Voice of Oromo News
Working language of our future regional UNION/
genuine Ethiopian federation should be only English!
Published 08/03/2009 -12:00 p.m.
Opinion | By Fayyis Oromia
When we choose certain language as a common communication between different
autonomous/independent nations, we need to consider its economical expediency and its
international usage. Till now nations in ethiopian empire were obliged to learn Amharinya as
national language, because of the domination by Abyssinians (even including Tigreans who
accepted Amharinya as the only federal language) who do endorse this language. It is clear why
they do it, that is simply because of the political and economiacal advantage they do get. Here is
one example to be taken in to consideration. Amharas usually cry for unconditional Ethiopian
unity just for the reason that they know what an advantage they do have as far as Amharinya is
the working language of the empire. Accordingly, they do oppose genuine "ethnic" federation
just for it undermines their language domination.
The question to be asked by other nations now is: can the pro-unity Amhara forces choose to
settle for the alternative of using the language of all nations at their respective national areas or
should Amharas be compelled to accept such fact of allowing nations to use their respective
languages as an alternative to Amhara's refusal of recogning a union based on self-
determination? I know Weyanes will accept even an alternative of separation of nations to build
their own independent states as soon as they sense that they may loose power in Finfinne
palace. To compell Amhara forces to accept a union based on national self-determination, we just
have to demote Amharinya to be used only in Amhara region and promote Afaan Oromo to be
federal language. Then they will see that Ethiopianity will not be equivalent to Amharanet (as it is
now), but it will be the same to Oromummaa. In such a scenario of Oromummaa being equivalent
to Ethiopianity, Oromo freedom fighters will definetly start to be pro Ethiopianity against
"ethnicity" and then Amharas will begin to defend their identity by opting for self-determination of
Amhara people, so that they support "ethnicity" and reject Ethiopianity aka Oromummaa. This
way, Amharas can comprehend what it meanse to struggle for national independence with or
without regional union.
The current attempt of Amharas to make both Afaan Oromo and Amharinya the national
langhuages of Ethiopia they want to build in the future is disadvantegous for other smaller
nations in the empire. Amharas opted to this alternatve just to make Amharinya again be the
language of all regions including Oromia, the option they don't have now. As far as Oromos are
concerend Afaan Oromo being federal working language is not bad, so long Amharinya will not be
imposed on Oromia, but Amharinya should be the working language of only Amhara region and of
course that of the federation beside Afaan Oromo.
For other nations in the empire, this may mean to learn four langiuages instead of the present
only three. But I do argue that these nations need to learn only two languages: their own
mother tounge and an international language aka English. Why should their chlidren be obliged
to learn Afaan Oromo and Amharinya and be stressed with additional useless languages, wheres
Amhara children learn only Amharinya and English, so that being free from such stress. So my
suggestion is that all children from all nations in the empire should have the privilage given to
Amhara children: learn only their respective national language and an international language.
The advantage of learning only English as an international common language is a lot:
- reduce the stress of learning three or more languages
- to be fit internationally in the present global village as far as language is concerned
- to be fit in making businness internationally and to be communicative in science and
technonology....etc.
So learnig Amharinya and additionally Afaan Oromo for other nations in the empire has no
advantage except a simple additional stress.
To just assert this postion, we need to tacle with an empty pride, which the chauvinist Amharas
want to feed us. They do argue that making english a working language of the Union meanse
respecting European colonizers and disrespecting an african local language aka Amharinya. It is
clear that Amharas are so smart to put their own colonization as African civilazation. For us
Oromos and other nations in the empire, it is not a civilization , but a wasting of our talent in
learning useless language, instead of mastering the very usefull international language. So we
all nations in the empire should strive to demote Amharinyaa from its current privilage and make
the international language as our common language of the Union we want to build in the future
just for the sake of our cultural interest and economical advantage.