Mereja Forum

[OPFist]

The Third Generation Oromo Nationalists!

We have observed that Oromo nationalists are evolving in the last 50 years from 1st generation having mono-goal through 2nd generation with dual goal to the current 3rd generation entertaining triple goal. Common for all of them and fact on the ground is that whoever fights against the system of domination in Ethiopia serves Oromo’s struggle for freedom and works for realisation of one of the following three sovereignty after freedom:

– realisation of independent Gadaa republic of Oromia as planned by the OLF

– achievement of federal democratic Union as strived by OFC

– transformation to integrated Gadaa democratic Ethiopia (de facto Great Oromia) as visualized by Meison.

Democratic Ethiopia is de-facto Great Oromia; thus any struggle towards democratization of the country is tantamount to transformation of Ethiopia to Oromia, be it in a form of federal union opted by the multi-national federalists (ethno-federalists) or as integrative state planned by the multi-regional federalists (geo-federalists)!

All the three post-freedom types of sovereignty are beneficial for Oromo people. Thus, we support the three camps of freedom fighters (pro-independence, pro federalism and pro-integration), who are still struggling for freedom (Bilisummaa) from Biltsigina and sovereignty (Walabummaa) after demise of Biltsigina!

Based on their approach towards the above mentioned three goals, there are three generations of Oromo nationalists:

– 1st generation of 1960s, who picked up one of the three goals and vehemently rejected the other two. For example, Meison of Halle Fida chose integrated Ethiopia, Ichat of Baro Tumsa prefered federal Union and OLF of Galaasa Dilbo opted for independent Oromia.

2nd generation of 1990s, who regarded two of the three and excluded one. For instance, ONC of Dr. Merera accepted referendum on integrated Ethiopia vs federal union, but disregarded independent Oromia (we can call this Ethio-referendum), whereas OLF of Ob Daud excluded integrated Ethiopia and advocated referendum on federal union vs independent Oromia (we can state this as Ethno-referendum).

3rd generation of 2020s, who are inclusive to accept both referenda on integrated Ethiopia vs federal union vs independent Oromia (we can name it Dual-referendum). Some Oromo nationalists now belong here and believe that there is no disadevantage for the Oromo as long as we make no compromise on our AAA (Aadaa/culture, Afaan/language and Aangoo/power) in Finfinne palace and the whole country. Will the rest of Oromo individuals, organizations and institutions start to entertain this purely democratic and inclusive approach of the third generation? May Waaqa help all Oromo nationalists get such attitude!
Read more: https://fayyisoromia.wordpress.com/cate ... ed/page/2/

[OPFist]

Dr. Leenco Lataa recently explained why Amhara unitarists (who want a backward move to an Amharanized unitary Ethiopia) and Oromo independists (who wish to realise an independent republic of Oromia) are ideologically similar. He said both of them want a [deleted] country. Their difference is that Amhara elites strive for an upward [deleted] of the whole Ethiopia with Amharanet identity and Oromo elites want a downward [deleted] of only Oromo region (Gadaa Oromia) with Oromummaa identity. But he seems to neglect the possibility of Oromo’s upward [deleted] and the future reality of Amhara’s downward [deleted]. Fact on the ground is that Ethiopia with Afaan Oromo as primary federal working language shall be transformed to Great Oromia, slowly but surely. This process will be non stoppable. In his recent repeated interviews, Dr. Leenco Lataa suggested the importance of Oromo consensus on one of these already known two Oromo goals: Gadaa democratic Ethiopia of OFC (upward [deleted]) or Gadaa republic Oromia of OLF (downward [deleted]). Then, all Oromo elites can join in unison having common voice the planned national dialogue in Ethiopia. Can Oromo elites reach at this consensus or should they leave it open for the post freedom referendum on the two types of sovereignty. As far as I am concerned, consensus on Gadaa democratic Ethiopia (upward [deleted]) would have been better than opting for Gadaa republic Oromia (downward [deleted]). Democratized Ethiopia with adopted modern Gadaa system and having Afaan Oromo as primary working language of the federation will be de facto Great Oromia, which is definately bigger than Gadaa Oromia. I hope that all Oromo elites will follow the noble call and cause of Dr. Leenco.

[OPFist]

I have tried in my hitherto opinions to contribute my share for the possible promotion of the Oromo national liberation movement. I did it just as an obligation, which I took without any external influence, be it in a form of individual, organization or institution. I am now happy by observing the start of consolidation and process of strengthening the camp of Oromo liberation by means of the current Oromo movement towards unity for freedom and sovereignty. I think now we had enough opinions and theories which we require, but still we lack practice and pragmatism of implementing the ideas we do have into action. I just would like to wish us all that Waaqa help us live our dreams in practice.

[OPFist]

The title I want to discuss here seems to be not yet optimally clear among our polity. Once, I heard one good interview regarding the ongoing discussion among factions of our liberation front on the possible future reunification. That inspired me to write this short opinion. According to the interviewer, the discussion is still going on and this news is very encouraging to the Oromo, who are longing for a strong and viable OLF. One of the comments I heard from his interview is that there was and there is still “difference of goals” among the polity. The question we need to ask: is there really any difference of goal or we do only have lack of clarity in comprehending Oromo’s objective? We can have different opinions regarding our history, because we used to hear and read different versions, but we need to agree on the liberation journey to our destiny.

[OPFist]

In my opinions, for the last many years, I tried to write on this and I did my best to clarify it in different ways. I used to write that our common goal is freedom of the Oromo and sovereignty of Oromia, union of independent nations, sovereign state of the Oromo in a United States of Africa, liberty for referendum, kilil-federation/Oromo state’s autonomy as a mid-goal for Oromo state’s independence – the core goal, Oromo’s self-determination etc. Is this not clear? Am I not with clear mind regarding our destiny? Are Oromo elites, who talk about these different concepts with clear mind for the common goal? I am here just try to explain again what I already wrote regarding these concepts, and I hope this can be helpful for those still debating and discussing on our “differences in objective

[OPFist]

At the moment, there are four political groups in which Oromo polity is active:

– in ruling party OPP, who tells us that we have already achieved our goal of liberation.
– in parties like Ezema, which disregards existence of Oromia, but struggles for freedom and democracy in Ethiopia – considering Oromo as part and parcel of this greater state.
– in Oromo federalist parties like OFC, struggling for Oromia’s autonomy in Ethiopian context.
– in Oromo liberation fronts like the OLF, fighting for Oromia’s independence within or without union of free peoples based on self-determination of nations per referendum

[OPFist]

Looking at goals of the above four groups, we should be clear that genuine Oromo in OPP can keep the status quo from setbacks, which might happen by the untiredly efforts of both the 20th-century Amhara Nefxenyya and the 21st-century Tigrai Nefxenya. Oromo polity in Ezema seem to struggle for freedom and democracy, Ezema being moderate on existence of Oromia, even though it doesn’t support it. So, if it is successful, the probability of fostering true kilil-federation/Oromia’s autonomy is not bad. I hope in due time Oromo individuals in Ezrma will stop their “madness” of attempting to dismantle Oromia with the pre-text of geography-based-federation in contrary to language-based-federation, which is supported by Oromo majority. This is the reason why I do see that our liberation journey as having different stations (stops) on a way to our final goal. From the status quo, first we can move to OFC’s position and then move on to the END. Self-determination by itself is a process of liberation movement from the status quo till having public liberty for referendum with two possible outcomes: national ( Oromia’s) independence within regional (Ethiopian) union or national independence without a union. Debating and discussing on these two outcomes now is not as such productive for the timing is wrong. We can debate on them after we do achieve liberty and be in a position to exercise referendum.

[OPFist]

Regarding past move of the Oromo for unity, the step once taken by OLA (the Oromo Liberation Army) of the southern zone to promote the reunification of OLF was very encouraging and the response of the three factions given in supporting this move was also very commendable. I hope, despite the hard work of our enemies to hinder this move, we will see reunited and strong liberation front in the future. After having clear liberation journey with common goal and its stations in mind and after forming a viable unity of Oromo liberation camp, we can easily look at further strategical coalitions with liberation fronts of other oppressed nations and tactical alliance with democratic forces in the empire against the two Nefxenyas, who do sometimes fight each other only for position of domination, but not for liberation of the oppressed nations.

[OPFist]

Unfortunately, the attempt of Oromia’s decolonization by armed struggle as a means to our end is as difficult as the other means (Ethiopian democratization). That is why our political leaders need to be farsighted and wise to forge an efficient tactic and strategy in combining both means to lead us to our goal. They need to be sophisticated instead of only telling “a spade is spade” like it is in Chimpanzee politics of directness. Thanks to our hitherto heroes who paid everything to start the struggle from scratch and lead us to the victories we earned till now, I personally think our victory up to now is not so little as Biltsigina cadres and some misguided “naive” Oromo try to tell us day and night just to denounce our hitherto leaders and to discourage us by labeling our people as “nation of failure”. The Oromo are nation of many merits and values, people who achieved what we do have now under the following very difficult and dire situations: an enemy armored by the West to its teeth, no sanctuary in neighboring countries, almost all Western countries working with our subjugators against us, and even Oromia is not a good sanctuary for our freedom fighters, etc. Some people like the journalist of Gadaa-Tv, who are concentrating only on the hitherto “mistakes, failures and faults” of our leaders are parts of either a very destructive propaganda done by our “smart” foes or parts of a damaging journalism exercised by “misguided” Oromo friends. Most of such people who do magnify our hitherto “weaknesses” in different media outlets are actually not friends of Oromo liberation struggle, but they are the ones who want to attack our courage and determination for a future liberation move.

[OPFist]

So, based on these facts, my recommendation for the future move is to further strengthen unity of Oromo parties, coalition of oppressed nations and alliance of all pro-freedom and pro-democracy forces against the move of the two anti-democracy Nefxenya groups. Having clear mind of our Oromo polity on a clear Oromo goal is very mandatory to lead us to our desired destiny. Goal of the two Nefxenyas is crystal clear, according to them, Oromia belongs to them. Let’s imagine as if British elites and French elites do claim Berlin of Germany as their own seat of governance and say the whole Germany belongs to them. Is this not absurd and madness? Unfortunately, their Western friends also try to look at Oromo as an “ethnic”, whereas German is a “nation.” Can any one explain to us why European nations should be called as such and African big nations, such as the Oromo, are called ethnic/tribal groups? Here is what Oromo writer Obbo Labsa Shaggar once wrote in response to the article written by an Ethiopianist elite Mesay Kebede, who was opposing right of Oromo nation to self-determination:

“… Jumping from one invalid argument to another, Messay suggests “to reject the usage of the terms ‘nations and nationalities’” and recommends, instead, the usage of ‘ethnic groups.” Here again, Messay reveals his detachment from realities, lack of intellectual integrity and breadth of thought, and a concern for public issues. The terms Messay wants to discard away at his will and whim carry meanings. More than literally meanings, they have extensive political, sociological and anthropological concepts. In contravention with these scientific concepts, the Amhara elites (including Messay) have for long been scornfully labeling the terms “nation, nationality and ethnie” (to use the French term) as “gossa,” which is the equivalent of “tribe and/or clan.” Now, Messay and his likes want to ban the usage of the terms nations and nationalities and replace them with ethnic groups. The intention behind this is clear: demeaning the concepts attached to the terms and belittling them to the lowest forms of human developmental stages. In so doing, the Amhara élites emulate white colonialists, who used to describe political malfunctions in Africa as “tribal” problems to assert the lesser evolution, development and humanity of Africans; to portray the picture of people without culture, and without history in order to justify colonialism. As that was racist and ahistorical, so is the attempt of Messay to reduce nations to ethnic groups …”

[OPFist]

Last but not least, nowadays, we do hear and read different news confirming the move of the two Nefxenyas in attempt to reverse hitherto victories of Oromo struggle. They complain about “why should we build a wall of division, whereas Germans dismantle such wall”? They do not want to seek the right comparison. Actually, the division of Germans is like a division of Gojjam and Gondar. A division between Abyssinia and Oromia is like division between France and Germany. I know that they can not or will not comprehend this. The other news is about the plan of EPRDF member parties planning to merge in the future so that there will be no “formal Oromo OPDO” in the future. That means all children of the two Nefxenyas can rule over the Oromo and Oromia (more than they do now) as far as they can speak Afaan Oromo. Who knows the working language of Oromia may also be changed to Amharinya. The last is, which came out in the Reporter website, telling us that again Oromo elites would have said: “Oromo parties and people don’t support secession of Oromia.” Actually, the word secession is used by Woyane just to discredit the question of Oromo nation for liberation. But no one with sound mind can tell us now that Oromo people do not want liberation, be it in a form of Oromia’s autonomy or independence within or without union of free nations in the region based on self-determination per referendum. I think Oromo’s common goal of freedom and the three pre-freedom routs (rebel way of the OLF, opposition way of OFC and regime way of OPP) as well as the three post-freedom types of Oromia’s souvereignt (independent Gadaa Oromia, Federal Union Oromia i.e language based Ethiopian federation and integrative Great Oromia – geography based Ethiopian federation) are very clear, and need only to be entertained by clear mind of Oromo polity. May Waaqa help us!