The UN Sustainable Development Goals Should Not Pave The Way To The Further Marginalization of Indigenous Peoples. August 10, 2015
Posted by OromianEconomist in Indigenous People, Oromia, Oromo.Tags: Indigenous People, Oromia, Oromo
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Economic and development analysis: Perspectives on economics, society, development, freedom & social justice. Leading issues in Oromo, Oromia, Africa & world affairs. Oromo News. African News. world News. Views. Formerly Oromia Quarterly
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Nelson Mandela once said: “If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.”
My point here is that, Indigenous peoples must be able to speak, work and demonstrate by their own language. If they may willing to add other languages, it is empowerment. But to only know or speak other people’s languages is SELF-ENSLAVEMENT. The UN Sustainable Development and Post 2015 Agenda gives us the right to use our language and to preserve it. This provision should protect us from miseducation, which is severely threatening African culture. Because, lack of indigenous education distances indigenous youths from their cultures.
Parents no longer teach children their mother tongue. Because of discrimination that existing, the emphasis is to only have people who are fluent in English on the world and in Ethiopia, Amahric, specially in urban areas. The speakers of indigenous language is running away from its languages. This is the reality of discrimination: as indigenous peoples struggles to assimilate, the sense of displacement and the confusion of identity becomes huge.
It is up to us, especially speakers of indigenous peoples, to resist assimilation and avoid only learning the dominant language. Specialy, Ethiopia’s Indigenous peoples (Oromo). We should be unwilling to change or give up our indigenous language or culture. Because language, culture and accent are important parts of identity.