(Birhanemeskel Abebe Segni) As we continue calling upon the Ethiopian government and the ruling EPRDF to immediately and unconditionally adopt Afan Oromo as the federal working language, it is important to build common policy understanding and clear some misconceptions among the Ethiopian general public. The following preliminary policy issues are an attempts to create such mutual understandings and initiate discussions among various sectors of the Ethiopian society on this vital national interest question that will have detrimental effect on the very survival of Ethiopia. 1. Agreeing on a common vision statement: The question of making Afaan Oromo or any other language the working language of the federal government is not merely a question of acknowledging that language on equal footing with Amharic. Language is the cultural software and the very identity and self-expression of those who speak that language. In this regard, none of Ethiopian languages are mutually exclusive and a threat to each other; but mutually complementary in creating inclusive public space of self-expression for various nations and nationalities. The central and most important vision statement all Ethiopians should agree upon, therefore, is building institutional structures and policy frameworks that will serve all Ethiopians to live together in peace, [...]
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