Mereja Forum

[OPFist]

Dr. Abiy Compelled Oromumma to Take Second Position to the Still Dominating Amaranet!

I am yet surprised by observing Oromo elites led by Dr. Abiy including the veteran Oromo nationalists such as Dr. Lenco Lata and Dr. Dima Nago being comfortable by compelling Oromiffa/Oromumma to take only second position by giving priority to Amarigna/Amaranet domination of the whole country. Why did these elites fear to declare Afaan Oromo as a legitimate primary working language of all federal institutions including the palace, parlament, government, cabine, court, military and security? Why couldn’t they at least have gut of Ob. Bulcha Damaksa, who tried to promote Afaan Oromo in Ethiopian parlament? Why do they feel inferior when speaking Afaan Oromo officially and be proud of using Amarigna with their broken accent? Are they still mentally enslaved? As long as Amarigna is dominating, surely Amaranet is further ruling as it has been since 1270, it doesn’t matter if the premier, king or president is biologically Oromo (of cause being psychologically Amara). I don’t see any difference between Yekuno-Amlak, Atse Menelik and Dr. Abiy. All of them are biologically Oromo, but psychologically Amara. That is why they were/are determined to keep Oromumma at eternal second position, giving priority to Amaranet. Ethiopia is still Amaranet dominated country (Amapia), not yet Oromumma led state (Oropia) as it had to legitimatly be, based on both the demography and geography of the region.
Read more: https://fayyisoromia.wordpress.com/2020 ... volutions/

[Educator]

If language has so much significance to you, why don't you write here in Afan Oromo and Kube?

Dr. Abiy Compelled Oromumma to Take Second Position to the Still Dominating Amaranet!

I am yet surprised by observing Oromo elites led by Dr. Abiy including the veteran Oromo nationalists such as Dr. Lenco Lata and Dr. Dima Nago being comfortable by compelling Oromiffa/Oromumma to take only second position by giving priority to Amarigna/Amaranet domination of the whole country. Why did these elites fear to declare Afaan Oromo as a legitimate primary working language of all federal institutions including the palace, parlament, government, cabine, court, military and security? Why couldn’t they at least have gut of Ob. Bulcha Damaksa, who tried to promote Afaan Oromo in Ethiopian parlament? Why do they feel inferior when speaking Afaan Oromo officially and be proud of using Amarigna with their broken accent? Are they still mentally enslaved? As long as Amarigna is dominating, surely Amaranet is further ruling as it has been since 1270, it doesn’t matter if the premier, king or president is biologically Oromo (of cause being psychologically Amara). I don’t see any difference between Yekuno-Amlak, Atse Menelik and Dr. Abiy. All of them are biologically Oromo, but psychologically Amara. That is why they were/are determined to keep Oromumma at eternal second position, giving priority to Amaranet. Ethiopia is still Amaranet dominated country (Amapia), not yet Oromumma led state (Oropia) as it had to legitimatly be, based on both the demography and geography of the region.
Read more: https://fayyisoromia.wordpress.com/2020 ... volutions/

[OPFist]

In history of the Oromo, no external force has ever defeated this great nation. Always certain Oromo elites, who prefer to rever Amharanet instead of giving due respect to Oromummaa self-beat the nation. Again, thanks to Abiy Ahmed, the death of more than 5000 Qarrees snd Qeerros helped the pro-Amharanet elites like Berihanu Nagaa to enter Finfinne palace and put pro-Oromummaa elites like Jawar Mohammed in prison. As usual, Oromo elites did self-sabotage. Abiy Ahmed repeated the self-beating actions of Gobana Dacee helping Menelik, Qussie Dinagide supporting H/Silassie, Mengistu H/Mariam killing Haile Fida and Nagasso Gidadaa promoting Meles Zenawi. Now, Abiy Ahmed side lined all genuine Oromo nationalists and encouraged anti-Oromo elites to overtake influential position in politics of the country. The fake election 2021 is simply the celebration of victory the pro-Amharanet elites led by Abiy got over the pro-Oromummaa elites, who lost the game as usual. The million dollar question to be answered is: how and why could pro Amharanet elites outsmart pro-Oromummaa elites?

[OPFist]

How paradox! The Oromo had lion’s share in the past three revolutions (1974, 1991 and 2018), but we couldn’t change the dominance of Amharanet vis a vis Oromumma. During the first revolution, pro-Amharanet Seded of Mengistu (Oromo himself) outsmarted the pro-Oromummaa Meison of Haile Fida. In the second one, pro-Amharanet OPDO leaders could sabotage the pro-Oromumma OLF. Now, at the third move, pro-Amhara EPP of Abiy Ahmed seems to silence pro-Oromummaa Oromo nationalists. In general, the pro-Amharanet elites of the Oromo could outsmart the pro-Oromummaa ones. Is this due to cleverness of the pro-Amharanet elites or because of certain external forces, who want the further development of Amharanet at the cost of Oromummaa? Can we change this trend in our next move? Surprisingly, both sides were/are led by Oromo elites. Fact is that the Oromo with double history have got two camps of heroes and heroines: 1. the camp, which defended Ethiopia (Great Oromia) from external aggression; this bloc including people like Abdisa Aaga, Belay Zeleqe, Balcha Safo … etc. 2. the camp, which liberated Gadaa Oromia from internal oppressors; this side includes people like Waaqo Guutu, Taddasa Biru, Baro Tumsa …. etc. The first bloc can be said pro-Amharanet (pro-Ethiopiawinet) and the second camp is pro-Oromummaa. Our approach to the first bloc can be ambivalent. We can kommend their pro-Ethiopiawinet stand and condemn their Pro-Amharanet side. We hope that the Future Ethiopiawinet bloc be Oromumma instead of Pro-Amharanet. Then, they can be called Great Oromianists, instead of Great Amharianists for the fact that Ethiopia with Afaan Oromo as a primary working language will be de facto Great Oromia.

[OPFist]

Abesha elites want that we support one camp and denounce the other. Amhara elites persuade us so that we love the first camp and hate the second. Tegaru elites push us so that we curse the first and celebrate the second. But, fact on the ground shows us that Oromo heroes and heroeins in both camps did marveleous job and deserve our respect. Oromo activists and elites need to learn how to integrate both camps in our history and use it to shape our future. Is this possible? Are the pro-Amharanet elites of the Oromo our foes or our heroes? Anyways, be it they are foes or friends, they are the main causes for the victory of Amharanet over Oromumma in all the three revolutions. Classical Amhara elites have minor role in this triumph. As always, Oromo elites are the main defenders of Amharanet at the cost of Oromumma. Examples are: Er. Menelik himself, Er. H/Silassie, Mengistu H/Mariam, President Nagaso and now PM Abiy Ahmed. How lucky the Amharas and their Amharanet are!

[Kara]

ይህ ኦፒፊስት የተባለ ጋላ መካሪ የለውም ማለት ነው ። ትግሬ ለ27 አመት ገዝቶ ሲያበቃ ኢትዮጵያዊ ሁሉ እንኳንስ ትግርኛ ሊናገር ሊሰማ አይፈልግም ። አቢይና ሌሎች ጋሎች በአማርኛ የሚናገሩት የኢትዮጵያ ቋንቋ አማርኛ ስለሆነ ነው ። ከራሳቸው ከጋሎች በተቀር ማንም ጋልኛ የማወቅ ግዴታም ፍላጎትም ያለው የለም ። በግድ ቋንቋ አታናግርም ። በጋሎች አሳፋሪ የግፍ አገዛዝ ሳቢያ እንደ ጋልኛም የተጠላ ቋንቋ የለም። ደሞ ጋልኛ በላቲን እስከ ተጻፈ ድረስ በዚህ ቋንቋ መጽሃፍ እንኳ መጻፍ አይቻልም ። በላቲን የተጻፈ ጋልኛ ጌቶ ውስጥ የሚጠፋ ቋንቋ ነው ። ይህ ሰው መካሪ ይሻል ።

[OPFist]

When ever we do prepare ourselves to celebrate Guyya Gotota Oromoo (the day of honoring Oromo heroines and heroes), we can reflect on significance of the commemoration and its impact on future Oromo liberation movement. The highlight of the history to be remembered in order to comprehend why we do honor the day is: “In April 1980 a ten-member high-ranking military and political delegates of the OLF were on their way to Somalia to meet with political leaders, when they were captured by Somali bandits in Shinniga desert (in Ogaden). The bandits finally ordered the Muslims and Christians to segregate before their execution. The Oromo comrades chose to stay together and face any eventualities than identifying themselves as nothing else, but Oromo. On the day of April 15, all the ten were executed and their bodies thrown into a single grave.”

[OPFist]

These are Oromiansts, who sacrifised their precious life for liberation of Oromia, just like Gn. Taddasaa Birruu and Gn. Waqo Gutu. On other side of the medallia are Oropianist heroines and heroes like Gn. Gobana Dace and Kl. Abdissa Aaga, who paid a lot in building and protecting Oropia named by others as Etjiopia. If the Oromo forget and neglect one side of the medallia and fokus only on the other side, we are just discrediting our own true proud history. We like it or not, Ethiopia is the country forged by paying limbs and lives of the Oromo. We formed it in the past and now we will transform it. Both Oromianists and Oropianists deserve equal treatment.

[OPFist]

Before writing about how to honor national heroes, let me operationally define what a hero means: the term hero refers to characters, who in the face of danger and adversity or from a position of weakness, display courage and do have the will for self sacrifice — that is, possess heroism — for the sake of a greater good of certain collective or that of all humanity. This definition originally referred to martial courage or excellence, but extended to more general moral excellence. Stories of heroism may serve as moral examples; politicians of all countries have already employed honoring a hero for their own apotheosis; here Oromo politicians are no different. But, interesting is to observe that even Abyssinians do use the Afan Oromo terms called jabduu (courageous action) and jagina (courageous person), the words which depict the fact that Oromo people under democratic rule of Gadaa system were the known heroes in defending their nation from all possible attacks by alien forces. This Oromo tradition of being a hero is not still broken, despite national subjugation under Abyssinian colonizers being supported by Western imperial regimes, for the last one-and-half century. Oromo heroes, who showed courage under such dire situation, do deserve our national respect.

[OPFist]

Accordingly, the purpose of honoring Oromo heroes of the April 1980 as well as their likes is, firstly, to express our gratitude to their life-sacrifices for the cause of Oromo freedom, and secondly, to commend and recognize the exemplary and unswerving unity expressed in their refusal to be divided and separated per region and religion. The currently living Oromo nationalists, who have nowadays become the entertainers of the dividing and fragmentalizing manipulation of our enemies, need to learn from these legendary Oromo leaders, so that we all can start to resist any sort of polarization per region, party politics and religion. Fortunately, it is clearly to be seen that TPLF’s attempt to divide Oromo nationals by using cards of region and religion has already failed, but enemy’s application of the card of politics, i.e. dividing Oromo nationalists as pro-independence vs. pro-union seems to work still. Knowingly or unknowingly, Oromo freedom fighters seemingly fall in to this trap. It is the result of such division, what we have seen over the last many years as a discord between the existing OLF factions, which are now opting to promote either exclusive independence or exclusive union, instead of being together and fight against the archenemies of Oromo nation in unison.

[OPFist]

But still, I would like to encourage Oromo freedom fighters to try to come to our senses and abolish this division for the sake of honoring our martyred leaders, who taught us how to resist such manipulation of our enemies by opposing the maneuver used to divide us and destroy Oromo national liberation movement. If we learn from our heros/heroines and say big ‘NO’ to any sort of discord among us, this can really be pragmatic, not only rhetorical, way of celebrating the deeds of our heroines and heroes. What do I mean here by pragmatism? The word pragmatism is derived from Greek pragma, meaning deed or action, which comes from prass? = to pass over, to practice, to achieve. It is a philosophical tradition centered on the linking of practice and theory. It describes a process where theory is extracted from practice, and applied back to practice to form what is called an intelligent practice (an evidence-based action according to the scientific realities on the ground).

[OPFist]

In this sense, we can extract the theory of ‘unity in diversity disregarding the difference in region, politics and religion’ from the practice done by our heroines, and then apply it back to practice for the sake of promoting Oromo liberation movement. This is what I call a pragmatic way of honoring our heroes. I think our hitherto ways of honoring the martyrs was mainly only verbal and mostly a virtual yearly commemoration, which is simply practiced in a ceremonial way. To make the way of celebrating our heroes be fruitful for Oromo liberation struggle, I would like to recommend that, from now on, the honoring be in the following practically useful, i.e. pragmatic, ways:

– we better try to honor our heroines practically in the form of strengthening OLA (Oromo Liberation Army), the presently living heroines/heroes, instead of only narrating about the best ones of past history. Furthermore, we can honor them by following their example of being martyrs together, i.e. refusing to be divided based on region, politics and religion. Just as our heroes demonstrated to us never to fall into trap of religious divide (Christian vs. Muslim), may Waaqa give us wisdom also not to fall into the currently ongoing trap of political divide (pro-independence vs. pro-union). Just like the OLF was accommodative of both Christian and Muslim Oromo nationalists, it needs to be inclusive, in the future, regarding the pro-independence and pro-union Oromo nationalists. Both these political camps can demonstrate to Oromo people that they are ready to sacrifice their lives by working in one and the same liberation front, so that giving Oromo nationalism the priority to their favorite type of Oromia’s sovereignty (within union vs without union), which they respectively will realize per public verdict after achieving Oromo freedom together.

– we better strive to dedicate, commit and devote ourselves to Oromo cause, for which the heroines gave their lives, especially in consolidating and re-uniting the vanguard national liberation front of our people – the OLF, in order to make it accommodative of all the three existing forms of factions (pro-independence, pro-selfdetermination and pro-union), but encouraging this inclusive OLF to use the three cards effectively based on the right timing and objective reality. As I put in my last opinion, I do still believe that one accommodative, re-united and inclusive OLF can be more efficient than the currently fragmented three separated factions with their three quasi exclusive objectives. Let alone the effectiveness of the structurally inclusive OLF, even accepting and respecting the move of OLF-mindset of freedom doing its liberating business, be it in the ruling OPDO way, in the opposing OFC way or in the rebelling OLF ways of the pro-independence, pro-selfdetermination and pro-union factions, is constructive approach of honoring the martyrs in a better manner.

[OPFist]

Additionally important is a good investment of our talent and time on cultivating and producing the necessary future generation Oromo heroines and heroes, who will be ready to be martyrs for the cause of freedom, rather than being so docile and live under the ongoing domination/colony. To materialize this, a sort of cultural transformation is yet needed, in which the whole Oromo society at large can be converted back towards being fierce freedom fighters, as we were under the Gadaa system, abandoning the presently mild way of our traditional walking on ‘karaa nagaa’ (on avenue of peace). The original meaning and importance of ‘karaa nagaa’ is actually embedded in the Gadaa system with its strong military culture to defend the Oromo nation. Now, the Gadaa structure is already dismantled, and we being under oppression and talking about ‘karaa nagaa’ is a misconception. The true sense of the conception can be applied in the future republic of Oromia, but not now in the colonial system of Abyssinian empire. Similarly, re-appraisal and re-definition of some political and religious concepts now used by our colonizers to sustain their system of domination must be undertaken; for instance, the oppressors preaching us about love and unity, but directly or indirectly opposing justice and liberty, while we are under dire colonial situation is simply unacceptable to say the least

[OPFist]

Also, the known Oromo institutions of the three religions (Christianity, Islam and Waaqeffanna) should stop hypnotizing and pacifying Oromo nationals, if they just want to honor our national heroes; rather they ought to teach how to be the best freedom fighters like some holy personalities, about whom we do read in holy books (Bible, Daaniyaa and Qur’an). Fighting for freedom and being martyrs for the causes of Oromo’s freedom and Oromia’s sovereignty is one of the righteous measures any Christian, Muslim and Waaqeffataa Oromo can do. So, the best way of celebrating our national heroes at this phase of subjugation under Abyssinian colony is to be the best fighters for freedom like them. If we are now, being under oppression, ready to honor them like this, then it will be surely very rejoicing to Oromo nation in the future, when we will have a chance to celebrate our heroines further, after our national liberation, in the form of Oromo national ceremonies and festivities.

[OPFist]

That means, we now need to present our reward for their sacrifice in a form of our full engagement by giving our talent, money and time to Oromo national liberation struggle. The fruitful method to do this is, not only in Pal-talking and Pal-writing as some of us usually like to do, but through practical steps on the real ground. Besides, we better learn to throw the smallest stone we do have at hand (including our petty verbal attacks) only at the oppressors, especially at the currently tormenting fascist and racist regime in Finfinnee palace, instead of directing our verbal guns at other fellow Oromo nationalist individuals or organizations. Oromo nationalists have to try to forge unity for freedom, which we can present as our another gift to national heroins and heroes. To this effect, we should try to clearly differentiate oppressive forces in colonizers’ bloc from freedom fighters in liberators’ camp, the step which is mandatory for our success in the liberation struggle.

[OPFist]

In this subtle differentiation process, we can simply see that any Abyssinian individual or institution opposing Oromo’s God-given right to self-determination is in colonizers’ bloc, whereas any Oromian, be it pro-independence, pro-selfdetermination or pro-union, who is opting for this right of Oromo nation is in liberators’ camp. Only an Oromo, who is against Oromo national freedom, which is needed to exercise our right to selfdetermination, can be considered as a collaborator of Abyssinian colonizers. Such clarification of the difference between foes and friends of Oromo national liberation movement is necessary at this time, when EPP cadres are doing their best to confuse, divide and frustrate Oromo national liberation camp. It also helps pro-independence Oromo nationals, who usually tend to be self-righteous and accuse both pro-selfdetermination and pro-union nationalists as collaborator, to moderate their view. The same is true for pro-selfdetermination Oromo nationals, who recently started to designate pro-union Oromo nationalists as betrayers and curse them as collaborators. Let’s stop such non-sense accusations and allegations of each other, if we really want to honor our heroines presenting to them the near future success story of our struggle, which we can achieve in unison, as a gift.

[OPFist]

In summary, we can try to make each day look like an April 15, which is the celebrated Guyyaa Gootota Oromo (Oromo heroes day), so that we can honor our heroines continuously with the above mentioned pragmatic steps. These constructive actions can lead us to our common national victory, over our current colonizers, effectively. To have such a triumph against our enemy, we also need to overcome the hitherto impact of hindering slave (colonized people’s) mentality, such us submissiveness, loss of control on our own issues and learned helplessness. It is such servant mentality of the oppressed people with certainly programmed minds to do bidding of the colonizers, which compel some part of Oromo nationals to be traitors vis-à-vis the cause of freedom. Being liberated from such slave mentality can help us be integrators of our national liberation camp, instead of being enemy’s instrument of disintegration and division. May Waaqa help us be united fierce freedom fighters, not fragmented pacifist passive people, who are too docile to accept the life under domination imposed on us by Abyssinian ruling class. To put my message in short, a pragmatic national liberation struggle is the best way of honoring Oromo national heroines and heroes!