The Ethiopian Television has reported that remains of 30 people, who were long-time political prisoners of the Derg and later extra-judicially executed in 1986 by the Derg, were laid to rest at the Red Terror Martyrs’ Memorial Museum in Finfinne (Addis Ababa). The caskets arrived at the Memorial Museum in a funeral procession through the streets of Finfinne from the Special Prosecutor’s Office, where they were held after being exhumed from the ground of the Kotebe Derg’s Intelligence office by an Argentinean forensic anthropology team in the mid 1990’s.
The Murdered Oromo Prisoners
Among the 30 murdered in cold-blood by the Derg in October 1986 were Oromo political prisoners of the notorious Maa’ikalaawii (Central) prison: Obbo Muhee Abdo, Obbo Gezahegne Kassahun, Obbo Kebede Demissie and Obbo Yigezu Wake.
According to an Amnesty International Report, in addition to being ardent Oromo nationalists, the four executed prisoners were:
Gezahegne Kassahun – former first deputy chairman, All Ethiopia Trades Union,
Kebede Demissie – former Ministry of Agriculture official,
Muhee Abdo – civil servant and university graduate,
Yigezu Wake – former army lieutenant.
Brutality on Muhee Abdoo Represents the Brutality on the Generation
Obbo Muhee Abdo was an active member of the Ethiopian Students Movement at the Addis Ababa (formerly, the Haile-Sellassie) University in the early 1970’s. He later became a member of the 5-men Oromo Liberation Front’s top leadership, known as the Supreme Politico Military Command (SPMC), in September 1977.
In his book, Prison of Conscience: Upper Compound Maa’kalaawii, Obbo Ibsaa Guutama, who had been a political prison with Obbo Muhee Abdo at Maa’ikalaawii, notes:
“It’s suffice to mention four victims of state brutality that the writer believes would represent that restless generation, four outstanding student leaders of the epoch, Waalilliny Mokonin, Haayilee Fidaa, Brihana Masqal Raddaa, and Muhee Abdoo Abbaa Duulaa.”
Recounting that October night, when fellow prisoners were called out from Maa’ikalaawii by the security guards to be herded to the Kotebe execution ground, Obbo Ibsaa Guutama in the same book says:
“From the Upper Compound, Muhee Abdoo and Gazaheny Kaasaahun were called [out]. It was already heard that several old prisoners from the Karchallee had arrived presumably to be released. Gazaheny informed this writer about their arrival, shortly before he himself was called out. The subsequent addition of the two comrades [Muhee and Gazaheny] raised doubt. After some time, the Administration sent for their belongings. That was an enough clue for something bad [had happened to Muhee and Gazaheny.] All their comrades were numbed. They did not know how to respond.”
Exhuming the Bodies from Kotebe
The bodies of the 30 political prisoners, who were extra-judicially executed at the Kotebe Intelligence office by the Derg, were dug out by an Argentinean forensic anthropology team in the 1990’s at the request of the Carter Presidential Center and the Special Prosecutor’s Office (SPO), according to the Argentinean team’s website. The Special Prosecutor’s Office was set up to investigate and prosecute former Derg members and officials in 1992. Among others, evidences from the Kotebe executions (pictures below) were presented to the Court that found Derg members, including the head of the Derg, Colonel Mengistu Haile-Mariam, guilty of mass murder and sentenced Mengistu to death in absentia.
Ropes used to strangle & execute the October 1986 Oromo martyrs: Gezahegne Kassahun, Kebede Demissie, Muhee Abdo & Yigezu Wake. Source: Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team (Viewer Discretion Advised)
Reporting about the executions, the Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team said:
“The former Makalawi prisoners that we interviewed said that late on the night of October 7, 1979 [Geez Calendar, 1986 in European Calendar], a truck arrived in the prison compound and twenty prisoners were offloaded. The night was cold and many of the new prisoners had wrapped themselves in blankets. They were put in holding cells apart from the main cellblock. The next morning, at 10-20 minutes intervals, the guards called out each of the twenty new prisoners by name and, one by one, they were marched away. Ten Makalawi prisoners were similarly called out and taken away. The thirty men never returned, and by late afternoon rumors began to circulate that they had all been executed.”
For additional information, refer to the following:
- Reports by the Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team
- Book: Guutama, Ibsaa, “Prison of Conscience: Upper Compound Maa’kalaawii,” Gubirmans Publishing, New York, 2003
==================================
RELATED:
AFP: Ethiopia reburies Mengistu victims
ADDIS ABABA — Dozens of Ethiopians marched Thursday to rebury family members massacred during dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam’s “Red Terror” purge which claimed tens of thousands of lives some 30 years ago.
A funeral convoy of dark vehicles made its way through the capital’s main streets carrying coffins draped in the Ethiopian flag, as a military band played sombre tunes.
Relatives observed a minute’s silence at a museum where they were to be re-buried.
The museum opened last month after three years of construction. It is to honour victims of the 1977-78 campaign of state terror carried out on Mengistu’s orders to wipe out his opponents.
Only ten bodies have been identified since they were exhumed in 1994 by Argentinian forensic experts from a former security compound in the north of Addis Ababa.
“These young Ethiopian victims were rounded up by government agents and strangled by rope in 1978,” Ayne Tsige, the head of the victims’ association, told AFP.
Sixty-seven year-old Zeineba Seid recalled the events that followed her brother’s disappearance.
“They kept telling us he was alive and well. We only confirmed after the bodies were found,” she said, referring to local authorities.
Her brother’s remains were identified in 1994 with the help of her own DNA.
“Although his loss is painful for us all, I am extremely happy that we have finally laid him to rest,” said Meaza Gulema, a cousin of the slain man.
Mengistu, now in exile in Zimbabwe, was sentenced in absentia two years ago to death for genocide along with 17 of his henchmen following a decade-long trial in Addis Ababa.
The former army lieutenant-colonel was a member of the Marxist junta known as the Derg which ruled Ethiopia from 1974 to 1991 after the ouster of emperor Haile Selassie.
As many as 100,000 people were killed during the campaign as Mengistu sought to transform the country into a Soviet-style workers’ state.
The regime, then battling a number of insurgencies throughout the country, used several tactics to scare opponents, one of which was leaving dead bodies on streets as a warning.
- AFP
Friday, April 30, 2010
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Ethiopia: Consensus on Ethiopian Unity, But Referendum on Oromian Unity?
By Fayyis Oromia*
What a double standard and absurdity in the Habesha political camp? Let alone the reactionary unitarists like AEUP and the conservative hegemonists like TPLF, even “the modern, liberals and moderates” like UDJ and G-7 are not free from such double standard, just as their friends/masters in the Western world are not free from all sorts of double standards. Here are few of the double standards, I did observe, being practiced by Habesha elites:
- “Amarigna as the federal working language is indisputable whereas Afaan Oromo needs public verdict”;
- “Ethiopian unity is unconditional (needs only consensus of elites) whereas Oromian unity (one Oromia in a killil-federation of Ethiopia) needs referendum”;
- “Ethiopiawinet or Ethiopian nationalism which is actually the mask for Amharanet/Habeshanet or for Amhara nationalism/Abyssinian nationalism is the ‘holy nationalism’ whereas Oromummaa or Oromo nationalism is the ‘evil Gosenyinet or evil clanism’”
I now write this short essay based on the recent assertion of UDJ leaders who have told us not to make any compromise on Ethiopian unity, but want to go for the public’s verdict to decide on the legitimacy of Oromian unity, which is at least partially secured currently by the killil-federation (even though it is fake) in the Ethiopian context, if not yet by the complete independence of Oromia from the subjugating empire. I also heard one interview given by Mr. Andargachew Tsige, who still insisted on the acceptance of Ethiopian unity as the unconditional precondition to make an alliance with other opposition forces, such as the OLF.
No question that media outlets of AEUP and the likes lament about gosenyinet (clanism) when they want to talk about national movements like the Oromo national liberation movement. It is also not surprising to observe that some Oromo individuals, who are the descendants of privileged Oromo individuals during the monarchy and the military dictatorship like Dr. Zergabachew Asfaw Gammachu (the son of Bako/Ambo Wereda/Awuraja-gezhi, i.e. the son of the district/regional governor during the monarchy), are now rallying behind the reactionary unitarist forces like AEPO of the late Prof. Asrat.
We do see that there are, nowadays, three groups crying for unconditional Ethiopian unity, but disregard the importance of Oromian unity and autonomy. The ruling Tigrean hegemonists just talk the talk even though their main interest is only maintaining their lucrative power in Finfinne palace. The obsolete faara (old style) unitarists cry foul against killil-federation explicitly, discrediting it as “ye gosaa politika/clan politics.” The cunning araada (street smart) unitarists in G-7 and UDJ talk about unconditional Ethiopian unity as well as they try to act against Oromian unity by preaching about the buzz concepts like democracy, human rights, individual freedom, justice, development, peace, good governance, etc., but by opposing the killil-federation, which is the minimal guarantee for Oromian unity.
Anyways, be it the araada way or faara way, it is about saving the empire. The faara’s try it with old methods like talking what Debteraa Bahirey and Aleqaa Taye wrote regarding Ethiopian history. The araada’s use totally other methods. For instance, to reduce the danger coming from the Oromo, they use the following theories as postmodern approaches, which would be applied to fight against Oromo’s right to self-determination and to save the empire from disintegration:
- “all Ethiopians, including Tigrayans, are Oromo so Oromo liberation is not necessary” – the approach of some “modern Habesha historians”;
- “Oromo, as a majority, can rule Ethiopia, so let’s fight for democracy together – no need of liberation movement” – an approach of the modern Abesha movements, which try to instrumentalize Adde Birtukan Midhagsa;
- “everybody in Ethiopia is blended with Oromo; so Ethiopia is Oromia, and the Ethiopian empire is in reality an Oromo empire” – Aite Siye’s approach belongs here;
- “let’s focus on the development of Oromia; our people need more food rather than freedom” – Weyane’s/OPDO’s approach to divert attention of Oromo from the struggle for liberation and to pacify Oromo;
- “Oromo need unconditional independence, but OLF is the first enemy who abandoned this goal; so first focus on bashing, cursing, demonizing, discrediting and vilifying OLF” – Weyane cadres camouflaged as the radical pro-Oromo independence use this method.
The recent araada move is what we have observed in the new alliance Medrek, where the participating elites had a consensus to keep Ethiopian unity unconditionally, but agreed to have public referendum to decide on Oromian unity (killil-federation) vs. Oromian division (xeqilaigizat-federation). The cunning Habesha politicians in UDJ could “convince” the good-hearted yewah (harmless) Oromo politicians to accept this move. This move made me ask: is there any Amhara politician, disregarding the Weyane slaves in ANDM, who is really ready to accept and respect the right of Oromia for autonomy and unity? Yes, it is clear that Tigrean elites at least talk this talk even though they don’t walk the talk, i.e. they do respect this right of Oromia, at least partially and verbally.
Why are Ethiopianist elites, the majority being Amhara elites, as such die-hard opponents of Oromian unity and autonomy? Of course, it has got historical reason, which I don’t want to narrate here. I leave history for historians. In short, they seem to still fight the war of their forefathers against Oromo. Here, it is necessary to mention the struggle, which the Oromo people had fought against the Amhara ruling class (the old nefxenyas) for more than one century, and the failures Oromo experienced in the struggle to achieve their goal of Oromo liberation, specially because of the assistance given by the Western regimes to their Abyssinian servants. The following are a few of the assistance given as examples:
- the old nefxenyas could colonize Oromia, despite the heroic resistance of the Oromo people, by the help of the European colonialists at the end of the nineteenth century;
- the sporadic Oromo uprisings, such as that of Raya and Bale, were suppressed by the diplomatic and military help of the West;
- the demand of Oromo nationalists to establish Oromian confederation after the Second World War has been rejected by the Western allies, and they restored the monarchy to rule over Oromia further;
- the Oromo movement for self-determination, being led by Dr. Haile Fida of MEISON, was crashed by the help of the Soviets in 1977;
- the high motivation of the Oromo people for liberation in 1992, being led by OLF, was sabotaged, and the OLF army was encamped and destroyed with the very help of the West and the EPLF given to the neo-nefxenya, Weyane;
- the coming back of the Oromo national movement via AFD to take the responsibility in the empire and to determine the Oromo people’s fate, again being led by OLF, including the defection of Oromo Generals to support this move was again crashed by using the “invasion of Somalia” with the help of Americans in 2007;
- the current attempt of the Habesha elites and their Western helpers again to isolate Oromo nationalists from taking part in discussions and deliberation concerning the empire, against which Oromo nationalists protested in the last few weeks, is again symptomatic of the trend described above.
It is interesting to observe that Abyssinian elites (Amharas, Tegarus and Eritreans) do quarrel only on the position of a possible political domination in the region, but agree on making Oromia unconditionally be part and parcel of the empire without a consensus and consultation with Oromo elites. They all cry about unconditional Ethiopian unity, ignoring or disregarding the importance of Oromian unity and autonomy for the peace and stability of the region. They try to talk about the problems in the Ethiopian empire and the Horn, but forget that the central part of the problem is the colonization of Oromia and the core of the solution is the liberation of Oromia. How long will these Habesha elites and their Western helpers fool themselves?
The Oromo people have survived the invasions and imperialistic domination in the last many centuries, the colonization by Abyssinians being only part of these invasions. Oromo has resisted all cultural, economic and political subjugation. The territory occupied by the Oromo people seems to have been squeezed to the present status from all sides, specially from the north and the east. Leaving again history for historians, the current national area of Oromo aka Oromia unquestionably deserves its own autonomy and unity. All areas where the Oromo people live are continuous areas as depicted by the hitherto maps of Oromia from the north, Raya, to the south, Lamu, and from the west, Assosa, to the east Jijjiga.
Just as Habesha elites cry for Ethiopian unity, Oromo elites try to establish and keep Oromian unity (unity of Oromo national areas from north to south, and from west to east). The Oromo people are not necessarily against Ethiopian unity as the unitarist and the hegemonist Habeshas try to paint, but they are surely for Oromian unity. The question to Habesha elites is that can they learn to accept and respect this Oromian unity, just as they wish that the Oromo people do accept and respect Ethiopian unity? This is the crucial issue, where specially Amhara elites should check their position. At the time they start to learn this and come to terms, it is really not hard to make a necessary alliance with Oromo nationalists against the fascist Weyane regime. At the moment, unfortunately, the unitarist Amhara/Ethiopianist elites are an obstacle for such constructive alliance.
Now, it seems that Weyane is still enjoying the God-given lottery, i.e. the historical face-off between the Oromo and the Amhara elites as a “unique historical advantage for the TPLF” to perpetuate its rule. The far-sighted Oromo freedom fighters in OLF and the few reasonable Amhara democrats of CUD did forge AFD in the year 2006, which Meles Zenawi mocked as a marriage between “fire and straw” (isat ina ciid). Was he right? Again, the attempt of forging alliance by some moderate politicians from both Amhara and Oromo sides as well as from other nations in a form of MEDREK has not yet got the required optimal compromise solution. These elites in Medrek should have come to the consensus to forge and keep Oromian unity in the Ethiopian context unconditionally, just as they come to agreement to keep Ethiopian unity by any means. Unfortunately, AFD failed because of the withdrawal of both CUD and EPPF; similarly, Medrek seems to be in danger of disintegration for the rejection of UDJ to accept the right of Oromian unity and autonomy unconditionally.
At the time when Amhara/Ethiopianist elites in the parties like AEUP, EPRP, G-7 and UDJ start to accept and respect this Oromian unity unconditionally, I am sure it will not be hard for Oromo nationalists also to sing Ethiopian union for common benefit. When Oromian unity and autonomy are unconditionally accepted by all stakeholders in the region, including the power players of the globe, the Oromo people are the last to be disadvantaged in a union, be it in the name of Ethiopia or the Horn. But trying to by-pass Oromo’s national interest with the pretext of talking about only Ethiopia or the Horn, as it was done in the last “conference on Ethiopia and on the Horn,” is simply not a solution for that cursed and troubled region.
The best way to be seen as a solution is, Finfinne being the political center of Africa, to fight for Oromian unity unconditionally as a nucleus for Ethiopian/Horn unity and for African unity. When Habesha elites, in particular, and other stakeholders, in general, agree to move in this direction, Oromo elites will have no problem to forge any sort of alliance and to cooperate in any political move to stabilize the region. The araada’s like G-7 should accept the unconditional Oromian unity as one of the precondition, in addition to their unconditional Ethiopian unity and democracy, which they do always preach to us, in order to forge an efficient alliance with Oromo liberation forces like OLF. The other parties like UDJ should also learn to have a consensus on unconditional Oromian unity instead of crying for the referendum they have started to talk about. It is simply unfair to insist on consensus for unconditional Ethiopian unity, but demand referendum on Oromian unity, which can simply be taken as Ethiopian unity at the expense of Oromian unity (an attempt to dismantle Oromia per referendum).
It is clear that any attempt of Amhara/Ethiopianist forces and Oromo/Oromianist forces to find a common ground is the move which the fascist Weyane regime want to avoid by any means. So, it already dispatched its cadres to sow a discord among both Ethiopianists and Oromianists, specially at the following three levels:
- at the level of Ethiopianist forces vs Oromianist forces. Here, the cadres are doing their job in Paltalks and forums being camouflaged either as reactionary unitarist Amharas to curse Oromo forces as “gosenyas/clanists,” “separatists,” “narrow nationalists,” “dangerous for Ethiopian unity,” etc. or camouflaged as radical/revolutionary Oromo to blame Ethiopianist forces as “chauvinists,” “colonialists,” “anti-nationalities,” “dangerous for Oromian autonomy and unity,” etc. Yes, of course, there are still differences between the two forces as I tried to elaborate above, and Weyane cadres just pouring benzine onto it.
- at the level of only Ethiopianist forces, being camouflaged as supporters of AEUP to curse UDJ and vice versa; as supporters of G-7 to blame AEUP and vice versa; as supporters of G-7 to curse Medrek and vice versa; as supporters of Mesfin’s UDJ against Gizachew’s UDJ vice versa; as EPRP to accuse all others and vice versa, etc.
- at the level of only Oromianist forces, being camouflaged as supporters of different Oromo regional, political and religious groups to curse each other. Here, we did a great job in the last few years to expose such Weyane cadres so that, nowadays, we do hear and read not so much controversies as before. Oromianist forces simply started to move towards tokkummaa of oromummaa for bilisummaa (unity of Oromo nationalists for liberation).
The best anti-dote against this satanic action of fascist Weyanes and that of their cadres is that Ethiopianist (”multinational/hibre-biher“) forces learn to tolerate each other and forge unity for common purpose of their main issue (keeping Ethiopian unity) and that Oromianist forces continue with the tokkummaa of orommummaa for bilisummaa, which they have already started to forge. Of course, the move of UDJ and G-7 in trying to unite the first (i.e. Ethiopianist camp), and the role of OLF and ULFO in attempting to lead the second (i.e. Oromianist camp) are encouraging.
Then, last but not least, both Amhara/Ethiopianist “multinational” forces and Oromo/Oromianist national forces should learn to struggle together to achieve both Ethiopian/Horn unity and Oromian unity for the sake of their own economical common benefit and for the stability of the region/Horn. I hope the “multinational” forces like G-7 and the national forces like OLF take this as a common ground which can help them forge a necessary TIBIBIR (alliance) against the fascist Weyane to struggle in unison to build a common home in the Horn, where both Oromian unity and Ethiopian/Horn unity can be fostered and respected. The steps taken in forming both AFD and Medrek were good and now better form of Tibibir, which will be dedicated in promoting both Oromian unity and Ethiopian unity, must emerge!
Galatooma!
* Fayyis Oromia can be reached at fayyis@yahoo.de.
What a double standard and absurdity in the Habesha political camp? Let alone the reactionary unitarists like AEUP and the conservative hegemonists like TPLF, even “the modern, liberals and moderates” like UDJ and G-7 are not free from such double standard, just as their friends/masters in the Western world are not free from all sorts of double standards. Here are few of the double standards, I did observe, being practiced by Habesha elites:
- “Amarigna as the federal working language is indisputable whereas Afaan Oromo needs public verdict”;
- “Ethiopian unity is unconditional (needs only consensus of elites) whereas Oromian unity (one Oromia in a killil-federation of Ethiopia) needs referendum”;
- “Ethiopiawinet or Ethiopian nationalism which is actually the mask for Amharanet/Habeshanet or for Amhara nationalism/Abyssinian nationalism is the ‘holy nationalism’ whereas Oromummaa or Oromo nationalism is the ‘evil Gosenyinet or evil clanism’”
I now write this short essay based on the recent assertion of UDJ leaders who have told us not to make any compromise on Ethiopian unity, but want to go for the public’s verdict to decide on the legitimacy of Oromian unity, which is at least partially secured currently by the killil-federation (even though it is fake) in the Ethiopian context, if not yet by the complete independence of Oromia from the subjugating empire. I also heard one interview given by Mr. Andargachew Tsige, who still insisted on the acceptance of Ethiopian unity as the unconditional precondition to make an alliance with other opposition forces, such as the OLF.
No question that media outlets of AEUP and the likes lament about gosenyinet (clanism) when they want to talk about national movements like the Oromo national liberation movement. It is also not surprising to observe that some Oromo individuals, who are the descendants of privileged Oromo individuals during the monarchy and the military dictatorship like Dr. Zergabachew Asfaw Gammachu (the son of Bako/Ambo Wereda/Awuraja-gezhi, i.e. the son of the district/regional governor during the monarchy), are now rallying behind the reactionary unitarist forces like AEPO of the late Prof. Asrat.
We do see that there are, nowadays, three groups crying for unconditional Ethiopian unity, but disregard the importance of Oromian unity and autonomy. The ruling Tigrean hegemonists just talk the talk even though their main interest is only maintaining their lucrative power in Finfinne palace. The obsolete faara (old style) unitarists cry foul against killil-federation explicitly, discrediting it as “ye gosaa politika/clan politics.” The cunning araada (street smart) unitarists in G-7 and UDJ talk about unconditional Ethiopian unity as well as they try to act against Oromian unity by preaching about the buzz concepts like democracy, human rights, individual freedom, justice, development, peace, good governance, etc., but by opposing the killil-federation, which is the minimal guarantee for Oromian unity.
Anyways, be it the araada way or faara way, it is about saving the empire. The faara’s try it with old methods like talking what Debteraa Bahirey and Aleqaa Taye wrote regarding Ethiopian history. The araada’s use totally other methods. For instance, to reduce the danger coming from the Oromo, they use the following theories as postmodern approaches, which would be applied to fight against Oromo’s right to self-determination and to save the empire from disintegration:
- “all Ethiopians, including Tigrayans, are Oromo so Oromo liberation is not necessary” – the approach of some “modern Habesha historians”;
- “Oromo, as a majority, can rule Ethiopia, so let’s fight for democracy together – no need of liberation movement” – an approach of the modern Abesha movements, which try to instrumentalize Adde Birtukan Midhagsa;
- “everybody in Ethiopia is blended with Oromo; so Ethiopia is Oromia, and the Ethiopian empire is in reality an Oromo empire” – Aite Siye’s approach belongs here;
- “let’s focus on the development of Oromia; our people need more food rather than freedom” – Weyane’s/OPDO’s approach to divert attention of Oromo from the struggle for liberation and to pacify Oromo;
- “Oromo need unconditional independence, but OLF is the first enemy who abandoned this goal; so first focus on bashing, cursing, demonizing, discrediting and vilifying OLF” – Weyane cadres camouflaged as the radical pro-Oromo independence use this method.
The recent araada move is what we have observed in the new alliance Medrek, where the participating elites had a consensus to keep Ethiopian unity unconditionally, but agreed to have public referendum to decide on Oromian unity (killil-federation) vs. Oromian division (xeqilaigizat-federation). The cunning Habesha politicians in UDJ could “convince” the good-hearted yewah (harmless) Oromo politicians to accept this move. This move made me ask: is there any Amhara politician, disregarding the Weyane slaves in ANDM, who is really ready to accept and respect the right of Oromia for autonomy and unity? Yes, it is clear that Tigrean elites at least talk this talk even though they don’t walk the talk, i.e. they do respect this right of Oromia, at least partially and verbally.
Why are Ethiopianist elites, the majority being Amhara elites, as such die-hard opponents of Oromian unity and autonomy? Of course, it has got historical reason, which I don’t want to narrate here. I leave history for historians. In short, they seem to still fight the war of their forefathers against Oromo. Here, it is necessary to mention the struggle, which the Oromo people had fought against the Amhara ruling class (the old nefxenyas) for more than one century, and the failures Oromo experienced in the struggle to achieve their goal of Oromo liberation, specially because of the assistance given by the Western regimes to their Abyssinian servants. The following are a few of the assistance given as examples:
- the old nefxenyas could colonize Oromia, despite the heroic resistance of the Oromo people, by the help of the European colonialists at the end of the nineteenth century;
- the sporadic Oromo uprisings, such as that of Raya and Bale, were suppressed by the diplomatic and military help of the West;
- the demand of Oromo nationalists to establish Oromian confederation after the Second World War has been rejected by the Western allies, and they restored the monarchy to rule over Oromia further;
- the Oromo movement for self-determination, being led by Dr. Haile Fida of MEISON, was crashed by the help of the Soviets in 1977;
- the high motivation of the Oromo people for liberation in 1992, being led by OLF, was sabotaged, and the OLF army was encamped and destroyed with the very help of the West and the EPLF given to the neo-nefxenya, Weyane;
- the coming back of the Oromo national movement via AFD to take the responsibility in the empire and to determine the Oromo people’s fate, again being led by OLF, including the defection of Oromo Generals to support this move was again crashed by using the “invasion of Somalia” with the help of Americans in 2007;
- the current attempt of the Habesha elites and their Western helpers again to isolate Oromo nationalists from taking part in discussions and deliberation concerning the empire, against which Oromo nationalists protested in the last few weeks, is again symptomatic of the trend described above.
It is interesting to observe that Abyssinian elites (Amharas, Tegarus and Eritreans) do quarrel only on the position of a possible political domination in the region, but agree on making Oromia unconditionally be part and parcel of the empire without a consensus and consultation with Oromo elites. They all cry about unconditional Ethiopian unity, ignoring or disregarding the importance of Oromian unity and autonomy for the peace and stability of the region. They try to talk about the problems in the Ethiopian empire and the Horn, but forget that the central part of the problem is the colonization of Oromia and the core of the solution is the liberation of Oromia. How long will these Habesha elites and their Western helpers fool themselves?
The Oromo people have survived the invasions and imperialistic domination in the last many centuries, the colonization by Abyssinians being only part of these invasions. Oromo has resisted all cultural, economic and political subjugation. The territory occupied by the Oromo people seems to have been squeezed to the present status from all sides, specially from the north and the east. Leaving again history for historians, the current national area of Oromo aka Oromia unquestionably deserves its own autonomy and unity. All areas where the Oromo people live are continuous areas as depicted by the hitherto maps of Oromia from the north, Raya, to the south, Lamu, and from the west, Assosa, to the east Jijjiga.
Just as Habesha elites cry for Ethiopian unity, Oromo elites try to establish and keep Oromian unity (unity of Oromo national areas from north to south, and from west to east). The Oromo people are not necessarily against Ethiopian unity as the unitarist and the hegemonist Habeshas try to paint, but they are surely for Oromian unity. The question to Habesha elites is that can they learn to accept and respect this Oromian unity, just as they wish that the Oromo people do accept and respect Ethiopian unity? This is the crucial issue, where specially Amhara elites should check their position. At the time they start to learn this and come to terms, it is really not hard to make a necessary alliance with Oromo nationalists against the fascist Weyane regime. At the moment, unfortunately, the unitarist Amhara/Ethiopianist elites are an obstacle for such constructive alliance.
Now, it seems that Weyane is still enjoying the God-given lottery, i.e. the historical face-off between the Oromo and the Amhara elites as a “unique historical advantage for the TPLF” to perpetuate its rule. The far-sighted Oromo freedom fighters in OLF and the few reasonable Amhara democrats of CUD did forge AFD in the year 2006, which Meles Zenawi mocked as a marriage between “fire and straw” (isat ina ciid). Was he right? Again, the attempt of forging alliance by some moderate politicians from both Amhara and Oromo sides as well as from other nations in a form of MEDREK has not yet got the required optimal compromise solution. These elites in Medrek should have come to the consensus to forge and keep Oromian unity in the Ethiopian context unconditionally, just as they come to agreement to keep Ethiopian unity by any means. Unfortunately, AFD failed because of the withdrawal of both CUD and EPPF; similarly, Medrek seems to be in danger of disintegration for the rejection of UDJ to accept the right of Oromian unity and autonomy unconditionally.
At the time when Amhara/Ethiopianist elites in the parties like AEUP, EPRP, G-7 and UDJ start to accept and respect this Oromian unity unconditionally, I am sure it will not be hard for Oromo nationalists also to sing Ethiopian union for common benefit. When Oromian unity and autonomy are unconditionally accepted by all stakeholders in the region, including the power players of the globe, the Oromo people are the last to be disadvantaged in a union, be it in the name of Ethiopia or the Horn. But trying to by-pass Oromo’s national interest with the pretext of talking about only Ethiopia or the Horn, as it was done in the last “conference on Ethiopia and on the Horn,” is simply not a solution for that cursed and troubled region.
The best way to be seen as a solution is, Finfinne being the political center of Africa, to fight for Oromian unity unconditionally as a nucleus for Ethiopian/Horn unity and for African unity. When Habesha elites, in particular, and other stakeholders, in general, agree to move in this direction, Oromo elites will have no problem to forge any sort of alliance and to cooperate in any political move to stabilize the region. The araada’s like G-7 should accept the unconditional Oromian unity as one of the precondition, in addition to their unconditional Ethiopian unity and democracy, which they do always preach to us, in order to forge an efficient alliance with Oromo liberation forces like OLF. The other parties like UDJ should also learn to have a consensus on unconditional Oromian unity instead of crying for the referendum they have started to talk about. It is simply unfair to insist on consensus for unconditional Ethiopian unity, but demand referendum on Oromian unity, which can simply be taken as Ethiopian unity at the expense of Oromian unity (an attempt to dismantle Oromia per referendum).
It is clear that any attempt of Amhara/Ethiopianist forces and Oromo/Oromianist forces to find a common ground is the move which the fascist Weyane regime want to avoid by any means. So, it already dispatched its cadres to sow a discord among both Ethiopianists and Oromianists, specially at the following three levels:
- at the level of Ethiopianist forces vs Oromianist forces. Here, the cadres are doing their job in Paltalks and forums being camouflaged either as reactionary unitarist Amharas to curse Oromo forces as “gosenyas/clanists,” “separatists,” “narrow nationalists,” “dangerous for Ethiopian unity,” etc. or camouflaged as radical/revolutionary Oromo to blame Ethiopianist forces as “chauvinists,” “colonialists,” “anti-nationalities,” “dangerous for Oromian autonomy and unity,” etc. Yes, of course, there are still differences between the two forces as I tried to elaborate above, and Weyane cadres just pouring benzine onto it.
- at the level of only Ethiopianist forces, being camouflaged as supporters of AEUP to curse UDJ and vice versa; as supporters of G-7 to blame AEUP and vice versa; as supporters of G-7 to curse Medrek and vice versa; as supporters of Mesfin’s UDJ against Gizachew’s UDJ vice versa; as EPRP to accuse all others and vice versa, etc.
- at the level of only Oromianist forces, being camouflaged as supporters of different Oromo regional, political and religious groups to curse each other. Here, we did a great job in the last few years to expose such Weyane cadres so that, nowadays, we do hear and read not so much controversies as before. Oromianist forces simply started to move towards tokkummaa of oromummaa for bilisummaa (unity of Oromo nationalists for liberation).
The best anti-dote against this satanic action of fascist Weyanes and that of their cadres is that Ethiopianist (”multinational/hibre-biher“) forces learn to tolerate each other and forge unity for common purpose of their main issue (keeping Ethiopian unity) and that Oromianist forces continue with the tokkummaa of orommummaa for bilisummaa, which they have already started to forge. Of course, the move of UDJ and G-7 in trying to unite the first (i.e. Ethiopianist camp), and the role of OLF and ULFO in attempting to lead the second (i.e. Oromianist camp) are encouraging.
Then, last but not least, both Amhara/Ethiopianist “multinational” forces and Oromo/Oromianist national forces should learn to struggle together to achieve both Ethiopian/Horn unity and Oromian unity for the sake of their own economical common benefit and for the stability of the region/Horn. I hope the “multinational” forces like G-7 and the national forces like OLF take this as a common ground which can help them forge a necessary TIBIBIR (alliance) against the fascist Weyane to struggle in unison to build a common home in the Horn, where both Oromian unity and Ethiopian/Horn unity can be fostered and respected. The steps taken in forming both AFD and Medrek were good and now better form of Tibibir, which will be dedicated in promoting both Oromian unity and Ethiopian unity, must emerge!
Galatooma!
* Fayyis Oromia can be reached at fayyis@yahoo.de.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Oromo: Which Group of Ours Should Be Bigger? Region, Nation or Religion?
By Fayyis Oromia*
Thanks to Waaqayyoo/Rabbii, nowadays we do see a lot of Oromo nationalists who are advocates of tokkummaa for bilisummaa (unity for liberty) for we now know that tokkummaa Oromo is humna (power) of Oromo. But to achieve bilisummaa Oromo, tokkummaa is not the only virtue necessary. There are some others; few of which I would like to describe here. I did mention these other virtues in short form in one of my hitherto articles. Here, I would like to elaborate more, and specially, I would like to say a few words about the importance of understanding the relationship among the three important factors of our identity (region, nation and religion).
As far as tokkummaa, the most important virtue, is concerned, it is no more an optional means, but a must, if we really want to achieve bilisummaa. Tokkummaa Oromo is humna Oromo; only this humna Oromo can lead us to bilisummaa. So tokkummaa is not only a wish of Oromo (fe’ii Oromo), but really DIRQAMA Oromo (an obligation of Oromo) as written by Obbo Abdii Boruu. Bilisummaa Oromo is a common denominator for all Oromo nationalists in OFC, ULFO, OLF and even for the non-criminal nationalists in OPDO. After achieving bilisummaa, we can decide per referendum on the type of sovereignty we want to have (OFC’s goal of Oromian autonomy in the Ethiopian context or ULFO’s goal of Oromian independence or AFD’s goal of the union of independent nations in the region). I still think that there is no “ideological reason” which can hinder Oromo nationalists from fostering the very necessary tokkummaa for bilisummaa. Of course, our foes (both from the West and from the Weyane) give different “reasons” why our organizations are so “different” not to have this tokkummaa, and some fool individuals from the side of Oromo and some fool friends of Oromo just echo this manipulation of our foes.
Fortunately, the OLF-mindset, which is leading almost all Oromo nationalists in the above mentioned organizations, leads us step by step to the realization of our kaayyoo-Oromo (self-determination). This mindset:
- keeps the status quo from any setback being active in OPDO,
- wants to achieve our kaayyoo-toftaa/tactical goal (Oromian autonomy in Ethiopian context) being active in OFC,
- pushes further to achieve our kaayyoo-ijoo/CORE goal (Oromian independence) being active in ULFO and in the three factions of the explicit OLF,
- of course, it has already put in our mind that we also do have kaayyoo-tarsimoo/strategical goal after achieving independence, i.e. forging a union of independent nations in the region for the common benefit of the stakeholders in this globalized world.
Regarding the other few important virtues I wanted to describe here, it is good to concentrate only on the following ten important principles we need to practice to attain our bilisummaa. We can improve on them and then have them always in mind in order to live accordingly, and come to bilisummaa:
1. Oromo’s Interest
Oromo interest here means the interest of Oromo public, and a public interest is defined as follows:
“The public interest refers to the common well-being or general welfare. The public interest is central to policy debates, politics, democracy and the nature of government itself. While nearly everyone claims that aiding the common well-being or general welfare is positive, there is little, if any, consensus on what exactly constitutes the public interest. There are different views on how many members of the public must benefit from an action before it can be declared to be in the public interest: at one extreme, an action has to benefit every single member of society in order to be truly in the public interest; at the other extreme, any action can be in the public interest as long as it benefits some of the population and harms none. Put simply, to be in the public interest, a matter might have the potential to adversely affect any person at any time in their life in any situation if a core matter is not put into the public arena or handled in a more reasonable way when the problem clearly becomes evident as symptomatic of an underlying unreasonableness. It is possible for acts in the public interest to be bad for given individuals and vice versa. This definition allows us to hold constant private interests in order to determine those interests that are unique to the public.”
Accordingly, we, Oromo, need to identify what Oromo public interest is, and then devote ourselves to think, talk and walk always in the interest of the Oromo nation or in the interest of Oromia as well as we should be ready to always oppose those against our interests. The only ethics, which can show whether our action is right or wrong, is this “ethics of interest.” Every word and action of ours, which do serve our interest, is right and the contrary is wrong. Clear is that at the moment, when we are under slavery (garbummaa), our major public interest is bilisummaa.
2. Afaan Oromo
No question that language is a crucial element of national identity. Even in the European tradition, language has become a major marker of belonging to a particular ethnic or national group. Previous conflicts in Southeastern Europe, but also along regional borders in Western Europe – as in Catalunya or Corsica – have often revolved around issues of language. These conflicts have demonstrated that the reality in most European countries differs from the traditional image of linguistically homogeneous states and is further questioned by the demand for recognition by regional speakers who have become ethnic or regional minorities in this nation-state system. The same is true for Oromo that Afaan Oromo is the major marker of our identity. So, we need to promote Afaan Oromo by using it in speaking and writing always as well as we need to avoid temptations which make us to prefer other languages.
3. Amanti Oromo
The original amantii Oromo or waaqefannaa is nowadays accepted as the base for the monotheistic Abraham religions (Judaism, Islam and Christianity). It is a belief in One Waaqaa/Rabbii. If we look deeply, all God’s men, like Abraham, Mose, Yaqob, David, Jesus and Mohammad, were the best waaqefataas. This assertion requires a very detail discussion, which I don’t dare to do here. It is pity that in connection with our colonization, this original amantii is considered as inferior and even satanic. Waaqefannaa (believe in Waaqa and live as Waaqa wants) is not similar to waaqessuu (worship of idols or make idols be our “waaqa”). I don’t want to go in detail to describe what this original religion of Oromo is, but in short, it is the mother of the most respected Christianity and Islam. The Oromo people, who are the followers of both Abraham religions (Christianity and Islam), need to consider this, and at least learn to tolerate it. Politically correctness is that every Oromo individual can have his/her own chosen religion, but should learn to respect and tolerate the original religion-identity of our forefathers. So, we all need to study, advocate and promote amantii Oromoo aka waaqeffannaa as far as we can and we need to oppose those who try to denigrating it.
4. Dynamics in Tokkummaa
We have written a lot about the importance of tokkummaa Oromo for bilisummaa Oromo, so I would like to say, in short, that we need to attain and maintain tokkummaa Oromoo for bilisummaa as well as oppose all those who do sow a discord among Oromians. Of course, the tokkummaa we want to forge must be very dynamic and efficient to help us achieve our kaayyoo, i.e. bilisummaa.
5. Oromo Affiliation
Oromo is a big nation with different affiliations and diversities. We do have different regional, political and religious affiliations. As a plural society, we just need to respect the affiliation of all Oromo individuals and groups to their region, clan, party and religion as well as we need to oppose those who are playing with these diversities in order to instrumentalize them to divide the Oromo.
6. Biyya Oromo
Thanks to OLF, biyya Oromo (Oromoland) is already coined and demarcated (even though smaller than the true Oromia). With the sacrifice of our heroes and liberators, Oromia is now known around the world. Others like it or not, Oromia is now the central point for regional and continental powers of Africa. The liberated future Oromia will be the rock on which regional union of free nations and continental federation will be build. So now, we all Oromo need to have a picture of biyya Oromoo always in mind and struggle for its sovereignty as well as we need to oppose those who do act against our territorial sovereignty and national freedom.
7. Subboonummaa Oromo
Subboonummaa/nationalism involves a strong identification of one’s social identity with that of a nation or state. The subject can include the belief that one’s nation is of primary importance. It is also used to describe a movement to establish or protect a homeland (usually an autonomous state) for an ethnic group. In some cases, the identification of a homogeneous national culture is combined with a negative view of other races or cultures. Nationalism is sometimes reactionary, calling for a return to a national past, and sometimes, for the expulsion of foreigners. Other forms of nationalism are revolutionary calling for the establishment of an independent state as a homeland for an ethnic underclass. Nationalism emphasizes collective identity – a ‘people’ must be autonomous, united, and express a single national culture. Some scholars see the word “nationalism” as pejorative, standing in opposition to a more positive term patriotism. Here, subboonummaa Oromo must be the positive nationalism or patriotism. So, we need to be patriotic or love our fatherland and at the same time we need to have an understanding for other nations which do the same, but we should oppose those who do fight against our patriotism/sabboonummaa.
8. Oromo’s Excellence
Excellence is the state or quality of excelling in the fields like politics, business and organizations; excellence is considered to be an important value, and a goal to be pursued. So, we Oromo need to be individually excellent in our respective professions like our athlete Qananisaa Baqqalaa and our scientist Professor Gabbisaa Ejjetaa so that our own people, our region, our continent and the world will be proud of us, but, of course, we need to oppose those who do try to denigrate our heroes who live their potential of excellence.
9. Union with Neighbors
In the currently globalized world, it is not only national independence, which is considered as a virtue, but also regional union for common benefit. Nowadays, we do hear and read from scholars in the Ethiopian empire – who do say “Ethiopiawinet = Africawinet,” thus “should be promoted.” This is not wrong in case they are not trying to hide Habeshanet behind this Ethiopiawinet. But fact is that Africa will be united only if the nations like Oromo get their say. The future is for building African federation on the rock of Oromia as a sovereign nation. As far as these scholars don’t dare to dismantle Oromia, I would welcome their Afrikawinet rhetoric. No question that only union based on independent Oromia will be the solution for our problem in the Horn.
Talking about the possibility of achieving citizen’s or nation’s rights only in the current Ethiopian context is not a lasting solution. The name Ethiopia is already contaminated:
- according to the Greeks = land of blacks
- according to the Bible = land of Cush
- the status quo = current geography
- mask Ethiopia (both the old nefxenya and the new nefxenya aka Weyane are hiding behind this name)
- myth Ethiopia = “3000 years history of Abyssinia”
I think their understanding of Ethiopia is the mythical one, and they also seem to hide behind the name just as shown in the fourth definition. Oromo has no problem with the first three definitions. Independent Oromia can be the rock or foundation for the unification of all other free nations (which these scholars try to discard as vernaculars) in the region, be it under the name Ethiopia in a sense of the first three definitions or else. So, we Oromo need to support a possible union of free nations after Oromian independence, but we should oppose any “unity” which is at the cost of our liberty.
10. Promotion of Oromia
Last but not least, we need to do our best to promote Oromia culturally, economically and politically, but should oppose all sorts of foreign looters and oppressors in Oromia. We have to be very vigilant to check the xeqilaigizat-federalists, who want to dismantle Oromia, need to be very dynamic to fight against hegemonist Weyane, and should to be very constructive as well as productive to invest all we do have in promoting this new emerging land, biyya-Oromo.
Otherwise, to answer the question raised in the title, let us look at the short definition of a group: “A group is a collection or set of things. The things in a group often share a property or are similar in some way.” When we talk about a set, which is a mathematical concept, then we also can have in mind the subsets. Taking Oromo as a big group of people, we then surely perceive also the sub-groups. Here comes the conflict, when we look at the national group, regional groups, clan groups and religious groups and ask ourselves which one is the set and which ones are the subset.
I have got a personal experience in my own life. There was a time when I had a problem in identifying the big group from the sub-groups (set from subsets), to which I did belong. I asked myself: is my national group the set or the subset of my religion group or other way round is my religion group the set or the sub-set of my national group? There was a time when I considered my religion group to be the set, and the national groups in my religion like Amhara, Tigaru, Oromo and Gurage were the subsets. Accordingly, my loyalty was also more to my religion than to my nation.
In a process of the liberation struggle, I could observe that specially the Amhara and the Tegaru in my religion group were more loyal to their nation than to our religion. For them, we are first Ethiopians/Habesha (Amharic speakers), and then Christian, Islam or Waqeefata are the subsets of this national group Habasha (camouflaged as Ethiopia). Now, I do believe that our nation Oromo is the BIG-group (set) and religious groups like Christian Oromo, Muslim Oromo and Waaqefataa Oromo are the smaller-groups (sub-sets). If we believe like this, I am sure we will not be in loyalty conflict. Then comes our national identity, Oromummaa, as an identity of primary importance and religious identities as secondary.
Just as an example, let’s look at Oromo Christians who do prefer to have Habesha Christians as their NEXT-persons, rather than making a relationship with Oromo of other religions. They surely consider that their religion group is the bigger (set), and the nation group, Oromo, is the smaller one (subset). But the opposite is the step taken by our gootota (heroes) on 15th April 1980 as they were given a choice from their killers either to die or to be separated in to two as Christians and Muslims. Fortunately, they gave their national group (Oromummaa) the bigger position (set) and their religion group the smaller position (sub-set), and chose to say together “we are Oromo, we do belong to the same group” and, of course, with that they chose to die rather than to be divided. What great role models they are for us!
Regarding region and gosaa (clan), it is crystal clear that they are subsets to the bigger set, Oromo nation. I personally don’t see any confusion here why Oromo individuals and groups give a priority to their smaller groups like Hararge, Arsi, Wallgaa, etc. over their bigger group, Oromo nation. This is where some Oromo nationalists also make a mistake by “loving” their gandummaa (region) and gosummaa (clan) more than their Oromummaa (national patriotism). It is one of the mistakes which need to be corrected if we really want to forge tokkummaa for bilisummaa, regardless of our clan and region.
Nevertheless, again the natural affiliations we do have towards our respective regions, clans, parties and religions must be accepted as normal and tolerated by all of us so long as it is not against our Oromummaa. In short, our nation is the bigger group or the set (Oromummaa must be given the priority) and our region, clan, party and religion are the smaller groups or the subsets to be respected as a secondary priority. So, the problem we do have seems to be the priority setting regarding the importance of the different groups we do belong to, i.e. in answering the question: which of the groups is the most important? Nation? Region? Party? Clan? Religion? As far as I am concerned, having bilisummaa as our kaayyoo (goal) and, in order to promote our move to bilisummaa, our nation as a BIG group is the most important group, which deserves to be the set (the bigger group) and the others are the smaller groups (subsets) to be given only the secondary position.
Galatooma!
* Fayyis Oromia can be reached at fayyis@yahoo.de.
Thanks to Waaqayyoo/Rabbii, nowadays we do see a lot of Oromo nationalists who are advocates of tokkummaa for bilisummaa (unity for liberty) for we now know that tokkummaa Oromo is humna (power) of Oromo. But to achieve bilisummaa Oromo, tokkummaa is not the only virtue necessary. There are some others; few of which I would like to describe here. I did mention these other virtues in short form in one of my hitherto articles. Here, I would like to elaborate more, and specially, I would like to say a few words about the importance of understanding the relationship among the three important factors of our identity (region, nation and religion).
As far as tokkummaa, the most important virtue, is concerned, it is no more an optional means, but a must, if we really want to achieve bilisummaa. Tokkummaa Oromo is humna Oromo; only this humna Oromo can lead us to bilisummaa. So tokkummaa is not only a wish of Oromo (fe’ii Oromo), but really DIRQAMA Oromo (an obligation of Oromo) as written by Obbo Abdii Boruu. Bilisummaa Oromo is a common denominator for all Oromo nationalists in OFC, ULFO, OLF and even for the non-criminal nationalists in OPDO. After achieving bilisummaa, we can decide per referendum on the type of sovereignty we want to have (OFC’s goal of Oromian autonomy in the Ethiopian context or ULFO’s goal of Oromian independence or AFD’s goal of the union of independent nations in the region). I still think that there is no “ideological reason” which can hinder Oromo nationalists from fostering the very necessary tokkummaa for bilisummaa. Of course, our foes (both from the West and from the Weyane) give different “reasons” why our organizations are so “different” not to have this tokkummaa, and some fool individuals from the side of Oromo and some fool friends of Oromo just echo this manipulation of our foes.
Fortunately, the OLF-mindset, which is leading almost all Oromo nationalists in the above mentioned organizations, leads us step by step to the realization of our kaayyoo-Oromo (self-determination). This mindset:
- keeps the status quo from any setback being active in OPDO,
- wants to achieve our kaayyoo-toftaa/tactical goal (Oromian autonomy in Ethiopian context) being active in OFC,
- pushes further to achieve our kaayyoo-ijoo/CORE goal (Oromian independence) being active in ULFO and in the three factions of the explicit OLF,
- of course, it has already put in our mind that we also do have kaayyoo-tarsimoo/strategical goal after achieving independence, i.e. forging a union of independent nations in the region for the common benefit of the stakeholders in this globalized world.
Regarding the other few important virtues I wanted to describe here, it is good to concentrate only on the following ten important principles we need to practice to attain our bilisummaa. We can improve on them and then have them always in mind in order to live accordingly, and come to bilisummaa:
1. Oromo’s Interest
Oromo interest here means the interest of Oromo public, and a public interest is defined as follows:
“The public interest refers to the common well-being or general welfare. The public interest is central to policy debates, politics, democracy and the nature of government itself. While nearly everyone claims that aiding the common well-being or general welfare is positive, there is little, if any, consensus on what exactly constitutes the public interest. There are different views on how many members of the public must benefit from an action before it can be declared to be in the public interest: at one extreme, an action has to benefit every single member of society in order to be truly in the public interest; at the other extreme, any action can be in the public interest as long as it benefits some of the population and harms none. Put simply, to be in the public interest, a matter might have the potential to adversely affect any person at any time in their life in any situation if a core matter is not put into the public arena or handled in a more reasonable way when the problem clearly becomes evident as symptomatic of an underlying unreasonableness. It is possible for acts in the public interest to be bad for given individuals and vice versa. This definition allows us to hold constant private interests in order to determine those interests that are unique to the public.”
Accordingly, we, Oromo, need to identify what Oromo public interest is, and then devote ourselves to think, talk and walk always in the interest of the Oromo nation or in the interest of Oromia as well as we should be ready to always oppose those against our interests. The only ethics, which can show whether our action is right or wrong, is this “ethics of interest.” Every word and action of ours, which do serve our interest, is right and the contrary is wrong. Clear is that at the moment, when we are under slavery (garbummaa), our major public interest is bilisummaa.
2. Afaan Oromo
No question that language is a crucial element of national identity. Even in the European tradition, language has become a major marker of belonging to a particular ethnic or national group. Previous conflicts in Southeastern Europe, but also along regional borders in Western Europe – as in Catalunya or Corsica – have often revolved around issues of language. These conflicts have demonstrated that the reality in most European countries differs from the traditional image of linguistically homogeneous states and is further questioned by the demand for recognition by regional speakers who have become ethnic or regional minorities in this nation-state system. The same is true for Oromo that Afaan Oromo is the major marker of our identity. So, we need to promote Afaan Oromo by using it in speaking and writing always as well as we need to avoid temptations which make us to prefer other languages.
3. Amanti Oromo
The original amantii Oromo or waaqefannaa is nowadays accepted as the base for the monotheistic Abraham religions (Judaism, Islam and Christianity). It is a belief in One Waaqaa/Rabbii. If we look deeply, all God’s men, like Abraham, Mose, Yaqob, David, Jesus and Mohammad, were the best waaqefataas. This assertion requires a very detail discussion, which I don’t dare to do here. It is pity that in connection with our colonization, this original amantii is considered as inferior and even satanic. Waaqefannaa (believe in Waaqa and live as Waaqa wants) is not similar to waaqessuu (worship of idols or make idols be our “waaqa”). I don’t want to go in detail to describe what this original religion of Oromo is, but in short, it is the mother of the most respected Christianity and Islam. The Oromo people, who are the followers of both Abraham religions (Christianity and Islam), need to consider this, and at least learn to tolerate it. Politically correctness is that every Oromo individual can have his/her own chosen religion, but should learn to respect and tolerate the original religion-identity of our forefathers. So, we all need to study, advocate and promote amantii Oromoo aka waaqeffannaa as far as we can and we need to oppose those who try to denigrating it.
4. Dynamics in Tokkummaa
We have written a lot about the importance of tokkummaa Oromo for bilisummaa Oromo, so I would like to say, in short, that we need to attain and maintain tokkummaa Oromoo for bilisummaa as well as oppose all those who do sow a discord among Oromians. Of course, the tokkummaa we want to forge must be very dynamic and efficient to help us achieve our kaayyoo, i.e. bilisummaa.
5. Oromo Affiliation
Oromo is a big nation with different affiliations and diversities. We do have different regional, political and religious affiliations. As a plural society, we just need to respect the affiliation of all Oromo individuals and groups to their region, clan, party and religion as well as we need to oppose those who are playing with these diversities in order to instrumentalize them to divide the Oromo.
6. Biyya Oromo
Thanks to OLF, biyya Oromo (Oromoland) is already coined and demarcated (even though smaller than the true Oromia). With the sacrifice of our heroes and liberators, Oromia is now known around the world. Others like it or not, Oromia is now the central point for regional and continental powers of Africa. The liberated future Oromia will be the rock on which regional union of free nations and continental federation will be build. So now, we all Oromo need to have a picture of biyya Oromoo always in mind and struggle for its sovereignty as well as we need to oppose those who do act against our territorial sovereignty and national freedom.
7. Subboonummaa Oromo
Subboonummaa/nationalism involves a strong identification of one’s social identity with that of a nation or state. The subject can include the belief that one’s nation is of primary importance. It is also used to describe a movement to establish or protect a homeland (usually an autonomous state) for an ethnic group. In some cases, the identification of a homogeneous national culture is combined with a negative view of other races or cultures. Nationalism is sometimes reactionary, calling for a return to a national past, and sometimes, for the expulsion of foreigners. Other forms of nationalism are revolutionary calling for the establishment of an independent state as a homeland for an ethnic underclass. Nationalism emphasizes collective identity – a ‘people’ must be autonomous, united, and express a single national culture. Some scholars see the word “nationalism” as pejorative, standing in opposition to a more positive term patriotism. Here, subboonummaa Oromo must be the positive nationalism or patriotism. So, we need to be patriotic or love our fatherland and at the same time we need to have an understanding for other nations which do the same, but we should oppose those who do fight against our patriotism/sabboonummaa.
8. Oromo’s Excellence
Excellence is the state or quality of excelling in the fields like politics, business and organizations; excellence is considered to be an important value, and a goal to be pursued. So, we Oromo need to be individually excellent in our respective professions like our athlete Qananisaa Baqqalaa and our scientist Professor Gabbisaa Ejjetaa so that our own people, our region, our continent and the world will be proud of us, but, of course, we need to oppose those who do try to denigrate our heroes who live their potential of excellence.
9. Union with Neighbors
In the currently globalized world, it is not only national independence, which is considered as a virtue, but also regional union for common benefit. Nowadays, we do hear and read from scholars in the Ethiopian empire – who do say “Ethiopiawinet = Africawinet,” thus “should be promoted.” This is not wrong in case they are not trying to hide Habeshanet behind this Ethiopiawinet. But fact is that Africa will be united only if the nations like Oromo get their say. The future is for building African federation on the rock of Oromia as a sovereign nation. As far as these scholars don’t dare to dismantle Oromia, I would welcome their Afrikawinet rhetoric. No question that only union based on independent Oromia will be the solution for our problem in the Horn.
Talking about the possibility of achieving citizen’s or nation’s rights only in the current Ethiopian context is not a lasting solution. The name Ethiopia is already contaminated:
- according to the Greeks = land of blacks
- according to the Bible = land of Cush
- the status quo = current geography
- mask Ethiopia (both the old nefxenya and the new nefxenya aka Weyane are hiding behind this name)
- myth Ethiopia = “3000 years history of Abyssinia”
I think their understanding of Ethiopia is the mythical one, and they also seem to hide behind the name just as shown in the fourth definition. Oromo has no problem with the first three definitions. Independent Oromia can be the rock or foundation for the unification of all other free nations (which these scholars try to discard as vernaculars) in the region, be it under the name Ethiopia in a sense of the first three definitions or else. So, we Oromo need to support a possible union of free nations after Oromian independence, but we should oppose any “unity” which is at the cost of our liberty.
10. Promotion of Oromia
Last but not least, we need to do our best to promote Oromia culturally, economically and politically, but should oppose all sorts of foreign looters and oppressors in Oromia. We have to be very vigilant to check the xeqilaigizat-federalists, who want to dismantle Oromia, need to be very dynamic to fight against hegemonist Weyane, and should to be very constructive as well as productive to invest all we do have in promoting this new emerging land, biyya-Oromo.
Otherwise, to answer the question raised in the title, let us look at the short definition of a group: “A group is a collection or set of things. The things in a group often share a property or are similar in some way.” When we talk about a set, which is a mathematical concept, then we also can have in mind the subsets. Taking Oromo as a big group of people, we then surely perceive also the sub-groups. Here comes the conflict, when we look at the national group, regional groups, clan groups and religious groups and ask ourselves which one is the set and which ones are the subset.
I have got a personal experience in my own life. There was a time when I had a problem in identifying the big group from the sub-groups (set from subsets), to which I did belong. I asked myself: is my national group the set or the subset of my religion group or other way round is my religion group the set or the sub-set of my national group? There was a time when I considered my religion group to be the set, and the national groups in my religion like Amhara, Tigaru, Oromo and Gurage were the subsets. Accordingly, my loyalty was also more to my religion than to my nation.
In a process of the liberation struggle, I could observe that specially the Amhara and the Tegaru in my religion group were more loyal to their nation than to our religion. For them, we are first Ethiopians/Habesha (Amharic speakers), and then Christian, Islam or Waqeefata are the subsets of this national group Habasha (camouflaged as Ethiopia). Now, I do believe that our nation Oromo is the BIG-group (set) and religious groups like Christian Oromo, Muslim Oromo and Waaqefataa Oromo are the smaller-groups (sub-sets). If we believe like this, I am sure we will not be in loyalty conflict. Then comes our national identity, Oromummaa, as an identity of primary importance and religious identities as secondary.
Just as an example, let’s look at Oromo Christians who do prefer to have Habesha Christians as their NEXT-persons, rather than making a relationship with Oromo of other religions. They surely consider that their religion group is the bigger (set), and the nation group, Oromo, is the smaller one (subset). But the opposite is the step taken by our gootota (heroes) on 15th April 1980 as they were given a choice from their killers either to die or to be separated in to two as Christians and Muslims. Fortunately, they gave their national group (Oromummaa) the bigger position (set) and their religion group the smaller position (sub-set), and chose to say together “we are Oromo, we do belong to the same group” and, of course, with that they chose to die rather than to be divided. What great role models they are for us!
Regarding region and gosaa (clan), it is crystal clear that they are subsets to the bigger set, Oromo nation. I personally don’t see any confusion here why Oromo individuals and groups give a priority to their smaller groups like Hararge, Arsi, Wallgaa, etc. over their bigger group, Oromo nation. This is where some Oromo nationalists also make a mistake by “loving” their gandummaa (region) and gosummaa (clan) more than their Oromummaa (national patriotism). It is one of the mistakes which need to be corrected if we really want to forge tokkummaa for bilisummaa, regardless of our clan and region.
Nevertheless, again the natural affiliations we do have towards our respective regions, clans, parties and religions must be accepted as normal and tolerated by all of us so long as it is not against our Oromummaa. In short, our nation is the bigger group or the set (Oromummaa must be given the priority) and our region, clan, party and religion are the smaller groups or the subsets to be respected as a secondary priority. So, the problem we do have seems to be the priority setting regarding the importance of the different groups we do belong to, i.e. in answering the question: which of the groups is the most important? Nation? Region? Party? Clan? Religion? As far as I am concerned, having bilisummaa as our kaayyoo (goal) and, in order to promote our move to bilisummaa, our nation as a BIG group is the most important group, which deserves to be the set (the bigger group) and the others are the smaller groups (subsets) to be given only the secondary position.
Galatooma!
* Fayyis Oromia can be reached at fayyis@yahoo.de.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Guyyaa Gootota Oromoo Bara 2010 Ilaalchisuun Ibsa Adda Bilisumma Oromoo
Guyyaa Gootota Oromoo Bara 2010 Ilaalchisuun Ibsa Adda Bilisumma Oromoo
Ebli 15, Guuyyaa Gootota Oromoo ta’ee Adda Bilisummaa Oromoo fi ummata Oromoo biratti yaadatamu fi kabajamuu erga jalqabee waggoota digdamaa ol lakkoobsiseera. Guyyaan kun guyyaa miseensotni fi deggertootni Adda Bilisummaa Oromoo , uummati Oromoo bal’aa fi firoottan qabsoo bilisummaa Oromoo ilmaan Oromoo qaroo fi muratoo bilisummaa saba isaaniif jecha lubbuu isaanii jijjiirraa hin qabne wareegan itti yaadatani fi kabajani dha. Kana malees Ebli 15 guyyaa qabsaa’oti Oromoo tokkummaa ummata Oromoo wareega lubbuu isaaniittin mirkaneessan galmaan gahuuf waadaa seenana itti haaromsani dha. Guyyaa Gootota Oromoo Ebla 15 kan bara 2010 kana yeroo kabajnu eessaa kaane, eessa geenyee jirra, qabsoon bilisummaa Oromoo sadarkaa akkamii irra gahee jira, haalli diina keenyaa akkami, haalli uummata Oromoo hoo maal irra jira, kaayyoo haqaa qabsaa’otaa fi uummati Oromoo irratti wareegaman bakkaan gahuuf maaltu nu irraa eegama kan jedhuu kaasuun barbaachisaa taha. Uummati Oromoo gaafa bittaa alagaa jalatti kufee kaasee mirga abbaa biyyummaa fi bilisummaa sarbame deebifachuuf qabsoo hadha’aa godhe keessatti wareegama baayyee baaseera. Keessaahuu deggertoota, miseensotaa fi hoogganooti Adda Bilisummaa Oromoo bilisummaa Oromoo mirkaneessuuf wareegama qaqqaalii hedduu baasan. Ilmaan Oromoo qaroo, hubatoo fi muratoon golee Oromiyaa hunda keessaa walitti dhufan, eenyummaa uummata Oromoo haalame dhugoomsuuf, seena fi aadaa Oromoo awwaalame boollaa baasuuf, afaan Oromoo dhabama irraa hambisuuf, walumaa gala bilisummaa uummata Oromoo mirkaneessuuf dhaaba sochii bilisummaa saba Oromoo hoogganu Adda Bilisummaa Oromoo gadi dhaaban. Bu’uureffamuu Adda Bilisummaa Oromoo irraa kaasee hoogganootaa fi miseensoti ABO dhiiraa fi dhalaan bilisummaa saba isaanii dhugoomsuuf jecha gaarrenii fi gammoojjii Oromiyaa keessatti, akkasumas mana hidhaa koloneeffataa keessatti wareegamanii fi biyyoota ormaa keessatti lubbuun isaanii darbe tarrisanii fixuun hin danda’amu. Kanneen kaayyoo kanaaf jecha lubbuu isaanii dabarsanii kennan kumoota hedduutti lakkaawamu. Ammas taanaan bilisummaa keenya mirkaneessuuf wareegama kaffalaa jirra. Har’a illee mana hidhaa Wayyaanee dhoksaa fi beekamaa keessatti qabsaawoti bilisummaa ajjeefamaa jiru. Garii ilmaan Oromoo yakka dharaan murtiin du’aa fi hidhaa waggaa dheeraa irratti dabraa jira. Kun hundi qaama wareegama goototi Oromoo bilisummaa ummataaf godhaa jiranii ti. Haga bilisummaan keenya mirkanaawuttis wareegamni goototaa addaan hin dhaabbatu. Dadhabbii fi wareegama qabsaa’ota Oromoon milkiilen argaman hedduu dha. Eenyummaa fi sabummaan Oromoo haalamee turee har’a deebi’ee dhugoomeera. Gootowwan Oromoo seenaa, aadaa fi afaan Oromoo awwaalamaa ture dhiiga isaaniin barreessan. Dammaqiinsii fi sabboonummaan Oromoo sadarkaa guddaa irra gahuu kan danda’e wareegama gootowwan Oromoo kaffalaniin ta’uunis wal nama hin gaafachiisu. Qaanqee qabsoo bilisummaa gootowwan Oromoo wareegaman facaasan har’a goleele Oromiyaa mara keessatti murnoota hawaasaa Oromoo hundaa dhaqabee finiinee sadarkaa olaanaa irratti argama. Miseensoti ABO fi ummatni Oromoo bal’aan kaayyoo gootowwan keenya irratti kufan galmaan gahuuf qabsoo bilisummaa finiinsanii sadarkaa kana irraan gahanis kabajaa fi galata guddaa qabu. Diinoti qabsoo bilisummaa Oromoo, jalqaba irraa kaasanii hanga har’aatti ABO irraa sodaa waan qabaniif isa dhabamsisuuf dhama’an iyyuu akeeki isaani galma gahaafii hin jiru. ABO fi uummata Oromoo adda baasuun qabsoo bilisummaa of duuba deebisuuf shirri diinoti xaxan fashalee ummatni Oromoo qabsoo bilisummaa galmaan gahachuuf kan yeroo kamii caalaa sochii bal’aa gochaa jira. Ummatni Oromoo diina naasuu tokko illee isaaf hin qabne dura dhaabbatee falmaa hadhawaa itti fufuun kanuma mirkaneessa. Murni Abbaa Irree aangoo irra jiru soda fi diinummaa ummata Oromoof qabu irraa , keessaattuu filmaata fakkeessaa Caamsaa 2010 godhamuun wal qabatee manni hidhaa Wayyaanee sabboontoota Oromoon guutamee jira. Na filtan malee jechuun doorsisii fi hidhaan babal’atee Oromoo hiraarsaa jira. Kun hundi tahuus Oromoon mootummaa nu miidhu, qabeenya keenya saamu, lafa keenya irraa nu buqqisu of irratti hin fillu jedhaa jira. Har’a mootummaan Wayyaanee QBO ukkaamsuuf yaalii ijibbaataa godhaa jira. Ummata Oromoo hidhuu, dararuu, ukkaamsee dhabamsiisuu fi doorsisuun qabeenya isaa bifa adda addaan saamee hiyyoomsuu fi gadadchuun hojii guyyaa mootummaa Abbaa Irree Wayyaanee ti. Gochaa hammeenyaa ummata Oromoo irratti raawwatuun kan hin quufne murni bicuu Wayyaanee Oromoo lafa isaa irraa buqqisee alagaatti gurguratuutti tarkaanfatuun kan egeree ummata keenyaa balaaf saasilaa jiru tahuu hubatuu feesisa. Murni aangoo siyaasaa Itophiyaa irratti humnaan cichaa jiru kun lafa Oromoo alagaatti gurguratuu dhaan ummata Oromoo hiyyoomsuu, jireenya gadadoo akka jiraatu gochuu dhaan hamilee keessatti cabsee sodaachisee, jiilchee qabsoo irraa of duuba deebisuuf akka tahe shakkin hin jiru. Yaa ummata keenya!! Murni Wayyaanee Tigiraay kan aangoo irra jiru ummata Oromoo irraa sodaa fi jibba guddaa qaba. Qabeenyaa ummata Oromootti ni hinaafa. Sochii bilisummaa ummatni Oromoo godhu akka qara eebootti sodaata. Galma gahuun QBO du’a isaa akka tahu waan beekuuf doomsuuf shira adda adda xaxa. Diina akka ummataatti nu diineffatee lafa irraa nu haxaa’uu barbaadu jala guyyaa tokko illee buluun gaabbisiisaa fi salfachiisaa dha. Kanaaf: · Ummati Oromoo kana hubattee QBO kan ammaa daran akka finiinsitu waamicha keenya haaromsina. · Bilisummaan wareegama malee hin argamu waan ta’eef wareegama dachaa dachaa baafnee kaayyoo gootowwan Oromoo wareegamaniif bakkaan gahuuf harka wal qabannee haa kaanu. Jenna. · Biyya itti dhalannee guddanne keessatti lafa keenya irraa buqqaafamaa kadhataa fi joortuu taanee akka hafnuuf gochaa Wayyaaneen itti jiru dura dhaabbachuun falmuu caalaatti boonsaa fi seena qabeessi hin jiru. · Tokkoon tokkoo dhala Oromoo qabsoo bilisummaa sabaa deemaa jiru keessatti qooda maaliin kenne jedhee of gaafachuun yeroon ejjannoo fi gochaa keenya sirreessannu ammuma tahuu haa hubannu. · Ilmaan Oromoo sababa adda addaatiif mootummaa Wayyaaneef hojjachuun qabsoo bilisummaa ummata isaanii dura dhaabbataa jiran osoo yeroon hin dabarre akka gochaa isaanii gilgaalanii hiriira qabsaawota seenan dhaamsa dabarsinaaf. · Tokkummaa Oromoo dhiiga gootowwan Oromoon mirkanaawe tiksaa fi daran jabeessaa, humnoota tokkummaa Oromoo sharafuuf dhama’an dammaqinaan of irraa haa eegnu. · Mirgoota wareegama gootowwan Oromoon galmeeffaman tikfachaa kan nu hafan harkaan gahachuuf uummati Oromoo Qabsoo Bilisummaa keessatti hirmaannaa isaa dachaan akka guddisu waamicha goona. · Beektoti Oromoo, kaa’imman, dubartootaa fi murnooti hawaasa Oromoo hundi bilisummaa Oromoo dhugoomsuuf qooda irraa eegamu akka bahan dhaamsa dabarsina. Egaa yaa ummata keenya!! Guyyaa Gootoota Oromoo bara kanaa yeroo yaadannu kaayyoo gootowwan Oromoo irratti kufan galamaan gahuuf waadaa keenya haaromsuun tahuu qaba. Diina qe’ee keenyatti dhufee nu ajjeesaa, qabeenya keenyaa saamaa fi nu xiqqeessaa jiru of irraa kaasuuf yeroo itti kakuu keenya haaromsinee sochii keenya dachaa dachaan daballu tahuu qaba. Diini nurra turuu fi gadadoon nutti jabaachuu isaatiif kan komatamu abbaa dhimmaa ti malee kan biraa tahuu hin danda’u. Wareegama bilisummaan gaafatu baafnee bilisoomnu malee humni gara biraa kan bilisa nu baasu akka hin jirre yaadannee wal haa yaadachiifnu. Kaayyoo gootowwan wareegamanii bakkaan ni geenya! Wareegamtooti keenya bara baraan ni yaadatamu! IUOf! GGB ti!! Adda Bilisummaa Oromoo Ebla 15, 2010
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
OSA Open Letter to UNHCHR: Unlawful Conviction of Civilian Oromos by Ethiopian Court
Waldaa Qormaata Oromoo
P.O. Box 32391, Fridley, MN 55432
OromoStudies.org
April 11, 2010
Ms. Navanethem Pillay
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR)
Palais Wilson
52 rue des Pâquis
CH-1201 Geneva, Switzerland
Telephone: +41 22 917 9220
E-mail: InfoDesk@ohchr.org
Re: Unlawful Conviction of Civilian Oromos by Ethiopian Court
Dear Madam Pillay:
I am writing this letter on behalf of the Oromo Studies Association (OSA), a scholarly, multi-disciplinary, non-profit international organization, established to promote studies on and relevant to the Oromo people residing in East Africa, mainly in Ethiopia with a population close to 50 million. The Executive Committee of OSA is gravely concerned by the conviction of innocent Oromos by the Ethiopian regime on March 31, 2010 by an entirely biased court. OSA has historical evidences that the Ethiopian legal, political and social policies are discriminatory to the Oromo people. We have known that in the name of the ‘Federal Court of Ethiopia’, a terrible capital punishment, injustice and hostile decisions are being imposed on the following Oromos:
1. Mr. Mesfin Abebe Abdissa, Death penalty
2. Mr. Tasfahuun Chamada Gurmessa, Life Imprisonment Sentence
3. Mrs. Aberash Yadata (mother of four children), 12 Year Imprisonment (without parole)
4. Mrs. Lelisee Wadajo (mother of three kids), 10 Year Imprisonment (without parole)
5. Col. Olaanii Jabeesa, 12 Year Imprisonment (without parole)
6. Mr. Roba Degefa, 10 Year Imprisonment (without parole)
7. Mr. Dejene Dhaba, 10 Year Imprisonment (without parole)
8. Mr. Bekele Negeri, 10 Year Imprisonment (without parole)
9. Mr. Bayisa Hussen, 10 Year Imprisonment (without parole)
10. Mr. Hailu Delessa, 10 Year Imprisonment (without parole)
11. Mr. Dejene Boranaa, 13 Year Imprisonment (without parole)
12. Mr. Bekele Jiraata, 13 Year Imprisonment (without parole)
13. Mr. Kebede Borana, 12 Year Imprisonment (without parole)
14. Mr. Isheetu Kitil, 12 Year Imprisonment (without parole)
15. Mr. Wabee Hajii, 12 Year Imprisonment (without parole)
Dear Ms. Pillay,
OSA believes that all of these convicted individuals are non-violent civilians, with no violent or criminal record whatsoever. Most of those who are currently convicted and many more who are awaiting their trials and others who are languishing in jail without any fair trial come from all walks of civilian community: engineers, businesspersons, mothers, lawyers, teachers, students and farmers. The charges against them are purely fabricated, and politically and racially motivated. We strongly believe that, currently, the Ethiopian government is engaged in eliminating the Oromo leadership and involved in killing, imprisoning and hunting down successful Oromo business men and women, community leaders and elites.
From among the convicted, Mr. Mesfin Abebe Abdissa and Mr. Tasfahuun Chamada Gurmessa were once legal refugees in Kenya and carried UNHCR ID and lived in Nairobi for a number of years. About two years ago, they were abducted by joint Kenyan and Ethiopian security forces from their residences and detained. In prison they were visited by the UNHCR representatives and the Kenyan authorities promised to release them. However, soon the Kenyan authorities handed these individuals over to Ethiopian authorities, who transported the victims to Addis Ababa and tortured them. As far as we know, the UNHCR didn’t raise any concern nor did it voice any opposition against this crime. The UNHCR has, thus, failed to carry out its responsibility to protect these political refugees. Now, after over two years in prison, under harsh conditions, their fates were decided. Today, Mr. Mesfin Abebe Abdissa awaits his final hour on death row, while Mr. Tesfahuun Chameda Gurmessa will be in prison for life. Who knows when he will be poisoned in jail.
Many others have been falsely accused and abducted from their homes and their work places. Mr. Bekele Jirata was the secretary general of the OFDM and was arrested by the regime on November 04, 2008 and then accused of having relations with the OLF and stayed in prison until he was released on bail on February 04, 2009. Mrs. Lelisee Wadajo, a former journalist in the government run Ethiopian TV and a mother of three, was arrested on November 14, 2008 and stayed in jail since then. Her husband, Mr. Dhabessa Wakjira, was also been jailed for more than three years and went to exile, after being released. Their kids are now left without parents or guardians.
OSA strongly believes that, the Ethiopian legal system is racist and the decision of the so-called Federal court made is politically and racially motivated. It is a well documented and established fact that the Ethiopian courts at all levels are neither impartial nor independent. They are all under the complete control of the Tigray Peoples Libration (TPLF) led by Meles Zenawi. The only “crime” of these victims has been being an Oromo and alleged association with the OLF. Most Oromos believe that the OLF is a genuine political organization which struggles to empower and free the Oromo people from repression perpetrated by the TPLF court. Indeed, from the perspective of the Oromo people, the TPLF has no legal or moral authority to tell the Oromo people which political party they should support or associate with. The notion of TPLF attempting to tell the Oromo people which political party they should support is coming from their racist mindset. To legalize their illegal power relations and further incapacitate and impoverish the Oromo people they killing the Oromo people indiscriminately. Therefore, we appeal to all governmental, non-governmental, humanitarian organizations, and freedom loving individuals to condemn the persecution of these innocent people and speak loudly on their behalf. OSA believes that the decision has violated the Ethiopian constitution that embellishes itself as the safeguard of individuals’ rights, fair trial and transparency. The decision is a blatant attempt to incapacitate the Oromo people, deny them leadership, widen the exploitation of human and natural resources and silence the voice of the Oromo peoples that seeks dignity, peace, stability, social justice and democracy. Such cruel and racist decisions are causing famine, poverty, disease and illiteracy in Oromia, and is affecting the lives of millions of people.
Dear Ms. Pillay,
 Mr. Nelson Mandela (left) – Oromo hero, General Tadesse Biru (right) |
We believe your experience as a defense attorney for anti-apartheid activists, exposing torture, and helping establish key rights for prisoners on Robben Island, gave you a better insight about such gross human rights violations. The Oromos are going through the kind of regime that resembles apartheid. In fact, one of our renowned Oromo human rights activists, General Tadesse Biru, a brave human being, whom Mr. Nelson Mandela admires, was the victim of the Ethiopian government racist policies (see picture). The Haile Selassie regime sentenced General Tadesse Biru to life imprisonment and the Military government led by Mengistu Hailemariam sentenced him to death in 1974. Mr. Mandela, who saw the light of freedom after a bitter struggle, has mentioned the name of General Tadesse Biru in his book. For the Oromo people, the successive Ethiopian government policies are worse than the apartheid government in South Africa.
We would like to ask you to critically look at the nature of the Ethiopian court system and the longstanding racist view of the Abyssinian elites against the Oromo people. We kindly appeal to your office to stand up in defense of the rights of these innocent Oromo men and women, and condemn against the capital punishment, life sentences and long-term imprisonment (without parole) – the decisions of the Ethiopian Federal court, and end the brutal attack on human lives, as you have done in South Africa.
Sincerely,
Haile Hirpa, Ph.D.
OSA President
Cc:
1. António Guterres
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
Case Postale 2500
CH-1211 Genève 2 Dépôt
InfoDesk@ohchr.org
2. Human Rights Watch
350 Fifth Avenue, 34th Floor
New York, NY 10118-3299 USA
Tel: 1-(212) 290-4700, Fax: 1-(212) 736-1300
hrwnyc@hrw.org
3. Amnesty International Australia, Victorian Activist Resource Centre
Suite 8, 134 Cambridge Street, Collingwood VIC 3066
Tel: 03 9412 0737, Fax: 03 9412 0720
Email: vicintern@amnesty.org.au
4. Unrepresented Nation and People Organization
UNPO Secretariat
P.O. Box 85878
2508CN The Hague, the Netherlands
Tel.: +31 (0)70 3646504
Fax: +31 (0)70 3646608
Email: unpo@unpo.org
5. Human Rights Watch
1630 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 500
Washington, DC 20009 USA
Tel:1-(202) 612-4321, Fax:1-(202) 612-4333
hrwdc@hrw.org
6. Amnesty International
AmnestyUsa.org
+1 212 807 8400
+1 212 463 9193\1 212 627 1451
5 Penn Plaza – 14th floor
New York, NY 10001
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
7. Refugee Council of Australia
Suite 4A6, 410 Elizabeth St, Surry Hills NSW 2010
Phone: 02 9211 9333, Fax: 02 9211 9288
E-mail: admin@refugeecouncil.org.au; info@refugeecouncil.org.au
8. EFDR Ministry of Justice
P.O. Box 1370
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
email: Justice@telecom.net.et
- Read the above letter in a pdf format
RELATED: Coverage on the Political Persecution Against Oromo
Monday, April 12, 2010
Oromo Sentenced to Death in Ethiopia
By Qeerransoo Biyyaa*
Ethiopia’s ruling party-controlled court sentenced 16 Oromo nationals to death, life and long term imprisonment in Finfinne/Addis Ababa on March 31, 2010.
The judges accused the Oromos of financing and being the members of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) and of conspiracy to violently overthrow the minority Tigire-controlled government in order to establish an independent state of Oromiya.
Engineer Mesfin A. Abdissa, Sentenced to Death by Zenawi's Court |
Thirteen of them were sentenced to 10-13 years in prison. One of them, Mesfin Abebe Abdissa (Engineer), was sentenced to death while the court meted out life imprisonments to two others – Mesfin Ittana and Tesfahun Chamada (Engineer).
The Oromian Human Rights and Justice Council (OHRJC) sates that the recipient of the death sentence, Mr. Mesfin Abdissa, and the recipient of a life imprisonment, Mr. Tesfahun Chamada, were extradited refugees who once lived in Kenya as legal refugees and carried the UNHCR IDs.
Two Oromo women and mothers were sentenced to 10 years in prison each. Mrs. Lalisse Wadajo is a mother of three kids and was a journalist in the government-owned Ethiopia Television before she was jailed and sentenced; her husband Dhabassa Wakjira, who was also a journalist, was exiled after over two years in jail.
Another Oromo woman, Mrs. Abarash Yadata, is a mother of four children.
In a statement from Washington, D.C., the OLF said that these Oromo nationals are not its members, but they are innocent persons sentenced for being Oromo.
“The charges filed against them were trumped-up charges. They did not get a fair trial. The kangaroo court that passed the unjust sentences … was neither independent nor partial; it is the tyrannical minority regimes instrument of repression,” the OLF statement explained.
The OLF is a political organization established in 1973, and the OLF says its mission is “to lead the national liberation struggle of the Oromo people against Abyssinian colonialism.”
The profiles of the convicted Oromo prisoners included engineers, businesspersons, mothers, lawyers, students and farmers. Some comment these Oromos represented the creams of the Oromo society in all walks of life.
The Oromo are the largest ethno-national group, comprising nearly 50 percent of the country’s population. Oromiya, the state inhabited by Oromo people, is the largest official regional state in the country, and the breadbasket and source of rich natural resources.
For a complete list and description of the guilty verdict on Oromo prisoners, refer tohttp://www.oromiahumanrights.org
* Qeerransoo Biyyaa can be reached at meettaa@gmail.com and blogs atOromoPress.blogspot.com
RELATED: Coverage on the Political Persecution Against Oromo
Victims of the Political Persecution
1. Masfiin Abbabaa Abdiisaa, Death Sentence, Civil Engineer,
2. Tasfaahuun Camadaa Gurmeessaa, Life Sentence,Civil engineer,
3. Baqqalaa Nagarii, 12 years without parole, Businessman in Addis Ababa,
4. Isheetuu Kitil, 12 years without parole, Businessman and owner of the Hawi Hotel (Finfinne),
5. Kabbadaa Booranaa, 12 years without parole, Senior Manager of the Hilton Hotel, Addis Ababa,
6. Waabee Hajii, 12 years without parole, Lawyer with the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia,
7. Baqqalaa Jiraataa, 12 years without parole (in Absentia), General Secretary of OFDM and an employee of Oromia Water Resources,
8. Dajanee Dhaabaa, 12 years without parole, Trader,
9. Dajanee Booranaa, 12 years without parole (in Absentia), Brother of Mr. Kebede Borena,
10. Abarraash Yaadataa, 12 years without parole,
11. Roobaa Gaddafaa, 10 years without parole, Statistician and an employee of Hibret Insurance
12. Baayisaa Huseen, 10 years without parole, High School student, Ambo,
13. Lalisee Wadaajoo, 10 years without parole,Journalist and wife of exiled television journalist, Dhabasa Wakjira, himself a former detainee,
14. Olaanii Jabeesaa, 10 years without parole,
15. Haayiluu Dalasaa, 10 years without parole, 3rd year Law student at Haromaya University.
Ethiopia: HRLHA Calls for Reversal of Racially and Politically Motivated Sentences
The Human Rights League of the Horn of Africa (HRLHA) strongly denounces the death penalty and stiff prison terms handed down to fifteen Oromo nationals by an Ethiopian federal high court in Addis Ababa/Finfinne.
According to information obtained through our correspondents, the 3rd bench of the Federal High Court of Ethiopia, at a trial held on the 31st of March 2010, has imposed a death penalty on Mr. Mesfin Abebe and sentenced his fourteen co-defendants to prison terms that range from the shortest of ten years to life in prison, all without parole.
The fifteen alleged convicts, all of whom are Oromo nationals, were accused of allegedly supporting, sympathizing and/or collaborating with an opposition political organization OLF (Oromo Liberation Front). It is very ironical that a country and government, which claims to be a democrat, imposes a death penalty on its own citizen for allegedly holding a political stand different from that of the governing party. And it should be noted here that this decision of the said federal high court is in breach of not only the democratic principles the government claims to have been following, but also the constitution and other international documents that Ethiopia has ratified.
The fifteen alleged convicts are:
No | Name | Sex | Sentence |
1 | Mr. Mesfin Abebe | M | Death Penalty |
2 | Mr. Tesfahun Chamada | M | Life in prison |
3 | Mrs. Aberash Yadata | F | 12 years |
4 | Mrs. Lalise Wadajo | F | 10 years |
5 | Col. Olani Jabessa | M | 12 years |
6 | Mr. Roba Degafa | M | 10 years |
7 | Mr. Dejene Dhaba | M | 10 years |
8 | Mr. Bekele Negeri | M | 10 years |
9 | Mr. Bayisa Husen | M | 10 years |
10 | Mr. Hailu Delessa | M | 10 years |
11 | Mr. Dejene Borana | M | 13 years |
12 | Mr. Kebede Borana | M | 12 Years |
13 | Mr. Bekele Jirata | M | 13 Years |
14 | Mr. Ishetu Kitil | M | 12 Years |
15 | Mr. Wabe Haji | M | 12 Years |
 Among Those Targeted: From Left to Right – Mr. Mesfin A. Abdissa, Mr. Tesfahun Chemeda, Mrs. Aberash Yadeta, Mrs. Lelisa Wodajo, Mr. Wabe Haji and Mr. Bekele Jirata |
HRLHA would like to bring to the attention of the international communities, the African Union and all its affiliates as well as member states that the Kenyan government shares accountability in sentencing to death of Mr. Mesfin Abebe and all other actions that the alleged convict might be going to face; as Mr. Mesfin was arrested in Nairobi and handed back to the Ethiopian government by the Kenyan government in April 2007, along with one of the other alleged convicts Mr. Tesfahun Camada, who was given life in prison. It is very unfortunate and very disheartening that both Mr. Mesfin Abebe and Mr. Tesfahun Camada were forced to suffer after three years, with the joint actions of the Ethiopian and Kenyan governments, the bitter fate they attempted to escape by fleeing the country in 2007.
Under Article 33 (1) of the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees (189 U.N.T.S. 150), “[n]o contracting state shall expel or forcibly return a refugee in any manner whatsoever to the frontiers of territories where his life or freedom would be threatened on account of his . . . political opinion.”
The Ethiopian government has a well-documented record of gross and flagrant violations of human rights, including the torturing of its own citizens who were involuntarily returned to the country. The government of Ethiopia routinely imprisons such persons. There have been credible reports of physical and psychological abuses committed against individuals in Ethiopian prisons and other secret places of detention.
This obligation, which is also a principle of customary international law, applies to both asylum seekers and refugees, as affirmed by UNHCR’s Executive Committee and the United Nations General Assembly. For example, Ethiopia has clearly shown to the world in 1998, by executing a convict named Jamil Sherif Yasin, that it not only upholds but also implements death penalty; and HRLHA presumes that the Kenyan government is undoubtedly aware of Ethiopia’s position in regards to this internationally controversial legal issue.
By handing over the Oromo refugees and others, the Kenya Government is breaching its obligations under international treaties as well as customary laws.
Under the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (1465 U.N.T.S. 185) Kenyan Government has the obligation not to return a person to a place where they face torture or ill-treatment. Article 3 of the Convention against Torture provides:
1. No state party shall expel, return (“refouler”) or extradite a person to another state where there are substantial grounds to believe that they would be in danger of being subjected to torture.
2. For the purpose of determining whether there are such grounds, the competent authorities shall take into account all.
HRLHA believes that the case of Mr. Mesfin Abebe and his co-defendants is a purely political case intentionally designed and executed in order to harass, intimidate and discourage ordinary citizens from exercising their democratic and political rights. It is void of almost all legal procedures, proceeding and fair legal treatment. As is proven, for example, through the uniform denial of parole for all alleged convicts who were given varying prison terms, this case is instead full of political biases.
Therefore, HRLHA calls on all regional and international human rights organizations, democratic forces and western donor and democratic countries as well as diplomatic communities in Ethiopia to put pressure on the Ethiopian government in order that it reverses this politically motivated action taken in the name of justice.
The Human Rights League of the Horn of Africa/HRLHA is a non-political and non-partisan organization which attempts to challenge abuses of human rights of the peoples of various nations and nationalities in the Horn of Africa. HRLHA is aimed at defending fundamental human rights including freedoms of thought, expression, movement and organization. It is also aimed at raising the awareness of individuals about their own basic human rights and that of others. It has intended to work on the observances as well as due processes of law. It promotes the growth and development of free and vigorous civil societies.
- The Human Rights League of the Horn of Africa (HumanRightsLeague.com)
RELATED: Coverage on the Political Persecution Against Oromo
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