Ethiopian asylum seekers in Malta yesterday staged a noisy and colourful protest against what they claim is their government’s oppression of Oromo farmers.

Some 50 Ethiopians gathered in front of Auberge de Castille calling on Malta, the EU and the US to stop supporting the Ethiopian government.

The protest was part of an effort by Ethiopians in exile to raise awareness of the brutality suffered by Oromos over the past months. The group then marched down Valletta’s Republic Street to Parliament where a message was read out calling for justice to be done.

We do not want to carry the flag of an oppressive regime

In May, Amnesty International, a human rights group, condemned the use of excessive force by Ethiopia’s security forces against peaceful protesters in a number of locations across the Oromia region.

Dozens of Oromos were killed and injured and hundreds of protestors were arbitrarily arrested.

According to Amnesty, since April, protests have taken place in many universities and towns across the Oromia region over the Addis Ababa Integrated Development Master Plan – a plan from the central government to expand the capital, Addis Ababa, into parts of Oromia.

While the government says the master plan for expansion would bring city services to remote areas, Oromos fear the move will be detrimental to the interests of Oromo farmers.

The protesters chanted slogans against the “terrorist regime” and described the master plan as a “master killer”.

While protesters held up Maltese, EU and Somali flags alongside the flag of the Oromia region, none of them carried an Ethiopian flag.

“We do not want to carry the flag of an oppressive regime,” one protester said.