(JT) After reading the article by Teshome Borago titled “Marginalization of Ethnic Ethiopians: assessing the past to confront the future," many readers contacted Jimma Times on the contentious topic of “Ethnic Ethiopians” or mixed Ethiopians. Most of the readers who contacted JT said that this is the first time the question of mixed Ethiopians has been raised in depth, especially about discrimination and their suffering under the current Ethiopian government’s policy of organizing provinces based on ethnicity (i.e., Oromia, Amhara, Tigray, Somali etc), which marginalizes millions of mixed Ethiopians.
However, some of the readers who contacted JT on email said that while the identity, heritage and history of mixed Ethiopians are in danger at the present moment, mixed people are still the most economically privileged or advantaged group in Ethiopia because their mixed heritage itself is due to the cultural and commercial integration that defined prosperous commercial towns of the horn of Africa for many centuries.
According to the article's author Mr. Borago, mixed “Ethnic Ethiopians” must respect the political aspirations of all groups like the OLF, UDJ, OFDM, EPRDF etc because they can relate with and sympathize with all groups. But the writer also said mixed “Ethnic Ethiopians” should not be discouraged and persecuted by other ethnic groups, and they should get recognition inside the current federalism in the country.
However, no one knows how much percentage of the Ethiopian population is in fact mixed “Ethnic Ethiopian.” And since the government, local traditions and society are said to discourage and force most mixed people to identify themselves with only their father-side descent, it might be impossible to formally quantify their numbers, even if one attempts to do so.
How much estimated percentage of the country do you think is mixed “Ethnic Ethiopian”?
VOTE ON THE RIGHT SIDE
Also discuss below whether mixed “Ethnic Ethiopians” should have the right for self-determination up to secession.
VOTING IS NOW CLOSED - FINAL RESULTS
- 21% Voters Said Below ten percent is mixed
- 10% Voters Said between ten-twenty percent is mixed
- 12% Voters Said between twenty-thirty percent is mixed
- 25% Voters Said between thirty-forty percent is mixed
- 11% Voters Said between forty-fifty percent is mixed
- 21% Voters Said Over fifty percent is mixed
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