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A public meeting “what to do for Addis Ababa” was held in Balderas hall yesterday with the call of Journalist and Human rights activist Eskindir Nega. Thousands of residents of Addis Ababa participated in the meeting to discuss current issues on the fate of Addis Ababa under Abiy Administration.
The controversy surrounding Oromia and Addis Ababa over the recent condominium handover. Several demonstrations were held in Oromia towns protesting the handing over of condominiums to Addis Ababa residents. This intern sparked more interest for residence in Addis Ababa to attend Eskinder Nega’s town hall meeting which was scheduled prior to the escalation of tension among Oromos and residence in Addis.
The Prime Minister Office Announced on Saturday the formation of a committee to address the issues on the boundary of Addis Ababa and Oromia. Minister of Peace Mufariat Kamil is the chairperson of the committee, and it has seven members representing Addis Ababa city administration and Oromia regional government including deputy president of Oromia regional state Tayiba Hassan and deputy mayor of Addis Ababa Takele Uma.
Eskindir Nega on the public discussion expressed his concern over the committee that was formed to address administrative boundary issues, calling it unfair. He said, “Imagine what kind debate it would be where Oromo Democratic Party Party(ODP) administrators will represent both Addis Ababa and Oromia.” He explains the leading member representing the Oromia region is one of the higher administrators of ODP regional state deputy president Tayiba Hassan, again the leading member representing the Addis Ababa city administration is one of the more top administrators of ODP Takele Uma.
Eskinder mentioned issues he and his attending partners will raise if they get the representation of the majority of Addis Ababa residents. The issues include: The city administration does not represent the majority of Addis Ababa community and, it has no legal and moral reason to debate or make decisions on a boundary and other significant issues. He added that the federal government is responsible for transferring the condo houses for the winners without any conditions. He believes that the regional government is leading the protests in many areas of Oromia against the transfer of the condominiums.
Participants at the meeting have made decisions on four areas:
First Addis Ababa is the city of its residents and all Ethiopians, no region or ethnicity has a unique benefit in the town;
Second, there should not be major decisions and actions on issues like a boundary and mass-immigration until the next election takes place;
Third Addis Ababa will not give any vote for a party with an agenda of especial benefits for any region.
Fourth Eskinder and his team to organize and inspire the community for this action through a peaceful and legal movement.
According to local reports, the police had arrested some of the participants of the public discussion, and Eskindir Nega visited them at the prison today. While writing this news Addis Insight was able to learn the release of all the detainees that were arrested yesterday right after the meeting.
