is such an ethnically-based federal union? And more importantly, Is this union strategically beneficial to the Oromo people?
Let’s abandon the outdated notion that Oromia should separate from Ethiopia. In truth, Oromia is the stem from which others—like Amara and Tigray—may separate, not the reverse. Is it truly in the interest of the Oromo to offer peripheral regions like Somali, Amhara, and Tigray the option to break away? I don’t believe so. This is why I advocate for Oropia—a geo-federated Ethiopia led by Oromic—which is inherently more stable than an ethnic federation.
The Oromo people should strive to foster a stable Oropia, thereby dismantling the current ethnically-fragmented federation. Specifically, the three largest regions—Amhara, Somali, and Oromia—should be reorganized into smaller, more manageable federal states. I propose the following divisions:
Amara: Welqayit, North Amara (Gondar), West Amara (Gojjam), South Amara (Shoa), East Amara (Lasta)
Somali: North Somali (Issa), West Somali (Fiq), East Somali (Ogaden), South Somali (Gàrre)
Oromia: North Oromia (Wallo), West Oromia (Wallaga), South-West Oromia (Ilu-Jimma), Central Oromia (Tullama), East Oromia (Hararge), South-East Oromia (Arsi-Bale), South Oromia (Guji-Borana), and Finfinne/Shagar city
Having these as federal states within Oropia would provide a more stable and inclusive political structure. If Oropia cannot be established, then secession of non-Oromo regions from Oromia is inevitable, and the Oromo will be left with a diminished Oromia rather than a unified Oropia.
Read more: https://orompia.wordpress.com/2018/06/1 ... on-amhara/