Meet the next generation of Oromo community leaders

By Mohammed Ademo

Saint Paul, MN ― On Friday Jun. 15, the American Oromo Community of Minnesota (AOCM) recognized 15 Oromo youth, ages 14-17, who completed a yearlong leadership program, in a well-attended ceremony held at the Amherst H. Wilder Foundation in Saint Paul.  

Ethiopia bans Skype, Google Voice and other VoIP services

By Mohammed Ademo

A new Ethiopian law, Telecom Crime Controlling Prevention Proclamation, which was ratified on May 24 but has largely gone unnoticed, criminalizes the use of VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) services such as Skype, Viber, Paltalk, Yahoo Messenger and Google Voice.

Oromo comedy, What's Love Got To Do With It?

A Minnesota-based Oromo youth cultural group, Gumii Aadaa fi Afaan Oromoo, released the first of many short plays that they have been working on for months. The group's first major release, filmed by Big Z, OPride's graphic editor, recounts the saga of two sisters -- first-generation Oromo immigrants -- whose tradition-bound father is actively looking to wed them to men of his choosing, afraid that they would date before marriage and spoil his reputation.

The empire strikes back: an Ethiopian opposition finds old enemy

By Buri Waddesso

After weeks of online press conferences and 'consultation' meetings, a new diaspora-based Ethiopian opposition outfit, Ethiopian National Transitional Council*, issued a Draft Transitional Constitution. The gist of the document can be gleaned from the first item in the preamble: "Determined to live in unity and freedom, and to erase the effects of ethnic division and tribalist policies and practices.”

Church, Mosque and State in Ethiopia

By Buri Waddesso

The recent stand-off between the Ethiopian government and Muslim activists have seen scant media attention—not to the extent warranted by the unfolding situation.

Ethiopia and Eritrea on the brink of a major war

By OPride Staff

New York, NY – Eritrea has captured the disputed border town of Badme over the last three days in retaliation for Ethiopian provocation, sources told OPride. Ethiopian sources, who refused to talk on the record, reject the loss while tacitly acknowledging that battle is underway, which, they claim, Eritrea initiated.