Analytical Commentary

The Ethiopian Crisis: Is Calanqoo a prelude to a genocide?

J. Ebisa

Watching the recent killings with horror and indignation, I have decided to inject my insights on the significance of the Calanqoo, Hawwi Gudina and other killing fields throughout Oromia and elsewhere in the country.  As part of that, I will refer back to history to show the extent to which the Oromo experience of massacre and humiliation has not undergone much change despite the changes of regimes and time. I will also argue why the government policy of divide and rule and repression, forced displacement is likely to set the stage for further violence, instability, ethnic cleansing and even genocidal situations. My insights are informed by history and political sociology.

It should be recalled that Calanqoo was a theatre of massacre 130 years ago, in January 1887. The recent killings of innocent civilians in the same place and its neighbourhood has brought back the memories of the Oromo and Harari who were massacred by Menelik’s invading soldiers armed to the teeth. It was a war of empire-building led by the Shoan king, Menelik in person, and many of the key players of the empire such as Balambaras Mekonnen, the father of emperor Haile Selassie, Ras Darghe (Menelik’s uncle) and Dej. Wolde Gabriel all which perpetrated genocidal killings in the different parts of Oromia and beyond.

From Calanqoo Massacre December 2017 

130 years later, it is the turn of the Weyyane, the new colonizers, who made Calanqoo and its surroundings the new killing fields of the Agazi and Liyu Police from neighbouring Somali federal region. What is ironical is not so much “history repeating itself” but the fact that the Weyyane recognized Calanqoo as one of the places of memory and allowed the construction of memorial monument for the victims of Calanqoo in 1887. More importantly, what is shocking is that the victims are not combatants but innocent and unarmed civilians including five members of the same family and, above all, those who were working on their farm, harvesting sorghum. The government has failed to recognize this a wanton massacre and dismissed as a “mere accident” instead.

This, as numerous random killings, has touched many of us deeply; killing peasants on their farm for no apparent reason is an abdominal crime beyond any qualification. This also demonstrates the magnitude of a generalized and systematic violence by a terrorist junta and its militia without any provocation. Anyone can be killed, arrested, jailed or tortured because of who he/she is. Also, if a systematic and deliberate killing of five members of the same family is not a genocide what is a genocide? It is what the Oromo rightly call duguugga saynii which could mean both ethnic cleansing and genocide. Click here for more.