Qeerroo

Ethiopia's National Youth Movement for Freedom and Democracy, popularly known as Qeerroo, is a social movement organized with ideology of Oromo nationalism in Ethiopia.^[2] In traditional Oromo culture the term means "bachelor" or youth^[3][4] but within the political movement that shares the same name, it symbolizes the Oromo struggle for increased political freedom, greater ethnic representation in government, "... an entire generation of newly assertive Ethiopian youth,".^[5]

Qeerroo street named to remember its struggle in Asella. The government renamed the street while celebrating the 2019 Irreecha festival in Arsi

Qeerroo
Also known as	Oromo National Youth Movement for Freedom and Democracy (ONYMFD)
Leader	Jawar Mohammed
Foundation	April 2011
Country	Ethiopia United States Australia
Allegiance	Political allies: Oromo Liberation Front Oromo Federalist Congress[1]
Ideology	Oromo nationalism
Status	Active
Website	qeerroo.org

The BBC has described Qeerroo as being Ethiopia's National Youth Movement for Freedom and Democracy,^[2] which calls itself Qeerroo Bilisummaa Oromoo.^[6]

History

The Qeerroo, also known as the Qubee generation,^[7] "first emerged in 1991 with the participation of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) in the transitional government of Ethiopia."^[8] Qeerroos also played a key role in the 2014–2016 Oromo protests.^[9] Jawar Mohammed, a qeerroo,^[10] played a key role in founding the ONYMFD.^[2]

The Qeerroo movement inspired many marginalized ethnic to create youth movements, such as Ejjetto, Barbaarta and Zarma. The Somali Barbaarta's demand to end Abdi Illey's presidency of the Somali Region and the Sidama Ejjatto's demand of statehood for the Sidama Region succeeded.^[11][12][13] They staged nationwide protest rallies in July 2020 following the assassination of Oromo musician Hachalu Hundessa.^[5][9]