Irreecha thanksgiving fest takes place with new president in power and with memories of protests and past deathsBy Addis GetachewADDIS ABABA, EthiopiaOn Sunday a town southeast of Ethiopia’s capital thronged with millions of people who came out to celebrate the annual Oromo thanksgiving festival. In 2016, UNESCO put the Geda System on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Change from recent yearsIn the town of Bushoftu, 45 kilometers from the capital Addis Ababa, people celebrated Irreecha in a festive mood. During the 2016 Irreecha, 52 people were killed after falling into a deep fissure in a stampede caused after security forces fired tear gas and live bullets into a thick crowd. Though the trauma still persists, he said the Oromo people now feel vindicated and see a ray of hope.

Source: Ethiopian News September 30, 2018 12:33 UTC