Chelenqo Explained

Chelenqo is a town in eastern Ethiopia located in the Oromia region a few km west of Harar.^{[1] [2]}

History

The town is linked to the Middle Ages during the reign of the Makhzumi dynasty as engravings in the area date back to the 13th century.^[3] Chelenqo is also part of an ancient bartering route in the region which consists of livestock vendors.^[4]

Battle of Chelenqo

In 1887 the Battle of Chelenqo took place between the Emirate of Harar and the Abyssinian state of Shewa following the latter's invasion.^[5] Skeletal remains belonging to the fallen soldiers of Harar Amir Abdullahi II were visible in Chelenqo until recently.^[6] In the neighboring Harari Regional State "the Chelenqo Martyrs" day is observed based on this conflict.^[7]

French writer Hugues Le Roux upon visiting Chelenqo in the early 1900s, described it as possessing spectacular cornfields encircled by mountains.^[8]

Protestors Gunned Down

In 2018, sixteen peaceful Oromo protestors were gunned down by Ethiopian National Defense Force in Chelenqo which forced the Oromia president Lemma Megersa to criticize the federal governments actions.^[9]

References

9.3981°N 41.5608°W

Notes and References

1. Book: Ficquet . Éloi . Ḥabeš Siyāḥatnāmesi: The Journey of al-Mu’ayyad al-‘Azm in Ethiopia (1904) . Centre français des études éthiopiennes .
2. Book: Mohammed . Asmea . Distribution and association of common leaf rust (Puccinia sorghi Schwein) and turcicum leaf blight [Exserohilum turcicum (Pass.)] of Maize (Zea mays L.) with biophysical factors in Eastern Ethiopia ]. Haramaya University .
3. Book: GIANFRANCESCO . LUSINI . LINGUE DI CRISTIANI E LINGUE DI MUSULMANI D'ETIOPIA . EDIZIONI DI STORIA E LETTERATURA . 136 .
4. Book: Problemi attuali di scienza e di cultura quaderno . Accademia nazionale dei Lincei . 730 .
5. Book: Tibebu . Teshale . The Making of Modern Ethiopia 1896-1974 . Red Sea Press . 43 .
6. Book: Chelenqo . Encyclopedia Aethiopica .
7. Book: Fombad . Charles . Constitutional Identity and Constitutionalism in Africa . Oxford University Press . 128 .
8. Book: Lindahl . Bernhard . Local History of Ethiopia . Nordic Africa Institute . 9 .
9. Book: Ethiopia – Ethnic Violence Out of Control . 2018 . Wiley-Blackwell .