The Oromia Prosperity Party (OPP) in its extraordinary meeting on Sunday issued an order directing all 523 state-run schools in Addis Ababa to hoist the Oromia Regional State’s Flag across the school compounds, Mereja.com sources have disclosed.
The extraordinary meeting which was attended by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and Mayor Adanech Abebie also ordered all the state-run schools in the capital to play the Oromia Regional State anthem while raising the regional flag.
The order was supposed to be implemented as of Monday December 19, 2022 and according to information reaching Mereja.com, the regional government has finalized preparation to implement the order by force through its uniformed Oromia Special Forces and police officers dressed in civilian clothing.
The OPP’s decision came following a continued resistance from students, teachers and parents against the hoisting of the flag in the metropolitan city.
The institution of the Ombudsman of Ethiopia recently said there is no legal and moral ground for the Addis Ababa City government to hoist the flag and play the regional anthem in the federal city.
Noting that respecting the rights of the students and teachers can be considered as a failure, the OPP in a resolution said it would engage in massive detention of those residents and students who would protest the decisions and that would be followed by harsh treatment in prison centers.
The ODA further decided that it would mobilize the youth who are living in Oromia towns,surrounding the capital, Addis Ababa to protest the supply of clean water to the residents in the capital from Legedadi Water Facilities and Geferssa Dam andTreatment Plant, according to sources to Mereja.com.
By doing so, the OPP is set to force residents in the city to abide by the imposition related to the hoisting of Oromia state’s flag in Addis Ababa against the will of the residents and law of the country.
