Oromo Protests

By: Abdikani Hussein,More than 11 university student protesters have been killed in Ethiopia after clashes with the country's police this week. The violence follows demonstrations led by ethnic Oromo students from multiple universities across Oromia state who are against the government's "Integrated Development Master Plan". Oromos are calling on the government to scrap the Addis Ababa expansion plan, saying it would encroach onto Oromia land. The Oromo are Ethiopia's largest ethnic group with a population of more than 25 million. Many fear the expansion will threaten Oromia's sovereignty. However, officials say the plan has been a long time coming and would provide benefits to the Oromo state. Online activists are mobilising around the hashtag #OromoProtests.