The Oromo are descendants of the Kush people indigenous to East Africa. They are among the earliest peoples to have practiced a democratic system known as Gadaa, which gave a significant societal role to women and strongly valued peace. Gadaa is an egalitarian system that sets clear boundaries in an individual’s life and guides peaceful coexistence with men and nature. It is a holistic approach developed in the 16th century but sadly banned from practice by various ruling groups starting in the 16th century. The arrival of religions from abroad and the Abyssinian conquest of modern-day Ethiopia sidelined indigenous cultures and religions, including their emphasis on women’s participation and the protection of the environment. 

Today, Oromos are among the most marginalized ethnic groups in Ethiopia. It was only after the 1991 revolution that they regained the ability to practice their culture publicly and use their language in schools. In the years since, Oromos and many other southern Ethiopians have made tremendous strides in reclaiming their languages and cultures; most Oromos and many others living in their native region of Oromia speak the language today. However, Oromos still live in the shadow of more than a century of oppression and marginalization. 

Oromo youth led the nonviolent protests that culminated in a change of power in 2018, bringing the current Prime Minister, Abiy Ahmed, to power. Despite their role in his ascent, millions of Oromos were pushed out and continued to suffer at the hands of the government security forces. The government has been leading a campaign that it claims is to eliminate the rebel Oromo Liberation Army (OLA), but which in fact routinely targets Oromo civilians for human rights abuses on the baseless grounds that they support or sympathize with the OLA. The long-running conflict in Oromia has continued out of the international community’s view even as the peace process has resulted in ending formal hostilities in northern Ethiopia. 

Oromia is home to more than 60% of Ethiopia’s population, and Oromos themselves constitute anywhere from 40% to 60%. However, they continue to be marginalized. Despite being home to the country’s capital, Addis Ababa, it is difficult to access official information about the situation in Oromia. The government actively represses the dissemination of information such as the scale and geographic distribution of humanitarian need, the location and condition of prisoners, and the demographics of key populations. It is thus impossible to provide easily verifiable, official data regarding the status of Oromos. However, according to a statement by the Prime Minister, Oromos comprise only 5% of the Ethiopian Airlines workforce (the largest outside the government). Other credible officials have stated that Oromos make up less than 15% of government bureaucratic labor, while comprising over 90% of the country’s political prisoners. 

As they are marginalized economically, socially, and politically, the plight of the Oromo and other southern Ethiopia rarely catches the world’s attention. OLLAA was founded from a recognition of this problem and exists to be the voice for the Oromos and other marginalized communities throughout Ethiopia. Today we pride ourselves on bringing the plight of the Oromo people to the international stage and collaborating with dozens of rights organizations, Oromo communities, advocacy organizations, and individuals.