Oromo Scholars and Professionals based in North America, Europe, and Australia send an open letter to President Isaias Afewerki of Eritrea unequivocally denouncing his unprovoked attack on Oromo Identity

Open Letter to President Isaias Afwerki 

June 05, 2025  

Mr. Isaias Afwerki  

President of Eritrea  

Your Excellency,  

We, the undersigned Oromo scholars and professionals, write this letter to you to unequivocally  denounce your unprovoked attack on Oromo identity during your speech on 24 May 2025, marking  Eritrea’s 34th Independence Anniversary. 

The speech, which seemed to strike at the Prosperity Party (PP) of Ethiopia, carried an open and  somber attack on the Oromo identity, causing a serious resentment and tarnishing the positive views  and opinions Eritrea enjoyed among our people. Pursuant to the unhealthy trend that Eritrean politics  adopted in recent years, we wrote our first letter to you on February 28, 2020, in which we called  upon your government to “refrain from blatant acts of intervention that will ultimately harm the  people on both sides of the border,” and “align, should you wish, your political measures to be on the  side of the people to foster lasting peace and prosperity for our peoples.” A copy of that letter is  attached. Our 2020 call fell on deaf ears, and in fact, we see Eritrean politics growing more hostile  not only to the Oromo struggle, but also to the Oromo identity. 

In your speech, you baselessly linked PP with the “ideology of Orommuma”. You identified  Oromummaa (translated as “being Oromo”) as an unacceptable ideology of PP to conveniently besmirch the Oromo identity using the very party that attacks Oromo identity. Evidence recorded by  independent international organizations is abundant to show that the PP government jails, tortures,  and kills Oromos more than any group in Ethiopia. In your own speech, you acknowledged that PP  doesn’t represent the Oromo people, which contradicts the stated reason for which you criticize PP.  Yet, you chose an irresponsible ploy to disparage PP, the very party you helped and supported against  the will of our people until a few years ago. You mugged the millions whose identity, Oromummaa,  was targeted for over a century, and the hundreds of thousands who still languish in Ethiopian prisons 

for the sole reason that they proudly identify themselves as Oromos. Clearly, a self-contradicting  incongruity emerges from your speech; if “being Oromo” is an unacceptable ideology, how would  being Eritrean, being Tigrean, etc. become acceptable? 

Mr. Afwerki, 

Your reference to “Cushitic-Semitic antagonism,” a non-existing antipathy, is more of a call for such  an encounter, than a caution from a concerned leader. Such antagonism is not known even to this  scholarly forum. So, why was it necessary to conceive a wider platform of conflict when the region  cannot handle even local clashes that have kept it in perpetual poverty? What is the political gain for  Eritrea that can be redeemed from a bloody war between North and South? We leave the answers to  you.

In closing, we hereby pronounce our grave concern that peace is evading the region once again; a palpable tension of war permeates the Horn of Africa. Your speech not only added to the prevailing  tension fueling the existing contradictions, but it also demonstrated a condescending disrespect for  the identity of our people. We categorically denounce your statements and urge you to reconsider  such dangerous rhetoric. 

Respectfully, 

Oromo Scholars and Professionals (Email: oromo.scholoars.professionals@gmail.com Signatories (in alphabetical order): 

1. Abdisa Koricho (PhD)

 2. Abraham Mosisa (MSc)

3. Adugna Birhanu (PhD)

4. Ahmed Gelchu (PhD)

 5. Alemayehu Biru (PhD)

6. Aman Kedir (MA) 

7. Amanuel Gobena (PhD) 

8. Asebe Regasa (PhD) 

9. Asafa Jalata (PhD)

10. Asfaw Beyene (PhD)

11. Ayana Gobena (PhD)

12. Ayele Teressa (PhD)

13. Bahiru Duguma (PhD)

14. Bahiru Gametchu (PhD)

 15. Baro Deressa (MD)

16. Bedassa Tadesse (PhD)

17. Begna Dugassa (PhD)

18. Beekan Erena (MEd)

19. Bekele Temesgen (PhD)

20. Benti Getahun (PhD)

21. Benti Ujulu (PhD)

22. Berhanu Kedida (MD)

23. Beletech Dheresa (PhD)

24. Bersisa Berri (PhD)

25. Beyan Asoba (PhD)

26. Bichaka Fayissa (PhD)

27. Daniel Ayana (PhD)

28. Daniel Dibaba (PhD)

29. Degefa Abdissa (MD) 

30. Demissie Karorsa (PhD)

31. Dessalegn Negerie (PhD)

32. Desta Yebassa (PhD)

33. Ezekiel Gebissa (PhD)

34. Fantahun Diba (PhD)

35. Galaana Balcha (MD)

36. Gemechu Abeshu (PhD)

37. Geremew Begna (PhD)

38. Geremew Nigatu (PhD)

39. Gizachew Tesso (PhD)

40. Gizaw Tasissa (PhD)

41. Gobena Huluka (PhD)

42. Guluma Gemeda (PhD)

43. Gutu Olana (PhD)

44. Habtalem Kenea (PhD)

45. Haile Hirpa (PhD)

46. Hambisa Belina (PhD)

47. Henok Gabisa (PhD)

48. Ibrahim Elemo (PhD)

49. Iddoosaa Ejeta (PhD)

50. Imiru Itana (MSc) 

51. Ismael Abdullahi (PhD)

52. Jamal Ebrahim (MD)

53. Jemal Hebano (PharmD)

54. Jenberu Feyisa (PhD)

55. Jirenya Gudeta (MSc)

56. Junaidi Ahmed (MD)

57. Kano Banjaw (PhD)

58. Kebene Kejela (PhD) 

59. Koste Abdissa (PhD)

60. Mekbib Gebeyehu (PhD)

61. Mekuria Bulcha (PhD)

62. Mesfin Abdi (PhD)

63. Michael Oli (MSc)

64. Moa Apagodu (PhD)

65. Mohammed Hassan (PhD)

66. Mohammed Tahiro (PhD)

67. Mosisa Aga (PhD) 

68. Namara Garbaba (PhD)

69. Oli Bachie (PhD) 

70. Regassa Oljira (EdD)

71. Rundassa Eshete (PhD)

72. Samuel Geleta (PhD)

73. Solomon Geleta (PhD)

74. Teferi Margo (PhD)

75. Tekleab Shibru (PhD)

76. Tesfaye Negeri (PhD)

77. Tesfaye Tesso (PhD)

78. Teshome Dime (MSc)

79. Thomas Baisa (MD)

80. Tolawak Beyene (MD)

81. Tsegaye Ararsa (PhD)

82. Workineh Torben (PhD)

83. Worku Burayu (PhD)

84. Zelealem Abera (MSc)

85. Zelalem Negassa (MSc)