MEMORIALS

Aanolee Martyrs memorial monument and cultural center

Type: Physical memorial
Location: Hetosa
Country: Ethiopia

Added: 3/18/2014 8:01:16 PM
Updated: 6/21/2014 5:36:10 PM

The Aanolee memorial monument was dedicated in Hetosa, Arsi region, in Ethiopia on April 6, 2014. The monument was erected as a tribute to the Arsi Oromos who were victims of the Emperor Menelik’s imperial expansion in the 19th century.

The statue of a hand holding a breast purportedly symbolize the suffering of women that were mutilated by the Ethiopian army during its expansion here.

Source: Article by By Dawit Kebede in Awramba Times from the dedication

More images are available at this Facebook Page

The video above, which was posted on YouTube on Aug 15, 2013, reports from the construction of the monument and cultural center, which at that point has been brought to a standstill because of lack of building materials and funding.

The creation of the monument has sparked controversy in Ethiopia. Elias Gebru, The chief editor of the independent magazine Enku was jailed in may after writing about the monument.

This article at ECADF by Yilma Bekele is very critical of the monument.

The Shaggar blog on the other hand appears to support the monument:

The Harma Muraa (breast cutting) and Harka Mura (arms chopping) at Aanolee in Arsi region of Oromia epitomize the cruelty and barbarity of Menilik’s army, while it also captures the greatest human tragedy that Empire builder had carried out in expanding their empire. Today, in Oromia region, monuments are being built in memory of millions of innocent civilians murdered by Menilik and his Army.

POSTED BY JON BRUNBERG ON 3/18/2014 8:01:16 PM