Mereja Forum

[OPFist]

Freedom of Oromo is Coming After Bitter Struggle Against 3 Feudal (Menelik, Zewuditu, H/Silassie) and 3 Fascist (Mengistu, Meles, Abiy) Regimes!

The Oromo as a nation is in liberation struggle in the last about 150 years. We successfully defeated the three feudal regimes mentioned in the topic and the two brutal fascist regimes of Mengistu and Meles, but lost again and again because of self-sabotage committed by mentaly enslaved Oromo elites. Now, we are confronted with the very deceptive and subtle Oromo fascist regime of Abiy Ahmed, which explicitly claim to be pro-Oromo, but implicitly and in reality against the Oromo and Oromummaa. Because of its formal Oromo outer cover, Oromo nationalists could not oppose it in unison. We are devided in two camps (ani-Abiy and pro-Abiy). Actually Abiy’s regime is the continuation of the other two anti Oromo fascist regimes. He betrayed the Oromo struggle and now he is dedicated to keep the existing Amharanet domination at the cost of Oromumma’s legitimate leadership. Thus, we call his regime as neo- Naftagna masked with Oromo face, almost similar to Mengistu’s Derg.
Read more: https://fayyisoromia.wordpress.com/2017 ... freedom-2/

[AbebeB]

Freedom of Oromo is Coming After Bitter Struggle Against 3 Feudal (Menelik, Zewuditu, H/Silassie) and 3 Fascist (Mengistu, Meles, Abiy) Regimes!

The Oromo as a nation is in liberation struggle in the last about 150 years. We successfully defeated the three feudal regimes mentioned in the topic and the two brutal fascist regimes of Mengistu and Meles, but lost again and again because of self-sabotage committed by mentaly enslaved Oromo elites. Now, we are confronted with the very deceptive and subtle Oromo fascist regime of Abiy Ahmed, which explicitly claim to be pro-Oromo, but implicitly and in reality against the Oromo and Oromummaa. Because of its formal Oromo outer cover, Oromo nationalists could not oppose it in unison. We are devided in two camps (ani-Abiy and pro-Abiy). Actually Abiy’s regime is the continuation of the other two anti Oromo fascist regimes. He betrayed the Oromo struggle and now he is dedicated to keep the existing Amharanet domination at the cost of Oromumma’s legitimate leadership. Thus, we call his regime as neo- Naftagna masked with Oromo face, almost similar to Mengistu’s Derg.
Read more: https://fayyisoromia.wordpress.com/2017 ... freedom-2/

OPFist,
Can you mention single re-known Oromo elite or political party with proven history of struggle for Oromo liberation from subjugation and yet supporting Col. Abyi lead Amhara regime? Or is it unnoticed spit of your venom to say we are divide? Who are you non-Oromo guys divided?

[OPFist]

The two demonstrations in Washington DC few months ago are the critical signs of irreconcialibility between Amharanet/Naftagnanet now supporting the government of EPP (Dr. Abiy) and Oromummaa/Netsanet opposing the EPP. The struggle now is between these two blocs. That is why Oromo activists yet need to be in a mode of fighting against alien oppressive forces. The phase of struggle for freedom/bilisummaa is not yet over. Still we are in a phase, where we have hinderance from excercising our sovereignty/walabumma to implement our programs. The main force standing against us to inhibit our move is the ruling party – the EPP. The EPP being supported by Naftagna forces is against Oromo’s freedom and sovereignty. It’s leaders are very cautious not to offend their Habesha partners. Thus, what Oromo activists now should do is to push for our freedom and sovereignty by pressuring the EPP, of course also using the effective methods of fighting against the Naftagna forces.

[AbebeB]

The two demonstrations in Washington DC few months ago are the critical signs of irreconcialibility between Amharanet/Naftagnanet now supporting the government of EPP (Dr. Abiy) and Oromummaa/Netsanet opposing the EPP. The struggle now is between these two blocs. That is why Oromo activists yet need to be in a mode of fighting against alien oppressive forces. The phase of struggle for freedom/bilisummaa is not yet over. Still we are in a phase, where we have hinderance from excercising our sovereignty/walabumma to implement our programs. The main force standing against us to inhibit our move is the ruling party – the EPP. The EPP being supported by Naftagna forces is against Oromo’s freedom and sovereignty. It’s leaders are very cautious not to offend their Habesha partners. Thus, what Oromo activists now should do is to push for our freedom and sovereignty by pressuring the EPP, of course also using the effective methods of fighting against the Naftagna forces.

OPFist
Is it part of your hit and run dogma or what is the need of posting this fact obvious even to non-politician layman?
Is your name implying hyphenated OPDO?

[OPFist]

A lot has been said and written about the importance of Oromo unity in order to achieve our objective – freedom of the Oromo and sovereignty of Oromia. Just for understanding of what we are talking here, let me first put an operational definition of the two important terms (unity and freedom). Unity is defined as the state of being undivided or unbroken completeness or totality with nothing wanting. It is the smallest whole numeral representation. It has the quality of being united into one. Unity can denote combining of all the parts, elements and individuals into an effective whole. It is applicable to people and objects forming whole notions of any concept. It implies oneness when there is certain division. Freedom may refer to either liberty, the condition in which an individual or a collective has the ability to act according to his/her or their own will, such as liberty of Oromo people or it may show freeing of a place from a tyrannic regime, e.g. liberation of Ethiopia from EPP’s tyranny.

[OPFist]

According to the hitherto known history of the Oromo, it was unity under the democratic Gadaa rule which helped Oromo people to defend ourselves from all possible invasions till the mid-nineteenth century. It was due to loss of this unity due to the tendency of some Oromo groups in the north, central and west parts of Oromia to accept monarchy as the way of administration replacing Gadaa. As an example, we can just look at Yejjuu Oromo dynasty, which even could rule over Abyssinia from mid-sixteenth century to mid-nineteenth century. The brutal move of king Theodros of Abyssinia, being supported by the British empire, was the beginning of Oromo’s loss of power and our territory to Abyssinia. Then, slowly, the whole Oromia was occupied by king Minilik of Abyssinia, since then, the Oromo have been calling for unity against the occupation.

[AbebeB]

According to the hitherto known history of the Oromo, it was unity under the democratic Gadaa rule which helped Oromo people to defend ourselves from all possible invasions till the mid-nineteenth century. It was due to loss of this unity due to the tendency of some Oromo groups in the north, central and west parts of Oromia to accept monarchy as the way of administration replacing Gadaa. As an example, we can just look at Yejjuu Oromo dynasty, which even could rule over Abyssinia from mid-sixteenth century to mid-nineteenth century. The brutal move of king Theodros of Abyssinia, being supported by the British empire, was the beginning of Oromo’s loss of power and our territory to Abyssinia. Then, slowly, the whole Oromia was occupied by king Minilik of Abyssinia, since then, the Oromo have been calling for unity against the occupation.

• In principle, unity with who is what you need to answer first. Because the choice from the available alternatives matter, i.e., depending on the candidates for the envisage unity otherwise liberty.

• Anyways, I respond with Big No in the to your piece above. Instead, the Oromo nation might choose to follow unity in all the essentials, liberty in non-essentials. The lists can be kept on and on but I mention few.

• Sovereign Oromia with its capital at Finfinnee and Afaan Oromo as constitutional working language at all levels of public institutions sovereign country Oromo lives in are essentials requiring unity. Religion may not require unity of all Oromos, so it may be considered an area to exercise liberty.

[OPFist]

Regarding the occupation of Oromia by Abyssinia, we do not have to entertain any illusion. It is the same as Ethiopia’s occupation of Somalia in 2007, against which almost all members of international community were. The only difference is the timing: Oromia was occupied at the time of colonial scramble for Africa, the time when international community was not against such occupation. As far as the difference between the current reactions of the Oromo and Somalis against Abyssinian occupation is concerned, let me compare it with the following parable. If we put a frog in a boiling water, it jumps out immediately and saves its life. But, if we put it in a comfortably warm water and boil the water slowly, the frog adapts to the heat so it never jump out, but will die slowly. Similarly, the Oromo are adapted to accept Abyssinian occupation of Oromia for the last about 150 years, whereas Somalis, who are not yet adapted to the occupation, just acted to save their country as the frog did in the first instance.

[OPFist]

To get rid of the occupation, Oromo’s main instrument is unity. Abyssinian ruling elites knew the danger of Oromo’s unity from the very beginning, that is why they divided Oromia into many provinces. They used as well as they are still using it for their divide-and-rule tactic. Specially, now, EPP is using this provincial identity given to us from the conquerors as a very good opportunity to sow a discord among the Oromo, e.g. Wellega vs Arsi, Shoa vs Wellega, Hararge vs Arsi etc. This was what we used to read in forums in the past many years of TPLF rule. TPLF cadres were, and still are, very busy to do this dividing job.

[AbebeB]

Regarding the occupation of Oromia by Abyssinia, we do not have to entertain any illusion. It is the same as Ethiopia’s occupation of Somalia in 2007,... Similarly, the Oromo are adapted to accept Abyssinian occupation of Oromia for the last about 150 years, whereas Somalis, who are not yet adapted to the occupation, just acted to save their country as the frog did in the first instance.

There is no recorded history that Oromo nation willfully accepted Habesha expansion to Biyya Oromo/Oromia. The level of Oromo resistance against the most poor and least developed colonial regime of Habesha might have varied since the occupation.

To liberate Oromia, critically important is OLA, the rest of the mass can only be helpful.

[OPFist]

This continuous effort of our foes to divide the Oromo community and Oromo polity was successful to some extent. For instance, the split of different factions in the OLF since 1978 is one of their impact on our liberation movement. As already recorded, all factions, except General Waaqo’s UOPLF, are the splits from the OLF. This splitting of our vanguard liberation organization into many mini-fronts is the anti-thesis of the needed unity for freedom. Some people try to convince us that the splitting was because of their difference in objective. I personally do not think that it is constructive to talk about “original goal and the new vision”. Actually, all Oromian political groups have no difference of objective, but difference of strategy. Those that struggle for Oromia’s autonomy in the Ethiopian context, such as the OFC, have opted for the mid-goal based on the circumstance they are in. Those that make the rhetoric of self-determination are smart enough to use it in order to persuade international community with the concept it accepted and respected in the international law. Of course, those that tell spade as spade say our objective is freedom of the Oromo and independence of Oromia. Actually, self-determination is process of choice excercised by liberated public to have as an outcome either ‘an autonomy within a union’ or ‘an independence without a union’ per referendum. So, both liberation in the form of Oromia’s autonomy within a union and liberation to exercise referendum are two important stops on the roadmap of our liberation journey towards our alternative –  liberation in the form of Oromia’s independence without a union.

[AbebeB]

This continuous effort of our foes to divide the Oromo community and Oromo polity was successful to some extent. For instance, the split of different factions in the OLF since 1978 is one of their impact on our liberation movement. As already recorded, all factions, except General Waaqo’s UOPLF, are the splits from the OLF. This splitting of our vanguard liberation organization into many mini-fronts is the anti-thesis of the needed unity for freedom. Some people try to convince us that the splitting was because of their difference in objective. I personally do not think that it is constructive to talk about “original goal and the new vision”. Actually, all Oromian political groups have no difference of objective, but difference of strategy. Those that struggle for Oromia’s autonomy in the Ethiopian context, such as the OFC, have opted for the mid-goal based on the circumstance they are in. Those that make the rhetoric of self-determination are smart enough to use it in order to persuade international community with the concept it accepted and respected in the international law. Of course, those that tell spade as spade say our objective is freedom of the Oromo and independence of Oromia. Actually, self-determination is process of choice excercised by liberated public to have as an outcome either ‘an autonomy within a union’ or ‘an independence without a union’ per referendum. So, both liberation in the form of Oromia’s autonomy within a union and liberation to exercise referendum are two important stops on the roadmap of our liberation journey towards our alternative –  liberation in the form of Oromia’s independence without a union.

It is no wonder that none of the political parties in the Ethiopian empire were free of splinter group. The good thing is that the one’s that are determined and with public objective have always prevailed. In this regard OLF is unique. Its leaders chose to die than getting split on the basis of their difference in religion.

But those who OPFist recognizes as sponsors of the split in Oromo nationalist camp, themselves were subject even to a more serious division. In some cases, they weren't be able to recover. I can name several of them but one. TPLF, even a party of tiny nation, had to kill each other due to faction. Likewise the parties of hybrid Ethiopians were unable to work together. They had to keep changing, after change. Is there any strong (military and cause level) contemporary party of hybrids you might name as free from division? The implication of this can be magnified even when we consider the animosity of geopolitical environments Oromo nationalist had been working under and the favorable environment habesha parties are endowed with.

After such statement of mine, I ask what is the theme OPFist preferred to communicate the alluded failure in Oromo nationalist camp? The simple answer is that OPFist might be a kind of slave minded person dedicated to appreciate every work of his/her master. If then, a problem arise in that no one can teach and rescue such mentally enslaved person.

[OPFist]

Fortunately, in contrast to the effort of Abyssinian domination forces to divide-and-rule the Oromo, different Oromo liberation forces used to call and are still calling for unity of Oromo liberation forces. What were the efforts done till now in this direction? Let me mention few measures taken up to now: effort of Maccaa-Tulema Association by bringing the Oromo of all regions and religions together; measure of OLF leadership from different regions and religions to die together as they were attacked by Somalis and were ordered to be divided as Christians and Muslims; hitherto measures taken by Oromo community to realize unity for freedom, such as demanding Oromo political organizations to stop propaganda against each other; songs from different Oromo artists to promote unity and articles from different Oromo scholars in favor of unity; last but not least, of course, the practical steps taken by Oromo individuals in all walks of life to live (excercise) the unity against effort of our enemies to divide Oromia.

[OPFist]

Now, we started to earn an encouraging results from such efforts to promote unity. Different Oromo groups started to call for reconciliation and re-unification of different Oromo political organizations; the two main Oromo political organization operating “legally” at home forged an alliance called the Oromo Federalist Congress (OFC); OLF-leaders started again the process of reconciling different OLF factions; all OLF factions started to advocate and support effort of the leaders; some political groups have already decided to be “melted” into only one Organization under the name of OLF; and last but not least there is a good view to have such unity of all Oromo political organizations fighting for freedom of the Oromo and independence of Oromia as an important strategy till all groups can come under only one OLF with one clear objective, one leadership and one strong liberation army. These are very encouraging steps and specially the reconciliatory tone of the OLF factions being free from the propaganda  is commendable!

[OPFist]

Thanks Waaqa, now we started to see the fruit of our war against EPP propaganda in the cyber-world, who did a lot to divide Oromo liberation camp. They used all their resources, energy and time to sow a discord among the Oromo based on region, party and religion. They also opted for such divisions as ‘leaders vs members’, ‘new generation vs old generation’, ‘elites vs ordinary’, and so on. Now all their effort is becoming futile, and the Oromo are now starting to strengthen our unity for freedom, which is the best antidote against the effort of an enemy to divide us and rule further.

[OPFist]

I would like to recommend the necessary move to be taken in the future after consolidating unity of Oromo federalist parties under OFC and Oromo liberation fronts under OLF. We need to organize further the cooperation and coordination of Oromo self-determination forces, which are active in the ruling party (EPP), the opposition parties (OFC) and (OLF). Here we need to differentiate OPDO as an institution, which was the mercenary instrument used by TPLF to enslave Oromo people, from individual Oromo in the organization, which can be classified into three: comrades, slaves and criminals. That means there are non-criminal Oromo individuals in it doing their job in their own way, be it they are compelled or convinced. These individuals can be seen as our comrades. Slaves are those who unknowingly serve the enemy against Oromo’s interest just because of their biography, being programmed since their childhood to have anti-Oromo mind in Oromo blood. Criminals are both the Oromo and non-Oromo in EPP doing crime on Oromo people against our liberation movement. The criminal actions of these individuals should be condemned and also need to be registered in history for the generation to come.

[OPFist]

To achieve unity of Oromo groups, we needed to work on it. It can not be real only by singing, talking and writing about it. We all Oromo individuals and groups had to do our part to realize and keep it. What are the necessary works? For instance, stop propaganda on each other; be part of integration or solution, not part of division or problem; contribute our talents, money and time to promote it; be pragmatic and active in Oromo communities, mass organizations and parties; take hid of and watch all what we talk and write to evaluate whether their effect is division of the Oromo or unity of the Oromo, and so on.

[OPFist]

Next to unity of all Oromo organizations for freedom, we need a coalition with forces of other oppressed nation to push together for self-determination and we may need an alliance with some Abesha democratic forces, that do believe in freedom, democracy and human rights, including the right of nations to self-determination, be it within a union or without a union. I think such groups might be in a situation to accept union of free peoples in Ethiopia as an objective, which can be good base for the already planned United States of Africa. Here it should be clear that they work together for both Oromian national independence and Ethiopian regional union (national independence with regional union). The only two groups, that are against such a move, are the unitarist Amhara political forces and some hegemonist Tegaru elites.

[OPFist]

So my recommendation for Oromo individuals and organizations is, let us be wise further and promote Oromo unity in our songs, talks and writings as well as let us take hid of EPP cadres, who do talk and write as if they are Oromo, but the essence of their message is division and disintegration of the Oromo liberation forces. Besides, such “smart” foes, of course, there are many naive Oromo talking, acting and writing like our enemies, knowingly or unknowingly being against unity, which we desperately need to achieve our freedom. As I tried to show above, it is clear that we lost our freedom just after losing our unity. Now, in reverse, we will have it back by forging the necessary unity of purpose as the best means to arrive at our objective, i.e freedom of the Oromo and sovereignty of Oromia based on self-determination. This is the main reason why EPP cadres are working contineously against our unity. For that reason, we also need to work continuously to promote unity of the Oromo for freedom and sovereignty! May Waaqa help us to forge such strong unity for sovereignt as we already had for freedom; may He bless the Oromo and Oromia within or without a uinion!