Fikremariam Tesfaye
10 April 2008
Addis Ababa — Clashes over grazing and farm land killed 18 people last week near the southern Ethiopian town of Wondo-Genet, police said.
The fighting on April 3 pitted members of the Gugi Oromo and Sidama clans in Wondogenet , some 260 km (160 miles) south of the capital Addis Ababa, The Daily Monitor has learnt.
It is not unusual though, for the two clans to clash particularly over the last few years.
Fighting between the two clans in the region, which is known for its hot springs and lush forests, flare up sporadically.
They normally centre on disputes over land used for grazing and for growing khat, a narcotic plant that is one of Ethiopia's main exports and chewed across east Africa and the Middle East.
What is different this time is that the ban on wondo chat and Belech chat- other brands from the area - fueled the conflict resulting in a sudden price surge Gelemso chat-a brand supplied form west Hararghe zone of Oromia regional state.
On Monday 07 April 2008 a bunch of Gelomso was sold at 36 -40 ETB depending on quality while the same bunch of chat is being sold for 12 birr less.
"Clashes between the two clans have been brought under control and the government is investigating their cause," Demsash Hailu, public relations head of the Federal Police, said late on Tuesday.
The price of butter was fount to unusually shot as high as 70 ETB per a kilo in Nazareth, a commercial capital of the Oromia regional state.
Informants from Adama told our reporter that the main reason for the rife on butter price was the emerging drought in surrounding wordas.
"Every thing is obviously more expensive these days. But the sudden price jump in Butter is inconceivable," one consumer said in Nazreth.
" In about four wordas around Nazareth there is terrible drought, there is no grass, no grain on the land , vegetable and cows gives no milk, thus no butter " he describes .
According to Getahune there are dangerous problems of drought in Soro, Lemo, Gibe , Kambata and other near by villages as result of which people are migrating to urban localities .
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It is true that 18 persons are killed many others wounded and many houses houses, resturants and hotels that belong to Oromos are burned down. The causes of killings and burning of houses has nothing to do with grazing and farm land or khat. This is the second time that killings occur in Wondo Gennet in one year. First time 11 persons were 11 killed.
The cause is that the Gugi Oromo people in the area have no representation in the district and government level. They have been suppressed by sidama clans and they have been demonstrating the lack of democratic rights in the area to the governmen for the last 15 years. Because of this the government decided to count Gugi oromos and Sidama people in Wondo Gennet area. According to the count there were 26000 adult oromos in the area. The Ethiopian government office decided to give the Gugi oromos the representation in the government offices. This made the sidama clans irritated because they were dominating and supressing the Oromos for many years. They then started killing the people and burn the houses, hotels and restaurants that belong to gugi oromos. That was the main cause of the death of 18 persons. It is difficult to hide the fact today when even the farmers caryy the mobile telephones and can contact the whole world. I hope the Ethiopian government takes care of the case by punishing the criminals and and help restore peace in the area. Democratic rights to all its citizens. otherwise the rest of the world can lough at africa particurlaly Ethiopia. There should not be master clans in Ethiopia. All nations and nationalities must be seen as equal as this is the goal of Ethiopian government. We cry to the president of Ethiopia Melse Zenawee that he should take controll of the region and create peace. All peace loving democratic part of the world may help us through denouncing the killing and help Ethiopian government to establish peace in the region. Help, help the poor farmers who have no voice of their own !!!