The Marks of Aannolee, Azulee and Chalanqoo/Calanqoo Cannot be Erased from the Memory of Oromo Generations

Posted: Amajjii/January 29, 2014 · Finfinne Tribune | Gadaa.com | Comments

By Leenjiso Horo* | January 2014

The marks of Aannolee, Azulee and Chalanqoo cannot be erased from the memory of successive Oromo generations and from the history of the Oromo people. These marks are incorporated into our collective memory. For this, centuries may pass, generations may come and go, but the crimes of Abyssinia – the mutilation of breasts of women and girls, and of the right hands of men and boys at Aannolee, and the mass massacres at Azulee and Chalanqoo will not be erased – will never be diminished, and never be forgotten.

Menelik II’s mutilation of breasts of women and girls, and of hands of men and boys is the first one in warfare throughout written history – from antiquity to modern times, unless proven to the contrary. Those who support Menelik’s genocide at Aannolee, Azulee & Calanqoo as a “holy war” or as a war of “reunification of Ethiopia” should hold full entitlement to it.

During the campaign of colonization of the south in the late nineteenth-century, king Menelik II of Abyssinia exterminated the Oromo population by 50%, Kaficho by 75%, Gimira by 80% and Madii by over 90% (according to Radio Simbirtuu’s interview with Prof. Mekuria Bulcha, 19 December 2013, Part 2). These are genocides of highest proportions. The basic argument of the Abyssinian genocide deniers has, however, remained the same as always: “it never happened; the term ‘genocide’ does not apply; it is a ‘reunification of Ethiopia’.” Recently, the tactics of the deniers of Menelik II’s genocide has been shifted from “reunification of Ethiopia” to “holy war.”

Abyssinians always avoid public discourse of the genocide at Aannolee, Azulee and Chalanqoo – believing that sooner or later, in the course of time, that generation would pass from the scene, and their children would become acculturated and assimilated in the Abyssinian way of life and Abyssinian political thought, and then the issue of genocide dies out and will be forgotten. However, what the Abyssinians forgot or failed to understand – is that the genocide at Aannolee, Azulee and Chalanqoo shapes not only the outlook of the immediate victims of the generation of the time, but also of subsequent generations of the future. It is very important for the descendants of the perpetrators, i.e. the deniers of the genocide on Oromo – to engage introspection to face and learn from their own history. It is time for the Nafxanyaas – the deniers of genocide to ask themselves a question as to how that gross mass genocide could have occurred, instead of denying it and trying to maintain a false righteous self-image.

The Abyssinians are unable or unwilling to deal with the truth. They have always refused to recognize the crimes committed against the peoples of the south, Oromo included, as genocide. Instead, they elevated it to the level of a “holy war/qidus xorrinnat,” then took pride in it – identified with it; enthusiastically embraced it; glorified and glamorized it. This campaign is in support of their political and religious elites, scholars, governments, institutions, and individuals – those who have been preaching the genocide committed against Oromos and the south as a “reunification of Ethiopia.”

The New and Present Genocide on Oromo and Tigrayans’ Attempt to Deny It
Today, the Tigrayan regime is behind the discussion of the past genocide to divert attention from itself while it is committing genocide itself more dangerous than that of the past ones. It has undertaken open and total war campaign against the Oromo people. It is vitally important, therefore, that we should focus our attention on current genocide the Tigrayan regime is committing while, at the same time, reminding ourselves of the genocide that the Amhara regime of Menelik II committed a century ago. The Amharas have been denying the genocide against the Oromo and other southern peoples that their regime of Menelik II committed, and now the Tigrayans are also denying the genocide that their regime is committing.

The Amharas are simply dancing and singing to the ghost of Menelik II, but they do not possess the means and capabilities to commit anther genocide. Today, it is the Tigrayan regime led by TPLF that is committing genocidal mass murders against the Oromo people; it is this regime that possesses the means and capabilities to commit genocide. Its means are the army, paramilitary unit, the police force, the special police or Liyyuupolice, secret state agents, death squads, the bureaucratic and judicial systems. All of these are already fully utilized for this purpose.

The sudden descend of the Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) upon Oromiyaa in 1991 set in a rapid motion a process to eliminate any opposition to its rule that culminate in the arrests, tortures and killings. Then, since 1992, it has been carrying out systematic, methodical, pre-planned, and centrally-organized genocidal mass murders against the Oromo people. Meles Zenawi was the notorious architect and organizer of the policy of the genocide on Oromo with his culprits and other thousands of perpetrators of genocide – who are still implementing his policy after his death. His brutality against the Oromo people has surpassed that of all his predecessors combined. His regime has erected concentration camps across Oromiyaa; camps, such as Hursoo, Bilaattee, Dhidheessaa, Zuwaay, and Qalittii, are the well known ones. But, numerous other clandestine prison cells, where the victims are eliminated, have been established across the empire. The regime has openly undertaken a major Oromiyaa-wide persecutions of Oromos. Hence, ordinary people, for the first time, being rounded up and sent to these clandestine centers for interrogations through torture. In the torture, few survived and many perished.

The pattern of destruction has been repeated over and over in different parts of Oromiyaa. Many of these repetitive destruction are far from the major cities; such repetition are a centrally design one. Further, a reward structure is set in place. That reward is geared towards those who implement the policy. The regional governors and officials, who refuses to carry out orders to annihilate the Oromo, are summarily replaced as disloyal and OLF agents. Community leaders are arrested and persecuted. Many women, children, and elderly run into forests and deserts to escape slaughters. Today, the Oromo people are in violent historical moment. They are the target of the Tigrayan regime for physical exterminations and forcible removal from their lands. Hundreds of thousands have been killed; millions have been forced out from their lands; and their lands haven been sold or leased to local and multinational land-grabbers.

The Tigrayan regime has fully undertaken the implementation of the policy of Oromo exterminations since 1992. The Amhara genocidal deniers are fully subscribed to this policy. In the Tigrayan regime’s jails, millions of Oromos perished as the result of starvation, diseases, the harsh environments, and physical exterminations.

We are the nation of heroes, heroines and victims. We were the victims of genocide yesterday, and we are the victims of genocide today. Yesterday, we were victims of genocide under Amhara successive regimes, and today, we are victims of genocide under the Tigrayan regime. Indeed, we are a wounded and bled nation in our country by another nation – the Abyssinian nation.

We oftentimes say, never again to genocide in Oromiyaa. We say, the seeds of Aannolee, Azulee and Chalanqoo must not be allowed to sprout again in Oromiyaa. And yet, it has already sprouted; violence is again around us; violence of genocide is still consuming our people. Menelik’s genocide at Aannolee, Azulee and Chalanqoo is reconstructed and renewed by Meles Zenawi, and implemented Oromiyaa wide. Hence, the past genocide has now become the present new genocide. Hence, the dead Oromo are still dead; more are still dying; expropriated Oromoland is still expropriated; the pillaging of Oromiyaa is at its height, and the colonized Oromiyaa is still colonized.

The Way Forward
The way forward is Oromo nationalists’ unity and the fight against occupation. For this, it is important to rebuild the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) as a superior mighty force, both in quantity and quality, to protect the population and secure liberation. This enables the nation to drive out the Tigrayan regime and establish the independent Democratic Republic of Oromiyaa. Again, it is vitally important to remove Menelik’s statue from Oromiyaa, and establish the National Memorial Day of the Genocide on Oromo for the victims of Aannolee, Azulee and Chalanqoo. This National Memorial Day of the Genocide on Oromo should be established and observed annually while we are still fighting for independence. The date and the month must be different from the Oromo Martyrs’ Day/Guyyaa Gootoota Oromoo.

No one escapes from the history of one’s people. For this, we should and must not allow the past to rest and to be forgotten. Every generation must teach the succeeding generation about the past history, their heroes and heroines. The past, the present as well as the future belong to the succeeding generations. Each new generation hold the entitlement of the past and the present. For this, the establishment of the National Memorial Day of the Genocide on Oromo is the order of the day that the marks of Aannolee, Azulee and Chalanqoo cannot be erased from the memory of successive Oromo generations.

Oromiyaa Shall Be Free!

Ethiopia – Land for Sale

As the economy thrives, we examine the plight of Ethiopians forced from their land to make way for foreign investors.

NGO’s and policy advocates say the true consequences of the land grabs are almost all negative [Reuters]

January 28, 2014 (Al Jazeera) — Just a few decades ago, Ethiopia was a country defined by its famines, particularly between 1983-1985 when in excess of half a million people starved to death as a consequence of drought, crop failure and a brutal civil war.

Against this backdrop, it is impressive that in recent years, Ethiopia has been experiencing stellar economic growth. The headline statistics are certainly remarkable: the country is creating millionaires faster than any other in Africa; output from farming, Ethiopia’s dominant industry, has tripled in a decade; the capital Addis Ababa is experiencing a massive construction boom; and the last six years have seen the nation’s GDP grow by a staggering 108 percent.

But it is not all positive news, because for all the good figures there are still plenty of bad ones.

Around 90 percent of the population of 87 million still suffers from numerous deprivations, ranging from insufficient access to education to inadequate health care; average incomes are still well below $1500 a year; and more than 30 million people still face chronic food shortages.

And while there are a number of positive and genuine reasons for the growth spurt – business and legislative reforms, more professional governance, the achievements of a thriving service sector – many critics say that the growth seen in agriculture, which accounts for almost half of Ethiopia’s economic activity and a great deal of its recent success, is actually being driven by an out of control ‘land grab’, as  multinational companies and private speculators vie to lease millions of acres of the country’s most fertile territory from the government at bargain basement prices.

At the ministry of agriculture in Addis Ababa, this land-lease programme is often described as a “win-win” because it brings in new technologies and employment and, supposedly, makes it easier to improve health care, education and other services in rural areas.

“Ethiopia needs to develop to fight poverty, increase food supplies and improve livelihoods and is doing so in a sustainable way,” said one official.

But according to a host of NGO’s and policy advocates, including Oxfam, Human Rights Watch and the Oakland Institute, the true consequences of the land grabs are almost all negative. They say that in order to make such huge areas available for foreign investors to grow foodstuffs and bio-fuels for export – and in direct contravention of Ethiopia’s obligations under international law – the authorities are displacing hundreds of thousands of indigenous peoples, abusing their human rights, destroying their traditions, trashing the environment, and making them more dependent on food aid  than ever before.

“The benefits for the local populations are very little,” said renowned Ethiopian sociologist Dessalegn Rahmato. “They’ve taken away their land. They’ve taken away their natural resource, because these investors are clearing the land, destroying the forest, cutting down the trees. The government claims that one of the aims of this investment was to enable local areas to benefit by investing in infrastructure, social services … but these benefits are not included in the contract. It’s only left up to the magnanimity of the investor.”

And those investors, he continued, are simply not interested in anything other than serving their own needs: “They can grow any crop they want, when they want it, they can sell in any market they want, whether it’s a global market or a local market. In fact most of them are not interested in the local markets.”

He cited as an example a massive Saudi-owned plantation in the fertile Gambella region of south west Ethiopia, a prime target area for investors: “They have 10,000 hectares and they are producing rice. This rice is going to be exported to the Middle East, to Saudi Arabia and other places. The local people in that area don’t eat rice.”

But the most controversial element of the government’s programme is known as ‘villagisation’ – the displacement of people from land they have occupied for generations and their subsequent resettlement in artificial communities.

In Gambella, where two ethnic groups, the Anuaks and the Nuers, predominate, it has meant tens of thousands of people have been forced to abandon a traditional way of life. One such is Moot, an Anuak farmer who now lives in a government village far from his home.

“When investors showed up, we were told to pack up our things and to go to the village. If we had decided not to go, they would have destroyed our crops, our houses and our belongings. We couldn’t even claim compensation because the government decided that those lands belonged to the investors. We were scared … if you get upset and say that someone stole your land, you are put in prison. If you complain about being arrested, they will kill you. It’s not our land anymore; we have been deprived of our rights.”

Despite growing internal opposition and international criticism, the Ethiopian government shows no sign of scaling the programme back. According to the Oakland Institute, since 2008, an area the size of France has already been handed over to foreign corporations. Over the next few years an area twice that size is thought to be earmarked for leasing to investors.

So what does all this mean for the people on the ground? In Ethiopia – Land for Sale, filmmakers Veronique Mauduy and Romain Pelleray try and find out.

Source: Al Jazeera

Amhara’s far right Fundamentalist ‘Moresh’ leaders officially declare war on Oromo!

Moderator, Sidama National Regional State Information Net Work

January 25, 2014

A highly controversial far right fundamentalists Amhara organisation advocating to reclaim its lost hegemony officially declares war on the largest Ethiopia’s Oromo Ethnic nationals, on January 24, 2014 in its officially dispatched press statement in Amharic. Known under its Amharic name ‘Moresh Wogene Amhara Dirjit’ dispatched its unpalatable, unbalanced, uncivilised and potentially venomous propagandas against the Oromo nationals –erroneously blaming them for causing death and destruction to others Ethiopian nations and nationalities; more essentially accusing them of attempting to destroy the concept of Ethiopianism created by Abyssinian king ‘Atse Menelik II’ who had colonised nations and nationalities of Ethiopia to create today’s Ethiopian Empire’s geo-political shape.

Moresh group also claims that the Ethiopian empire is being built by the bloods of their ancestors, yet, they think that the bloods of colonised nations and nationalities are less relevant thus relegated.

Conceived, crafted and being led by the historical grandchildren of those who have brutally crushed the Oromo, Sidama, Wolayta, Gedeo’s, Ogadenia, Kambatas and Hadiya, Shakacho and Kafficho and others nations and nationalities creating today’s Ethiopia; Moresh supporters strongly believe that they are the only ones who must rule their colonial subjects without being challenged. The language, culture, religion and ways of life imposed on the subjects by the colonial masters remain to this date visible in entire Ethiopia creating utter confusion on uneducated groups of people about their identities. When someone decides to stick to his/her root the claimants (Moresh groups) accuse such groups of educated subjects of being narrow minded renegade ethno-nationalists. Whoever raises the issues related with self-identity is automatically regarded as a threats to Ethiopia and Ethiopianism; by implication to those who ruled over others since their colonial expansion.

Under the pre-1991 rules of the Amhara regimes, the languages of the subjects often remain subjugated and ridiculed. It has been also emphasised and re-emphasised that if the languages of Oromo/Sidama/Gedceo/Wolayta comes to Radio, (Moresh groups used to claim) that the languages of others, other than Amharic breaks Radio or TV and others more worst claims. Such attitudes and perceptions among such groups r to this date emain pervasive; and due to such deep seated beliefs and sustained propagandas of the rulers, the subjects were unwillingly driven to forget their own identities by considering the imposed culture, language, religion and ways of life as if it was theirs. Such is the way of life of subjugation and political paradigm the Moresh groups are claiming to be bring it back. Hooray!! Well come back Slavery!!

Praising the groups of subjugated peoples who completely deny their identity was a common practice and such groups subjugated peoples have been even elevated to a higher authorities and given fake statuses and artificially created cosmetic respects to emphasise that those who deny who they are often respected as such. Changing names of the subjects to the rulers’ was also a commonly practiced phenomenon. On most occasions changing names was mandatory to go Scholl and earn employment during the pre-1974 revolution under the rules of Moresh’s current advocates, fathers and grandfathers. When the peoples of oppressed nations and nationalities raise these, Moresh groups often become extremely paranoid and act irrationally.

The others who want to stick to their roots and proud of themselves are often regarded as uncivilised who worship Devil (indigenous cultural and religious beliefs and practices-sadly forgetting their own Debra belief cultures); therefore they must be completely changed. Aaftrtwards, these groups of people often forcefully baptised to accept an Orthodox Christianity from the inception of colonial expiation; as it was the case with European colonialism whose colonisers came up with triple ‘C’ (Christianity, Commerce and Civilisation); actually I add the forth ‘C’ which was the main reason for the colonial expansion of Europeans as well as Atse Menilik II’s regime which I call it a ‘Conquest’.

Atse Meilik II’s conquering army used similar tactics, actions, also had similar ambition and drive for territorial expansion, exploitation, enslavement and ultimately had adopted similar subjugating techniques against the subjects. The Moresh groups in their press statement are telling the subjects that the subjects are still feeling inferior for the fact that the subjects don’t feel comfortable with the Status-Quo unless the nations and nationalities are effectively De-Colonised. I think they are correct!! If one thoroughly reads their yesterday’s press statement with eagle eyes and with the attention of elephant ears, one can see what I’m discussing about.

Why are they huffing and puffing unnecessarily while the fact remains that they remain the primary culprits for ongoing tragedy unfolding in entire Ethiopian empire to this date? I’m not, however, exonerating the current diabolic TPLF regime that shows its excellently progressive constitution but dehumanises the peoples of nations and nationalities.

Although the current TPLF led authoritarian regime isn’t different in its substances from its predecessors; however, theoretically it has in its constitution granted nations and nationalities rights to the level of self-determination not only exercising their cultures but also they are superficially able to use their languages as a learning and working medium despite the resistances of Moresh groups ever since it was introduced soon after 1992. Doing so obliged the Moresh groups to label TPLF led regime as pariah renegades. Therefore, Moresh groups accuse the regime of inciting violence and fuelling disagreements between the two Ethiopian largest ethnic nationals, the Oromo and Amhara; the reasons Moresh groups are beating war drum; boasting that they know how to fight against the Oromo and threaten that the worst yet to come, therefore, they claim that the unfortunate situation befalling an Oromo and others subjugated nations and nationalities will be much worse than it has ever been since the conquest. What a fantastic puff!!

Moresh groups often puffed and huffed such claims for lengthy period of time since 1991 whenever their deep seated beliefs are effectively challenged, the Oromos currently are doing with others subjugated nations and nationalities. Oromo’s Qubbe generation is defying such deep rooted beliefs of the Moresh groups, it is therefore becoming formidable power, the former rulers don’t want to see and can’t tolerate. Thus, they are extremely becoming anxious and started acting irrationally to declare a kind of an official war against Oromo people who did nothing- but demanded their fundamental rights to be firstly respected and to be recognised as an equal stakeholders in their own land; and secondly tried to decipher the historical injustices imposed on their nation to logically challenge and categorically denounce and reject these. What is wrong here? Any logical and conceptual argument contrary to doing such?

Adolf Hitler is unconditionally and continuously condemned for his barbarism to this date on daily, monthly and yearly basis. The victims of his heinous crimes against humanity are receiving compensation from the Germany government whose ancestors have caused such diabolic crimes. The Oromo whose ancestor were similarly brutalised didn’t ask for compensation from Moresh groups, yet decided to remember their victims by erecting memorial monument; does this cause the descendants of those criminals to officially declare war against the Oromo and others subjugated nations and nationalities who are logically and legally arguing the actions of such barbaric rulers shouldn’t be condoned? What do Moresh Groups think the way forward if they decided to stick to their obdurate attitudes, erroneous beliefs and illogical arguments? http://welkait.com/?p=2262?

Numerous peoples of colonised nations and nationalities advise Moresh and its supporters to walk with the walks of 21st century and its civility to think logically instead of thinking with barbarism of Stone-age mentality.

Moderator, Sidama National Regional State Information Network

January 25, 2014

Kabajjaa Guyyaa WBO Biyya Jarmanii

Posted: Amajjii/January 27, 2014 · Finfinne Tribune | Gadaa.com | Comments (1)

Tokkumma Barattoota Oromoo Biyyaa Jarmanii (TBOJ)
Union of Oromo Students in Germany (UOSG)

Kabaji guyyaa Waraana bilisummaa Oromoo gaafa 18/01/2014 sa’aa 13.00 irra eegalee eebba maanguddoota Oromoo amantaa garaa garaan baname. Guyyaa WBO kana hawaasni Oromoo biyya germanyf dhaaboliin siyaasa Oromoo bakka garaa garaarra kan irratti afeeramanidha. Walga’ii kanarratti yaadannoo gootota Oromoo wareegamaniif dungoon qabsiifamee faarun alaabaa Oromo faarfatameera.

Matadureen walga’ii erga beeksifameen booda barumsi namoota garaa garaan kennameera.

Durataa’aan tokkummaa barattoota Oromoo Bayer Luba Mulugeeta Girang sababa bu’uureffamuu qabsoo bilisummaa Oromoo bara Minilik 2ffaa kaasee qabxilee:-

• Qabsoo eegaluu saba Oromoof sababa kan ture
• Mootummaa minilikii kaasee rakkoo saba Oromoorra ga’aa ture irratti barumsa ballinaan kennaniiru.

Kabajjaa Guyyaa WBO Biyya Jarmanii

Barreessaan TBOM Obbo Tamaam Yasin waraana bilisummaa Oromoo ijaarun maaliif akka barbaachise akkasumas bu’aan waraanni bilisummaa Oromoo argamsiise maal akka ta’e ballinaan ibsaniiru. Qabsoon WBOn godhe-

• Oromoon akka ofbaru
• Biyyi Oromoyaa jedhamtu daangaan adda baatee akka beekamtu
• Aadaaf seenaa afaan saba Oromoo kanbeeksise ta’uusaa ibsaniiru. Akkasumas guyyaan WBO Amajjin 1 maaliif kabajuun akka barbaachisellee ibsaniiru.

Kabajjaa Guyyaa WBO Biyya Jarmanii

Walaloon bareedaa gootota Oromoo faarsu dargaggoo Oliyadi f dargaggoo Baahiru dhaan dhihaateera.

Durateessuun TBOJ adde Boontuu duula yeroo ammaa habashaan ummata Oromoorratti gochaa jiru kana dura dhaabbachuuf Oromoon tokkummaasaa cimsachuu akka qabu waamicha dabarsaniiru.

Xumurarratti yeroon gaaffiif deebii ballinaan akkasumas mariin ballinaan erga godhamee booda ibsi ejjennoo armaan gadiittii caqasamee nutii miiseensoonii TBOM fi TBOH kabaja guyyaa WBO kana sababeefachuun ibsa ejjano keenyaa akka armaan gadittii dabarfanee raa.

Ibsa Ejjano:

1. Seera shororkeessummaa isa tumatee jirutti hirkachuutiin wayita uumani Oromoo mirgasaaniif gaaffii dhi’eessanii, qabeenyasaaniirraa buqqa’uu fi saamamuu mormantti moottumaan TPLF wayyaanee hidhaa, ajjechaa fi dararrii saba keenya irraan ga’u nii mormina, nii balaalleffanas.

2. Bilisummaa Oromootiif bifa adda addaatiin karaa isaanii mijate qabsaa’u kessatti qooda fudhachuun beektotni, dargaggootnii fi abbootiin Oromoo mana hidhaa bulchiinsa wayyaaneetti dararaman haal-duree tokko malee akka hiikaman cimsinee gaafanna.

3. Dargaggota, barratoota, beektota, qote bultoota, daldaltoota Oromoo fi kan biros mirgasaaniif falmuuf jecha hidhaa, reebicha fi ajjeechaa mootummaa wayyaanee utuu homaatti hin lakkaa’in bakka hunduatti dura dhaabachuun qabsoo bilissumaa Oromoo geggeessaa jiran nuti miseensonni Tokkummaaa Barratoota Oromoo Jarmanii dame Bayern fi Hessen qabsoo isaanii kana galmaan ga’uudhaaf tumsa goona.

4. Sababa rakkoo siyaasatiif, akkasumas baratanii sababa miseensa yookaan deggertoota mootummaa TPLF wayyaanee hin taaneef qofa hojii dhabuurraa kan ka’e dargaggootni ilmaan Oromoo fi lammiiwwan Itiyoopiyaa biroo reebichaan lubbuunsaani biyya Arabaatti darbeef bulchiinsa mootummaa wayyaanee ni balaaleffanna.

5. Sababa mirga amantii isaanii sarbame gaafachuudhaaf hiriira nagaa magaalaa Finfinnee fi Arsii keessatti geggeessaniif rasaasa loltuu wayyaaneetiin kan ajjeefamaniif mootummaan Itiyoopiyaa itti gaafatamaadha.

6. Harr’a dhaaba siyaasaa biya Itophiyaa keessatti maqaa mormituu mootumaa Itoophiyaatiin of ijaaree karaa biraamoo uumata Oromoo seenaasaa fi adaasaa, afaansaas balleessee koloneefachuuf sirna Minilik II as deebisuuf lafa cira jiru kan akka Samaayawii Party (Blue Party)gochasaa nii balaallefanna; dura dhaabbanas.

7. Tooftaa, tarsiimoo fi sochii hiddi nafxanyootaa warra ilmaan Minilik II ta’an uummatta Oromoorratti hojjetan bifa kamiin iyyuu dura dhaabbana.

8. Rakkina Saba kenyaa furuuf Qabsoo bifa kam iyyu geggessuun mirga kenya fi dirqama lammumma kenyaa hubachu dhaan har’aas Qabsaa’oota Bilisummaa Oromoo walhubanno fi waliigalteen gara tokkumaatti akka dhuufani fi qabsoo jalqabame tokkummaahaan fiixaan akka baasnu waamicha kenya kabajaa dabarsina.

9. Biyyonni ilmaan Oromoo rakkoo siyaasatiif jecha itti baqatanii jiran soba mootummaa wayyaanee dhageefachuu dhiisanii rakkina saba Oromoo gad fageenyaan hubatanii mirga baqqattummaa akka kennan gaafatna.

Injifanoon Ummata Oromoof
Frankfurt/Main, 18.01.2014

The marks of Aannolee, Azulee, and Chalanqoo/Calanqoo cannot be erased from the memory of Oromo generations

By Leenjiso Horo | January 24, 2014

The marks of Aannolee, Azulee, and Chalanqoo Cannot be erased from the memory of successive Oromo generations and from the history of the Oromo people. These marks are incorporated into our collective memory. For this, centuries may pass, generations may come and go but the crimes of Abyssinia-the mutilation of breasts of women and girls and of the right hands of men and boys at Aannolee and the mass massacres at Azulee and Chalanqoo will not be erased, will never be diminished, and never be forgotten.

Menelik II’s mutilation of breasts of women and girls and of hands of men and boys is the first one in warfare throughout written history-from antiquity to modern times, unless proven to the contray. Those who support Menelik’s genocide at Aannolee, Azulee, and Calanqoo as a “holy war” or as a war of “reunification of Ethiopia” should hold full entitlement to it.

During the campaign of colonization of the south in the late nineteenth-century king Menelik II of Abyssinia exterminated the Oromo population by 50%, Kaficho by 75%, Gimira by 80% and Madii by over 90% (Radio Simbirtu interview with Prof. Mekuria Bulcha, 19 December 2013, part 2). These are genocides of highest proportion. The basic argument of the Abyssinian genocide denials has, however, remained the same as always—it never happened, the term “genocide” does not apply-it is a “reunification of Ethiopia.”  Recently, the tactics of denial of genocide has been shifted from “reunification of Ethiopia” to “holy war.”

Abyssinians always avoid public discourse of the genocide at Aannolee, Azulee, and Chalanqoo believing that sooner or later in the course of time that generation would pass from the scene and their children would become acculturated and assimilated in the Abyssinian way of life and Abyssinian political thought and then the issue of genocide dies out and will be forgotten. However, what the Abyssinians forgot or failed to understand is that the genocide at Aannolee, Azulee, and Chalanqoo shapes not only the outlook of the immediate victims of the generation of the time but also of subsequent generations of the future. It is very important for the descendents of the perpetrators- the deniers of Oromo genocide to engage introspection to face and learn from their own history. It is time for the Nafxanyaas-the deniers of genocide to ask themselves question as to how that gross mass genocide could have occurred, instead of denying it and trying to maintain a false righteous self-image.

The Abyssinians are unable or unwilling to deal with the truth.  They have always refused to recognize the crimes committed against the peoples of the south, Oromo included as genocide.  Instead they elevated it to the level of a “holy war/qidus xorrinnat”; then took pride in it; identified with it, enthusiastically embraced it, glorified and glamorized it. This campaign is in support of their political and religious elites, scholars, governments, institutions, and individuals those who have been preaching genocide committed against Oromo and the south as a “reunification of Ethiopia.”

The Oromo Genocide and Tigrayans’ attempt to deny it

Today, the Tigrayan regime is behind the discussion of the past genocide to divert attention from itself, while it is committing genocide itself more dangerous than that of the past ones.  It has undertaken open and total war campaign against the Oromo people. It is vitally important, therefore, that we should focus our attention on current genocide the Tigrayan regime is committing, while at the same time reminding ourselves the genocide that the Amhara regime of Menelik II committed a century ago. The Amharas have been denying the genocide against the Oromo and other southern peoples that their regime of Menelik II committed and now the Tigrayans are also denying the genocide that their regime is committing.

The Amharas are simply dancing and singing to the ghost of Menelik II but they do not possess the means and capabilities to commit anther genocide. Today, it is the Tigrayan regime led by TPLF that is committing genocidal mass murder against the Oromo people; it is this regime that possesses the means and capabilities to commit genocide.  Its means are the army, paramilitary unit, the police force, special police or Liyyuu police, secret state agents, Death Squads, the bureaucratic and judicial system. All of these are already fully utilized for this purpose.

The sudden descend of the Tigrayan People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) upon Oromiyaa in 1991, set in a rapid motion a process to eliminate any opposition to its rule that culminate in the arrests, tortures and killings. Then since 1992, it has been carrying out a systematic, methodical, pre-planned, and centrally-organized genocidal mass murder against the Oromo people. Meles Zenawi was the notorious architect and organizer of policy of the Oromo genocide with his culprits and other thousands of perpetrators of genocide who are still implementing his policy after his death. His brutality against Oromo people has surpassed that of all his predecessors combined. His regime has erected concentration camps across Oromiyaa, camps such as Hursoo, Bilaattee, Dhidheessaa, Zuwaay, and Qalittii are the well known ones. But numerous other clandestine prison cells where the victims are eliminated have been established across the empire. The regime has openly undertaken a major Oromiyaa-wide persecution of Oromo. Hence Ordinary people, for the first time, being rounded up and sent to these clandestine centers for interrogation through torture. In the torture, few survived and many perished.

The pattern of destruction has been repeated over and over in different parts of Oromiyaa. Many of these repetitive destructions are far from the major cities; such repetition are a centrally design one. Further, reward structure set in place.  That reward is geared towards those who implement the policy. The regional governors and officials who refuses to carry out orders to annihilate the Oromo are summarily replaced as disloyal and OLF agent. Community leaders are arrested and persecuted. Many of women, children, and elderly run into forests and deserts to escape slaughter. Today, the Oromo people are in violent historical moment. They are the target of Tigrayan regime for physical extermination and forcible removal from their lands.  Hundreds of thousands have been killed; millions have been forced out from their lands and their lands haven been sold or leased to local and multination land-grabbers.

The Tigrayan regime has fully undertaken the implementation of the policy of Oromo extermination since 1992. The Amhara genocidal denialists are fully subscribed to this policy.  In the Tigrayan regime’s jails millions of Oromo perished as the result of starvation, disease, the harsh environment, and physical extermination.

We are the nation of heroes, heroines and victims. We were the victims of genocide yesterday and we are the victims of genocide today.  Yesterday, we were victims of genocide under Amhara successive regimes and today, we are victims of genocide under the Tigrayan regime. Indeed, we are a wounded and bled nation in our country by another nation- the Abyssinian nation.

We oftentimes say, never again to genocide in Oromiyaa. We say, the seeds of Aannolee, Azulee, and Chalanqoo must not be allowed to sprout again in Oromiyaa. And yet it has already sprout; violence is again around us; violence of genocide is still consuming our people. Menelik’s genocide at Aannolee, Azulee and Chalanqoo is reconstructed and renewed by Meles Zenawi and implemented Oromiyaa wide. Hence, the past genocide has now become the present new genocide. Hence, the dead Oromo are still dead; more are still dying; expropriated Oromoland is still expropriated; The pillaging of Oromiyaa is at its height and the colonized Oromiyaa is still colonized.

The way forward

The way forward is Oromo nationalists’ unity and the fight against occupation. For this, it is important to rebuild the Oromo Liberation Army (OLA) as superior mighty force both in quantity and quality to protect the population and secure liberation. This enables the nation to drive out the Tigrayan regime and establish independent Democratic Republic of Oromiyaa. Again, it is vitally important to remove Menelik’s statue from Oromiyaa; establish National Genocide Memorial Day for the victims of Aannolee, Azulee and Chalanqoo.  This Oromo Genocide Memorial Day should be established and observed annually while we are still fighting for independence. The date and the month must be different from Oromo Martyrs Day/Guyyaa Gootoota Oromoo.

No one escapes from the history of one’s people. For this, we should and must not allow the past to rest and to be forgotten.  Every generation must teach the succeeding generation about the past history, their heroes and heroines.  The past, the present as well as the future belong to the succeeding generations. Each new generation hold the entitlement of the past and the present. For this, the establishment of the Oromo Genocide Memorial Day is the order of the day that the marks of Aannolee, Azulee, and Chalanqoo Cannot be erased from the memory of successive Oromo generations.

Oromiyaa Shall Be Free!

GOOTUMMAA QOFAATU BILISUMMAA MIRKANEESSA !!!! – kutaa 2ffaa

SEENAA Y.G (2005) | Amajii 22, 2014  

Gootichi Afriikaa Kibbaa Maandeellaan, Daandiin Bilisummaa dheeraadhaa fi Sirna Appaartaayidii dhabamsiisuuf adeemsa ykn hojii yeroo dheeraa nu gaafata jedhee ganamumaa yaaduu isaa yennaa dinqisiifannu, irraas haa barannu wayita jennu, maal jechuu keenyadha ? Qabsoon Oromoo waggoota 30 ol lakkoofsise, Namoota akkas yaadan hin qabu jechuu keenyadhaa ? moo, hubannoon ykn jechii isaa kun, garii keessa jiraatee cichoominaan isa dhaabuu fi garii ammo cichoomiina sana of keessaa dhabee daandii salphinaatti makachuun, miidhama keenyaaf bu’ura ta’uu wal hubachiisuf itti fayyadamna laata? Qabsoon Oromoo jabaachuu fi dhiisuu isaa abbootii dhimmaa kanneen taane irra, diinatu guyyu lallaba. Dhimmi Oromoo har’a addunyaaf mata duree kan ta’e, lubbuu godhatee ka’ee of himate odoo hin taane, cichoomiina Maandeellaa sana kan qaban nuffii fi mo’amiinsa yeroo keessa dhuftuun odoo hin daddaaqamne warra hojjataniin ta’uu hubachuun dansaadha.maaliif yeroo fudhatee ? kan jedhuuf garuu , hubannoo ga’aa argchuun hegareef nu fayyada. Kanas qalbii bal’aan ilaalu feesisa.

Haqi haalamu hin dandeenye, Daandiin Bilisummaa dheeraa ta’uu qofa odoo hin taanee, daandii dheeraa kana keessa, bu’aa ba’ii jiru dursanii hubatanii sammuu ofii amansiisanii murannoon hojjachuu dhabuun nu miidheera. Cichoomiinaa fi murannoo dhabuun bakka meeqa akka nama dhaabdu argineerra. Galgala Goota jennee kan faarsine, ganama dabeessa ta’ee kan  argame seenaan galmeesseera. Kaleessa Sabboonaadha kan jenne dhaadheessine,har’a halgaatti maxxanee dhabamtan malee nuun jedheera.  Daandiin Bilisummaa dheerachuu Maandeellaan baanu kana faa’aa of keessaa qaba. kan diinni akka ati hin mooneef sirratti hojjatu akkuma daandii Bilisummaa dheeressuu, kan qabsoo keessatti umamus qabsoo dheereessa jechuudha. Addatti diinnis nama irratti hojjatee haa ta’uu, kan cichoomiina dhabee dhaaba keessaa yennaa ganee ba’u, Qabsoo Ummata sanii hangam akka gaaga’u waan walitti himan miti. Yaadoota lameen, (dheerachuu fi gabaabbachuu) kana kan araarsu, gufuuleen lameen kun akka jiran hubatanii, of qapheessuudha. Kun akka sibiilaa nama jabeessa. Dhalooti itti aanus kana hubachuu qabu kanadha. Gootummaan kana of keessaa qaba.

Gaaffiin Ummati tokko qabu , Daandii Bilisummaa dheeressuus gabaabsuus danda’a. kana irratti ammoo , gaaffii kee irratti humnoonni addunyaa ilaalchii fi ejjannoon isaan qaban dhiibbaa ni qabaata. Dantaan isaanii keessa jiraannaan karaa sii tolchan. Hin qaban taanaan karaa sitti cufan. Ammas, Qabsoo ati gaggeessitu, keessaan hojjadheen sirna jirun kuffisa , jettee kan irratti hojjattuu fi Qawweemaan wareegama kafaleen kuffisa jettee kan filattu Daandii Bilisummaa dheeressuu fi gabaabsuu ni danda’u. egaa Maandeellaan Daandiin Bilisummaa dheeraa ta’u dubbachuun isaa kana hundaa hammata.

Kana tilmaama keessa kan hin galchine, biraa harca’anii hafaniiru. Harca’uun namoota muraasaa garuu guyyaan Bilisummaan itti  dhuftu hin dhorgine. Kunis barnoota .Seenaa Qabsoo keenyaa keessa kun illee ni jira. Gantummaa lakkoofsa hin qabne raawwatamus , qabsoon sabichaa daran jabaataa jira. barruun kun addatti dhaloota har’af bu’ura ta’a. dhalooti kun waan gaafatamuuf maraa deebii quubsaa mataa isaa qabaachuu qaba. daddaaqamuu hin qabu. Gootonni isaa lallabdootaan maqaan isaanii boora’uu hin qaban.sammuu bal’ifatee , yaada bal’aa qabaatee tarkaanfannaan, akkasumas, adeemsa qabsoo dhaalsifamaa jiruf kabaajaa qabaannaan Gootummaa Ummata Afriikaa Kibbaa waan hin dabaliniif hin jiru. sochiin amma argaa jirru marti, wareegama baayyee booda kan dhufeedha. Wareegamni kun hundi Qabsoo Oromoo fi gaaffii Oromoo har’aan ga’eera. Wareegamni kana boodaa Kan Bilisummaa mirkaneessu ta’u qaba.

Jaallannus jibbinuus seenaa keessa dabarre, kan tolaas ta’ee badii , yoo irraa baranna jenne nuuf qoricha. Inni guddaan waan jiru hubatanii tarkaanfii ofii jabeessuu qofaadha. rakkoon dabre akka hin dabalamneef irratti hojjachuudha. Shira diinni nu qopheesseen xaxamuun ammallee akka dhaabbatuuf irrattii hojjachuun murteessaadha. Ergamtoota diinaafis ta’e of-jaallattotaaf bakka laachuu irra, suduudaan dhaabbadhu jedhanii itti himuudha. Sadarkaan irra jirru mirga sabummaa keenyaa kabachiisuuf eenyun olitti muuxannoo itti qabna. Dhaloota akkas ofii fi lammii isaatti boonu horannaan Fincillii Afriikaa Kibbaa nuuf salphaa ta’a.

Kana waliin kan ilaalamu qabu, Maandeellaan Appaartaayidii dhabamsiisuuf yeroo dheeraa fudhata jechuu  isaa keessaan waan ofii ilaalluun dansaadha. Appaartaayidiin jireenya hawaasummaa fi aadaa Ummata Afriikaa kibbaa guutummaatti dhabamsiiseera jechuutu danda’ama. Eenyummaa fi maalummaan ummatichaa aadaa warra dhihaan dhuunfatameera. Kana Ummata keessaa baasuuf waggoota dheeraa akka fudhatu shakkiin hin jiru. waan dhalootaan sirreefatanidha. Gama kanaan sirnoonnii nu gabroonfatan, gama kanaan miidhaan nu irraan ga’an salphaa miti. Aadaan wal nyaachuu isaanii nu keessatti saaree,  miidhaa nurraan ga’aa jiru argaa jirra. Wal kabajuu aadaan keenya nu badhaase gannee, wal tuffachuu isaanii dhaallee maal wal irratti akka raawwannee seenaatu hima. Ofittummaa fi gantummaan isaan irraa dhaalleen, hangam akka hammacamne walitti hin himnu.

Hanqinni kkf Biyya keessas alas ni jira. diinni of nu wallaalsisee aadaa isaa nu keessa kaa’eetti odoo hin dammaqiin, kan faranjii of irratti idaanee maal ta’aa akka jirru , warra ala jiraatantu beeka. Aadaan daboo, wal gaafachuu, kkf badanii hunduu qophaa haasa’aa deemuu dhageenya. Kan walitti dhufe ammo, Biyya keessatti yennaa aaran akkuma Afaan biraan wal cabsan, alattis Ingiliffaa fi qooqa biroon wal quncisuu jedhan. Kun hundi, dhiigaan Oromoo ta’uun keenya qofti, noormii Oromoo nu keessa akka jirutti yaannee jiraachuu irraa madda. Kana of keessaa baasuuf, duula ofirraa jalqabnee dhaloota itti aanu baraaru gaggeessuun beellamaa qabuufii hin qabnu. Bilisummaan inni adda duraa akka dhuunfaattu summii kana of keessaa dhabamsiisanii, Oromummaa isa dhugaan wal ijaaruudha. Yeroo sana wal ganuun hin jiru. wal caalchifachuun hin jiru.

Miidhaan kun salphaa miti. Ummata keenya keessaa baasuuf bara Bilisummaa kan itti eegnu miti. Ammumaa hojiin isaa eegalamuu qabna. hojiin isaa ammo of irraa eegala. Achii maatii ofii , itti aansee ollaa ofii jechaa itti fufu qaba. keessa ofii Oromummaan osoo of hin ijaarree, isa kaan komachuu akkamiin dandeenya?. Ta’anii argamuun waa guddaadha. Afaan Amaaraan yaadanii Afaan Oromoon dubbachuuf yaaluun waan fafaati. Haala kanaan qulqullaa’uu dhabuun, keessa keenya  hin miine yoo jenne , ammayyuu waan sirnoonni turan nu keessaa kaa’antu nu keessaa dubbata jechuudha.Oromoon Afuura Oromummaan dhaabbatee fi Oromoon Afuura halgaan dhaabbate gonkumaa walii galuu hin danda’u. Oromoon Oromummaan jiru,Oromoof gammachuu qabu, imimmaan cobsee mirkaneessuufii barbaada. Oromoon Afuurri halgaa keessaa hin baane, Ilkaaniin qofaa gammachuu isaa ibsaaf. Gama kanaan miidhaan walii keenya irraan geenye salphaa miti. kun hundi walitti ida’amee, tokkummaa keenyaaf gufu ta’ee nu rakkisaa jira. Tokkummaan Oromoo ta’uu keenya qofaan kan hundee godhatuu miti. Gandummaa fi Amantiin qofaa wal qooduun umameen hanqina qaba. afuurri hamaan kan irratti dubbachaa jirru hundee tokkummaa keenyaati. Afuura summaa’aa gubbaatti eerretu, Gandummaas, Amantiinis        akka wal qoodinu taasisa.   Aadaa warra safuu  hin  qabnee .!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Odoo nuuti hin dhalatiin sirboonni tokkummaa keenyaaf sirbaman hanga har’atti hiika dhabanii dhaloota boriif illee sirbamuuf taa’an, aadaa fi hammeenya halgaan nu keessa dhaabe irraa of qulqulleessinee walitti dhufuu dhabuu keenya mirkaneessu. Keessattu ilkaaniin qofaa wal barbaachuu keenya dhugeessa. Lafee Gootootaan waliin kakatanii , kanneen ganan, Afuura summaa’aa halgaan nu keessatu salphina kanaan isaan ga’e jechuu dandeenya. Amalli fi aadaan habshootaa keessa keenyaa ba’uu qaba. Bilisummaan waa hundaa caalu isa kanadha. Maandeellaanis gocha diinaa himuun nama rakkisu sana hundaa balleessuuf yeroo fudhata jedhee dhalooti wal harkaa fuudhee akka irrattii hojjatu kan taasise kanaafi. kun nuuf barnoota. Kan boriif hin jedhamne.

Daandiin Bilisummaa dheerachuu hubachuun duuba kan jiru immoo haa ilaallu. hubannoo kanaa qabaachuu fi of qopheessuun, Daandii Gootummaa Nama goonfachiisu keessa nama seensisu qalbeefachuun dansaadha. Qabsaa’oonni har’a cichoominaan Ummata isaaniif dhaabbatan hundi, Ummata isaaniif Goota. Gootummaa kana kabajuun ammo, Bilisummaa Ummataa labsuun nama ga’a. akka ejjannaa kiyyaatti, Qabsoon Oromoo sadarkaan inni irra jiru, rakko keessa isaatti umameen hin madaalamu. Garuu akka harkifatu taasise ta’a. Hojiin inni adda duraa waan dhumate fakkaata. Hojiin dhalootaan qabsoo itti fufsiisuu lafa qabateera. Yeroo amma keessa jirru kanaan wal bira qabnee yennaa ilaallu, dhimma dhala Oromoo Maraa ilaallatu tokko hanqina jechuu dandeenya. Yeroo kanatti sochii Qindoomiina qabutti ce’uutu nurraa eegama ture. Amala siyaasaa keessa yeroo eeggachuun murteessaa  waan ta’eef, haalli addunyaa, dammaqiinsa Ummata keenyaa , haala wayyaanee fi keessa ishee , Biyyoota ollaa kkf yoo ilaallee, BILISUMMAAN OROMOO ykn gaaffiin Oromoo  sochii nuuti akka dhuunfaattis ta’ee Ummataatti gaggeessinu irratti akka hundaa’u hubachuu nu barbaachisa.

Addunyaan kan humna qabuuti. Humnaan of mul’isuun dirqama dhala Oromoo hundaa ta’ee asi ba’eera. Kanatti dhimma ba’uuf Ilmaan Oromoo hundi waan dabree seenaaf dhiisanii Gootummaa Abbootii isaanii irra deebi’uu qaban.wal irraa qoollifachuu ykn qabsootti deebi’uun mo’amu nutti fakkaatee of keessa marannee taa’uu keenya irra, waan dabre seenaaf haa keenyu jedhanii gama kamiin akka wal tinnisuun danda’amu wal akeekuun gootummaadha. Kaayyoon ABO ganamaa kana uumuudha. Waan karaa ga’ee kana xumura itti gochuun , Fakkeenyummaa Maandeellaafaa dhugeessu ta’a. yeroo sana,dhugumayyuu Maandeellaan Gootummaa san isaan irraa baratee nu dhugeessa. Yoo kun ta’uu baate, seenaa warqaa irraa dhaloota dhaalsisuu ta’a. kun ammo…………………….

Maandeellaan Ashabbaarii jedhamaa jiraate fi dhiibbaan gara garaa irra ga’aa ture, humna isaa fi Ummata isaan Goota jedhameera. Ashabbaarii siin jechuu keenyaaf dhiifama. Sirraa waa hedduu baranne. Ati fakkeenya addunyaa kanaati jedhameera. Hundeen injifannoo kana hundaa garuu Fincila Ummata Kibbaa Afriikaati. Akka Ummata Gibtsi Fincila waggaa 2 wal irra hin cinnee finiinsanii furmaata maayyitti ba’uun filmaata yeroon nu dhiheessituudha. Akka Giddu gala Afriikaa humnaan Mootummaa hudhanii qabanii Angoo Irraa buusanii of kabachiisuunis akka jiru addunyaatu nutti himaa jira. Akka warra Kibba Sudaan dhageetti argachuuf murachuunis filmaata nu dhihaatteedha.Akka siiriyaa maalis ta’u maal humnaan biyya miila tokkon dhaabdee, Abbaa irreedha isa jettu mariif gadi teesisuudha. Murannoon kun hundi garuu, Bilisummaaf kan taasisameedha. Wareegamuun, qabeenyaan barbadaa’uun , gubachuun …..karaa Foddaa TV arginu sun hundi , Bilisummaa ofii kabachiifachuufidha. Mee murannoo kanaan of haa madaallu. Eessa jirra laata ?

Gootummaa kana keessatti hiriiruuf yoo of hin laatiin , Bilisummaa hawwuu fi qabsoo qeequu irraa dhaabbachuu qabna. Addunyaa kana irratti Bilisummaan manatti namaaf dhufte hin jirtu. Amma baayyinaa fi seenaa keenyaa hin hojjatiin jirra. Kun haqa. Kana jechuun humni hojjate hin jiru jechuu miti.

Bara injifannee waanuma dubbannu ykn kana gumaache jennu mee haa hojjannu. Oromummaa kiyyaaf kanan hojjadhe waan jennu, ykn waanuma br dhaloota keenyaatti himnu haa gumaachinu. Oromiyaa siyaasaan marfamtee jirtu BILISOMSUUN waan salphaa miti. Waan wal irratti dhiisanis miti. Diinni keenya kumaantama. Kana baayyina keenyaan dura dhaabbachuuf wal haa tumsinu.GOOTUMMAA QOFAATU BILISUMMAA MIRKANEESSA kanan jedheef kanaafi !!!!!!!!!!!! kutaa 3ffaa keessatti of kabachiisuuf , Fincilaa fi diddaa qindeeffachuun murteessaa ta’uu waliin ilaallee mata duree kana goolabna.

GALATOOMAA !!!!!!!!!!!!

Kutaa dabran:
GOOTUMMAA QOFAATU BILISUMMAA MIRKANEESSA !!!! - kutaa 1ffaa

Full Speech of the OLF Representative, Dr. Shigux Geleta, on the Frankfurt Horn of African Solidarity Conference

January 20, 2014

Dear Mr. Chairman,

Dear Honorable Representatives of the People’s Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ) and the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF), and beloved members of the Oromo, Ogadenian and Eritrean communities as a whole! It is a great privilege and honor for me to be among you today representing the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF).  First of all, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to the Organizing Committee for having organized such a timely and important conference supposed to assess the social, political and economic situations of the Horn of Africa with a special emphasis on the Ethiopian empire.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The Oromo-Ogaden and Eritrean Solidarity, such as the one we see today here in Frankfurt, did not emanate overnight or out of naught. It has rather had its own history and raison d’etre in our distant history of struggles for freedom against the oppression and subjugation we commonly had suffered, and are still suffering, under the Ethiopian empire.  Indeed, I believe that the Oromo-Ogaden-Eritrean solidarity is deeply rooted in the hearts of our respective peoples who continually aspire through their struggles to restore their inalienable right to the right to self-determination. No doubt, each people has its own separate history and social identity – in accordance to which it articulates the specificity of its problems, and hence propose their solutions accordingly. However, those specificities can never override the common experience of colonial oppression, and therefore, the necessity of solidarity among different freedom-seeking peoples. Freedom for each is pre-determined by freedom for all, and vice-versa. Such mutuality and reciprocity lies at the core principle of the type of solidarity I am talking about.

Though the Eritrean people have already counted two decades of freedom and sovereignty, it is precisely because of this basic principle that the Eritrean people and government still remain in solidarity with the Oromos, Ogadenians and other oppressed nations and nationalities. Its freedom will not be a full-fledged one without the freedom of other oppressed peoples of the region, because the security and political stability in Eritrea are unthinkable without peace and justice in the region as a whole. Therefore, the urge and strife for people’s freedom would remain to be the ultimate explanation for the relentless support the Eritrean state has been giving to the Oromo liberation struggle. The Oromo, Ogaden and Eritrean solidarity is a matter of categorical imperative to the political will of the region, and the Horn of Africa in general – not just an accidental phenomenon that lies in the whim of their respective politicians.

Honorable representatives and all participants of the conference,

Our common march to freedom, equality and justice is just like traveling on a big ship which sails on the vast open ocean to a common destiny. Not only do we need to ascertain where we are traveling to, but also the conditions of the ship and the possible obstructions it may face, be it natural or technical, so that the ship not only arrive at the point of its original and final destination safely, but also smoothly and punctually. This is an analogy that best describes for me the common march of the Oromo-Ogden and other oppressed peoples in the Ethiopian empire to freedom as they are progressing in their endeavor to build and shape a more stable, democratic and prosperous society. As much as the sailing journey is dependent on many unforeseeable natural calamities, human and technical failures, our common march to freedom can never be smooth, calculable or guaranteed against all odds. As experience has repetitively shown us, our journey has always been with many ups and downs which would often result with forth and backward movements in our struggle.

Betrayal in the course of Ethiopian politics has been observed several times in our protracted struggle. In 1991, for example, the mediating international community promised solidarity with our struggle as it heralded the famous motto “No Democracy; No Support.” But sooner than the ink, with which the Transitional Charter had been written, dried, the Western World turned, as you all know – deaf ear and blind eye to the catastrophic aftermath of the failure of the Transitional Agreement. The so-called international community was not alone in such a betrayal. Even our neighboring countries, such as Kenya, Sudan and Djibouti, did the same by having subsequently handed over our veterans to the EPRDF government. In due course of time, we were even betrayed by our own members as the balance of force kept tilting to the side of the TPLF/EPRDF.

Despite all the odds and the calamities we had had to be through, our determination and resilience to the struggle for freedom have been gathering its momentum through the immense sacrifices the Oromo Liberation Army [OLA/WBO] and the Oromo youth have been paying back at home. By contrast, we, Oromos in Diaspora, need to critically assess ourselves in respect to the minimum national duties we are expected to fulfill on our part. We need to be reflective as to whether we have done, and are doing, all what we can do in protecting and safeguarding, at least, the achievements of those sacrifices. We need to learn from our past mistakes not to repeat history. Today, we need, more than ever, to resolutely work and endeavor to be the masters of our own destiny rather than simply waiting and hoping someone else to accomplish our own duties.

Today, our peoples are in a period of transition. It is a transition from self-awareness as a nation towards self-realizing as a social agent of change towards achieving a more stable, prosperous and democratic system for the entire region – without relinquishing one’s own ideals and national identities. As history has taught us, a period like this is indeed full of sensitive and critical problems, which can often result in a setback and the deterioration of the nation’s living conditions. It is in this situation that social instability would result and would further precipitate chaotic and disorderly behaviors even amongst freedom-seeking nations themselves. Such a period could even be more dangerous when the stronger or superior sides are forcing their own will by repressive mechanisms.  Accordingly, today, our nations are challenged with varied, complex and multifaceted problems in the areas of politics, economy, social affairs, and security and environmental conservation.

Therefore, taking this opportunity, I would like to extend our call again to stand shoulder to shoulder in the face of the larger common goal of eradicating the horrendous oppressive system of the Ethiopian empire, and to ascertain freedom, liberty, justice, and peace for our peoples and the Horn as well. Needless to stress the fact that only people’s freedom and liberation can guarantee for peace and stability in the region.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

In what follows, I would like to shed a light on how the TPLF-led EPRDF has ruled with iron feast for the last 22 years. It created in the 1990s a form of “indirect rule” based on the official definition of ethnicity. Organizationally, the TPLF has managed the full control over EPRDF. It has systematically pushed out viable opposition forces out of the legal political playing field. Key positions in the national defense force and security have been overwhelmingly occupied by Tigrayans. Finally, they have managed to build one of the strongest armies in Africa, not only to smash down any opposition force in the country, but also to keep and guard “security and stability” in other African states, such as the ones it has sent to Rwanda, Liberia, Sudan,  Somalia and South Sudan in the name of “peace-keeping forces.” In having done so, it has used the opportunity in portraying itself as the best partner of the West in fighting international terrorism. Mind you! Its achievements are two-fold at a stroke. While it is consolidating its military power and dominance in the region on the one hand; it is simultaneously using this very act as a source of securing international financial support and legitimacy, on the other. By the same token, it puts all IGAD [the Intergovernmental Authority on Development] member-countries under its influence either by cross-border raids or trade ties, such us promoting the electric power. It hires foreign consultants in Brussels, London, Washington D.C. and New York for the purpose of lobbying its repressive political system to the Western governments. It sells fertile land of Oromia and the South to foreigners, and uses its subversive action as a diplomatic leverage. It has bought and penetrated oppositions with money, and tries to attract the Diaspora with minor/petty benefits. Despite all these, it has never succeeded to defeat our liberation struggle. On the contrary, we are vigilant, resilient and determined in our struggle more than ever. Today, we are progressively getting better militarily. As I have already mentioned, the Oromo Liberation Army [OLA/WBO] is very much visible in its consistent operations in the entire Oromia region, including the central one, directly, adjacent to the capital city Finfinne/Addis Ababa. General civil unrest and mass movements have been underway for quite sometime thanks to the Oromo Youth, known as Qeerroo, which is getting progressively support from all other social sectors beyond the youth.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Finally, our struggle for democracy, freedom and self-determination stands at a historic juncture where it is gathering and consolidating its momentum in determining not only our separate destinies, but also the course of history for the entire region in the future. As I have already mentioned elsewhere, as an Oromo nation and the Oromo Liberation Front, we believe that our alliances with all oppressed peoples, progressive democratic forces and peace-seeking neighboring countries in the region are strategically important in the drive towards freedom, peace and stability for the Horn. The struggle for freedom will be concluded when the right to self-determination is realized, and the choice of the people is implemented and respected. In this regard we have to be cautious not to make unforgivable failure by deciding ourselves the outcome of a people’s choice that affects the existence of the right to make a choice. The outcome of our people’s referendum should not be a subject of a political discussion as we witness today. In respect to this principal position of the OLF, I recommend my fellow Oromos to see not things in their mundane existence, but in their interrelationships – not in their snapshot appearance, but in their contextual essence as part and parcel of a larger process.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The politics of alliance demands identifying reliable partners, articulating and undertaking common objectives to be achieved and cultivating mutual trust to achieve further consolidation of unity at yet higher level. Interests based on geographic proximity, cultural ties, complementary economy, suffering the same fate of subjugation are all factors that make the Oromo and other oppressed peoples of the south natural allies. This shouldn’t be misused by lack of skills and foresight on both sides. EPRDF is skilled in instigating ethnic conflicts. The ongoing savage act of “the Somali kilil liyyuu tor” [the Special Military-Police of the Somali Region in Ethiopia] on Oromos (in the Mayyoo, Fadiis, Miidhagaa Lolaa, Cinaaksan, Baabbilee areas of east Oromia and farther south in Diida of the Borana zone) is just a case in point. Our vanguard organizations, and both Oromo and Ogaden elders, need to work hard to stop such bloodshed orchestrated by our common enemy, the TPLF.

I should unmistakably emphasize that we, Oromos, have no animosity towards any other people in the region except that we are against the oppressive and repressive system in the Ethiopian empire. We all know that governmental systems are temporal as a matter of historical necessity. However, peoples and their relations to one another remain eternal, in fact, often bonded by common destiny. It is based on this basic fact that we insist on the need and importance of solidarity among our peoples if they are to achieve freedom, justice, prosperity and peace in the region as a whole. An enduring and lasting peace can only be achieved through justice that confers each people with the right to self-determination – a fundamental principle of voluntarism, free choice based contractual conception of society upon which all modern democracies are established.

As a result, let us stand together; unite our efforts against the EPRDF regime; and support each other and work hard in collaboration to achieve our dream for freedom.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Let me conclude my speech with a reminding announcement to my Oromo fellows and, of course, friends of the Oromo:

As I suppose you all know, January-First is a multifaceted anniversary for OLF members and supporters, and the Oromo people at large. It was decided as a date of anniversary for the Oromo Liberation Army [OLA/WBO] in 1979, and it was first celebrated in 1980. Since then, it has always been celebrated by all freedom-loving Oromos around the world. The historical background to this choice is shortly as follows: In November 1973 J/ Elemo Qilxuu and his comrades took Chercher as a guerrilla base to fight against the colonial yoke, and in September 1974 they began to combat against the Emperor’s army, but the armed struggle was terminated for a while, and again started in 1976. It was endangered in 1978 and recovered in 1979. As a result of such hazardous situations encountered by the OLA, January 1^st was selected to be the anniversary day of OLA. Since January 1st of 1980, it has been celebrated as the Day of OLA and New Year. Once again, I congratulate you for the Day of OLA and wish you a happy New Year.

Thank you for your attention,

Long Live OLA!

Freedom and Justice Shall Prevail!

The Struggle for Freedom Shall Continue until Victory!

Honor and Glory for the Fallen Heroines!

Thank you,

January 04, 2014
Frankfurt am Main, Germany