A History Of Cooraa District; Ilu Abba Boor,

Abstract

This study is a historical survey of Cooraa district from 1880s up to 1991. In the present time the district is found in south western part of Ethiopia in Oromia region in Bunno Beddele Zone. The major aim of this thesis is to examine the major social, economic and political transformations in Cooraa district starting from 1880s at which the area was occupied and incorporated to the Ethiopian empire by the Shawan forces led by Ras Tesema Nadew up to 1991 which marked the downfall of the Derg. In dealing with the subject, the researcher has attempted to collect and utilize the available archival materials, letters, published and unpublished works like articles, theses and dissertations as well as oral information collected from selected informants. Based on the collected sources, the present study attempted to assess how much the post 1880s changes impacted the social, economic and political life of the people living in Cooraa district. The findings showed that in the early time of the Oromo settlement in Cooraa district the people living in the study area were governing themselves by the principles of the Gada system. There were three historical sites, namely Odaa Kumbabe, Odaa Bunnoo and Odaa Humbe at which the people exercised the Gada system long before incorporation to the Ethiopian empire in a decentralized manner. At the end of 19th c the district was incorporated to the Ethiopian empire state by the forces of Ras Tesema Nadew. Since then the traditional and indigenous social, political and economic trends were changed bit by bit and replaced by the ‘new’ socio-political order. Up to the end of the imperial rule in 1974 the gabbar-naftagna system was imposed up on the peasants of Cooraa district and exposed them to feudal exploitation. During the derg period there was relatively better socio-economic developments in the district. But some developmental activity like villagization, Cooperatives and some other issues were affected the society. In general terms through out the past history of the district, there were problems on the side of those who were in power in terms of making the implementation of the various policies and proclamations mass based. The present study revealed that most laws and proclamations in the past were implemented with out making the mass center of change in Cooraa district rather benefited those who were in power. Affected by the wrong implementation of past political and economic systems laws and proclamations in the study area the peasants were unable to lead a better life and also unable to accumulate capital wealth to contribute their part for the country’s development. So that the development of the district was highly hindered. The researcher believe that this historical reconstruction will fill the gap of a missing element in the reconstruction of Ethiopian history and serve as a base for future study.