Give Jimma Times license for its independent Afaan Oromo newspaper in Ethiopia

We, Oromo and other citizens of Ethiopia, demand that the Ethopian government allow Jimma Times to have license for its independent Afaan Oromo newspaper in Ethiopia.

We are very disturbed about rumors and stories in Finfinne that Jimmaa Times has not been given license despite filing application for many months. The fact that the only Afaan Oromo newspaper in Ethiopia is still the government controlled “Bariisaa” newspaper once again shows how Oromo people CONTINUE to be marginalized and oppressed in the country!!

According to the habesha/Orthodox calendar, it was in the year 1999 that oppressed people of the country saw the Jimma Times website become a rare Ethiopia-based media that is independent, allowing diverse views and news. It would be another BIG mistake by the Ethiopian regime to ban the country’s first independent newspaper that would also distribute News in the ONLY language 35 million Oromo people understand.

Unlike some other newspapers in Ethiopia that are established by politicians, all friends of the newspaper know that the Jimma Times newspaper is owned by NON-Political businessmen and philanthropists.

Despite the undemocratic and restrictive nature of the country’s “Press Law,” it is more depressing to witness even newspapers planning to obey the “Press Law” are being denied license by the government!

We, the undersigned, demand the regime to stop denying the Jimaa Times workers their basic rights and to grant them their license as soon as possible!