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.