There has been a growing and largely unheard cry from passengers originating from the Amhara region, claiming that they are being prevented from entering Addis Ababa because of their Amhara region ID cards. Amidst increasing ethnic, religious, and political tensions in both the Amhara and Oromia regions, individuals of Amhara ethnicity have been suffering from an overwhelming social and economic crisis. Voices that have spoken out against these atrocities have been arrested and imprisoned without due process. It appears that simply being Amhara has, in some cases, become a crime—especially after Fano’s military actions gained prominence. In the name of law enforcement and the need to control Fano infiltrators in Addis Ababa, many young Amhara day laborers have been detained in mass arrests, often held in undisclosed locations.
It is not just the Amhara people who are facing discrimination, but even the Amharic language is under threat, especially in the capital city. Public services, including Kebele offices, police stations, revenue offices, health centers, and utility services, are predominantly staffed by Oromos. Speaking Oromiffa has become a key to navigating these offices with ease, while those who speak Amharic often face delays in services or even demands for bribes.
One woman recounted her experience: “I only speak Amharic. I was at a nearby Kebele office early in the morning to renew my Kebele ID. Later in the morning, a woman who spoke Oromiffa came in, bypassed the queue, and entered the office directly, greeting everyone in Oromiffa. She didn’t need to wait in line, and her request was processed in just a few minutes as she was welcomed by the office staff, all of whom spoke Oromiffa.” Many people have expressed frustration about the growing language inequality since Abiy Ahmed came to power and declared his regime as being of Oromo descent.
Currently, Amharic is struggling to maintain its position as the working language of the federal government and certain regional states. Despite the 1994 Education and Training Policy stating that Amharic should be the language of national communication, recent policy changes have removed Amharic from this role. Many scholars argue that this move is politically motivated, aiming to undermine and erase the Amharic language, wrongly associating it with past oppressors.
The importance of Amharic as a lingua franca remains undeniable. A researcher once asked an official from the Oromia regional state about the use of Amharic as a national language. The official responded, “Well, Amharic is also our language. We use it everywhere. If we need to travel to Addis, we need Amharic. Everyone in the towns uses Amharic. If you want employment in Ethiopia, you need Amharic. If you’re self-employed, you need Amharic. So we all speak Amharic.” This sentiment reflects the reality for most honest Oromos, despite the political elite’s agenda to diminish Amharic.
Studies have shown that Amharic is no longer effectively serving as a language of national communication. Many nationalities cannot speak Amharic as required. In rural parts of Oromia, for instance, Amharic is often not spoken fluently or widely among schoolchildren. This situation is common in most rural areas, where approximately 80% of Ethiopia’s population resides. In these regions, many peasants, except those living in Amhara, have limited or no exposure to Amharic. These rural communities tend to remain largely monolingual. In other parts of Africa, multilingualism increases with the size and function of towns, and a similar trend can be seen in Ethiopian cities. For example, a child living in Hawassa, the capital of Sidama Region, will likely have a different level of proficiency in Amharic than a child from South Omo, one of the most remote zones in Southern Ethiopia, even if they are both from neighboring regions.
The language divide does not only affect rural communities; it also impacts university students. A study of university students and instructors revealed that Amharic, as a language of national communication, plays a limited role in promoting intercultural understanding. The absence of a common language that most nationalities can speak hinders intercultural interactions and understanding, limiting opportunities for collaboration and exchange across Ethiopia’s diverse communities.
