Oromo: Reconciliation We Believe In

The following statement is from the Oromo Forum for Dialogue and Reconciliation (OFDR).

The current political atmosphere in the Oromo liberation camp is positive and encouraging in that efforts are under way by the Oromo political leaders, intellectuals and elders to come together for a dialogue and reconciliation. These efforts are inspiring and commendable as they increase significantly the opportunity to resolve the problems that have hampered the Oromo political struggle for years, restore hopes, revitalize the struggle, and boost the morale of members, supporters and the Oromo mass at large. Let alone the action, the talk of such efforts will send a shiver down the spine of the enemies of the Oromo people.


The recent heightened dialogues among the three factions of the Oromo Liberation Front (Shanee, Jijjiirama and QC) and the Press Release issued by two of the three factions (Jijjiirama and QC) on 31 March 2010 fill the Oromo nationalists with great sense of enthusiasm for the simple reason that the hope of the Oromo people for liberation has always risen and fallen with the political and military fortune of this organization. The symbolic nature of the OLF in the struggle against the Abyssinian colonial rule means that the hearts and minds of the Oromo people follow this organization and makes it so much hard hitherto for any other organizations to dent its dominance.

OFDR believes that the privileges afforded to the OLF by the Oromo people makes it also incumbent upon the leaders, members and supporters of the various factions of this organization to continue with the process of dialogue no matter how hard and bitter it is to confront the past intrigues and misgivings perpetrated by most players in an effort to climb the ladder of power and/or advance the cause of the Oromo people. It is essential to note that the overarching principle to be observed at all times in this tumultuous process is the cause of serving the interest of the Oromo people, Bilisumma.

By the same token the recent announcement made by three Oromo political organizations, namely, Front for Independent Democratic Oromiyaa (FIDO), United Oromo People’s Liberation Front (UOPLF), and the Council of Oromiyaa People’s Liberation Front (COPLF) to transform and operate as one, under United Liberation Forces of Oromiyaa (ULFO), having one political program, constitution, and leadership is a positive step that should be applauded by all of us.

OFDR fully supports the action taken by FIDO, UOPLF and COPLF to reconstitute ULFO as a single entity and their call “for the realization of the organizational and leadership transformation best fashioned for the 21st Century Oromo national liberation struggle and for the unity of purpose among Oromo political forces to crystallize, and the liberation struggle to intensify and bring about the demise of the Abyssinian colonial system.” The action taken by ULFO should be seen as an exemplary step to be followed in the Oromo liberation camp that suffers from internal conflict.

From various sources we hear that there are views and positions held by various factional leaders of the OLF. However, these should be secondary and sacrificed for the sake of achieving true reconciliation in the OLF and the Oromo liberation camp without further damaging the unity and interest of the Oromo people. OFDR understands that there are reasonable arguments being mounted against reconciliation because:

1) Ordinary members and supporters of each and every faction wonder what has changed overnight given their experience of the tactics deployed and propaganda used by various factional leaders in the recent past. To them, nothing has changed except the mood of their leaders. Without a proper communication and clarification of the challenges facing the Oromo liberation movement, it is possible that members and supporters remain disenfranchised.

2) There are doubts whether the same old guards that could not achieve much in the past can do better in the future by simply mending their differences due to some external pressure or public demand. Reconciliation without a fundamental reform means nothing as far as the liberation movement is concerned.

3) To a lesser extent, there are also some concerns that the current reconciliation process lacks transparency, and it is driven by a group of individuals who has a vested interest in its outcome and the future direction of the Oromo liberation movement. To address this concern, the reconciliation process should be transparent and independent of vested interest.

It is OFDR’s firm belief that without a principled negotiation and true reconciliation:

1) It is not possible, in the short to medium term, for any one faction to be able to mobilize the Oromo people in unison against strong and experienced political foes.

2) It is hard to win the trust of all sectors of the Oromo people dented as a direct result of the means employed by various factional leaders to garner support and establish their power base.

3) The best alternative to a negotiated agreement that each faction possesses is not different from the current crippled state of political and military fortune least enjoyed by all Oromo nationalists.

If handled carefully, reconciliation in the Oromo liberation camp does not result in a zero-sum game, and all stakeholders can achieve a win-win situation by following the strategic interests of the Oromo people. It will be disastrous to resist reconciliation by dwelling on the past mistakes and presenting conditions perceived to serve as strategies designed to create winners and losers. Our leaders need not live in a constant fear of tumbling over and over the same hurdles again, and be courageous to embrace reconciliation based on honesty, transparency, integrity and objectivity expected of them in order to achieve the objectives of the Oromo national liberation movement.

OFDR takes this opportunity to urge all Oromo political and civic organisations to co-operate with each other in line with the Oromo Gadaa values to create a conducive environment for transformation and success now. It is critical that all leaders demonstrate to the Oromo mass that they are serious, sincere and committed to the best interest of the Oromo people.

OFDR also calls upon the members and supporters of various factions and organizations to exert a positive influence on their leaders to look for reasons that can achieve reconciliation in the liberation camp.

Reconciliation we believe in should involve a roadmap that clearly addresses the critical issues raised by all stakeholders, aims at advancing the interest of the Oromo people and facilitating the achievement of the objectives of the Oromo liberation movement.

Oromia Shall Be Free!

The Oromo Forum for Dialogue and Reconciliation (OFDR)
15 May 2010