OLF Press Release

October 1, 2012

Oromos have been annually celebrating Irreecha festival, one of the pillars of Oromo cultural identity, at Harsadee in Bishoftu Central Oromia in millions for past years. Even spectators from Europe and America have observed this celebration as the only one of its kind in Africa involving such a huge participant. This has been going on despite sustained attempt of regimes to suppress and erase it.

However, this event is never recognized as a national event in Ethiopia. The consecutive regimes in Ethiopia and some aspirants of the ancient regime, who have been doing their best to erase the Oromo identity and forcefully assimilateinto the Ethiopian one, have worked hard to suppress this event. The perpetuation of this policy sharply contradicts with the declared policy of the current regime that boasts of accepting the identity and cultural rights of all the nations and nationalities in Ethiopia.This policy has glaringly manifested itself during the current year festivity on September 30, 2012.

--Full Document - English
--Full Document - Afaan Oromo
--Full Document - Amharic