By Shiferaw Abebe
Following its 4th regular session early this month, the OLF National Council issued a communiqué wherein it calls upon “all the forces opposed to the dictatorial regime of the TPLF to struggle for liberation, freedom, democracy, the rule of law, peace, and prosperity.” The communiqué states that there is “no more option left except to rise up in unison and struggle to get rid of the tyrannical minority rule.”
To this end, the Council instructs to “set our priorities in order and forge a meaningful alliance against the TPLF rule.” Then the Communiqué states that OLF is ready for “a meaningful cooperation and alliance with serious political organizations fighting and struggling for liberation democracy, the rule of law, and human rights and human dignity for all the peoples in Ethiopia.”
Is there anything new or grand about the above pronouncement? Does one see any change in form or substance that could make this communiqué a different read from what one can glean from OLF’s mission and policy statements on the OLF website? Nope. The So-called Council is still singing from the same old song book. OLF still maintains that the Oromo people are a people in Ethiopia, not a people of Ethiopia. The not so-subtle difference between the notions of “peoples in Ethiopia” and the “people of Ethiopia” actually makes all the difference between OLF and other opposition forces that are fighting to build a better Ethiopia for everyone. The fact that the Council listed liberation along with democracy, the rule of law and human rights does not camouflage the true color of OLF or its mission which remains to be the “liberation of Oromia from the Colonial empire of Abysinnia.”
So the natural question is why on earth should other opposition forces, which consider themselves Ethiopian and want to see a united, democratic and strong Ethiopia get into an alliance with an organization that doesn’t see itself or the Oromo people as Ethiopian? Why should Ethiopians who stand against TPLF’s ethnocentric policies form an alliance with an organization whose stated mission is dismembering their country? At a time when coalitions such as Medrek are declaring the advent of a new form of alliance where respect of both individual and group rights can be pursued and achieved within a united and democratic Ethiopia, why should one entangle itself with an organization such as the OLF that clearly pictures a different Ethiopia post TPLF rule?
Now one may argue that OLF doesn’t mean what it has put in black and white on its website, which is the liberation of Oromia from Abyssinia. One may say that the leadership needs to continue to use same liberation message (i.e., lying about it) to keep their rank and file intact. If this is how the OLF leadership handles openness with its rank and file regarding a major policy shift , that in itself should be highly disconcerting to anyone who contemplates to enter into any form of alliance with this organization. At any rate, sorting out OLF’s rank and file issues is OLF’s own responsibility. What other organizations should demand from OLF from the outset is to come clean and openly clear on where it stands on such a fundamental question as the unity and integrity of Ethiopia. With anything less, OLF would be a liability to any coalition it might enter into even if one were to believe that OLF has moved from its historical stance on the issue of unity.
The option for OLF has been very clear since it left or was kicked out of the coalition government back in the early 1990s: to either align its struggle with the rest of Ethiopians who are victimized under the same regime to bring about a political system that would allow nationalities or ethnic groups to exercise their legitimate rights within a united Ethiopia, or to remain an exile secessionist organization, forever giving false claims and hopes to its ever fracturing membership. For close two decades, OLF’s choice has been the latter. Three regimes have changed hands in Ethiopia since OLF came into existence. As an organization, OLF is the same age as, if not older than, TPLF. But look where TPLF is now and where OLF is. Even when one may say that TPLF no longer represents the people of Tigray, it has perhaps done more to the people of Tigray from the Minilik Palace than what OLF could dream all night for the Oromo people from the capitals of Western nations.
After close to four decades of existence, OLF is not closer to, indeed is further away from achieving its stated goal. Each day it is not getting stronger but weaker and less relevant. So, at this point, it has neither the moral nor the material leverage to entice anyone to enter into an alliance with it as long as it sticks with the same old political agenda. The future is more unlikely to reward OLF with better results if it stays on the same track.
One wonders why OLF is not doing the one right thing once for its life, namely, come up with true and realistic goals and aspirations for the Oromo people and for Ethiopia in general, close ranks with other opposition organizations in a truly new and lasting alliance, and fight to get the country rid of the TPLF repressive and regressive regime to build a free, democratic and prosperous Ethiopia where all people of Ethiopia will live in harmony and economic prosperity?
One plausible explanation could be OLF’s utterly exaggerated, if not entirely false, sense of exclusive tenure to the cause of the Oromo people and consequently its misplaced pride in the purity of its stance, namely the “liberation of Oromia from the Colonial Empire of Abysinnia.” Otherwise, why should OLF still maintain the colonial theory and liberation objective when other Oromo political organizations are fighting for the cause of the Oromo people within a united Ethiopia?
When the current regime took power in 1991, it declared that Ethiopia would no longer be a prison of nations and nationalities. Forget that this was a preposterous notion, but even if one were to believe this notion in 1991, 19 years is too long a period of time not to re-evaluate this notion against the reality now on the ground. The unquestionable reality is that it is actually now or over the last 19 years that Ethiopia has been made a prison of Oromo activists, students, and elders. Previous regimes have not arrested a fraction of the number of Oromos that have now congested the Kaliti Prison. However, it would be a gross misperception, once again, to think that only Oromos are languishing in TPLF’s prisons. Equal, if not more, numbers of non-Oromos are sharing those same prisons. Their common enemy is the authoritarian regime that wields power not by the will of the people but by its military and security might.
Looking forward, what the Oromo people want is to become makers of the Ethiopian destiny, not just their own destiny as an ethnic group. One is not complete without the other. What the Wollega Oromo wants in life is not fundamentally different from what an Amhara in Gojjam wants. Both want equality and a fair opportunity to take part and derive benefits from the economies of their regions and their country at large. Both wants to promote and exercise their culture, to preserve and share the good of their identity, which together with the culture of other people of Ethiopia makes Ethiopia a mosaic of cultures. Each wants, democracy, unfettered participation in the political life of their respective regions and their country. Each wants peace and prosperity to raise children and leave them a better legacy and opportunity. This is the kind of vision on which a meaningful alliance should be built up on among Ethiopian opposition forces.
Many Ethiopians would like to see OLF playing a constructive part in the political struggle to build a better Ethiopia for all. Many Ethiopian opposition organizations have in the past responded generously to OLF’s slightest gestures of moving away from its longstanding stance. The recent, now defunct, Alliance for Freedom and Democracy is one example. But OLF has proved to be incapable of extricating itself from the past and formulate a realistic and functional political program for the future. Until it does so, its call for any form of alliance will not and should not get a sympathetic ear. The ball is still in OLF’s court.
(The writer can be reached at [email protected])
75 thoughts on “Is there anything new about OLF’s call for alliance?”
Vuvuzela,
Until you get you mind back – get lost!!!!
Ittu Abba Farda (correct spelling: Ituu Abbaa Fardaa)
My mind is always in the right track and will never accept slavery, colonailism and any form of oppression.
You wake up and get rid of your slave mentality(if you are real Oromo). Let me know if you need a tune up.
OLF = OROMO.. that is what is happening.. OLF is not just anymore an Organization.
#39, The formation of Addis has not benefited the Oromo. The Oromos of the area have lost their land to the Amhara, the Gurague and the Tegre. The suroounding area is heavily polluted, and no one cares about what is happening to the indegeneous people of the Area. It is even a taboo to talk about it.
olf kifle and g7 are shabia agents. All supporting comments here are from artrians who are dreaming to get badime or who are dreaming to confederate with their promise land ethiopia via this kifle or olf or g7. artrians use ethiopian websites to create conflict between ethiopian tribes. Specially to create animosity towards the great , hard working and proudly ethiopian(tigrian) people. Artrians must understand that tigreans are proudly ethiopians, and tigreans showed their respect for the whole ethiopian nations and the tigreans prefered to live together with their beloved ethiopians and tigreans prefered to live in their beloved country ethiopia . Artrians choosed to separet from ethiopia with 99.9% vote because they dont want to live with ethiopians who do not know how to eat pasta with fork. And they got independence they got free from ethiopia and from ethiopians. Nowadays they are front-liners all over ethiopians websites to comment on ethiopians issue.
N.B:አርትራውያን,ይህ የኢትዮጵያውያን ዌብ ሳይት ነው ,ምናልባት ይህ ዊብ ሳይት ከ አስመሪኖ ጋር ተምታባቶቹ እንዳይሆን? ያነ ጣልያን ፓስታ ሹካ ማንኪያ ሰጥቶ ተገንጠሉ ሲላቹ ፓስታው የማያልቅ መስሎአቹ ፓስታ መብላት ከማይችል ህዝብ ጋር መኖር አንፈልግም ብላቹ ተገነጠላችሁ . አሁን ጣልያን የሰጣቹ ፓስታ አለቀባችሁና በኢትዮጵያ ዊብ ሳይት እየገባቹ የኢትዮጵያን ህዝብ ለማምታታት,ለመከፋፈል ትሞክራላቹ. አያዋጣችሁም.የሚያዋጣቹ ሃርነት አወጥኣን ብላቹ በክብር አደባባይ የሰቀላችሁትን ሽበጥ ጭኣማ ከተሰቀለበት አውርዳቹ አለምን ሲዞር ምግብ እንዳለቀበትና ጭማውን ቀቅሎ እንደበላው ማጅላን ሽበጥ ጭኣማችሁን ቀቅላቹ መብላት ነው አልያም ማንኪያና ሹካውን መቆርተም አልያም ኢትዮጵያውያን ወዳዘጋጁላቹ የስደተኝኣ ካምፕ ማምራት ነው.
ባንፋንኩሎ
my fellow ethiopians the message or the news here is elias kifle shifting position. he is even allowing ethiopians to speak their mind against his beloved shabia/OLF and their blind followers. but why? what changed???? can we at least get a “hmmm we were wrong”.. ESAT i couldnt agree more!
I am sure the leaderships of opposition forces will applaud the first step that the OLF council took. I hope they will not resonate the hallucination of the maniac who can not see any thing good in ideas or organization different from them. Riff-raffs who feel that they are the only saints that think about Ethiopia and trip only the material resources of the country and fantasize the dissipation of peoples other than their type won’t help the Ethiopian people. They only make the evil TPLF look better in comparison.
The so called “nationalist” Colonel Mengistu thought Eretria and Tigray just as objects; Eritrea as a Port and Tigray as mountains of Chalks. Chalk was not important for him and hence exited Tigray. If he could see beyond chalk and respect the people of Tigray then he would not probably made one of the historical blunders he committed. Ethiopia should be seen in terms of its peoples and the benefits it gives to them. The land and the resources should live for the people not the people for the land. Colonizers primarily look for resources and the peoples of the land are dispensable. This is not the case when we are talking about peoples who are owning the country.
I feel this is a test and other oppositions are expected to react positively. Any step towards united force no matter how small it is must be reinforced from every angle.
Saving Ethiopia means removing the system of ONE MAN dictatorship whose running neurotic cadre dogs scribble the same old divisive JUNKS day and night. These Wayane cadres are payed divisive propagandists disguised in the garb of parochial corner patriots and chest pumping OLD APES, blaming hard working individuals and groups who strive to form legitimate alliances and unities within diversities. That is a bitter pill for the divisive and frightened Wayane soon a matter of history.
Why blame Elias? Did he strategise for centuries or for the last some 20 years and reduced Ethiopia to one of the most wretched and hopeless country surviving on handouts while hanging on a thin rope between life and death.
Blame all those who directly and indirectly contributed to pathetic fate of that country. At least Elias is struggling to sulvage that sinking ship.
I’ve spent some time reading what has been written by numerous contributors some are on offense, some are accusatory and some are welcoming the initiative. I am aligning myself with the welcoming camp with caveat; this is as a result of the interview conducted by “ESAT” to the founding member – once leader – Mr Lencho. He ascertained the fact that the past, present and future struggle that OLF is engaged and engaging is to emancipate from Abyssinian colony and as far as he is concerned the plight of Oromos in “Oromiya Land” is different as compared to other Ethiopian counterparts! Hence this so called alliance that OLF is crying for is a tactical alliance for its age old hell bent dream of freeing the Oromo people and Oromiya land from Abyssinian’s “subjugation”.
I want to highlight the fact that Oromo’s people quest for democracy, good governance, equal treatment in the eye of the law, equal opportunity and wealth distribution, etc would not be any different than the majority of the Ethiopian population! Moreover, the following points are testimony for the Oromo peoples Ethiopians:
* Oromos were/are part and parcel of Ethiopia not only died to defend it but also shaped the past and present Ethiopia
* Oromos constituted the majority of Ethiopian population, hence how the majority seek secession?
* Oromos are widely dispersed within Ethiopia any secessionist agenda would result in untold conflict and bloodshed
* The sizeable ethnics/tribes who have lived side by side and within the so called Oromiya Land and its implication……
*The ironical claim of pure Oromo – as many of prominent leaders intermarry from other Ethiopian tribes, what would be the fate of their children? And the fate of mixed heritage?
*What constitute being Oromo? Being born in the region? Or myriad of related issues!!!!
*etc
Therefore, the alliance agenda should be entertained under Ethiopian context i.e. prior the resumption of the alliance and commencement of the struggle against EPDRF and Post EPDRF, too. Any existing historical differences need to be ironed out NOW so as to have a lasting peaceful solution that this alliance aspires to achieve.
Mr. Lisan,
That is an accurate comment and I hope it will instill some sense in these useless intellectuals hudled up around this debunked joint.
I will give you my own family experience. I am an Oromo on both sides. My family has a living style and culture as pastoralist and settled farmers. One of my closest cousins fell in love with a daughter of an Amhara farmer and she ‘accidently’ became pregnant. There was more an uproar on my family side than the poor Amhara family. But my father and his brothers intervened and arranged he marriage. And they were married without much fanfare. They still live together in a predominant Oromo countryside community. Mind you this happened between a girl of an Orthodox Christian faith and a boy of Muslim heritage. This is one of millions of example of the blend of ethnicity between the Oromo and Amhara ethnic groups.
I had supported OLF in its effort to bring freedom to all people in the Oromiya region. But when I asked question about what they call ‘Amhara way of thinking’ I usually get a disparaging and often a frightening answer. ‘To get rid of Amhara way thinking’ has far-reaching and unwanted consequences. It will start with physical elimination of all those thought or suspected of having such ‘demonic affliction’. When I asked the question ‘what about those people who do not meet the requirement of being an ‘Oromo’, I used to get this chilling answer – ‘There are millions of genuine Oromo people who were brutally displaced by the Amhara colonizers and we will need the space to resettle our own people’. This is not an Oromo outfit. It is an outfit concocted up by sugar-drunk missionary deacons. Can you imagine the resistance and bloodshed that will follow if these mooncalves who are camping out in Minnesota ‘succeed’? I know what they will do. They will cut loose and run because my Oromo people will turn against these miscreants.
The raw and cruel domination by a small group of an Amhara clan was over 35 years ago more so in that last 20 years. The freedom my people denied is no radically different from what the Amhara or Afar, Somali, Sidamo,Tigray or any other people deprive of. Narrow nationalism is wrong and destructive. And look what these ‘OLF’ elements roar about the invitation given to the leader of Ginbot 7 to speak at an ‘Oromo’ intellectuals gathering recently. What is that? Can you for a minute try to picture a situation in Hararghe, Shoa, Wollega, Illu Aba Bora, Jimma, Arsi etc… if these madly narrow nationalist come to power? Can you? Utter bloodshed. I wish and hope that someone will keep pouring money n the coffers of these leftovers so they will keep munching on their sugar-loaded key-lime pies in St. Paul. That will take care of them. Sooner or later they keeping dying of diabetes and other complications. I know some of them and may have already contracted the disease by just looking how they change physically with beer guts and couple of hotdogs on their nape.
Ituu Abbaa Fardaa;
Be yourself. It is not a crime to be day time dreamer Neftenya. It id a God given typical Habesha culture. “Lisan” and “Itu Abba Farda” is the same person writing by a different name.
You are just a cunning foe, who is fighting against the Oromo cause, being camouflaged as Oromo, trying to do Habeshas(true Ethiopians) planned damage. After all you are one of our enemies, we will just keep fighting against your destructive venomes, and no necessity of discussion with you.
FYI: the missionary deacons are much better than the begger ‘Debteras’ who cam from the Gedam of Gojam, Gondar and Menz. Leave alone the oromo intelectual, the Oromo peasants are far better than the Habesha ‘scientists, professors, Drs, etc…,’
Last but not least, it is better to die from complication of diabetes than dying from “Leprosy”, a disease common to the lunatic Amharas.
Mr. Elias,
I thank you profusely for letting this smelly mad dog’s comment above ride on your website. I am very proud of you, brother. That really exposes even more of what I am saying about these stinky narrow nationalists. I never thought they will go as far low as that calling the entire ethnic group such a name. I am telling you these losers up there in Minneapolis will go as far as committing a crime against humanity never seen before in Africa and even may be in the world. That is if they someone let them borrow the courage to go back. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!
If I see you around my pastoralists’ neck of woods, I will take where they are and will offer you our milk. Right on brother!!!!
After this, since he really exposed himself to everyone, I will not respond to him directly. He has lost his senses for good. See what too much sugar does it to you?
Dear Vuvuzela,
I will address you and communicate with utmost Ethiopian ethicate and refrain myself from unwanted slander and mudslinging. As the topic we are entertaining here in this forum much bigger and will determine the fate of our country whether to continue as we knew or know it now! Hence it is counter intuitive to dwell on personal matter, I would not mind discussing or contributing on the subject/topic under discussion than pocking fun on one another. Dear Vuvuzela, it is high time we should rise up for the challenge, which would ultimately put our country and people on the cross road of history, and it worth discussing this paramount issue in a sane mind and in civilized manner. Hope you are contributing accordingly and I am willing to discuss, Thanks!
PS: “Lisan” and “Ittu Aba Farda” are not the same person!
Dear Ato Lissan:
May Allah Bless You and Your Family!!! I hope and pray that they will heed your advice because they are done with people like me of proud Oromo heritage and at the same time who consider themselves proud Ethiopians. The problem facing the Oromo and entire population of Ethiopia will not be solved by what was and is written in the books by foreign travelers and missionaries. They had/have their observations and we have our own living experiences which we shared together for centuries. Believe me I was also one of their supporters with all the means I had. My hope was that they will rectify some of the narrow nationalist affliction over time but to no avail. Just look how he has the nerve to declare all Amhara sisters and brothers lepers when he knows very well that there are thousands of my Oromo sisters and brothers afflicted with the same scourge. How dare he? I will pay for his plane ticket to Bisidimo, Chiro, Dire Dawa so he can see himself. Thank Allah people like him are in the very minority. Good Luck Brother!!!
Ittu Abba Farda;
Many of my responses to you (Ittu Abba Farda “or” Lisan) has not been posted. Mr. Elias has fulfilled your appeal/desire. This would be my last attempt in response to your last comment.
1)Pretending to be an Oromo and even a previous “supporter of OLF”. KKKK… No neftenya has ever supported OLF.
2)You cannot force the Oromo people to be an “Ethiopian”. As you have chosen what you wanted to be, others have the right to decide their fate. As you know very well, Ethiopianism is a fake nationality impossed on Oromos and other Southern nationalities by force. It is more of a joke when you call Ogaden Somalis “Ethiopian”. Don’t be blinded by the previous or current map of ‘Ethiopia’.
3) Why don’t you comment on the ‘Ethiopian History’ written by the Debteras(Aleqa Taye and the likes). If this was a true history for you, I am really sorry for you, you need help.
4) As to Leprosy, you can verify with Ministry of Health of the ‘Empire’ where the disease is prevalent and that the Amharas are the most affected. From your comment I understood that you are a true Neftenya who was grown up in Hararghe. Since I am an Oromo from Eastern Oromia(I am afraid that you might start getting your migraine headache when you hear the word OROMIA) and know all these places you mentioned, you don’t have to spend a penny for my transport. I know that my people living in this area were unfortunately affected by the disease after the disease was spread to them from the Settlers(neftenyas). You should know better than this as you belong to this group. The sad part is that lately the original people, we the Oromos, are more affected than the Settler neftenyas due to lack of access to the healthcare. The local and indigeneous people, Oromos, are deprived of political power and economic gain until today to overcome this exported ailment from Abyssinia. Don’t you think that your forefathers are responsible for this?
No. 4 was the main reason for my last attempt. Hopefully it will get a green light from Mr. Elias.
Dear Vuvuzela,
You dare to segregate and treat them as two different entities by their own rights i.e. the “Ethiopian People & Ethiopia” and “Oromo people and oromyia Land”. However, this is tantamount to myopic examination of our shared and intertwined history for no so good ulterior motive! Moreover, you hadn’t backed any of your claims except dwelling on rhetoric, used and abused claims with no tangible evidence.
Dear Vuvuzela , let me reinforce what I had claimed in my previous writing with anecdotal evidence from our history, please feast your eyes to the following:
•Oromos were part of the Ethiopian nobility : ethnically mixed Oromos and those with full Oromo descent held high leadership positions in Ethiopia; counter example IYASU V and Haile Selassie I
•Oromo’s Yejju Dynasty, which later led to 17th century Oromo rule of Gondar, changing the language of the court from Amharic to Affaan Oromo.
•Famous leader of Ethiopia with Oromo descent was Ras Makonnen Woldemikael Gudessa, the governor of Harar who served as the top general in the First Italo–Ethiopian War, playing a key role at the Battle of Adwa. He is the father of Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie I.
•Ras Ali II of Yejju, Enderase or Regent of the Ethiopian Emperor during the reigns of Sahle Dengel and Yohannes III, who was also his step-father. Driven from power by Emperor Tewodros II, Father of Empress Tirunesh Ali, first consort of Emperor Tewodros II.
•Empress Menen Liben Amede, wife of Emperor Yohannes III, and mother of the Enderase Ras Ali II of Yejju by an earlier marriage. She was a significant political and military figure in her own right.
•Empress Wubit of Yejju (also known as Welete Bersabe) wife of Emperor IYASU II and mother of Emperor IYOAS I rival of her mother-in-law Empress Mentewab with whom she struggled for power during the reign of her son Iyoas.
•Dejazmach Ali AbaJiffar- leader of Wollo Oromo, maternal-side Grandfather of Haile Selassie I
•Dejazmach Balcha Safo (also known as “Balcha Abba Nefso” ) Nobleman and leading military and conservative political figure during the reigns of Emperor Menelik II, Empress Zewditu and Emperor Haile Selassie veteran of the Battle of Adwa (1896) and a resistance leader against the Fascist occupation of Ethiopia (1936–1941).
•Dejazmach Gebre Igziabiher Moreda (born Kumsa Moreda) Last King of the Oromo Kingdom of Leqa Lekempt, Dejazmatch under Menelik.
•Dejazmach Kassa Wolde Mariam Heir to the Oromo Kingdom of Leqa Qallam, grandson-in-law of Emperor Haile Selassie I, served as senior secretary to the Emperor, President of Haile Selassie I University, and governor-general of Wellega.
•Dejazmach Fikre Selassie Habte Mariam Heir to the Oromo Kingdom of Leqa Lekempt, grandson of Dejazmach Gebre Igziabiher Moreda, grandson-in-law of Emperor Haile Selassie I, and son-in-law of Emperor in Exile Amha Selassie I, governor-general of Wellega.
•Ras Makonnen – Father of Haile Selassie I, Abegaz(commander in Chief) of the Battle of Amba Alage(December 7, 1895), Commanding General of the 1st Battle of Mekelle, Commander of the Armies of Harer at Battle of Adwa, and cousin of Emperor Menelik II
•Brigadier-General Mengistu Neway and Germame
•High ranking military officers in the Imperial era:
*Lt. General Abebe Gemeda ( Commander of Imperial Bodyguard)
*Maj. General Mulugeta Bulli ( Chief of Staff of the Imperial Armed Force…among aother posts)
*Lt. General Assesfa Demisse ( Head of protocol to the Emperor)
Lt General Teshome Ergetu ( Division Commander)
*Lt. General Jagama Kello (Division Commander)
*Maj. General Degneh Gugsa ( division commander)
*Maj. General Abera W/mariam (Commander of the Air Force)
*Maj. General Kelbesa Beka ( Commander of police in Sidamo)
*Maj. General Wakjira Sarda ( Senior Staff, Minister of defence , division commander)
*etc
•Patriot Colonel Abdissa Aga
•High ranking military officers in the Derue’s era :
*General Tefre Banti
*Maj. General Demisse Bultto
*Maj. General Regassa Jimma
*Brig. General Lemesa Bedase
*Lt . General Tesfaye G/Kidan
*Maj. General Merid Negussie
*Brig. General Gerbre KIrstos Bulli
*Maj. General Hailu G/Michael
*Maj. General Asrat Biru
*Maj. General Wubshet Dessie
*Maj . General Bedlu Duki
*Maj. General Merdasa Lelisa
*Maj. General Abera Abebe
N.B:- This is not a complete by any strech of imagination, it is my lay man contribution ….for illustration purpose!!
Dear Lisan:
You could name millions including the current OPDOs. However, as long as they served and keep serving the colonizers, it doesn’t mean anything for Oromos. We are still lving under a colony. Everything what you see today is imposed on us. What we are saying today is, the right to continue living within current ‘Ethiopia’ or forming our independent state should be left to us without any precondition. Means thru true referendum. You can’t keep the people together by forse as it existed for the pasat 120+ years. Please don’t tell me the 300 years anecdote/drama.
Dear Brother Lissan,
Alhamdulillah!!!!! Tell him brother! Tell him!!!! How about adding these gallant genuine freedom fighters to your list:
1) Wodajo Gurmu
2) Brothers W.M. and G.M. Gurji
3) Guzmu Degefa
4) Gurbi Bulto and his wife
5) Geleta Koricho
6) Abdul Wahab Yuya
7) The great Garasu Dukhi
8) So many others in Western Hararghe region who sympathized with freedom fighters during the dark days of Fascist Italian occupation.
These are some of the best products of my Oromo heritage who fought the Italians violently or passively. Sugar-drunk narrow nationalists like this creature we are dealing with now don’t know this. As you can see he has de-Oromotized me already. I understand now that losers like him have launched a witch hunt to locate where this ‘Ittu Aba Farda’ is when I am right there under their nose. I also heard that they will try to approach this website if it is possible to trace my comments. I know what Brother Elias will do. He will spit in their face. I wish I see this loser around my village where my Ittu clan still lives just behind a well know mountain in Western Hararghe. They may have a use for their bullwhip that hasn’t been used for a while – to straighten his wise behind up. I still cannot believe what he saying about this leprosy kaka mania. Dear my Amhara Brothers and Sisters!!! This is not how 99.9% of my Oromo people think of you. We love and respect you as long as you do the same. After all isn’t what we all have been doing for centuries. This creature and his cohorts are losers who are despised by everyone in Oromia.
Brother Lissan!!!! Right On Brother !!!
Lisan
what does teferi or mekonnen means in afan oromo. in other word why do 90% of those you listed have typical amara name if they were the maker and shaker of those times. i see the point you are trying to make but the method you are using makes no sense. the oromos were made not to be proud of their ethnic background which includes their language and culture and the evidence is found in the very list you provided us. but the solution is not to destroy every thing by secession, it is by acknowledging the fact and correcting it.and i genuinely believe we have come a long way for the last 30-40 years in that respect and this is what people like you, me and vuvuzela should do.
yeshitila.
Ittu;;
Don’t go around the bush. You still think as your first settler ancestors. You will never change. Keep listing your servants. Now you list them as a heroes since they helped you keep the Empire intact until 1991. This time your are much better than Woyane. Woyane won the election by 99.6%, and you know the heart and mind of 99.9% Oromos. “Lam balwalebet kubet leqema”. I wish if you would have known 0.1% of Oromo’s scar and continued fresh wound. If you have a sense of humanity, you would have also listed some Oromos who have suffered and perished in your ancestors (in your case, your owners) prison.
Your day and night cry is about the land, and you never care about the people. Briefly, the following is all you want: one country, one language, and one religion.
“UNITARISTS do demonize the right of nations to self-administration and to self-determination as something “goosa or ethnic politics”. They still dream to bring back the old Ethiopia in which all nations will be assimilated to Amharic speakers. To them, it is “something natural” to claim Amharic to be a national language of Ethiopia and all other languages to be subordinates. Thinking otherwise, to make Oromic a national language and to demote Amharic to a regional language is, for them, like committing a crime. They, of course, still tell us the “nationalities will have the right to develop their right.” For unitarists, allowing certain songs of different languages in their Amharic-dominated media is enough. That is why they still work in Amharic and allow few Oromic songs to be transmitted in their media. They never dare to work in Oromic”.
Finally, please don’t try to act as someone who has a gut. The Neftenyas have a good mouth with sharp long tongue but without a single tooth
Dear re-Lisan,
The listing that I’ve provided in the previous writing is to illustrate that the Oromo people were the mover and the shaker; they were part of the top echelon and royalty. This attests to the contrary of the claims that Oromo people were marginalised and never ascend to helm of power.
Nonetheless, I do appreciate the civility you have shown in your writing and promotion of positive engagement to find a lasting and workable solution not only to Oromo people but also to other constituting small and big tribes and clans that makes the present day Ethiopia. This can be ascertaining with true representation, genuine federalism (which is quite different than that of EPDRF’s one that is installed for its “divide and rule policy and weakened Ethiopia”), regional autonomy (aspects of: self–governing, legislation, economical, educational, cultural, language, etc…), with common defence policy and macro-economy that can be applied nationwide, etc.
Personally, the way how I see that we reach our “Nirvana” moment is through genuine round table dialogue of all stake holders in spite of either their size of the population or the area they have settled in.
Dear Lissan,
This Vuvuzela creature is not only prejudice but also looks wickedly dangerous. Thank God he is toothless. I asked him to show up around my village in Western Hararghe anywhere between Mullu and Arba. We got our bullwhip ready to work on him. For now just ignore him.
Ittu;
Western Hararghe! That is my land too, it doesn’t belong to you. Most likely your grandfather settled there after invasion. BTW I am from Gaara Mul’ata, and I know in and outs of the area including Gobelle. We can visit each other at your convenience and preference. I could come any where you want Neftenya son.
Finally, I just want to let you know that we Oromos will keep fighting the Abyssinian colonization. No matter how long it takes, ultimately we will acheive our goal. BILISUMMAA OROMIYAA.
There is no doubt that librated Oromos (along with other groups) should determine the future of Ethiopia. However, for its very nature, the current OLF cannot and will not solve the problem we have in our country with its failed strategy, policy and agenda. OLF, please wake up and save Ethiopia and Oromos together.
Say, Ettopiiyaan Nibilisomtii!!
Above all we are all ETHIOPIANS….United we stand, divided we fail.