Mereja Forum

[OPFist]

Current Conflict in Oromo PoIitics: ncumbent Prosperitans Maintaining Domination of Amharanet vs Opponent Republicans Promoting Leadership of Oromummaa! 

Now, the Oromo political bloc is well cristalized and divided in to two blocs: incumbent prosperitans maintaining domination of Amharanet/Amharigna vs opponent republicans promoting leadership of Oromummaa! All other movements have lost ground and may have little chance to survive. Both the mentioned currently active camps are claiming to struggle for ethnic federation. The first bloc is comfortable in keeping the hitherto domination of Amharanet and Amharinga. This camp is led by OPP of Abiy Ahmed being supported by all the so called andinet hayiloch, which are promoters of Amharigna’s domination at the cost of Oromiffa. The second camp is democratic and accordingly being by default supporter of a federation led by Oromiffaa and Oromummaa. This camp is pioneered by OFC of Jawar Mohammed and joined by the OLF as well as all other genuine federalists and liberation fronts. At present the first bloc is ruling and the second camp is opposing. Non-Oromo groups can alleign with one camp or the other. Surely, Amhara groups support the ruling prosperitan  Oromo elites. Other nations and nationalities will slowly but surely march with Oromo republicans. Who of the two bloc can prevail will be seen
Read more: .https://fayyisoromia.wordpress.com/2017 ... a-union-2/

[OPFist]

I once read Jawar Mohamed’s interview here. https://addisstandard.com/interview-i-h ... cCbow2SII4 
He revealed that GHO (Gaaddisa Hoggansa Oromo) or OLC (Oromo Leadership Counsel) including prominent Oromo leaders from different organizational background are led by Dr. Abiy and meet twice a month to debate, counsel and discuss about Oromo movement beyound the already achieved bilisummaa/freedom. They are trying to consolidate the already achieved goals and plan how to move forward together. No question that they agree not to make any compromise on the AAA (Aadaa/culture, Afaan/language and Aangoo/power) of the Oromo in Finfinne palace. Be it that either Ethiofederalism (geography based) or Ethnofederalism (language based) prevails, the Oromo, as the majority, must keep our leadership position in Ethiopia.

[OPFist]

My attempt here is as usual to emphasize the importance of our unity of struggle, to which there is no other alternative, if we really want to achieve freedom of the Oromo and sovereignty of Oromia as an optimal solution. We did already sing, agitate and write more than enough to promote this imperative unity of Oromo freedom fighters, even though our liberation forces were lagging behind our longing. They couldn’t materialize our wish because of certain reasons they may give and have. Sure is that there is no difference of objective between them as some of the activists try to convince Oromo public. No need of repeating here the arguments I already had, but fact is that only the gullible part of our society may buy their claim, be it the activists want to cover their difference of approach as the cause of division in Oromo camp or they just want to win Oromo public’s support for their own faction by emphasizing that “only their faction has got the right goal,” as I once put it: http://gadaa.com/oduu/3980/2010/06/11/f … n-movement. Now, I don’t want to regurgitate what I already said, but I rather try to concentrate on the symbolic importance of Oromoness’ flag of unity for freedom and sovereignty.

[OPFist]

A flag is defined as an emblem with a distinctive design that is usually rectangular and used as a symbol, signaling device or decoration. The term flag is also used to refer to the graphic design employed by a flag itself or to its depiction in another medium. The first flags were used to assist military coordination on battlefields, and flags have since then evolved into a general tool for rudimentary signaling and identification, especially in environments where a communication is similarly challenging (such as the maritime environment where a semaphore is used). National flags are potent patriotic symbols with varied wide-ranging interpretations, often including strong military associations due to their original and ongoing military uses. Flags are also used in messaging, advertising or for other decorative purposes.

[OPFist]

When we come to Oromo nation, it seems that we nowadays try to use two banners as our symbol: OLF’s red-gold-green, which is symbol of our struggle for freedom, and Abbaa-Gadaa’s black-red-white, which is considered as symbol of sovereignty. Unfortunately, now there is a misunderstanding in Oromo liberation camp, which tends to polarize these moves for freedom and sovereignty. Even though it is obvious that freedom of the Oromo leads to sovereignty of Oromia, and vice versa; both our foes and our fools try to instrumentalize these two concepts just to sow a discord in Oromo liberation camp. I just tried to tackle the intentional and/or unintentional move of these destructive forces, and suggested combination of the two flags as a symbol of our struggle for both freedom and sovereignty unconditionally. This proposal is not intended to undermine the symbolic values of both OLF’s and Abbaa-Gadaa’s flags, as some people tried to accuse me.

[OPFist]

To be operational and pragmatic, I do want to define sovereignty here as an ability and authority of a nation to choose between independence and interdependence (integration), not necessarily a realization of only independence. Sovereignty is the freedom and power of an individual or a collective to assert its will with no restriction. Then, sovereignty of Oromia is for me the unrestricted freedom of Oromo people to decide on the type of state sovereignty we want to have in the future, be it an independent Gadaa Oromia or a union Ethiopia (an integrative Great Oromia), of course, based on the reasoned decision of the Oromo public per referendum after having an extensive and intensive debate and discussion on benefit and cost of the two types of sovereignty. Both dictated independence and dictated union are against the sense of this definition of sovereignty, because of the fact that any dictation inhibits free will of the public. Advocating and campaigning for either of the two in order to win hearts and minds of Oromo majority is part of democratic rights of both the pro-independence and pro-union forces, but neither of the two sides do have a right to dictate Oromo public to accept their sectarian preference.

[OPFist]

That is why I do abhor especially Oromo nationalists, who try to show their self-righteousness and try to dictate us to rally behind either independence or union, of course, cursing continuously the other camp, which they do oppose (pro-independence fronts cursing pro-union forces, and vice versa). I know that our foes do use this apparent difference between the two Oromo liberation camps and attack our unity intentionally, but why should Oromo fools sing this same song of our foes and, with that, do bidding of this Oromo’s enemy? Can’t they just take time and reflect on a fact that the two Oromo liberation blocs do have a common denominator, i.e. Oromo nationalism, as a base for our self-determination per public verdict? Actually, Oromoness is the base for our possible unity, which is the best instrument helping us to achieve both our freedom from fulfilling alien will and sovereignty to assert own will. Thanks to Waaqa, it seems that we already achieved our freedom and hopefully we will determine the type of Oromia’s sovereignty we want.

[OPFist]

Our historical enemies (the Abyssinianist elites, here I am not talking about the ordinary Abyssinians), do know that Oromoness is the best instrument, which can kill their Habeshanism, so that they do target Oromoness and try to destroy it. What is this Oromoness, which they do persistently attack? Why did they suppress it? How can we revive it and help it to survive? Oromoness actually includes all values and virtues, which we do use in order to assert our Oromo national advantage and interest. Just as example, it includes Oromo’s national heroism, freedom, sovereignty, prosperity, as well as Oromo’s culture of guddifachaa, gumaa, moggaasaa, patience, perseverance, unity etc. Such positive qualities are the alpha and omega of Oromoness, which seemed to fade away and be replaced in Oromo community by some elements of Habeshanism like strife, discord, egoism, selfishness, hatered, envy, jelousy, etc.

[OPFist]

If we know the difference between the positive ingredients of Oromonism as mentioned above and the negative elements of Habeshanism, which we adopted consciously or unconsciously, then it is easy for us to differentiate the two ideologies and to work on reviving the lost part of Oromoness such as the very necessary unity of our freedom fighters. I tried to use a creation of the combined flag just to symbolize our attempt to promote possible unity of the different OLF factions, so that we all can rally behind the new banner to realize freedom with sovereignty in a form of either an independent Oromia (Gadaa Oromia) or an integrated union Ethiopia (Great Oromia). To come to this final outcome, we can work with all pro-democracy and pro-freedom forces in the country, for no such force is practically against Oromoness, but surely such forces hastened demise of the despotic, authoritarian, dictatorial, oppressive and tyrannic Habeshanism. Clear is that no dictatorial Abyssinianists can be ready to work with such pro-democracy and pro-freedom Oromianists, but yet there are some Ethiopianists in a true sense (the democratic Cushites), who may not want to identify themselves with the Oromo, but who are ready to promote causes of freedom and democracy. Thus, it is always necessary to identify and differentiate the three groups: despotic Abyssinianists, liberal Ethiopianists and democratic Oromianists.

[Noble Amhara]

you didn’t even achieve the overthrowing of weyane. In fact it was Shewan-Jimman Oromos that allied with Gondar Amharas that defeated weyane. Today gondar has ruined weyanes empire

Minnesota OLF had nothing to do with it and could never achieve such success without Amhara. Minessota OLF hates Amhara only you idiots only think Amhara nothing else in this world

Amhara doesn’t know you Amhara is Abysinnian a Habesha ethnic group. Shewa Gondar Gojjam bete amhara is the core of Ethiopia for a reason.

Oromo are no different then Burji and Konso or Gedeo you can unite with them or with Kenyans

After being a Oneg Shane your whole life you are speaking in Amharic and trying to get Amhara support?

Like I said you oromunnas will end up as gondere and gojame fotalebashes you are just exposing your inferiority complex and jealousy about Amhara state

[OPFist]

By differentiating them like this, we can have the necessary selective and specific optimal approaches towards them. I personally don’t have any problem with the liberal Cushitic Ethiopianists, but do have difficulty in associating myself with the tyrannic Abyssinianists, of course, I do have no conflict with the Oromianists, whose main marker is a genuine belief in self-determination of citizens and nations. My proposal of constructing the flag of unity for making Oromoness be so a plausible struggle for both freedom and sovereignty, this struggle is not necessarily against Cushitic Ethiopiawinet in its true sense, but surely it is against the contaminating Habeshanism, which is almost always packed within Ethiopiawinet and, of course, it is a struggle to help Oromoness flourish. To be mentioned again and again is the fact that Habeshanism is classical anti-thesis of Oromummaa (Oromoness) while genuine Ethiopiawinet can be considered as a Cushitic supra-structure, which includes Oromummaa as a sub-set.

[OPFist]

In such perspective, any Oromo national can be a pan-Africanist, pan-Ethiopianist and pan-Oromianist at the same time, be it the type of sovereignty of Oromia we will choose in the future is an independent Oromia or a union Ethiopia (Kush state). We even can struggle at the same time for both independent Oromia and union Kush for the future trend seems to be in favor of an integrated Africa, in which a sovereign Oromia can be a core nation. An emancipated Oromia being led by Gadaa democracy will be a real center of African traditional self-sufficiency marked by sovereign African nations like free independent Oromia or union Ethiopia within an integrated Africa. Simply put, our objective includes without question both an independent Oromia and union Kush, but the type of integration can be different: at Cushitic Ethiopian level or at African  union level.

[OPFist]

It is because of this potential of the Oromo to be free and sovereign nation that the slave-masters of Abyssinianists tried to keep their servants in power in Finfinne palace, so that they could get a chance to subjugate, oppress and suppress Oromo people, including our Oromummaa, which is reflected in Oromoo culture, language and religion. Oromians with our specific African democracy (Gadaa) and African religion (Waaqefanna) are actually one of the pragmatic and proud nations of Africa, whose liberation can definitely lead to the emancipation of the whole Africa from alien influence. This purely African-centered nation, the Oromo, will prevail by promoting Oromummaa, which is core of both Cushitic-Ethiopiawinet and Pan-Africanism. This noble cause of Oromummaa hopefully will flourish in Finfinne (Oromo’s heart), in Oromia (our body), union Ethiopia (our shirt) and African union (our coat), and Oromo people will be definitely at the center of these three levels of identities (being African, Cushite/Ethiopian and Oromian) at the same time.

[OPFist]

To this effect of victory for Oromummaa, the TPLF, the tormenting classical Abyssinianist, who was suppressing Afaan Oromo, oppressing Oromo culture and persecuting Oromo Religion must have left power in Finfinne unconditionally, and instruments of Abyssinianists like dictatorship, authoritarianism, subjugation, oppression and terrorism must be abolished. To accomplish this job, positive elements of Oromummaa need to be revived and developed. Oromummaa can flourish by using our values and virtues as a content of Ethiopiawinet, even including unity of nations in the region. Oromummaa is not against such unity per se, but it differs in its way of coming to unity, i.e. it prefers unity per democratic consensus or referendum in contrast to the Abyssinianists’ way of compelling nations to realize unity by force.

[OPFist]

To foster regional unity on the base of Oromo’s national liberty, Oromummaa should be promoted especially by using values of guddifachaa and moggaasa in order to save the future union Ethiopia (Great Oromia) from Abyssinianists’ system of domination. Even though Oromo progenies like Agaw, Agazians of Eritrea, Amhara, Somali and Tigrai did try to subjugate, oppress and suppress their own kinds and kins with the pretext of unity, the ‘father and stem Oromo nation’ is still accommodative, conciliatory and integrative, these three characters being part and parcel of Oromummaa. When we look back at these qualities of Oromo people in formation of the present political constellation of the region, even we can say that Oromo nation is neither colonized nor a colonizer, but it used to fight with itself for part of it is infested by Habeshanism, the software serving political interest of alien forces at cost of Oromia, Ethiopia and Africa. This Habeshanism is anti-Ethiopia (anti-Kushawinet), whereas Oromummaa is core identity of this genuine and true Ethiopia.

[OPFist]

For this positive Oromummaa to have a victory over a negative Habeshanism, still unity of Oromo nationalists is imperative and mandatory, be it the unity is under one structural organization or under one spiritual mind setting being lead by an objective of Oromo’s freedom and Oromia’s sovereignty, so that Oromo nationalists can cooperate with each other and coordinate our struggle. That is why, all Oromo nationals should put pressure on our organizations to persuade them to unite at least spiritually, and at best structurally. As a symbol for this unity, I think the new Oromo flag I proposed can be used as our common banner to rally behind. Even if we, Oromo nationalists, fail to unite structurally, at least we can have the flag of unity in mind and strive to cooperate spiritually, and try to coordinate our efforts in order to realize our unity for freedom and sovereignty.

[OPFist]

That means, when we think about unity of Oromo nationalists, we need to differentiate between spiritual unity of purpose and structural organization for purpose. To forge the first one, each and every pro-freedom and pro-sovereingty Oromo nationalist can decide to be part of unity now, be it we are struggling individually or being in groups; whereas to foster the second type of unity, we all need to pursue the liberation desire of Oromo people and try to persuade our known organizations to come to their sense and materialize our longing for structural unity. The Oromo flag I proposed can be used as symbol of our spiritual unity until the structural one will be realized. I personally want to see that the future structural organization of our unity use it as its banner, but surely someone can come up with a better banner or the future unity of Oromo nationalists can use either OLF’s or Abbaa-Gadaa’s banner. Anyways, we can decide today to be part and parcel of the spiritual unity and promote birth of the structural one.

[OPFist]

That means, when we think about unity of Oromo nationalists, we need to differentiate between spiritual unity of purpose and structural organization for purpose. To forge the first one, each and every pro-freedom and pro-sovereingty Oromo nationalist can decide to be part of unity now, be it we are struggling individually or being in groups; whereas to foster the second type of unity, we all need to pursue the liberation desire of Oromo people and try to persuade our known organizations to come to their sense and materialize our longing for structural unity. The Oromo flag I proposed can be used as symbol of our spiritual unity until the structural one will be realized. I personally want to see that the future structural organization of our unity use it as its banner, but surely someone can come up with a better banner or the future unity of Oromo nationalists can use either OLF’s or Abbaa-Gadaa’s banner. Anyways, we can decide today to be part and parcel of the spiritual unity and promote birth of the structural one.

[OPFist]

Obviously clear is also the fact that it is not as such easy to build a necessary trust among and between different factions of our liberation movement to come together and form a structural unity, but as I already described in my open letter to our leaders, we do have no luxury to follow our emotions, while our people are suffering under agony and misery caused by the criminal and cruel Abyssinianist elites. On the contrary, we have to be principled and pragmatic as well as be led by reason to fight in unison against the tormentors. As a guiding principle to strengthen our reasoned struggle in unison:– whatever we do, say and write should be in service of promoting our spiritual unity in purpose for freedom and sovereignty; we can start to be the ambassadors of this movement for unity until we see structural unity realized.– we practically should take heed not to be dividers (as servants of our enemies do), but be integrators of Oromo liberation camp as well as that of Oromo community we do live in.– we should put pressure on all Oromo political individuals, groups and organizations, so that they be compelled to build an imperative structural unity.– we have to be careful never to be one of the side-kickers by trying to attack our fellow Oromo activists, who do struggle with another approach different from which we do apply.– we ought to make Oromummaa our guiding principle as an anti-thesis to the oppressive Habeshanism, under which we were suffering.– We need to have in our minds that only the one, who has force and power prevails in the political system of our globe; and to have this necessary force, we need both spiritual and structural unity unconditionally.– we possibly should be free from the Habeshanism virus of dividing, fragmenting and polarizing Oromo political community in particular and Oromo society at large in general.

[OPFist]

Last but not least, be it that Oromo nationalists unite or not, this way or that way, no question that Oromo people, black star of the region, with our pure African culture, identity and mentality will prevail over the Abyssinianists’ domination in Finfinne, in the city, which is the future democratic political center of Africa, Ethiopia and Oromia. But, to be effective, Oromo nationals yet need to be more practical, action-oriented and pragmatic, rather than only dwelling on principles. At the end of the day, we surely will keep our freedom from the Abyssinianists’ system of domination and choose our prefered type of sovereignty. Whether the type of Oromia’s sovereignty shall be within or without a mono-state of a union will definitely be decided by Oromo public per referendum, after an adequately extensive and intensive debate and discussion regarding benefit and cost of the two alternatives or options (free Oromia within or without a union). Now, we are free from Abyssinian system of domination to have such deliberation. GHO/OLC under the leadership of Dr. Abiy was in the right Track. May Waaqa help us all to agree on this procedure and may He bless Oromia and the Oromo! Unforunately, Abiy failed to lead as discribed here. He and his prosperitan supporters prefer maintaing the existing domination of Amharanet/Amharigna to promoting Oromiffa/Oromumma. Now, it is a job of Oromo republicans to get rid of the prosperitans in order to promote the legitimate leadership of Oromumma in a rainbow Ethiopia (Great Oromia)