For pretty long time, Sidama language
remained undeveloped particularly in its written form.
There have been
documented cases of deliberate sanctions against the use and promotion
of Sidama language during both the imperial and the derg era.
The
post-derg era saw limited use of the language for primary education
and 'zonal' official purposes.
Even then the politically motivated actions
of the central government circumvent the language's revival and development
.
One such example is a hideous and forced amalgamation of the Sidama nation
into what is called the Southern Ethiopia's Federal Region -- a heterogeneous
region with different nations, languages and cultural groups.
This arrangement
lacks common language and, therefore, uses Amharic as its lingua franca.
The arrangement also works against the idea of self-government and promotion
of socioeconomic development of hitherto marginalised nations.
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