text: “ilmoon hoola kun baha Oromiya ana kombolcha aradda qeeransatti dhalatte Rabbilleen nuuf dirmachaa jira”
text: #000001
text: “ilmoon hoola kun baha Oromiya ana kombolcha aradda qeeransatti dhalatte
text: #000002
text: by Jawar Mohammed ( Barruu yaadannoo Jaarraa Abbaa Gadaa tan Waxabajjii 11, 2013 magaalaa Atlanta irratti dhihaatte) Jaarraa Abbaa Gadaa bu’ureessitota qabsoo Oromoo kanneen tarree duraarratti maqaan ka’u keessaa tokko. Gumaachi addaa Jaarraan qabsoo tanaaf godhe maali yoo jenne amna Waraana Bilisummaa Oromoo jaaruu keessatti carraaqqii godhamteefi milkii argamteef shoora duraa tapahcuu isaati. Roorroo saba ...
text: #000003
text: ( Barruu yaadannoo Jaarraa Abbaa Gadaa tan Waxabajjii 11, 2013 magaalaa Atlanta irratti dhihaatte)
  Jaarraa Abbaa Gadaa bu’ureessitota qabsoo Oromoo kanneen tarree duraarratti maqaan ka’u keessaa tokko. Gumaachi addaa Jaarraan qabsoo tanaaf godhe maali yoo jenne amna Waraana Bilisummaa Oromoo jaaruu keessatti carraaqqii godhamteefi milkii argamteef shoora duraa tapahcuu isaati. Roorroo saba isaatirra gahuuf joollumamaan laalachuun qabsaa’ota barbaadee dirree falmaa Baaleetitti makamee, lolee lolchiise.
text: #000004
text: Barbaachisummaa meshaafi leenjii lolaa kan ammayyaa hubachuun gargaarsa barbaacha gama Somaaliyaa, boodas Galaana Diimaa cehee Adan dhaqe. Akeekni Qeeyroo Ganamaatiin qabsoo hidhannoo eegaluu milkaayuu dhabdus, hidhaan waggaa shanii muranno inni diina Oromoo qabsoo hidhannootin cabsuuf qabu hin laafiifne. Bara 1976, yeroo haalli Warraaysaa biyyattii haguugee hamilee qabsoo hidhannoof jirtu laamshesse sanitti, sirni jiruu hiddaan buqqa’u malee Oromoof furmaanni hin jiru jechuun, qawwee lameen Elemoo Qilxuu fa’arraa hafte baasee daggalatti gale;WBOs humnaafi caasaanis ijaarutti seene. Erga gaafa dura Asabootitti Minishir bitateetii hamma gaafa du’uutitti dawaan cunqursaa qawwee ta’uu nama amanaa turee, sabaa isaatinis hidhadhaa jedhee osoo waywaatuu jiraate.
text: #000005
text: Barruu tana keessatti sababoonni Jaarraan barbaachisummaa qabsoo hidhannoo aakka fardeeyfatu goadhan maal fa’a akka ta’an xiinxaluuf yaala. Akka hubannaa kiyyaatti wantoota afurtu ilaalcha Jaarraan qabsoo hidhannootiif qabu qare. Tokko seenaa warraa isaatiifi kan Oromoo naannawa sanii tan inni joolummaa dhagayaa guddate. Kan lammataa, hariiroo Oromoofi nafxanyoota jidduu tan inni joollumaa arke. Kan sadaffaa araga dhageettii gocha gootummaa ‘shiftoonni’ Oromo kan Habiibifi Hamidoo faa Oromoo nafxanyaarraan gaya turaniiti. Kan afraffaa hirmaannaa lola Baalee keessatti godhe. Armaan gaditti sababoota kana takka takkaan gabaabsinee haa laallu.
text: #000006
text: Jaarraan nama warra akkanaatirraayin dhaladhe jedhee maqaan of dhaadu hin turre. Kanaafuu hamma dhihoo kanaatitti waa’ee warra isaa, wanni beeynu xiqqaa ture. Kanarraa kan ka’e seenaan inni abbootii isaatirraa dhaale ilaalcha isaatirratti dhibbaa isin qabdu hedduu hin xiinxalamne. Dubbii tanaaf fooddaa kan nuuf bane barruuleefi haasaya Jaafar Aliitifi Abdurashid Abdurahmaan nuuf dhiheessani. Abdurashiid seenaa abbootii Jaarraa gabaabsee akkanatti kaaye
text: #000007
text: �“Walakkaa bara 1876, gaafa Ibroo Shaxaa, akaakayyuun [ abaabayyuun] Jaarraa Abbaa Gadaa, lola Cirrachaatti waraana Misraa kan Ra’uuf Baashaa tiin hoogganamuun odoo loluu wareegame, ilmi isaa, Haamid, dardara ture. Lola Calanqoo booda, bara 1889 keessa, gaafa Minilik, summii buna keessatti naqeen, Haamid Ibroo galaafatu, ilmi isaa, Ibraahim, joolle. San booda, bara 1936 keessa, gaafa Ibraahim Haamid, nafxanyoota hawaasa Baha Oromiyaa sirna gabrummaa hoonga hin-qabneen araraasaa bahan, adamuun, hijaa irraa bahaa ture, ilmi isaa, Abdukariim hoggaas dhalata.”
text: #000008
text: Kanarraa wanni salphatti hubannu abaaboo, kaakoofi abbaan Jaarraa weerara dhuma bardhibbee 19ffaatifi jalqaba bardhibbee 20ffaa keessa Oromoo mudatan, kan boodas alagaa jalatti isa oggolchiisan keessatti warra suduudaan hirmaataa ture ta’uudha. Akkuma kaa’imman kamuutuu seenaa warra isaa kana dagaayaa guddachuu akka malu tilmaanmna. Kanaf ragaa kan nuuf ta’u waa’ee qabsoo Oromoo yoo haasayu Jaarraan yeroo hedduu seenaa abbootiin isaa keessa dabran akka fakkeenyaatti dhiheessa. Seenaa abaaboo isaa Ibroo Shaqaatifi akaakoo isaa Ibraahim Haamid irraa garaagarummaa qawweee qaachuufi dhabuu, akkasumas sadarkaan ammayyummaan qawweefi jaarmayni waraanaa lola keessatti qabdu waan hubate natti fakkata.
text: #000009
text: Osoo warraani Masrii kan Ra’uuf Paashaa Oromiyaa bahaatin hin bayin dura Oromoonni naannawa sanii heeraafi seera sirna Gadaatin walbulchaa, loltuu ofii Raabaa Dooriin jaaruun daangaa biyya isaanii ittifataa turan. Weerara olloonni isaanii itti bananis ofirraa qoluun, of kabajiisanii, ormanis hanga walbeekanii kabajaan waliin bulaa turan. Waranni Masrii kan Ingilizootaan meeshaa ammayyaa qeensaa hanga rifeensaa hidhate diina Raabaa Doooriin takkaahuu hin argini. Akkasiinuu Murti Guuto gootummaa onneen guutamteefi tokkummaa sirna Gadaatiin taligamteen eeboo, mancaa, wanteefi xiyyaa isaatin dura dhaabbate.
text: #000010
text: Waraanni Ra’uuf rasaasa ammayyaa itti robsee qaawwa xiqqoo takka banatee magaalaa Adaree Biyyoo qabatus, waggaa kudhaniif dallaya keessaa bahuu kutanii, kaayoo biyyaa Oromoo kolonii Ingilizii jalatti galchuu hoongessanii, injifannoo goonfachuun biyya ofiitii baasan.
  Haa ta’uu ammo lolli Masri waliin godhame kun injifannoodhaan goolabamus, akka Professor Mohammed Haasaniifi Jilchaa Hamid katabanitti, humna waraanaa Oromoo akka maleedha laafffise. Tokkoffaa, qondaalonni Raabaa Doorii heeduun, Ibroo Shaqaa dabalatee, ni wareegaman. Lammaffaa, lola dheeraa kanarraa kan ka’een ka’een cibirraaleen faradoo (cavalry) beelladaaleen rasaasa, beelaafi dhukkubaan dhumuu isaatin guututti diigame. Sadaffaa lolli dheeraan kun leeccalloo ummataa dhiiga xuuxuun humna diinaggee biyyaa laaffise.
text: #000011
text: Osoo Oromoon daadarkaa tanarraa reefu dandamachaa jirtu , weerarri diina haarayni, Masri baatee waggaa sadihiitti, bara 1887, calanqoon as bahe. Warraanni Minilik kan Oromoo naannawa biraa cabsee injifannoon machaawee, diinaggeen of gabbise qawwee ammayyaa shammadatee, ogeessota waraanaa faranjiitin tarsiimoo baafatee Murti Guutotti lola bane. Gaafa Oromiyaa Bahaa weeraru waraanni Minilik qawwee..... qaba. Oromoon qawwee dullatti dhibba hin geenye kan Paashaarraa buufatan, sanuu ta rasaasni waa xiqqasho keessa jiruun dura dhaabbatan. Muraasni fardaa waan laamshayeef mancaa, eeboofi wantee isaa qabateeti lafoo dura dhaabbachuuf dirqame. Akkasumaanuu waraanni Murti Guutoo, humna waraan Minilik kan lafoo( infantry) qaawwedhaan caalamanis gootummaadhaan bobbaa hedduu ofirra faccisuu danda’anii turan. Booda garuu madaafa tabba fagoo, eeboofi mancaan hin dhaqqabne dhaabaniin duubbee Raabaa Dooriin loltuu irraa bobbasuufi madoo itti wal’aanatu ibidda itti roobsan. Bifa saniin qawween sodaattuun hidhatte mancaa gootaa moohattee, nafxanyaan akkuma Oromiyaa biro dachii Humbannatis qabate. Qondaalota Raabaa Doorii kanneen gaafa Calanqoo Calii baraaran, kanneen akka Hamid Ibroo ( akaakoo Jaarraa) kopha qophatti galaafatanii ummata hoggana silaa bakka caphanii isaan kaasu dhabsiisan.
text: #000012
text: Gaaga’amni weerarri Masriitif kan Minilik Oromootarraan gahee biyya teenya qofatti osoo hin taane addunya guututti gaafani injifannoon lolaa gootummaa loltootaatifi fi qaruuxummaa tarsiimootiin walcaaluun murtaawu sun akka dabarte dhawwaaqe. Fakkeenyaaf lola waraana Sudan kan Darbuush jedhamuuf, kan Abdullaa Al-Taashitin hogganamuufi waraana Ingilizi jiddutti, bara 1898, dirree lolaa Umdurmaanitti godhamerratti waanuma Calanqotti ta’etu raawwatame. Winston Charchil, kan booda muumicha ministeera Ingiliz ta’ee, warrana san keessatti akka loltuufi gabaafutti hirmaate, gama isaa jajuun akka gabaasetti lolli gaafasii keessatti warraana Darbuush 52,000 ta’utu kan Inglizi 8,200 moo’ame. Iccitiin injifannoo tanaa garuu akkana.
text: #000013
text: Warri Suudan qawwee dullattii takka nyaatteefi meshaa harkan kanuma akka Oromoon qabuu saniin itti baye. Warri Ingiliiz ammo madaafa ammayaa gurguddaa, qawwee otomaatikaa, akkasumas loltuu uffata raasaasafi eeboon laafutti hin dirre ( body armour) uffateen dhihaate. Yeroo lolli ganama subii banamu, osoo lultuun Suudan meetira 2750 bira as hin dhihaatin muraasni madfii (artillery brigade) kurkurruu ibiddaa itti gadi roobse. Qawwee warri Suudan hidhatee keessaa kan akkam jabduu rubuu fageenya kanaa deemuu hin dandesssu ture. Waraanni Darbuush gootummadhaan reeffarra waltarkaanfataa mukatti dahataa ori’us osoo meetira 50 wuu dahoo Ingilizitti hin dhihaatin dhukkaawan. Lola sa’aa jaha qofa ture kana keessatti, Darbushoota nama 10,000 du’aan, 13,00 modoon, kuun ammo qabamuun moo’amuu mudatan. Gama Ingilizii garuu nama 47 qofatu du’e, madoon 382 ture. Darbushoonni Suudaan, akkuma Raabaa Doorii Oromoo, guutummaafi tarsiimoo lolaatiin diina caalanis, qawwee ammayyaatin moo’amanii bitta alagaatiin oggoluuf dirqaman.
text: #000014
text: Akka xiinxala kiyyaatti Jaarraan abba isaatifi manguddoota naannawaatirraa seenaa gootummaa Murti Guutoo dhagayaa guddachuun, murni akkasitti gootaa akkamiin alagaaf jilbiiffate gafin jedhu waan mataa keessatti uumame natti fakkata. Seenaa abaaboofi akaakoo isaatti dabaltee kanummaan abbaa isaatuu yaada kana cimsuu mala. Abbaan isaa Ibraahim Haamid, nama hayyummaa isaatitti fayyadamuuf mootummaan Haylasilassee ofitti dhiheessee aangoo keennef ture. Garuu beekkomsi isaa safarmaee hin dhumne suniifi aangoon alagaan kenniteef hamma fedhees laalatu roorroo ummata isaatirraa gayaa ture irraa ittiisuuf isa hin dandeessifne ture. Kanaaf ammo deebiin isii; luynaafi jegna onneen , hayyuufi harsama sammuun adda bahuun hafee, qawween luyna jegnoomsitee, doofaa mootii godhuu waan hubate fakkata.Kanaaf Oromoon deebi’ee mirgaafi kabajaa isaa goonfachuuf falli kophaa ‘ibidda alagaan itti nu gubu san nutis horachuudha’ yaanni jedhu ganamumaan sammuu isaa keessatti habaqaalte. Kanaafuu hubannoon seenaa sababoota Jaarraan qabsoo hidhannootti umrii isaa guutuu cicheef keessaa tokko jechuuf kan nu dandeessisu raga jabaadha.
text: #000015
text: Erga humna qawwee ammayyaattin caalamee alagaa jalatti buluuf dirqamee boodas Oromoon gandaantummaa fudhatee roorroof jilbeeffatee akka hin jiraatin ragaan hedduu. Bakka takka takkatti hogganoonni hawaasaa hambalaa sirna Gadaatifi tan Raabaa Doorititti fayyadamuun ummatan gurmeessanii finciluun yeroo gabaabafis taatu nafxanyaa offiraa buqqaasu yaalaa turan. Bakka biraatti ammo matayyoonni Oromoo cunqursaan itti hammaate mataa bowwaafachiise, finciluun gaaratti galanii ‘shiftaa’ ta’an. Oromoota bifa kanaan fincilanii maqaa horatan keessaa Salaaletti kan akka Hagarii Tulluuti, Muluu Wasanuutifi Asaffaa Shaaroo Lammii, Arbaa Guugutti Tuntunaa fa’a tuquun ni dandaya. Baha Oromiyaatti ammoo Hamidoo fi Habiib———– namoota fincilli isaanii hidda nafxanyaa raase keessaa warra hangafaati. Jarri kun maqaa ‘shiftaa’ jedhuun haa beekkaman malee, shiftoota Habashaatirraa adda akka ta’an hubachuu feesisa. Shiftoonni Habashaa sabani gaaratti galaniif ummata saamuu dalagaa godhachuufi. Seenaa ‘shiftoota’ Oromoo bebbeekkamoo ta’n yoo qorannu ammoo, wanni manaa isaan baase roorroo nafxanyoonni irraan gayan ifachuudhaan akka fincilan agarra. Hedduun isaanii nafxanyoota biyya bulchan ajjeesuudhaan qawwee irraa fudhatanii gaaratti galan. Kan saamanis nafxanyoota midhaan ummataa fe’an malee ummata nagayaatii miti. Fakkeenyaaf waan Haamido fincilsiise Abdurashiid kitaaba ‘Raammisoo’ keessatti bifa armaan gadiitiin kaaye:
text: #000016
text: �“Haalli Haamidoo fincilaan gaye roorroo nafxanyaan Weeyzaro kaasaye ja’amtu, obboleessa isaatirraan geesse. Gaafa tokko sababa saffarrii irbootiin itti dallantee, qaallitti obboleessa irra guddaa Dashoo Ibroo, xilaan garaftu Haamidoon arke. Intalti dhalaa ilma dhiiraa tokko warra isaa duratti harka itti laachuun onneen Hamidoo fudhachuu didde. Coraan suukannaawe. Golcha qaallitti tuffii tuffii olitti fudhate. “haalli kun narra numa hin geenye” ifiin je’ee bara 1942 keessa umrii diiydamii shaniitti, Albeen “caphaa tokkoon gara gaara seene. Odoo hin bubbulin , Xuullo keessa idoo Khadee Ashee ja’amutti nafxanyaa ganda hiraarsu tokko galaafateItti aanse, Aanaa Masalaa, naanno laga Xuuxxootti kan biraa tokko dhabamsiise. Oduun warra gatamanii, nafxanyoota baadiyyaa keessa aka fedhan sossohan dallansiifte. Kanaaf, isaaniifi askaroonni gaaraafi dakhatti barbaaduu jalqaban. Gaafa kaan , haamidoofi waraanni isa barbaadaa deddeemu, Eeldhaaye gam agama dhihaa, irkata Boortee Dhuuggootii ol, iddoo qalaya jedhamutti wal afaan dufan. Haamidoon, Shaalaqaa waraana if duuba tarrisee boonaa dura deemu halaalaa adda keessa dhawee gaangeerraa lafatti darbe. Qaallichi lafa dhooynaan waraanni isaa dheefa dhukkee kaasan. Mootummaan haala ashkaroota isii mudate, raadiyootti ibsullee baattu, gurra ummataa seenuu dhoorkuu hin dandeenye. Ummanni gama isaanitiin
text: #000017
text: “Haamidoo Ibroo dhaa leenca haati deeyse
  Mataa malee hin dhawuu mangistiin dhageeyse”
  Tarkaanfilee gootummaa Haamidoo tun nafxanyoota dhiiga ummataa bahaa-gala dhoorkuu, Oromoota ammoo ni onnachiisuun gara gaaraa qaceelchee,
  “...cifroonni isaa yeroo gabaabaa keessatti dhibba caalan. Kun nafxanyaa gibira guurtu bira dabree mootummaa guddittiihuu baarayse . Haala kanaan “Ilmi Ibroo Haamidoon, waggaa diigdamii afuriif mootummaa Habashaaa-tti lubbuu guraaraa bahee , bara 1966 keessa, seenaa dhaloonni naannoo sanii ittin boonuu qaban dhiisee, umrii 49tti kute. Seenaan Haamidoo, haawsni keenya yoo akka isaatti ifirratti lolan bulchiinsa Habashaa jalaa walaboomuuf yaroo dheertuu akka irraa hin fuune buhachiise,” ( Raamiso, f xxx)
  Jedha Abdurashiid seenaa Haamidoo bifa gabaabduun dhiheesse yoo goolabu.
  Oromoota dalagaa Hamidoo tanarraa waa hubatanii, booda faana isaa dhahanii qabsoo bilisummaa saba Oromoo hidda gadi dhaaban keessaa tokko Jaarraa Abbaa Gadaati. Gaafa Haamidoon gaaratti galu Jaarraan daa’ima waggaa jahaati, gaafa inni wareegamu ammo, dargaggeessa waggaa soddomaati. Kanaafuu umurii sammuun isaa waa qabattu ( formative years) keessatti Jaarraan dalagaa guutummaa Haamidoo dhagayaatifi argaati guddate. Hojii finciltoota akka Haamidootirraa, hubannoolee ilaalchaafi tarkaanfilee booda fudhateef bu’ara ta’an jajjaboo gaafas horate jechuun ni danda’ama.
text: #000018
text: Hubannoon duraa, garaagarummaa nama qawwee qabuutifi hin qabne jidduu jirtu. Namni qawwee qabuufi itti fayyadamee alagaa rukute, mirga ifiitifi kan fira isaa kabachiisuu akka dandayu. Kan lammataa ammoo namnummaan tokko onnatee qawweedhaan fincillaan nafxanyoota ol’aantummaa argatanii oftuulani waaqaan if qixxeessan akka weerarsuufi sirna mootummaa isaani ‘waaqarraa kennameef’ san akka daddaaysuu dandahu. Akkasumas namni qawween diina hangas raase, ummata isaa kan hamileen cabdee, jiruun laamshoytee, gabrummaa qaama godhate yeroma gabaabdutti akka dammaysituufi onnee itti hortu hubate.
  Hubannoon Jaarraan seenaa finciltoota Oromootirraa joollummaa qomatti qabatee kun muuxannoo sirna nafaxanyaa keessatti matuma isaatiifu isa mudataniin daran jajjabaatan. Seenaa Jaarraa kan caalatti beekamu kanuma warraaysaa keessaati. Haa ta’aa ammo Jaarraan Abbaa Gadaa akkuma Oromoota hedduu, osoo warraaysatti hin seeninin dura mootummaa jirtu keessaan dantaafi mirga saba isaa kabachiisuu yaalee ture. Manguddoon biyyaa paarlaamaa Itoophiyaatti filamee akka dantaa isaanii mootummaa biratti eegsisuuf itti waywaannaan, nama nafaxanyaa tokkoon waliin dorgome. Garuu ummanni buqqa’ee Jaarraa filuus, sagaleen isaanii bakki buuta dhabamee namichi kuun moohate jedhanii deebisanii irratti shuuman. Kanarraa Jaarraan, filannon mootummaa sanii tan dharaatifi dantaa nafxanyoota ummataa xuuxaa jiraatanii ‘halaal’ (legitimize) fakkeessanii tursuu tan godhamtu ta’uu hubate. Namni haqaan ummata isaatif falmuu barbaadu filamuu akka hin dandeenyeefi ummanniis hamma fedhe bahee yoo filate nama ifii barbaadan bakka buufachuu akka hin dandeenye raga harkatti qabate.
  Muuxannon dhumaa tan Jaarraa qabsoo hidhannootif garaa murachiifte yaalii haqa intala Oromoo takkaa gara mana murtiitin argamsiisuuf godhe. Mudannoo ilma jireenya Jaarraatiifi seenaa Oromoo jijjiiruuf teeysu tana Abdurashiid bifa armaan gadiitiin kaaye.
text: #000019
text: “...Guyyaa tokko , niitii jaarsi mana hidhaa Asaboot keessatti irraa ajjeefame , tan hulaa foolis xaabiyaa duraa boochu takkaan walitti dhufe. Kan warri arkan marti bira kutan, Jaarraan, nahuufii bira dabree, akkuma amala isaatti, gargaarutti seene. Tattaafanni niitii bira dhaabbachuu kun Jaarraafi ajajaa foolis xaabiyaa, Shaambala, tooyanna isaa jalatti namichi du’e, wal afaan buuse. Jaarraan dhiiga namichaa baasuuf Shaambalticha mana heeraatiif dhiheeysuu murteeffate. Haa ta’uu malee , Jaarraan Adareefi Asaboot jidduu deddeebi’ee, Amaarticharraa wahuu siiysuu dadhabe. Waraqaa yaamicha mana heeraa tan Adaree itti fidu , Shaambaltichi, ija isaa duratti cicciruu bira dabree “ aante Gaallaa aselechihaallehu” ( yaa Gaallicha siin hifachiisa) jechuuniin heeraa ol tahuu isaa irra deddeebi’ee mirkaneesseef. Gama biraatiinis , doginyoota haala kanarratti gargaarsa gaafatu keessaa, “dubbii tana yoo dhiifte irra siif wayya,” warra ja’uun malee kan tin’isa laatuuf dhabe. Ijibbaanni Shaambalticha mana heeraa dhiheessuuf godhu , guyyuma guyyaan Jaarraa rakkaa dhufe. Dubbii if dura dhiibuu dadhabuun , guyyaa bira taree, halkan hiiriba isa dhoorke. Kana keessa seenaan Haamidoofi Habiib sammuu boo jihan.”
  Muuxannoon tun yaada Jaarraan joollummaarraa kaasee mataa keessatti bilcheessaa turte gadi jabeessiteef. Kunis warri qawween angorratti bahe hanga fedhees ummanni jibbu, akka tolaan sireerraa gadi bu’eef hin teenya daran ifatti baateef. Sirna qawween jaaramee, qawween ittifamaa jiru kun qawwumaan diigamu malee mirgaafi dantaan sabaa akka walarkuuf hin teenye mamii takkalee garatti hin hambifne. Gaafasii kaasee Jaarraan sirna san qabsoo hidhannootin hiddaan buqqisuuf tarkaanfii fudhate.
text: #000020
text: Wanni Jaarraan finciltoota akka Haamidootirraa hubate bu’aa isii qofa osoo hin taane hanquu isiitisi. Finncilli matayyoonni hiraar jalaa bahuuf kophaatti yookin nama muraasaan godhan nafxanyoota naannawa sanii hagbsee mootummaa san shoorarkeessus, sirna cunqursaa hiddaan buqqaasee ummata bilisummaa goonfachiisuuf akka hin dandeenye arge. Walsimannaan qawweefi gootaa jijjirama waaraa fiduu kan danda’u yoo ummata gurmeessee fincila waloo geggeesse yaanni jedhu mataa seenuun tarkaanfi kanatti aansee fudhaterraa hubachuu dandeenna. Kunis qawwee bitate qabatee kophatti gaaratti galurra, ilmaan Oromoo bifa gurmaayeen fincila geggeessaa jiran iyyaafatee gara Baalee qajeele. Gaafa Oromoon malkaa xiqqaa gamattuu walwallaalchisame san keessatti, gosaafi naannawa isaa keessaa bayee, Waabe gamatti, warra loqonni isaanituu qaceellotti hin galleef waliin wareegaaf of qopheessuun isaa barbaachisummaa qabsoo hidhannoo bifa gormoofteen godhamtuu hangam takka hubate ragaadha.
  Lola Baalee keessatti hirmaachuun kun ammo hubannoo biroo kenneefi. Kunis akka nam tokkouutti fincilaa gaaratti galurra ummata dammaysanii loluun wayyus, leenjii waraanaa ammayyaatiifi caasaa sirna qabuun jaaruumuu baannan bakka yaadamu gahuu akka hin dandeenyee arguu isaati. Fnficilli Baalee ummataa guutuu sochoosee, nafxanooya dachirraa buqqasee nnaannawa san dhuunfatuus, jaarmaya waraanaafi ititaafi tarsiimoo ammayyaa dhabuurraan kan ka’ee sadarkaa sirna mootummaa san fonqolchuu danda’urra ga’uu hin dandeenye. Kanaaf, Jaarraan waraana bifa ammayyaatiin leeji’eefi caasaa turuu danda’u ( sustainable) injaaruuf gara Adan qajeele. Akkuma yaadettis qabsaa’ota akka isaa walitti qabuun, Qeeyroo Ganamaa, nama 41 of keessaa qabdu, kan leenjii gahaan qaramteefi bifa ammaatiin jalaa-olitti jaaramteen Oromiyaatti as qajeele. Mootummaa Soomalee harka bu’uun akeekni Qeeyroo Ganamaa akka yaadametti fiixa bahuu baatus, erga hidhaa waggaa shaniitii bayee booda, hubannoo seenaa abbootii isaa , shiftoota Oromoofi fincila Baaletirraa argate osoo hin dagatin, bara 1976tti Waraana Bilisummaa Oromoo gadi dhaabuu danda’e.
text: #000021
text: Barruu tana keessatti mooyxannoon Jaarraan joollummaadhaan keessa dabre qabsoo hidhannoo Oromoo jaaruuffi boodas itti cichuuf akka murteessaa tahan agarsiisuun yaalameeti jira. Jaarraadhaaf Oromoon kan caphee qawween caalameeti, kan oggolee jiraateefis qawwee dhabaafi, kanaa furmaanni qawwee barbaaddatanii, diina ibiddaan namatti roorrisu ibiddaan dura dhaabbachuudha. Mooyxannoon tun kutannoo bara dukkanaa tan abdiin bilisummaa hin jirre san keessatti ifitti abdannaadhaan qabsoo hidhannoo akka eegalu kan dandeessifte yoo ta’u, waldhibdee booda isaafi jaallan qabsoo biro waliin uumamteefis hanga tokko saba jedheetin yaada.
  Sabboontonni qabsoo Oromoo bu’eerressan akeeka Oromoo sirna cunqursaa calaa baasurratti waliif galtee qabaajaa turan. Ta’us, tarsiimoo, tooftaafi bifa jaaramayaa akkamiitin akeeka kana galmaan gayuuf irra fayyada kan jedhurratti ilaalcha adda addaa akka qabaataa turan beekkamaadha. Wantoota garaagarummaa kana uuman keessaa tokko akkaataa namoonni kun itti dammaqanii qabsoo Oromootif ka’ani jedheen yaada. Akkaataa bu’ureessitoonni kun itti dammaqan, dimshaashumatti, bakka lamatti qooduu dandeenya. Gareen tokko warra jiruma ofii keessatti roorroo mataa isaa yookin saba isaatirraa geessen dallanee kan ka’e yoo ta’u, kan lammataa, akkaataa Oromoon bittaa alagaa jalatti itti kufeefi waan irra gahe, akkasumas siyaasaa addunya, manneen barnootaa keessattifi kitaabotarraa waan dubbisaniifi dhagayan irraa kan dammaqani. Akkaataan sabboontonni kun qabsoo itti seenan kun qabsoo bilisummaa Oromoo ijaaruu keessati maaltu dursuu qaba (priority) waan jedhurratti yaada ilaalcha gargaraa akka qabaatan godhe.
  Warri mana barnootaatitti dammaqe yaada ( ideology) bilcheessuuf dursa kenna. Tartiibni qabsoo jabduu jaaruuf dandeessisu dura barnootaan dammaquu, itti aansee gurmutti jaaramuu, dhumarra ammo hidhachuudha. Akka ilaalcha kanaatti sababni guddaan Oromoon cunrsaa jala jiruuf wallaala. Sabi diinaafi fira addaan hin beeyne, wal hin beeku, kanaaf waliin qabsaa’uu hin danda’u. Yoo mirgaafi dirqama isaa addaan hin baafanne, mirgaa isaatiif hin dhabbatu, dirqama isaatis hin bayu. Kanaaf saba tokko cunqufama jalaa baasuuf seenaa isaa, haala jireenya isaa, diina isaa, barbaachisummaa qabsootif tarsiimoo qabsoo barsiisuun dirqama. Namni akkanaan dammaqe jaaruufis laaftuudha, hidhatus bu’aa buusa. Namni hin dammaqin hidhatus bu’aa hin buusu yaada jedhu qaban. Kanaafu qabsoo hidhannoo labsuu dura, qabsoo siyaasaatitu barbaachisa jedhan.
  Warri, mooyaxannoma ofiitirraa dammaqe qabsoo eegale yaada ummata dammaqsuufi jaaruu kana jibbu baatanis, akkaataa qabsoon itti eegaluufi guddachuu qabdurratti ilaalcha biraa qaban. Mooyxannoo isaanii keessatti wanni argan maddi humnaa guddaan qawweedha.
text: #000022
text: ��Jaarraan warra mooyxannoo mataa ofiitin dammaqee qabsotti dabalame keessaa tokko yoo ta’u, ilaalcha dammaquu, jaaramuu, hidhachuu jedhu kana jibbuu baatus, hidhachuudhatanii falmuuf haal duree kaayuun hin barbaachisu nam jedhu ture. Inumaatu, akka ilaalcha isaatti, dammaqiinsifi jaaramuun yoo hidhannoon jiraate saffisaan galma gayuu danda’an. Sababni isaatis wanni ummata tokko akka cunqorfame usu taasisaa sodaafi abdi kutannaa humnaan caalamuuti. Ummanni onneen keessatti duutee abdii kutate hanga fedheewuu itti lallaabaa oolan kan keessaa dammaqu nama muraasa. Hangi xiqqaan kunis wallaalarraa osoo hin taane qawwee dhabarraayi osoo keessi gubatuu diinaaf oggolamee taa’a. Irra jireessi yoomiyyuu humna bilisummaa horannuun hin arkannu jedhee waan amanuuf wanni gorsan gurra tokkoon seenee kaaniin yaa’a. Kanaafuu ummata akkasii dammaqsuuf namni isaatis qawwee diinni qabu san qabaachuu akka danda’uufi hidhatee dura dhaabbachuu akka dandayu qabatamaan agarsiisuu barbaachisa. Humna hidhatetu ummata dammaysa, ummata dammaqe sanis of jalatti hiriirsee diinarratti bobboosuuf dandeettiifi qophaa’ina qaba jedheetin yaada. Kana ammoo kaka’uumsa ummataa kan dabballee takkaan maletti gaafa Haamidoon faan nafxanyaa karaa dabruu dhoorkan saniitifi , akkasumas fincila Baaletirraa sagantaa siyaasaa takkaan maleetti ummanni guutuu biyyaa diinarratti bobba’e sanirraa ragaa qaba.
  Ilaalcha addaa Jaarraan hurate kana waan bara 1976 yeroo inni Finfinnee dhufe san ta’erraa ifatti mul’ata. Gaafas sabboontonni jaarmaya qabsoo jaarurratti bobba’anii turan hirii jijjiirmuu mootummaa saniitin hiree argamtetti fayyadamanii Oromoof waa buusuu yaalaa turan. Kanaafuu yaanni qabsoon hidhanni haa eegaltu jettu hangas mara dhageettii akka hin qabaatin ifa. Akka Jaarraan jedhetti namoonni hidduun yaada inni ammuma qabsoo hidhannoo haa eegallu jedhu san mormuu baatanis si’aa’ina guddaa hin qaban ture. Irra hedduun isaanii ummanni sirritti waan hin dammaqiniif, qophiin leenjiifi hidhannoo gahaan waan hin turreef qabsoo hidhannoo eegaluuf yeroo isii hin geenye yaada jedhu qabaachaa turan. Gariin inumaatuu mootumma haaraya jaaramtu tana keessa harka naqannee tooftaadhaan angoo harka Oromootti galchina jedhanii abdachaa turuutu himama.
text: #000023
text: Jaarraan garuu osoo oollee hin bulle jaaramaya waraanaa jaaruu qabna ejjannoo jettuutti ciche. Sababni inni dhiheessuus, kan duraa, mootiin dullachi kufus humni qawwee ammas harkuma alagaa waan jiruuf sirni cunqursaa hiddaan hin buqqaane, roorroon Oromorra geessu yeroof laaffattus, hanga nuti humna hin jaarrannetti deebitee dhufuun waan hin oollee. Kan lammataa ammoo, qabsoo hidhannoo eegaluuf hanga ummanni guututti dammaquu, qawweefi hidhannoo gahaa argannuu eeguun barbaachisaa miti, kanaaf namaafi meeshaa hanga qabnuun eegallee taan dhawaataan itti jabeeffachaa deemna yaada jedhu. Ejjannoo tanaan Harargetti deebi’ee qawwee lameen Elelmo fa’arraa hafte baasee Mul’is Abbaa Gadaa fa’a wajjiin qabsoo hidhannoo Gobeelleetti saaqe. Akkuma yaada isaattis tooftaa qawwee takka nama lamatti hidhuutiin, loltoonni isaa askaroota nafxanyaatirraa guyyuma guyyaan qawwee buufataa, saglirraa buttaa, buttarraa muraasatti guddatan. Gaafa lolli Soomaleefi Itoophiyaa banamee qawween lafa guutte,Waraanni Bilisummaa Oromoo qawwee matamatatti hidhatee ummataafuu raabsuu eegale. Gaafa Darguun barattootaafi barsiiftota duguguutti ka’u, WBOn humna magaalatti namaa dirmatu, dahoo ilmaan Oromoo itti baqatanii afaan buneensaatirraa itti baqatan jabaa ta’e. Qabsoon Oromootis loltoota goototatti, ilmaan isii qarayyoo waa baratan dabalatte.
text: #000024
text: ��Cichi cimaan Jaarraan qabsoo hidhannootiif qabu bu’aa yeroo muraasa keessatti argamsiifteen dhugaan galteef. Osoo hanga sirritti qophayamutti waraana jaaruun tursiifamee, hiree lolli Soomaleefi Itoophiyaa uumetti fayyadamuun hin dandayamu ture. Dura ummanninuu kaka’uumsa Soomaleerraa hidhatanii deebi’uu san qabachuun isaa ni shakkiissa. Erga hidhatanii dhufaniihis caasafii hagganni duratti qophaaye osoo jiraachuu baatee dafanii faca’uu malu.
text: #000025
text: Haala qabsoon Oromoo gaafa Jaarraan Waraana Bilisummaa Oromoo dhaabeefi haala ammaa jidduu walakkeenya hedduutu jira. Gaafasis qabsoon hidhannoo hin barbaachiftu, qawwee hin argannu, qawwee yoo kaafne diinaatu nutti baay’ata, qophii gahaa hin qabnu, dirreen qabsoo kennattuun hin jirtu, ummanni sirritti hin dammayne, dura murnoonni jiran tokko ta’uu qabaniifi yaadota kana fafakkaataniin qabsaa’onni Oromoo wal atakaaraa turan. Haala kana keessatti Jaarraan kutannoodhaan qabsoo hidhannoo eegaluun, sabboontonni Oromoo atakaaroo dubbiin mataa waldhukkuubsuurra gara hojii qabatamaatti akka seenan, akka carraa bane. Akkuma yaadettis ummanni Oromoo humna waraanaa diinni isaan cabsee itti bitaa jiru san akka horatan godhe. Har’a yeroo maraamartoon gaafasii deebitee Oromoota dhuunfattee jirtu kanatti dhaloonni tarkaanfiin atakaaroo dhiisanii Oromoo tarknaafii humneessuu kan Jaarraan fudhate sun fakkeenya guddaa, qabsoo tana sadarkaa itti aantutti ceesisuuf irraa barannu.
text: #000026
text: On August 21st, in Brazil, Ethiopian runner Feyisa Lilesa was awarded the silver medal for the Men’s Marathon in the 2016 Rio Olympics. Although this was perhaps one of the greatest sporting achievements of his life, this day will forever be remembered for the political protest he made just before the finish line. While in ...
text: #000027
text: On August 21st, in Brazil, Ethiopian runner Feyisa Lilesa was awarded the silver medal for the Men’s Marathon in the 2016 Rio Olympics. Although this was perhaps one of the greatest sporting achievements of his life, this day will forever be remembered for the political protest he made just before the finish line. While in the global spotlight, Lilesa raised his hands above his head in an ‘X’ formation to stand in solidarity with the Oromo people of Ethiopia, who have suffered a crackdown at the hands of the Ethiopian government.
text: #000028
text: Lilesa is one of the thousands fighting for the rights of the Oromo people. In August 2016, the United Nations’ High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeid Raad Al Hussein, called on Ethiopia to allow UN international observers to investigate the excessive use of force by the government’s security forces against peaceful protesters in the Oromo and Amhara regions of the country. There is a strong need for organized international pressure on the Ethiopian government. A credible and independent investigation into this country’s Human Rights offences is long overdue. This will be a huge and very welcome step for the people and the country as a whole.
text: #000029
text: More on Oromo Abuses Here
text: #000030
text: Human rights abuses have been prevalent throughout Ethiopia’s history, but for the last nine months, protests have erupted in Oromiya, the homeland of Ethiopia’s largest but historically marginalized ethnic group, the Oromo, of which Feyisa Lilesa belongs. The protests are have now spread north, to a second region, the Amhara.
text: #000031
text: Although these protesters from Oromo and Amhara have different backgrounds, cultures, and complaints, they share a growing fear and frustration with the rule of a third, minority ethnic group — the Tigrayans. As NPR reported, the Tigrayan elite has a “cartel-like grip on the government, military and the fast-growing economy.” The Tigrayan Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF) forcefully rose to power after the fall of the Soviet Union. Since then, there have been numerous human rights violations, with examples like the 2001 killing of forty Addis Ababa university students for simply demanding the academic freedom to publish a student newspaper, to the Killing of 200 Oromo in 2014, according to the Solidarity Movement for a New Ethiopia (SMNE).
text: #000032
text: The right of peaceful assembly is protected in Ethiopian and International law. Ethiopia’s Constitution states “everyone shall have the freedom, in association with others, to peaceably assemble without arms, engage in public demonstration and the right to petition.” But, after Human Rights Watchinterviewed more than 125 witnesses, victims, and government officials, a significant pattern of human rights violations during peaceful Oromo protests was revealed. Examples from late 2015 when the decision of authorities in Ginchi to clear a forest for an investment project triggered protests in at least 400 different locations across all the 17 zones in Oromia, until May 2016, and even into current times, prove there have been massive human rights violations. Numerous reports exposed that in many locations security forces have gone at night, arresting innocent and unsuspecting members of the community such as students and those accommodating students in their homes. Security forces also strategically target those seen as “influential members of the Oromo community, such as musicians, teachers, opposition members and others thought to have the ability to mobilize the community for further protests.” Even more shocking, is that many of those arrested and detained by the security forces were children of eighteen years and younger. Security forces have also been reported to open fire on, and kill peaceful protesters, as well as torture or beat many of the detained Oromo. Many of the females detained have reportedly been raped by security force personnel, while almost none of the detainees have had access to legal counsel, adequate food, or their family members.
text: #000034
text: An unnamed student said in an interview with HRW on January of 2016, said his friend “was shot in the stomach [at the protest], his intestines were coming out, he said, ‘Please brother, tie my [wound] with your clothes.’ I was scared, I froze and then tried to do that but I was grabbed and arrested by the federal police. Jamal died. They arrested me and took me to Bedeno police station.”
text: #000035
text: With ongoing events such as these, the people of Ethiopia have appeared to have reached their limit; the brutal force being used by the regime to deter an uprising is starting to backfire, creating new alliances between previously divided groups of Ethiopians such as the Oromo and the Amhara. The regime, struggling to find ways to retain domination, resorts to solutions like the exploitation of Ethiopian resources, land, and opportunities; but this too, is becoming a regime failure.
text: #000036
text: A press release from The Solidarity Movement for a New Ethiopia (SMNE)notes, this is a regime, accustomed to using tools like manipulation to divide the people by ethnicity or other differences, furthering ethnic hatred, alienation and isolation, leaving a niche for the regime to squeeze into. It has allowed them to repeatedly commit fatal human rights atrocities against these groups with no fear of a united retaliation; but this is suddenly changing. These methods of turning selected ethnic groups against one another, is being scrutinized by Ethiopians; and previously rival groups are now unifying to challenge it. As SMNE said, “more killing, wounding and use of violence against unarmed civilians on the part of the regime’s security forces are strengthening, not weakening, the movement of the people,” but the movement is just beginning.
text: #000037
text: Ethiopia’s government has rejected the call for UN intervention and promised to launch its own investigation according to Al Jazeera. With the TPLF now facing a crack in the current power structure of the country, the government’s resistance to UN intervention was to be expected. The fearful reality is, however, that the TPLF, power hungry, and corrupt, will continue to use illegal force in an attempt to maintain control. But this lack of legal and transparent investigation of human rights violations in Ethiopia strongly implies that the Ethiopian government’s investigation of the ongoing human rights crisis will not be independent, impartial and transparent, and according to Sarah Jackson, Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for East Africa, the Horn and the Great Lakes. “It is time to step up efforts for an international and independent investigation in Ethiopia.”
  For years the government has worked to project a “forward thinking, democratic, and economically progressive image” of Ethiopia to outsiders, while on the inside, achieving the total opposite. For example, laws such as the Charities and Societies Proclamation law (CSO) which is meant to appear as an advocacy network, actually has criminalized human rights and other kinds of advocacy work in Ethiopia, making an equal and civil society impossible to maintain in Ethiopia. This makes the presence of an independent organization like the UN crucial for the protection of the Oromo people, who are practically inhibited from seeking protection themselves.
text: #000038
text: According to the Press Release from SMNE, “meaningful democratic reforms, restorative justice, and reconciliation for all the people of Ethiopia, including the current ruling party,” are the essential measures which need to be enacted if Ethiopia is to find peace and avoid total disaster. History shows that the government will not cooperate without pressure from key donor nations such as the the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Canada, Norway, Sweden etc., as well as from major international human rights organizations, to provide leverage critical in obtaining substantial changes for the rights of the Oromo people and governmental structure of Ethiopia as a whole.
text: #000039
text: Human Rights Watch have reported how the Ethiopian Dictator government is taking the foreign aid to discriminate the Oppressed nations like Oromo ,Somali, and others by arrangining access to safety net programs on help for the TPLF. This year,the ongoing famine and drought is got worse by the global weather phenomenon and caused deaths of ...
text: #000042
text: Background As an Oromo who has spent his life participating, at different levels, in the organizational, cultural, political and military efforts of the OLF, it has not escaped my notice that the OLF is badly broken and in need of urgent attention, if at all, it is to be given a fighting chance of ...
text: #000043
text: As an Oromo who has spent his life participating, at different levels, in the
text: #000044
text: organizational, cultural, political and military efforts of the OLF, it has not
text: #000045
text: escaped my notice that the OLF is badly broken and in need of urgent
text: #000046
text: attention, if at all, it is to be given a fighting chance of surviving and fulfilling its
text: #000047
text: potential – to wage armed struggle – war of liberation against the Abyssinian
text: #000048
text: occupying forces and eventually liberate Oromia. I also sense that I am not
text: #000049
text: alone in this, and the prevailing state of affairs is a public secret and the entire
text: #000050
text: Oromo nation is fully aware of the dire situation, of course, except few
text: #000051
text: foolhardy pretenders – the loyalist brigade.
text: #000052
text: As Oromo nationalists sadly know very well, OLF’s competence as a fighting
text: #000053
text: force and its claim to liberate Oromia are frequently mocked, its interventions
text: #000054
text: denounced, and its motives impugned by the enemy that has taken, time and
text: #000055
text: again, merciless military actions against it since its very inception, most of the
text: #000056
text: time, without directly referring to the name OLF for fear of the great Oromo
text: #000057
text: nation. The enemy is usually supported by world powers, and is particularly
text: #000058
text: well armed with the latest surveillance methods and knowhow – the military
text: #000059
text: junta by the then East German Stasi and now the TPLF by China as well as
text: #000060
text: some western countries. For example, the TPLF has one million paid secret
text: #000061
text: (2009). The TPLF regime is working day and night on its sinister project of
text: #000063
text: dismantling and destroying the state of Oromia and perpetrating untold
text: #000064
text: However, these obstacles are actually not the main reasons why the OLF is
text: #000065
text: the decorum to read this short article to the end. I have the feeling that some
text: #000067
text: will not read it past this point. These guys who have strong aversion to any
text: #000068
text: sort of critique of the OLF, are actually another reason why the OLF is broken.
text: #000069
text: I am not even sure if some of the Oromo media outlets will allow this article
text: #000071
text: Oromo Liberation Front as organization came into being half a century or so
text: #000072
text: ago. During the early 1970s, those pioneer Oromo nationalists were branded
text: #000073
text: narrow nationalists both by others and some Oromos with low level of national
text: #000074
text: consciousness, a label that nicely captures the ambivalence with which the
text: #000075
text: colonizers and some of the colonized always seem to regard those who lay
text: #000076
text: claim to self-assertion and aspire to free their own people from subjugation.
text: #000077
text: Thanks to the immense sacrifice that the golden generation paid, today the
text: #000078
text: OLF has become one and the same with the Oromo nation and the nation has
text: #000079
text: become the OLF for its stated goal of restoration of independent democratic
text: #000080
text: Notwithstanding this success, the OLF is broken and unable to limp forward
text: #000081
text: more than ever before in its entire existence. What is mindboggling is how
text: #000082
text: of the enemy has certainly failed in its attempts to kill it. So, the only logical
text: #000085
text: conclusion is that there must be an enemy within. The shadowy dark forces
text: #000086
text: crippling its organs at all levels. They say an enemy within is worth a
text: #000087
text: light on how our beloved organization is broken by the enemy within and even
text: #000089
text: dare to suggest how we can fix it.
text: #000090
text: There are those who argue that the struggle led by the OLF is marching
text: #000091
text: well. So, the first question would be what does a broken organization actually
text: #000093
text: But, it never broke down completely hitherto. The setbacks that the OLF
text: #000097
text: suffered in those heady days in the 70s and 80s are well documented. In
text: #000098
text: recent years, the never ending splitting of different OLF factions is another
text: #000099
text: example of how the OLF always tittered on the brink of collapse. So, what is
text: #000100
text: Incompetent Leadership, Localism and Prolonged Exile
text: #000102
text: Definition of a leadership and what we consider OLF both need to be given
text: #000103
text: operational definition, in the first instance, as there are a number of OLFs
text: #000104
text: resources expended on the effort of reuniting the factions. The OLF factions
text: #000106
text: are all willing to reunite, with the exception of the conceited OLF SG faction,
text: #000107
text: that has become a stumbling block not only to the true reunification of the
text: #000108
text: OLF factions but to the entire struggle itself, I am afraid.
text: #000109
text: The OLF SG faction is under direct command and control of the Eritrean
text: #000110
text: of leadership. Absolute dictatorship. OLF SG is totally void of democratic
text: #000112
text: principles and accountability but rife with localism. For instance, Daud Ibsa
text: #000113
text: has built an empire structured around agents of barons from his local
text: #000114
text: More importantly, in every corner of the globe all of the OLF factions have,
text: #000116
text: supporters, members and organizational structure not to mention the inactive
text: #000117
text: silent majority of former OLF members marginalized by design.
text: #000118
text: Any organization is as strong as its leadership. In addition, the world has
text: #000119
text: moved away from the idea of the leader to leadership. The world has also
text: #000120
text: moved away from hierarchical to transformational leadership style. The OLF
text: #000121
text: was so progressive in the 70s and created an exemplary rules and regulations
text: #000122
text: to ensure democratic centralism. If you read the OLF rules and regulation
text: #000123
text: designed at the beginning, you will marvel at the farsightedness of the
text: #000124
text: founders. Anyone with a rudimentary knowledge about what leadership and
text: #000125
text: management are, one will simply admire where have they all gone and now
text: #000126
text: the OLF is reduced to its former shadow. Lack of respect for the rules and
text: #000127
text: regulations, localism, despotism and mediocrity are at the root of the
text: #000128
text: obliteration of the OLF. The few gifted talents within the OLF are either
text: #000129
text: marginalized by the cliques or drowned out by the chorus of malicious
text: #000130
text: smearing and gang mentality and loyalty to local warlord like characters.
text: #000131
text: The unspoken truth, after all, is as OLF seemed incapable of reliably
text: #000132
text: different factions has turned lethal not only to the OLF but also for the
text: #000135
text: cohesion of the Oromo society, as the factions are now shaping up in line of
text: #000136
text: The OLF has been in exile for a quarter of a century. None of the OLF
text: #000137
text: factions has a military or organizational presence in Oromia. Do not jump up
text: #000138
text: and down and fool yourself by the misguided propaganda that this sort of
text: #000139
text: thing is what only the enemy says. If someone tries to pull wool over your face
text: #000140
text: with the usual chorus of ‘qabsoon finiinaa jira’, please ask for the evidence.
text: #000141
text: Where is the evidence? The fact on the ground in Oromia is palpably obvious.
text: #000142
text: Where is the liberated zone in Oromia? A liberation front cut off its people is
text: #000143
text: A liberation organization cannot run a conventional army (even if supported by
text: #000145
text: the mighty Eritrea) to invade and liberate its people. A liberation front would
text: #000146
text: have to lead insurgency from its bases among its own people. The last
text: #000147
text: combatant forces of the OLF left the southern zone of Oromia in 2001, for the
text: #000148
text: run. The leaders are dispersed thousands of miles apart. All of the OLF
text: #000150
text: factions conduct radio broadcast in their attempts to reach the Oromo
text: #000151
text: populous at home. Radio alone is not enough. A generation has past since
text: #000152
text: the OLF left the cities and villages of Oromia completely and there is a
text: #000153
text: yawning gap between what the OLF leaders think and what is happening on
text: #000154
text: existing crop of OLF leaders are aging and they are creaking under the
text: #000157
text: Attend any public meetings organized by OLF you struggle to see the youth
text: #000159
text: position in the OLF is ominous evidence that it is living on a borrowed time.
text: #000161
text: direct political and military activities on the ground anywhere in Oromia, the
text: #000164
text: OLF factions (without exception) have resorted to simulated war. The process
text: #000165
text: of pretense, which started in order for biding time until they start the real war,
text: #000166
text: has now become the new norm and a standard modus operandi.
text: #000167
text: People fabricated unverifiable military communiqués for the past 15 years or
text: #000168
text: so and sadly there is no end in sight. They even repost the same press
text: #000169
text: release time and again. They take phantom military actions at the same place
text: #000170
text: and make the same number of enemy soldiers ‘out of action’ year in and year
text: #000171
text: out. The ritual for these bizarre press releases is few weeks before the yearly
text: #000172
text: summer Oromo gathering with one thing and only one thing in mind –
text: #000173
text: collecting funds for the virtual liberation army. It is not uncommon for some
text: #000174
text: members of the Oromo diaspora communities telephoning families living in
text: #000175
text: the villages where the phantom OLA had taken action according to the OLF
text: #000176
text: press release and mockingly asked back “are you dreaming” by the residents.
text: #000177
text: It is also a common practice for the enemy to harass, mass imprison and
text: #000178
text: uproot the villagers whom the OLF radio (SBO) announces “Oromos residing
text: #000179
text: in such and such village have contributed this and that for the support of the
text: #000180
text: OLF”. How low can this thing get?
text: #000181
text: Nor has OLF generally enjoyed a particularly happy relationship with its
text: #000182
text: diaspora brethren, who have at times treated the OLF as an embarrassment.
text: #000183
text: For a quarter century and more, OLF’s activities have been dominated by
text: #000184
text: fundraising from the diaspora. Yet the problems the majority of the Oromo
text: #000185
text: diaspora wrestles with often represent major challenges to the Oromo social
text: #000186
text: order and unity we assume we share. What can we make of recent
text: #000187
text: developments in the diaspora that some have now given up on the OLF and
text: #000188
text: warming to unionist Oromo political organizations based at home? Even more
text: #000189
text: astonishing, how about the OPDO openly recruiting Oromo nationals in the
text: #000190
text: diaspora in large number? These things were absolutely unthinkable just a
text: #000191
text: Ideology and Lack of Democratic Governance
text: #000192
text: Although OLF had its charms in regards to its political objective, it did not
text: #000193
text: have a very good track record when it came to organizational strength—if its
text: #000194
text: sterner critics were to be believed, not much of an organizational track record
text: #000195
text: The OLF constitution clearly declares its objective as “to struggle for the
text: #000196
text: creation of democratic republic of Oromia”. However, the OLF factions’ upper
text: #000197
text: echelons are committed to the idea of Ethiopia rather than Oromia. Contrary
text: #000198
text: to this, the Oromo public and OLF members at the grassroots level, dream
text: #000199
text: about free and democratic independent Oromia. The main reason why this
text: #000200
text: situation is allowed to exist is because of the organizational culture of
text: #000201
text: intolerance of political debate or debate of any sort for that matter, which is
text: #000202
text: made redundant by the Abyssinian style of leadership.
text: #000203
text: The OLF constitution states that officials at all level of the organization are
text: #000204
text: elected by a secret ballot of members at all levels. But, for example, OLF SG
text: #000205
text: structures itself by direct appointment by the chairman of the organization,
text: #000206
text: from local cells to the departmental levels, a method unheard of in the modern
text: #000207
text: era. Among other things, the organizational cultural clash between the
text: #000208
text: totalitarian OLF SG style and the egalitarian democratic style of OLF QC is
text: #000209
text: threatening the collapse of the process of the ongoing reunification process.
text: #000210
text: This compounded with the inherent ideological mistrust between members of
text: #000211
text: departure of ODF faction of the OLF SG gave some a glimmer of hope that
text: #000217
text: the remaining OLF SG might return to the objectives of the OLF. Alas this was
text: #000218
text: wishful thinking. Well, look at the recent attempt to bring back AFD from the
text: #000219
text: dead. The wisdom of merging with Ethiopian organizations before reuniting
text: #000220
text: with forces that have common problems and objectives is desirable one has
text: #000222
text: to put own house in order first.
text: #000223
text: What does Eritrea look like as a country? There is no parliament, dissolved by
text: #000224
text: the president under the guise of power struggle. The Eritrean cabinet met for
text: #000225
text: power and is president for life. Millions of young Eritreans are leaving the
text: #000227
text: country by all means available to them. There seems to be no hope for that
text: #000228
text: country until Isayas and his cronies pass away (i.e. no hope for Eritrea at least
text: #000229
text: does no support the creation of independent Oromia. More importantly, like
text: #000231
text: anyone else, Eritrea has national self-interest. The Ethiopian regime is
text: #000232
text: supporting Eritrean opposition groups that aim to get rid of Isayas Afewarki.
text: #000233
text: As a counter strategy Eritrea hosts Ethiopian opposition groups, large and
text: #000234
text: small, include a number of OLF factions.
text: #000235
text: Eritrean security agents use opposition groups to threaten Ethiopia as and
text: #000236
text: when it suits Eritrea. Therefore, the remnants of OLA based in Eritrea for the
text: #000237
text: past 16 years, are considered part of the Eritrean security apparatus. Most of
text: #000238
text: the time the so-called OLA is digging for Eritrea, like anyone in Eritrean
text: #000239
text: national service. Daud Ibsa is the charge d’affaires of the emasculated OLA,
text: #000240
text: which is considered a battalion with in the Eritrean national service.
text: #000241
text: The role Eritrea played and continues to play needs to be understood. The
text: #000242
text: Asmara Group aka Shanee Gumii came to power 16 long years ago, in 1999
text: #000243
text: through coup d’état, guided by Eritrea. Truth be told, Daud Ibsa was recruited
text: #000244
text: by the EPLF long time ago, way back in 1980, when he and others acquired
text: #000245
text: military training from the EPLF. It is expected that organizations would
text: #000246
text: naturally infiltrate others for obvious reasons, in particular the EPLF needed to
text: #000247
text: As a matter of fact, the OLF has become a surrogate for Eritrea. Oromia has
text: #000250
text: become by extension de facto administrative territory of Eritrea. The Eritrean
text: #000251
text: diaspora pays tax to the Eritrean state. Oromos supporting the OLF contribute
text: #000252
text: membership fees and donation for the OLF. The money is sent to Eritrea. The
text: #000253
text: Eritrean state also gains hard currency on behalf of the OLF and others from
text: #000254
text: countries hostile to Ethiopia, including Egypt.
text: #000255
text: The so-called OLA stationed in Eritrea is fully engaged in the Eritrean national
text: #000256
text: service that the young Eritreans run away from and end up drowned in
text: #000257
text: leaders’ residing in Asmara comfortably and generate confusion about the
text: #000260
text: existence of three different OLF headquarters in the tiny capital Asmara).
text: #000261
text: On balance, to be fair to Eritrea, every nation has to work for its own national
text: #000262
text: interest. The OLF factions based in Eritrea could have used the sanctuary
text: #000263
text: given to them to design their own way forward and repatriate back to Oromia.
text: #000264
text: They have not done this. And therefore, on one level we have to appreciate
text: #000265
text: the safe haven given by Eritrea to Oromos.
text: #000266
text: Returning to the loyalist brigade, if one raises concerns about the OLF
text: #000267
text: factions the loyalist brigade is quick to jump up and down. A cocktail of
text: #000268
text: localism and being ignorant of Oromo history intoxicates the loyalist brigade.
text: #000269
text: They have direct access to the so-called leaders and for them the struggle is
text: #000270
text: them. They are actually not small in number and more significantly vocal. This
text: #000272
text: group scares the rest of the Oromo diaspora and media with threats of
text: #000273
text: malicious propaganda. The loyalist brigade stifles out a health discussion and
text: #000274
text: How might the OLF be rescued?
text: #000276
text: All of the OLF factions rely on the financial supports of the Oromo diaspora.
text: #000277
text: They all recruit members from the diaspora where we are all free to debate.
text: #000278
text: and transparency and above all the truth about the state of the struggle.
text: #000280
text: Clarity of the objective of the struggle is critical too. In this regard, members
text: #000281
text: must hold the leaders into account and guard the objective (kaayyoo qabsoo)
text: #000282
text: so that the leaders get no opportunity to dilute the goal of the struggle as has
text: #000283
text: Members in every faction must insist in reuniting all the factions of the OLF
text: #000285
text: based on unity of agreed purpose of struggling to liberate Oromia and work
text: #000286
text: towards it in a coordinated political, military and information campaigns.
text: #000287
text: All in all, back to basics and rescue the OLF for the sake of the Oromo nation
text: #000288
text: and push forward with the necessary struggle fro our survival as a nation.
text: #000289
text: OLF is not a new organization. It has a well-rehearsed political program and
text: #000290
text: well worked out balanced modern rules and regulation albeit these are
text: #000291
text: repeatedly ignored. Therefore, we all have to insist that the agreed program
text: #000292
text: and rules and regulation must be respected. There must be checks and
text: #000293
text: balances at all levels of the organization so that the members and supporters
text: #000294
text: hold the leadership into account. Democratic centralism and collective
text: #000295
text: Furthermore, misinformation and the propaganda must give way to action in
text: #000296
text: the mountains of Oromia. Living on a staple diet of propaganda must come to
text: #000297
text: an end as a matter of urgency. We are facing genocide and hence we have
text: #000298
text: Most above all, we need a leadership that is ready to return to the mountains
text: #000299
text: of Oromia. In this regard, the youth is expected to step up to the plate. The old
text: #000300
text: guard has shown stiff resistance to handover the torch but you should not wait
text: #000301
text: for them to go down with the organization. Rescue the struggle and the old
text: #000302
text: guards from their own misery too. Whatever you do please refrain from
text: #000303
text: loitering around Europe and America and give interviews. The guaranteed
text: #000304
text: way to success is by filling the leadership vacuum created in the valleys and
text: #000305
text: But, dismiss the critical voices at your peril and continue with business as
text: #000306
text: usual and you are guaranteed at this rate there is going to be no OLF or
text: #000307
text: Oromia to talk about in the next 5 years or so.
text: #000308