Ethiopia: Awassa Residents Walked Out Of a High Profile Meeting
27 June 2012 [ESAT] Reports coming to our news desk suggest the political turmoil in the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples states if far from over. Just yesterday residents of Awassa town who were called for a meeting with the regional state’s president had to walk out on him after he bluntly declared that Sidamas’ struggle for statehood is a wishful thinking. Other ethnicities living in Awassa say ethnic Sidamas have never felt antagonistic towards them. Instead they accuse the regional state government for the political controversy and ethnic tension pervading in the zone and Awassa city. They accuse of the regional government of litany of contradicting laws and what the residents termed unhelpful political propaganda. Passions are running high. One respected senior citizen of ethnic Sidama origin declared on the meeting that the demand for statehood is the most important agenda for Sidamas and the struggle will continue till that last man standing. One activist wh