[Editor’s Note: The following article do not necessarily reflect the views of Ethiopian Review.]
By Messay Kebede
I am reacting to Jawar Siraj Mohammed’s article, titled “The Failed Journey of the OLF,” in which he mercilessly dissects the inner impediments of the organization and declares it dead for all practical purposes (click here to read). The article delivers the deep disappointments of a committed member forced to admit that “the OLF has been damaged beyond repair.” It argues that the present shabby state of the organization, mainly manifested by internal divisions, originates from the lack of tangible results both in the military and political fields, which lack reflects the incompetence and irresolution of its leadership.
While Jawar’s criticisms are both surprising and refreshing, yet they are not bold and insightful enough to bring about new directions of thought. The main reason for this lack of boldness and insight is that Jawar criticizes everything except the most important issue, namely, the ideological guidance of the OLF. Nowhere does he connect the political and military failures of the organization with the ideology that it is pursuing. Still less does he suggest that the failures could result from the insolvency of the ideology whose core demand, we know, is the right to self-determination, including secession.
The lack of a bold analysis of the inadequacies of the OLF leads the author to suggest solutions that fall short of tackling the main issue. He thus wants to contain the political influence of the Oromo Diaspora; he also appeals for a renewed faith in the cause. But because he never questions the ideological goal, these suggestions are hardly up to the depth of the problem. Aware of their inefficiency, but also reluctant to challenge the ideology, the author prefers to pronounce the OLF dead in a desperate attempt to salvage the secessionist agenda by convincing himself and others that the failures originate from the leadership, not from the ideology. I contend that an approach focusing on ideology better explains the failures by showing that the incompetence and irresolution of the leadership are simply products of a crippling thinking.
The Legacy of Radicalism
To begin with, Jawar criticizes some members for weakening the organization by creating factions while he himself could be accused of doing just that. Such a criticism would be unfair, however, for the fact that he has given up the project of reforming the organization proves that the criticisms are not meant to create another faction. Since he is convinced that the organization can no longer be repaired, his intention is to awaken the Oromo to its demise.
What is definitely untenable is a critique of the leadership that stops short of challenging the ideology. Yet, in several places, Jawar comes close to the ideological issue but only to back down by diverting his attention to effects rather than causes. For instance, he assertively shows how the OLF originated from the Ethiopian student movement and inherited the undemocratic and conspiratory mindset inherent in the movement. He writes: “OLF is a foster child of the student movement that brought the revolution; as such it shares some common organizational behaviors and characteristics with all other organizations that came out that era, such as the EPRP, TPLF and EPLF.” Further, he adds: “The political forces that emerged from the student movement were led by individuals who worshiped Mao Zedong and Stalin, so they embraced such undemocratic, rigid and control freak organizational model.”
Seeing the nauseating state of Ethiopia and Eritrea under the TPLF and EPLF, it is inconsistent to expect that an organization born of the same root would disseminate anything other than hatred, war, and famine. What else could worshippers of Stalin come up with but ideas suppressing democracy and spreading national disunity? If what the TPLF and EPLF realized is wrong for Ethiopia as well as for the ethnic groups that they claim to represent, then it is naive to assume that their brother, that is, the OLF, would bring about a better result. What needs to be questioned here is the culture of hatred and disunity that Stalin veiled under the morally loaded language of self-determination up to secession.
In denouncing the undemocratic nature of the leadership, Jawar forgets that the behavior is only part and parcel of an ideological package inherited from the radicalization of the 60s. Unless the whole package is thrown away, there is no way of implanting a new democratic behavior. Since the undemocratic nature of the organization is inseparable from its ideology, the inescapable conclusion is that an ideology fomented by worshippers of Stalin cannot be good for the Oromo. If a new organization is indeed desired, changing the people without changing the ideology will get you nowhere.
Far from focusing on the ideological issue, Jawar dismisses it by stressing the unity of purpose within the OLF. Speaking of the faction that argues for the democratization of Ethiopia rather than secession, he notes that said ideological difference “was never really big enough to split the organization,” as the support for “independent Oromia” was “a more popular position.” Why is secession more popular than democratization? The question makes sense because what appears obvious is actually derived from a Stalinist analysis that the author should have denounced.
Armed Struggle and Secession
The truth is that the lack of democracy is closely linked with the secessionist agenda. The latter leads to the choice of armed struggle as the only feasible method, with the consequence that the subsequent militarization of the struggle becomes incompatible with the maintenance of democracy. Military priorities and leaders take the upper hand over democratic concerns. Contrary to a peaceful form of struggle, the condition of military successes becomes the sacrifices of democracy so that it is inconsistent to want military gains and democracy at the same time. Witness: it is the emphasis on military efficiency that progressively divested the EPLF and TPLF of their original democratic intent.
The secessionist goal is inconsistent with the complaint about the lack of democracy for another reason. When an organization that claims to represent the largest ethnic group opts for secession, clearly it is empowering extremists to the detriment of moderates. So that, militarization and ideological extremism combine to make democratic practices anything but relevant to the ongoing struggle.
Worst yet, the military option induced by the ideology of secession brought the movement under the tutelage of the Eritrean regime. Jawar speaks of the OLF as a “hostage” and attributes many of its faults to the intervention of the Eritrean regime. Put otherwise, the OLF has lost its independence and has become a pawn in the Eritrean pursuit of regional hegemony. The sad thing, Jawar admits, is that the subordination has no appreciable military gains, since Eritrea does not neighbor Oromia and so cannot provide sanctuaries for Oromo fighters.
The subordination to a regime that has regional ambition is fraught with deep adverse consequences. A good example is the TPLF: its support for the Eritrean struggle for independence, in the name of military necessity, empowered a pro-Eritrean and anti-Ethiopian leadership. As a result, not only the original goal of the movement was diverted, but also the empowered anti-Ethiopian clique is working hard to set Tigreans against Ethiopians through favored treatments whose outcome can only be the spread of suspicion and animosity. The price for military victory through an abnormal alliance was thus the empowerment of a clique that does not even represent Tigray, given that the best and long term interest of Tigray is its full integration into a prosperous Ethiopia.
The drive for secession through military means actually intensifies internal divisions, since together with the demise of democratic practices it raises the question of knowing which faction will become the dominant force in independent Oromia. The more the Oromo elite aspires to create a monoethnic state, the more its internal divisions, especially the religious ones, will stand out. One of the positive qualities of large multiethnic countries is the propensity to diffuse differences by displaying diversity as a normal feature of social life. By contrast, in monoethnic countries differences are perceived as abnormal and quickly generate battling factions, as shown by the example of Lebanon and Somalia.
Jawar knows that the absence of environmental conditions appropriate for guerrilla warfare, such as mountainous areas and helpful neighboring countries, contributes to the dearth of military success. In the face of this formidable obstacle one would expect that the OLF is actively seeking an alternative strategy compensating the inappropriateness of the environment by vast alliances with other ethnic groups, some of whom even possess the required geographical conditions. Unfortunately, the policy of dispersing the TPLF military machine by multiplying centers of military resistance cannot be considered as it comes up against the secessionist agenda.
Let us go further: what prevents the OLF from seeing that military struggle is not the only way to get rid of the regime is the secessionist goal. If unity of purpose could join the Oromo with other ethnic groups, especially the Amhara, then peaceful means of struggle would be enough to topple the Woyanne regime. I do not see how a clique with such a narrow base could suppress for long an overwhelming majority using the strategy of noncooperation. Let us not forget that what brought down the imperial regime was unity, and not military means. In a word, in undermining unity, the secessionist agenda greatly reduces the power of peaceful struggle and, by the same token, remove a much greater prospect of generating a democratic government.
Secession and Self-Mutilation
For Jawar, independent Oromia “shall play the leading role in democratizing, stabilizing and developing the entire East Africa.” This thought overlooks that the secession of an ethnic group that claims to be the largest group both in terms of territory and population is a much more complicated process than the secession of Eritrea and that it is fraught with unpredictable consequences. The secession of Oromia is not a mere amputation; it is a major dismemberment that adversely affects all ethnic groups in Ethiopia as well as neighboring countries. Who can stay that the secession will result in a peaceful outcome? In light of the recent horrible carnage caused by the border dispute between Ethiopia and Eritrea, one can confidently states that the secession will create such a chaotic and highly explosive situation that the whole region will turn into a battlefield.
In addition to nurturing a reckless thought, the secessionist goal induces a self-mutilating culture. When the largest ethnic group decides to split, it is behaving as a minority group. In so doing, it degrades itself and loses sight of what it can be. What cripples the OLF is thus the secessionist goal: the latter limits its horizon, the means at its disposal and, therefore, its will. Jawar begins his article by asking the Oromo to “think big”; secession, however, is to think small, and hence to be small. Organizations grow and become efficient when they espouse challenging goals, not when they fail to be what they can be. One should seriously reflect on the possibility that the political and military failures of the OLF may be connected with the self-demeaning image enshrined in the secessionist ideology.
Oromo leaders claim to uplift the Oromo people by defending secession. They are actually doing the opposite, given that the Oromo could become the force that democratizes and consolidates Ethiopia instead of dismembering it. The distorting impact of the secessionist ideology is such that Oromo elites do not even recognize greatness. Take the case of Ras Gobena: though in alliance with Menelik he created a formidable empire that even colonial powers feared, he is seen as a sellout and secessionists as authentic Oromo.
To say that a large ethnic group curtails itself when it stoops to the level of a minority group by opting for secession means that the discrepancy between the great potential of the Oromo people and the narrow goal of its elite explains the failures of the OLF. Since the leadership is not up to the potential of the people it claims to represent, like a big load led into a narrow path, the movement naturally goes nowhere. I thus say to the Oromo elite: think big indeed, that is, become what you can be, builder and not wrecker.
(Prof. Messay Kebede can be reached at [email protected])
43 thoughts on “To the Oromo elite: think big”
Oromos always used to think big. It is the Abesha elites who ate always thinking as narrow as their forehead. Without accepting and respecting the God-given right of the great Oromo nation to self-determination, no Abesha can have a moral ground to criticize OLF. Other wise enjoy the following article:
OLF as a Trinity (one and three at a time)!!
This short essay is just presented as a clarification for Oromo foes like Ato Robele and Prof Messay, who are nowadays delighting by “percieving” a division of the Oromo liberation vanguard in to “three”. To their information OLF has got from the very beginning only one Kaayoo (goal), which also at the same time can be interpreted as three Kayyos, in a pocket and it played with the three cards based on the objective reality it is in, aka according to the “here and now” of the situations. Even though the only one Kayyoo is self-determination, the 3 interpretations of the Kaayoo are:
– independence without a union
– referendum on the issue: independence without a union vs independence within a union
– independence within a union.
OLF permanently advocated that it fights for Oromian independence, for Oromos’ right to self-determination and for a union of nations in the empire/region. It emphasizes one of the three interpretations according to the condition of the time (Zeitgeist). Whenever Abyssinians become arrogant and start to sing about the unconditional unity of their empire with supression of Oromos’ right, it streses independence of Oromia from Abyssinian colonialism underming the possible union. The logic behind this is, where ever there is supression, there will be a move for separation. When reasonable politicians from different nations in the empire start to recognize the God given right of the great Oromo nation to self-determination, it starts to play the card of self-determination (decision per referendum either for independence within a union or for independence without a union).
Now the one structural OLF we Oromos had seems to have been devided in to three, each of them just taking as a goal one of the three interpretations of the Kaayyo:
– OLF1 of Ob Galaassa seems to make no compromise on independence without a union.
– OLF2 of Ob Daud has self-determination as its goal (being open for both independence within a union and independence without a union as far as Oromo people decide for one of the two).
– OLF3 of Ob Hassan (the new) seems to have decided for the independence within a union of nations in the empire/region so that it sympathizes with and seems to seek an alliance with Oromos in the ruling party aka OPDO and strives for an understanding from the reasonable “pro unity” Abesha forces. Here I must say, it is not yet clear whether this group moves to the position of OLF1 for it wants to consolidate all members of ULFO who do stress independence without a union under one structural organization. Time will tell us, whether this group will be either pro OPDO or pro ULFO. Or is there any association between the two (OPDO and ULFO)?
Any ways a Merdo to the foes of Oromo Liberation Movement is that the one/three OLF(s) will never give up the struggle for the right of Oromos to self-determination till we Oromos be the determiners of our own destiny, be it within Ethiopian union or without the union.
Other wise, let’s differentiate rhetoric from conviction! I do hear nowadays certain Oromo politicians talking about the “fact” that Oromo people doesn’t want “secession”. I do consider talking about Oromos wanting independence or not is a wrong generalization. One thing we need to know as a fact is that almost all Oromo politicians (including those who do make the above mentioned rhetoric) deep in their heart believe in the right of Oromo nation to self-determination. This is the whole mark of Oromos and aim of our mindset (spiritual Organization) aka OLF. This mindset, OLF has got one Kaayyoo, but also three Karaas (ways)including three rhetorics:
– OLF mindset in the rebel organizations has got an explicit rhetoric of self-determination and it fights for this Kaayyoo by all meanses,
– OLF mindset in the opposition organizations has got the rhetoric of struggling for liberation in Ethiopian context, but it covertly struggles for the Kaayyoo,
– OLF mindset in the ruling organization has got the rhetoric, which says: “we have already achieved the liberation”, but yet it covertly pushes for the Kaayyoo.
So fellow Oromos, let’s allow the mindset move to the Kaayyoo in all the Karaas, despite the rhetorics of some Oromos in the opposition and ruling Oromo organizations. Let our foes know exactly, despite the different rhetorics, Oromo Liberation Movement can never be stopped till it achieves the Kaayyo. We need to motivate our selves to do our rhetoric and our practice in the liberation movement on the Karaa each of us did choose to come to the Kaayyo. Long live OLF as a trinity (OLF with one Kaayyoo, but with three Karaas)!
We have to forget the current rhetoric of Oromo politicians in the ruling party and in the opposition parties, who are doing their talk under the gun point of Weyane (they are just denying the right of Oromo people to self-determination at gun point) and let’s strive to our END Kayyoo, which is already determined by our mindset. I am personally against any sort of dictatorial unity and I am a supporter of a union of free nations in the empire/region based on free will. Any unity without Oromo public verdict will fail, take it only 1 year, about 10 years or as long as 100 years. That is why I do advocate for a lasting solution based on free will of all stakeholders, instead of the temporary hoyaa-hoyee of unity as a wishy-washy solution. MEDREK seems to have chosen unconditional-unity as a precondition for the alliance, but the unity they do strive for will surely never last long, because it is not based on self-determination of peoples, but on pre-determination by only few elites. TIBIBIR aka revived AFD, which may be forged by OLF et al must be based on a solid ground and take self-determination rather than unconditional unity as the precondition for an alliance!
Any ways, our foes need to know that, they can only manipulate and delay the realization of Oromo’s right to self-determination, but they can never hinder it. Oromo’s mindset is leading us to our Kaayyoo aka self-determination, take it how long it might be. Our foes like it or not, in reality almost all Oromos are lead in our liberation struggle by this mindset. That is why an International Crisis Group (ICG) put it: ” despite its organizational flaws and divisions, many ordinary Oromos retain an almost messianic belief in the OLF as the major nationalist organization”!!
The power is transformed from Amhara elite to Tigrie elite. Both share many things in common. This elites worried always about OLF elite whom never been in power. The question is are we realy accept OLF to lead ethiopia or are we just want them to drop their ideology and accept absynian rule??
Mesay, your arrogance is getting out of control . You need to break your stupidity towards the Oromos before it breaks you . You are just like a FLY which runs here and there and spoils anything around it . You are a fly anyway .
If I am not mistaken “Messay Kebede” is one of the thousands of the descendants of “Ras Gobena” who betrayed Oromos and committed untold crime against the Oromo on behalf of King Menilik. So Messay Kebede is trying to keep up the legacy of “Gobena”. Too bad “Aba Dula Gemeda” and “Kuma Demekissa” have taken his role in contemporarey Woyane Ethiopia.
Messay has repeatedly shown his contempt for the Oromo people and now rejoicing at the criticism contained in Jawar Mohammed’s article. Sure enough he was up in arms to ridicule OLF and by extension Oromos!
no comment
Very nice article. I hope those so-called ‘hard-line leaders’ in and around OLF will for a change get off their blame-all-on-Amhara diatribe and start working closely with their brothers and sisters from other nationalities in Ethiopia. Stop living on age old and very archaic ‘gereras’ and botched slogans. ‘Gereras’ of what happened at Asabot, Gara Sufi and Chelenko are good now just for entertainment. They sound good and that is it. Violation of human and democratic rights is not only an Oromo confined issue but everyone’s suffering. I know what some of you think now. Some day in the future OLF will be able to drive out the Amharas, Tigres, Afars, Somalis and all other ‘expendables’ from your dreamed up territory and become presidents, prime ministers and planted-upon ‘felach-korachs’ on the back the resourceful Oromo people. You hidden plan to exterminate all Amharas and may be followed by other nationalities in ‘your’ territory will never and ever be materialized. Never!!! You hear me!! Never!!!!!
To the Amhara elites: Think Right!
The interest of the OLF is no more compatible with the interests of Oromos. The OLF has licked the boots of the EPLF, the very organization that kicked the OLF from the Ethiopian political scene by conspiracy, deceit, outright war and bloodshed. The OLF leadership members were at best myopic and at worst blind opportunists to associate themselves with the sly EPLF that put the dagger on their back in 1992 so that they can get away from the Ethiopian political scene so that the OLF would not hold the 1993 Eritrean independence issue hostage by arguing that Oromos have as much right to secession as Eritreans. They were trounced out to smithereens by political machinations, conspiracies and threats. The OLF leadership could have won respect and reverence had they remained in Ethiopia powerless politically but powerful by wide public support for displaying tenacity in the eyes of the storm even on death. But they were gutless bunches who chose to leave by packing up defeat and leaving Ethiopia in 1992 to enjoy their exiled life in the metropolitan areas of the West. It was incredible how the OLF leadership was shamelessly abandoning its supporters and committed fighters for their own individual safe exiled life abroad. They were also shameless for colluding with their fundamental and historic enemies in the EPLF and then trying to convert their remote apartments in the West into military barracks and bunkers to launch wars in east Africa and to execute protracted resistance with a futile dream to achieve victory over the EPRDF. That was at best a laughable political fiasco and at worst a deliberate disregard for the lives of poor Oromos who were misguided by false OLF propaganda and took arms to fight and die in an unwinnable war. Certainly, this failed and foiled venture has irreparably discredited the OLF and its ever-bickering leadership in the west. How about giving a little respect for Oromo tradition of fighting from your turf in your own locality “Nanoketi, Biya abaketi”? Thus if OLF is now a bankrupt organization and a fragmented dead dinosaur, I would be the last person to get surprised. I would not be surprised a bit. It got what its current leadership pursued. With its bankrupt policy, ideology, and remote location in Western countries it would never bring anything meaningful to speak of Oromo freedom, respect and local autonomy let alone its day dreaming “independent Oromia.”
As an Oromo and as an Ethiopian the best I wish and persuade Oromos to do is that we should convert the freedom movement to be inclusive to non-Oromos and to genuinely struggle for democratic change in Ethiopia on the basis of individual rights and one-person one-vote. This way we would win a lot of things. Just to mention a few:
First, we will tear down the long political garb of being equated with “narrow-nationalists”, “extremists” and “barbarism” for asking the removal of non-Oromos from Oromo land and for emotionally driven attacks on innocents. Secondly, as a majority in our numerical size we will always be respected and our interest for democratic rule in Oromo land and elsewhere in Ethiopia would be achieved expeditiously.
Thirdly, we will be revered and respected by democratic Tigreans, Amharas, Guraghes and all other ethnic groups for being in the spearheads of the struggle for the institution of a democratic system in Ethiopia through one-person one-vote pluralistic constitutional system that works for all Ethiopians.
Fourthly, because of our numerical majority size we will always remain to protect and defend freedom in its true sense and practical application.
May God give us foresight and farsightedness in the Ethiopian New Year? New Year and New Wish for Oromos and the majority of Ethiopians living under perpetual repression.
Oromos are the most far sighted and big thinking people in the region. No Abesha or Abesha minded other can criticize Oromo elites rallying behind OLF. Dr. Messay is simply one of the supporters of the invading weeds and cancer cells! Enjoy the following if you wnant to understand what I mean:
“Oromo is the stem, Others are branches: fact or fancy?
It is really interesting to hear that nowadays few Oromo elites and of course a lot of Abesha elites telling us the new “statistical” conclusion regarding the wish of Oromo people. The conclusion declares that Oromo people doesn’t want “secession”. They do argue that Oromo is the stem for the other nations in the empire, who are the branches. So logically, it is the branch who may need to break off or separate, but not the stem. That is well said, very good for Abesha elites and I do congradulate them for their new “research finding”. Even the few Oromo elites are trying to tell us that Oromos are changing our philosophy regarding our liberation movement. According to them, Oromo liberation will be realized only in a united Ethiopia, not in “separated” Oromia. But I do hear Oromos asking: from whom did this new philosophy basically come? Who ever the source of this theory is, let me try to challenge in short both the analogy (parable) and the philosophy these elites are talking about.
First of all, is the analogy suitable to describe the relationship between nations in the region called Ethiopian empire or in the Horn of Africa? I think seeking and finding an analogy to describe and explain the relationship of these nations in the region is mainly based on the version of history the elites do accept and which version they want to apply as an instrument for their wished goal of the political movements in the area. Clear is that there are different versions of Oromo history. According to some “historians” we are immigrants who came from Madagascar. Others tell us that we were confined only in Mada-Walabu till we could move towards north few centuries back and owned the current Oromo land, which then was lately invaded by our neighbours from the north. Yet some do talk that we are indigenous people in the North East Africa, originally from Meroe, and this group claim that most cushitic nations in the horn are branches of this stem called Oromo. Accordingly the solution these three groups do suggest for the political conflict in the empire also differs. Those who tell us that we Oromos are immigrants suggest that we just leave the empire and go back to our origin. Those who claim that we are a separated people originally from Mada-Walabu insist on the unconditional independence (separation) of Oromia from Abyssinia (the current occuppier of Oromia). The elites who do believe that we are the stem for all other nations claim that we can be free people in the empire including “our branches” and even we can be the dominant nation of the empire in the future, so no need for “secession” of Oromia!
I must say, the last version is the current post-modern way of opposing Oromo’s right to self-determination. Forgetting the few Oromo elites who do talk like this, be it mere rhetoric or more reality from their side, the very smart Abesha elites are currently trying to designate Oromo as the stem from whom even Amharas and Tegarus originate. Their logic and move is fantastic: the stem Oromo can not be separated from its branches. They think with such simple message, they can discourage Oromo nationalists from pushing for the independence of Oromia within or without the possible union of nations in the empire/region. The question to be answered is, are the few Oromo elites preaching the same theory fooled by these Abesha elites or do they have their own tactical move having the indispensable right of Oromo nation to self-determination at heart?
As far as I am concerned, Oromo is not necessarily the “stem” for the “branches” like Amhara and Tegaru. Be it they do have common origin or not, now they are different nations with different languages, cultures and even different histories, of course having their own specific national areas. So I do consider all nations in the region, big and small, including Amharas, Tegarus and Oromos as separate trees in a garden standing as neighbours and sharing common soil, air and water. The trees have got their own discrete identities, but they do share common enviroment. They can only live both independently and interdependently sharing the neighbouring enviromental resources. Let’s imagine the different trees with different nature living as neighbours enjoying the common area which can be considered as a garden. It is really beautifull to see them having diffirent colours and flowers. But what will happen if one or two of them try to encroach over the area of the others and destroy the colours and flowers of their neighbour trees? Such a tree or a plant is considered to be invasive and destrucitve. Few monthes back I read about such invading plants (usually foreign plants) agrressively encroaching on to the area of other plants (always said to be indegenous plants).
Arn’t Abesha elites like these invading plants? What is the role of Weyane elites today in Amhara region, Oromia, Ogaden, Afar, Sidama, Somalia….etc? Are they not encroaching on to the God-given area of other indegenious plants? To keep the garden stay beautifull and that the weeds will not invade areas of indigenous ones, the keeper of the garden should do every thing possible so that all plants be limited to their only allowed living area. I do imagine the garden called Horn of Africa can only be beautifull if Amhara elites and Tegaru elites will be limited to their respective national areas and live in harmony with their neghbour nations. If they want to claim the national areas of Oromos and other nations as their own, no question they are the very destructive invading plants, with whom we have to deal accordingly. Up to now, they left their own ground and invaded the ground of the neighbouring plants. Nowadays such destructive plants are to be controlled with chemicals to limit them in their own area, so that they can be inhibited from invading the area of other neighbouring plants. At the moment, Weyane is the worst destructive plant who invaded the areas of the beautifull indigenious plants aka Oromos and other nations in the region. Oromo liberation movement is nothing other than limiting the invading plants and compell them to stay at their own areas, where they can be considered as indegenious plants.
Looking at the empire/region as an animal body, rather than as a garden, the invading Abesha elites are the same to cancer cells, which do leave their own organ to invade and destroy other neighbouring tissues and organs of a body. What the elites of the two Abyssinans hitherto did on Oromos and other nations in the region is such a cancerous invasion. It might be true that Oromo is the biological stem of Amharas and Tegarus, just like all our organs come from only one stem cell. But after being differentiated, each Organ has got its own specialized cells and tissues with peculiar colour, function and structure to be limited in only one specific organ. Brain cells are very different from liver and heart cells, and are limited to have a form and function which is required in a brain. If we find brain cells in a liver or a heart, it is pathological and lethal. The same is true, when we find the non-integrated and autoritative Abesha elites like the current ruling Weyane elites in Oromia. They just destroy the social fabric of Oromos. For instance, language is the main parameter determinig the identity of nations. Just regarding this fact, Abesha elites who didn’t learn to speak Afaan Oromo after living in Oromia for a long time are like the invading cancer cells. They either will be integrated by learning Afaan Oromo or they will be ejected as a foreign body in due time or they will kill the host Oromo language and Oromo culture slowly. This is the law of both nature and culture. That is why the normal simple Amhara and Tegaru individuals living in Oromia being integrated and respecting the culture, language and other rights of Oromos including the political right to self-determination are not to be considered as cancer cells to be rejected and removed.
Coming to my own conclusion, the healthy and recommendable solution is to have a very healthy trees with different forms and flowers beside one an other (tree of Amharas, tree of Oromos, tree of Tigarus…etc) with their specific living area, without being allowed to invade the living area of others like the invading plants do. The empire, in which Abesha elites invaded other nations and tried to destroy their culture and nature as well still struggle to hinder the realization of the right of nations to self-determination, must be transformed in to the UNION, in which all nations of different culture live independently and interdependently like those well placed and managed plants in a very beautifull garden. That is what we mean by union of independent nations. Union of independent Amhara, Tigrai, Oromia, Ogaden, Afar…etc including even independent Eritrea, Somaliland, Djibouti, Puntland and Somalia based on self-determination of each nation is the optimal thing we all should strive to achieve. Without respecting the right of nations to self-determination, there is no power under the sun which can hinder nations from striving to get rid of the invading plants or from trying to be free from the cancer cells.”
“Session & self-mutilation”? Well, that is what you think. Fair enough. Mark my word, Oromia will be an indepedent sovereign state, be it tomorrow or the day after. Our family dispute will be over soon and the real work will continue.
Ato Mmessay Kebede, here you are again with misleading and unproductive analyses. 1) The Principles of Self determination right has nothing to do with either Stalin or other Socialist leaders. Your purposeful misleading analyses is counterproductive 2) when you demand OLF to lead peaceful struggle I think it seems that you ignore the reality on the ground (the Oromo and other nation are living under tyranny and dictatorship) 3) you want Oromo people as a majority to take part in the democratization process of Ethiopian Empire without respecting or accepting the right of Oromo people. Ethiopia needs foresighted and pragmatic elites not rigged and old mentality élites like Messay Kebede.
The author of this article attempted to present his own analysis of OLF and its ever-illusive goal of “independent Oromia.” The Ethiopian people (from all ethnic groups) are living under the tyranny of TPLF. Unfortunately, we haven’t ever been blessed with a democratic system. We should all work hand-in-hand to build a system that ensures good governance for all. Oromos have a big role to play in this effort toward a better Ethiopia. Unfortunately, the OLF and some oromo elites are too preoccupied with whimpering about the past to do anything useful about the present and the future. If you really believe you speak for the Oromo people then it’s time you stop retreating and start engaging to create a fair and democratic system in a country where you are the largest.
Once you embrace the agenda of secession there won’t be any end in sight, because however homogeneous you think the oromo people are there could be enough differences for an unscrupulous politician to warrant independence.
Finally, when we post our comments on these pages, let’s try to focus on making our point rather than insulting one another.
wow ato elias, your action is contrary to what you preach. preaching democracy with out being democract?
Why is every article or comment I read having to do with some kind of formulation to make sure every thing they do is strictly followed no matter how and when the demography of the reality on the ground changes. There is always some kind of theoretical approach to do away with tackling the changing challenges of the future. Thus when the future comes, we keep on missing the target doing virtually nothing productive. There is nothing one can achieve by constantly attempting to create a closed and separate society by diminishing history and the historic realities that encompass the whole society however many bumps existed. It is a failure to realize this fact that stands on the way of any motive. The attempt to short cut peoples will that always considers its next kins as brotheren with whom it has to live together and conform to the societal rules and regulations will fail miserably. While Jawar thinks action is what is lacking with the OLF, Ato Mesay completely dismisses the question of self determination. With all due respect, I don’t necessarily say self determination up to cessation is a Stalinist idea. It needs the democratisation of the system to perform an unbiased referendom to resolve this kind of issue peacefully. The problem with Jawar’s belief is that he doesn’t think OLF needs a complete overhauling of its agenda by not assuming as if Oromos happened to be in that region by accident. He stated very well by relating the history of the struggle to the beginning of the revolution and failed to continue with the shaping of the struggle (if any) into short term and long term strategies. Comment from: http://www.hornofafricadaily.com
Hundahore,
I enjoyed your article, the analogy is perfect.
I have a piece of advice to Messay Kebede. In the last few years I have followed some of your writings online. Nearly 85% of your writings are focused on advising Oromo people, especially Oromo scholars. I know that no single Oromo with his/her clear conscious about Ethiopina empire give any attention to your write. Please stop to teach Oromos on how to shape their political view and political program. I don’t think any single Oromo take time to seriously consideration to your “advice”. You are a piece of the pre 1974 Ethiopian politics. Oromos, including me, have very minimum respect for you and your old style political definition and your lecture. Your identity and your view about Oromo and other non-Abyssinian is not hidden from most of us who passed through the Addis Ababa (Finfinnee) University.
Please concentrate on organizing Amharas/ Abyssinian if you want to see any change in the government of the rulers of the empire. The destiny of Oromos and the others is not in your hand and dependent on your lecture based on your forefathers dream and political view.
Galasa Habasha
i really surprise with most comments regarding OLF some of us we don’t know what we are saying. no ethiopians trust OLF for leadership except some oromo elite not all oromos.
if OLF leades this country we will return to GEDA then we move to backward not to civilization and OLF attitude is just to expell all other ethnic group from the land of ABISINIA except some Oroms so from OLF beter EPRDF, in my view after BEDENO OLF’S crime i prefer WOYYANE to rule this country for 1000 years. at least TIGRAY feels Ethiopianism.
no need to talk so mauch in any view i frefer WOYYANE because i afraid of OLF after the BEDENO crime. i never forget it.
Thanks to TPLF, the Ethiopia you know is dead, finished, long gone, never to come back. The question is are you ready to build new Ethiopia on equality and mutual respect with orhters particularly Oromos? or you push us to the limit with your intolerant and arrogant behavior? think straight as you are running out of time, you may be a learned man Messay Kebede but your arrogance and chauvinism has no place in today’s world or in today’s Ethiopia and believe me it is just a matter of time but Oromo will never take second class citizen position any more. The world is moved on and the Oromo too. But, you are trapped some where some how at Stone Age thinking where one is superior and the other is inferior due to some kind of arbitrary reason. It is only when I think of you and the amhara elite I always say-TPLF is a progressive government deserve to rule for the next 100 years. Do you have any idea how you’re idea stinks now?
Let Tewodros II rise in Ethiopia.
That will be the ultimate solution. Because the tribalists could not use good out of Kilil Oromo administration. They are not able to exercise Gada-system within their territories that is demarcated by the current government.
They did drive out people, displace them, confisicate their property, burn villages.
They incite unnecessary conflict and attack innocent people that live peacefully inside their Kilil.
By the way why has the GUDIFECHa culture evaporated? where has the tolerance has gone?
The Oromos are tested in their Kilil administration how they handle people in Nazret, Debrezeit, Modjo,etc that are different from their ethnical
background.
The administration of Oromia Kilil is encompassed with officials with narrow ethnic sentiments and that had served the Derg-regime as Cadres, who were persecuting people as the man deported from US(Negeo) was doing.
In spite of this the Oromos have got the privileges within the Meles regime. One can say The current regime in Ethiopia is a coalition TPLF & OPDO.
So I wish for Ethiopia another Tewodros II that brings law and order within the Nation like Kaiser Wilhel II, German leadership.
With this primitive and barbaric thought you never achieve your goal(Kaayoo)in which the majority of Oromos do not agree with. The EPRDF give them chance to paticipate in the nation building of Ethiopia under Meles leadership by acknowlediging their right as an Oromo Kilil state. It is a lame excuse to insult the Meles regime in this respect.
Dr. Messay
You are the one, the only and couragious who defend civilized thinking,
Good on you, keep it up, few oromo fanatics will disappear by the end of the day, We oromo’s are ethiopians as long as our right is respected.
Bye for now.
I want everyone to pay attention to this section in which Hundahore wrote: “Looking at the empire/region as an animal body, rather than as a garden, the invading Abesha elites are the same to cancer cells, which do leave their own organ to invade and destroy other neighboring tissues and organs of a body. What the elites of the two Abyssinians hitherto did on Oromos and other nations in the region is such a cancerous invasion”. The solution now to the Oromo question is chemo and radiation by which means all Amhara and other nationalities who dare to come and live in that Utopia territory of the Greater Oromo Nation will be fumigated and expurgated dead not alive so that they don’t come back. Folk!!! What do you do if you want virtual remission of a once malignant cancer? You go the source and around the area it is located and kill all these cancerous cells. This has more than attributes of ruthless fascism and barbarism. This is a typical OLF and similar other narrow nationalist agenda for decades now. Always contradictory and immaterial. This was not Taddesse Biru’s or even Wako Gutto’s or Yisiaks’s agenda. Now you all know why Oromos like me (millions others) are reluctant to accept or even outright against to what these pseudo intellectuals around OLF have been lambasting in vain for sometime. Amhara cancer cells? Tigre cancer cells? Somali cancer cells? Afar cancer cells? Orthodox Christian cancer cells? Sidama cancer cells? Shangul cancer cells? O’ Lord!!! All these nationalities have encroached ‘Oromia’ territory more than once in the last 400 hundred years. And their lives should be sniffed out. Why? They are cancer cells!!! This sends chills in any peace-loving human being’s spine.
Mr. Kebede,
I respect your point of view about OLF’s struggle to materialize the cause it was out deliver. I disagree with the theme of your argument that it is OLF’s ideology not other factors that crippled the organization. Just for your information, OLF’s political program does not and has never stated that OLF fights for secession of Oromiya, because OLF cannot make a political choice for the Oromo people. Instead, it creates a ground for the people to choose what type of political arrangement they want. That is called national self-determination. I am sure you know that, this is one of fundamental human rights, short of that we are creating a totalitarian system where unity is put together by force instead of choice and harmony.
Another point I want to make is that, yes there were factions that dissented from OLF, but that doesn’t mean OLF is dead. I want to warn you here that, just because someone writes about a current state of any organization it doesn’t mean he or she knows the inner workings of the organization and there fore can claim it is dead or alive. Jawar is no different. Since I know Jawar, I know how much he knows about OLF. First of all, Jawar can not and will not represent OLF, but he has the right to write about it. One thing that is true is Jawar is closer to the current regime and its stooges in Ethiopia than he is to OLF or the cause of Oromo struggle. The intent of Jawar’s writing is really not to create awareness, it is rather to foment more divisions for what ever motive he has. This is not the first time that Jawar does this. You can imagine what type of concerned Oromo nationalist in diaspora who regularly writes about Oromo struggle and yet freely travel to Ethiopia, with “friends in high places” in the current Ethiopian Government. Therefore, I just warn you to take Jawar’s intentions and claims with a grain of salt.
Thanks,
Jara.
I have posted the facts and the truth about Messay Kebede. This guy always tries to lecture Oromos about their destiny and political strategies.
The sad thing in the process of his essays and comments from the readers is the role of Ethiopian Review. If you are really genuine about your journalism and the political process in the Ethiopi9na Empire please don’t delete or block comments and messages that don’t go inline with the political thoughts and dreams for your ideal Ethiopia. My comments was posted yesterday and deleted few hours after the posting. I see that the Ethiopian Review doesn’t entertain any comment if it is different from the interest of the older Ethiopian political thought.
It is sad for those who believe that the owners of Ethiopian Review are genuine political thinkers. It is foolishness to accept you as the spoke media of all groups in Ethiopia. You have never deviated or departed from your 1970s disastrous political line.
Messay will never get it
His writing has no validity or deep thought just on the surface scribbling: Here is a couple. he simultaneously kind of belittle the great people and appeal to them to democratize Emiyee Ethiopia.
To begin with the Oromos never said no to peace by the way it takes two tangle and it is well documented that the Oromos are the people of “nagaan”. Above all how the Oromos can work for peace and democracy when the same people Oromos have to make peace with put them in jail? It is silly that blaming the victim- the Oromos.
It is only right that to fight back as Oromos (first Oromos for Oromos only), when successive Abyssinian ruler excluded Oromos from any meaningful power sharing because you are Oromos – speak Afaan Oromo.
messy
what are are you talking about?whether you like or not oromo people shall be free.
mr.kebede you do not know anything for yourself. are you professor realy?are you teaching your orthodox bible or Amhara languge?do not cry you are coming to an end to die.
Aite Gabra,
you are just fooling only yourself! First of all, I am not the autor of the article I posted. It is written by Ob Fayyis Oromia. I just quoted. Secondly Ob Fayyis also wrote the following pre-emptively to tacle with people like you:
“That is why the normal simple Amhara and Tegaru individuals living in Oromia being integrated and respecting the culture, language and other rights of Oromos including the political right to self-determination are not to be considered as cancer cells to be rejected and removed.”
He differentiated the malignant cancer cells (autoritative Abesha elites like you who are in Oromia just to destroy the culture, language and social fabric of Oromos) from the benign, normal and simple Abesha individuals living in Oromia being integrated and respecting the right of Oromos. You see, he is very intelligent to anticipate that people like you could use his assertion against Oromos. Other wise, it is clear to see that you are one of the flies or rabid dogs aka Weyane cadres, who just jumped on the dirty thing you thought to find aka Amhara-Oromo conflict. Eat your heart out, these two BIG nations will never again fight each other for the benefit of you and your boss Aite Meles.
Don`t disrespect the Oromo people.Gebrewahid,Monkeys will fly before your prayers are answered.
Messay Kebede, keep on writing please! This is blessing in disguise for those of us gave up on your Emiyee Ethiopia.
The more you and the Amhara elites show their true identity, the faster for the empire to crumble. Thank you Dr. Kebede
The Oromo people were, are now and will always be free in the global village
Gabra (#22),
Read carefully what Hundahore wrote before shouting “O Lord!!!”. He didn’t say “Amhara Cancer cells” or “Tigre Cancer cells”. He said quote “the invading Abesha elites are the same to cancer cells”. Can you see the difference? If you are an ordinary Ahmara, this is not for you. If you are one of the “invading Habasha elites” or have the same mentality as their, then this is for you. Gabbah yene geta?
Theories develop arond facts to explain facts. Theories are bound to change based on facts to fit the facts but facts are just facts and they do not just change to fit theories. If a theory does not explain a fact or facts, it is a limitation of the theory and it is not due to the observed fact. Oromos are not struggling just to prove a theory or not beacuse of a theory or take advantage of a theory. What is driving the Oromos to the life and death struggle is the misery and brutal repression they are forced to find themselves in. The brutal repression by successive regimes in Ethiopia assisted by their foreign backers is the dyanmics that propels and perpetuates the Oromo struggle for freedom, democracy and justice. It is not what Stalin said or did not say. Instead of talking how we end such barbaric brutal repression and lay a strong foundation for the Unity of the Ethiopian people, we are just talking trash about a theory and whether or not a struggle fits into that theory. Let us move on and discuss our problems and try to figure out how we can resolve it based on our unique circumstances. The Oromo struggle is about human life, the basic human rights, freedom, justice and democracy and not about the luxury of fitting it into a theory. I respect and admire Prof. Mesay but I beg to differ on this point.
Thanks and happy new year.
Gadaa
Roba, Tolosa what is wrong about learning the truth? Tolsa , ” mark my word”unfortunately you left a paper trail for your folks to laugh at you after decades . You even lack the Aba Dulla and Kumas intelligence. Keep reading….
Thank you Prof. I think nothing is wrong to think big. I know separation has never been and will never be the goal of the majority Oromo people. We are not living the past, we learn from it and shape the future. As a majority group in the country, if you think big, the power is at your hand without firing a single bullet. But, good luck if your former friends the woyanes will allow a free election.
Please, revenge and extremism are things of the past for a civilized people. Stand with all Ethiopian people for a common goal. Get rid of dictatorship for good.
We should not lose sight of fighting our common enemy which is strong, very divisive, West backed as it is now. Some writings that may or may not be genuine but provocative should not distract us from our main goal of removing the Tigray Elites. To tell you the truth we are very far very far away from winning Woyane. I do not know how fiercely we would fight each other if we were close to victory. Fox: the making of nations had never been fair or humane every where. The victorious made nations through killings, massacres, destruction of the weak and such. The powerful eat the powerless (survival of the fittest). No matter how unfair its original formation may be the point now should be how to make the present nation fair and democratic for all. Remember how Australia or United State etc were formed.
What ever had happened to Oromos, Afars, Muslims etc happened. We may remember it rather than denying it but that can not and should not be a foundation for the present Ethiopia formation. The Native Americans or Australians can not claim America or Australia. At the same time the Old Ethiopia is gone and our new Ethiopia has to be formed based on equality, democracy and mutual respect and mutual benefit. One country, one people, one religion, one language, one ideology etc philosophy is over.
Please some good or rubbish but decoying articles must not get us to lose our calm reasoning and take stands and arguments that will polarize us rather than pull us closer.
Gadaa says,
“If a theory does not explain a fact or facts, it is a limitation of the theory and it is not due to the observed fact. Oromos are not struggling just to prove a theory or not beacuse of a theory or take advantage of a theory.”
How right when you are talking about the Oromo people. The limitations of the theories fabricated by the so called ellites(OLF) are not only evident but also disastrous. So are those who fabricate another theory to oppose it. All in all, things just don’t add up.
Who are Oromos? My father’s father is from Adwa and sekota.His mother is from Menze.My mother’s father is Oromo,her mother is Amara.I am Amara,Oromo and Tegre.Forget your OLF and join the rest of Ethiopians and fight for real Democracy. If we were fighting for one Ethiopia we would not see Mengistu and Melesse.After the king was deposed we would have free Ethiopia.We would have 7 elections,once every 5 years.Ethiopia would be the most democratic country in Africa.Illitrate/educated/selfish/narrow minded children of Ethiopia crushed that country.You haven’t learned from you mistakes.You are still fighting to kill those poor people.I don’t have hope from any political parties or individuals.Let The Mighty God take care of my Beloved country.Amen
I think The writer is courageous and mature enough to understand the principles of democracy. So your advice to the olf arogancence who can not understand democracy and feasiblity of the illusiosn oromo independance.
Yes OLF think diffrent and be realistic
To #22 and 32 (Hundahore and Daandi)
You are making the proclamation even more vivid and worse. First all, even by your description of an Oromo, I excelled that. I can go back 12 generation on my father’s side and not find any Amhara sounding name. On mother’s side, it would not be too hard even for any existing OLF leader to declare she is all and ‘pure’ Oromo. I have been around you folks for decades and saw you stumbling from one foul move to another. You guys were telling me and million others that you have the biggest guns aimed and cocked at Dedebit hooligans behind the might mountain near Addis(Finfine) when thousands of abandoned fighters were being rounded up into concentration camps. Now you are talking about ‘Habesha Cancer Cells’. What is next? ‘Orthodox Cancer Cells’? I hope you keep your mouth shut and let other think you are stuttering horses. That is why I rebuked you guys and your ‘OLF’ which I supported whole-heartedly for decades. You keep doing what you are best at doing: Keep telling fabricated stories about my Oromo people and how they were(are) ‘Germans of Africa’ to naive and history deficient Americans in Minnesota. May be they will carve out a section of some wilderness in Minnesota where you can call it ‘Re-Oromia’ with its glory of Gada system. I wish you guys were not even born. You have made my proud Oromo people sick.
I think OLF has rich supporter and resources. However, I also think OLF has some difficulties on how to utilize its resources wisely. I hope they have learned or will learn from the past to move forward effectively. The article is the writer opinion without support and the writer has the right to say the way he understood while the fact is completely the opposite.
Think as Ethiopin!Think global!!Ignorance leads to darkness!!
the main reason why olf has failed and will never succeed to win the mind of the oromo people that it claims to bring freedom to is becouse of the bleive that the oromian entertain for decades. first the majority of the oromo peple have suspcsion on the freedom fighter themselves . second the oromians have been couched to beleive that bigger ethiopia is better and more secure. third , oromians are not gamblers in other word not risk takers . stability and normality is the way to go for oromians unlike the northerners.fourth , most oromian farmrs own larger number of herds and vast farm lands compared to amara or tigrayan farmrs. leaving their comfort zone for poletical or idiological reason such as independence is not that apealing to most. fith and last most oromian never beleive that even they succeed and win their independence, sustainable and long lasting peace will not be possible becouse of the northern war like mentality.