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It seems like most people I know here care about the Oromo struggle part-time. Even talking about it has become a part-time event, a couple of hours at best. Most of these hours are after rumors from OLF’s increasingly “jammed” memorandum arrives via word of mouth. Why is this happening? Has the Oromo struggle lost its mojo? According to our Amara friends, there was never a mojo, there was never consensus and the popularity of the Oromo struggle was a myth in the first place. According to them, all peoples were negatively affected by repressive governments and an all-inclusive all-Ethiopian solution is needed. According to the Tegres, things are perfect right now, we are living in “heaven on earth” and Oromos have “never had it better.” But according to ME, well, OLF is becoming awful !!

 

Currently, OLF is divided into two places. Maybe three (according to Zenawi’s Trojan horse model for OFDM, which has become OLF itself) But I am sorry to say this, but it is an insult on OFDM to say it is like OLF. Unlike OLF, OFDM has one voice, one ideology, one goal. As for OLF, it changes its ideology more than shirts wore by the average Joe in Oromia. (that # might not be a big number, but you get the idea) One time OLF was seeking full separation, no less! Another time, it was becoming like OFDM by seeking Oromia self-governance under Ethiopia umbrella. About one year ago, people here were saying that OLF has become Neftenga itself, working with CUD to bring back old form of federalism. When OLF allied itself with neftenga, OPDO was celebrating, having party every week. Now, OLF seems to be undecided and clueless. Even if it finally decides its policy, OLF is already cut apart into 2 places – one of them working with Eritrea. Even worse, the two OLF groups are throwing lawsuits against each other. Wow!

 

Just as bad has been the lack of fundamentals of a liberation movement. Meaning, fundamentals like what land are the two OLF groups liberating? Sadly, OLF has not even shown its followers what the shape of Oromia is. What are Oromia boundaries? 6 years ago, I heard some say Oromia includes small parts of Gambella. Another time people were saying Oromia includes parts of current Somali state and other times Oromia is supposed to reach as far as Tigray. Which one is our real map? Let us say Biyyaa Oromo gains independence from Ethiopian TOMORROW, if our boundary is disputed in four fronts, are we going to start border wars in FOUR fronts because there is no distinguishable, known borders? 

 

I am not encouraging violence, but I truly believe Oromo people deserve a good leadership with one goal and one ideology.  Honestly speaking, OLF already has made a lot of achievements in its life. All the achievements in language and other empowerment we see today is not the success of OPDO or others because if OLF didn’t exist, Oromo people would still have been invisible in regional politics. So the historical importance of OLF to Oromia is undisputable. But today, OLF’s influence is dying and the unfinished struggle is staying that way.

 

The second problem, there are a lot of assumptions. For example, for many years, OLF officials used to assume that all Oromo people want separation, which makes OLF supporters claim that all Oromos who don’t approve full separation are traitors. So the Oromo defenders of an all-inclusive Ethiopian solution to the Oromo struggle are labeled anti-Oromo by OLF supporters. This becomes a big problem because it pushes away millions of Oromo and divides them. Instead of strengthening very common, very basic goals like self-governance; OLF and many people in Oromia have been strengthening their differences. And this problem forces the pro-Inclusive solution Oromos out of the picture, our of the unfinished Oromo struggle and forces them to join the “optimists club” led by OPDO.

 

Thirdly, older OLF supporters who live outside Ethiopia are not up to date. I have heard many funny stories of Diaspora Oromos phone calling to their friends here, telling them shhhhhhhhh be careful not to speak Afaan Oromo in public. Well, what a lovely and caring advice ...but the year today is not 1970. Oromo people are not struggling about their linguistic and cultural rights today, we are praying for self-governance and political rights. We are praying so that the revenue from Oromia Coffee doesn’t get robbed. We want real Oromos in high level positions, not Afaan Oromo speaking Tegrayans or Amaras. We want equal distribution of federal returns and simply, for our people to stop being imprisoned everywhere. But some Diaspora Oromos I spoke with have no clue of what is happening here. Some OLF supporters say there is no Oromo representation in Ethiopian government. Such false statements are very dangerous to the Oromo struggle because the various Oromo representatives become more alienated from OLF. They are seen as invisible by pro-separatist Oromos. So the best way forward is to reach out to those Oromo representatives in Ethiopia by first accepting that they DO EXIST, then second by challenging them ideologically and with dialogue. Otherwise, more Oromo vs. Oromo crimes will continue.
  

Fourthly, OLF supporters must present an alternative to separatism that benefits two very important Oromo population:- full Oromos and Mixed Oromos. Basically, two strategies and solutions must be given for these two groups. It is not a secret that Oromo people are the most mixed people in Ethiopia. They are mixed with the Welaita, Sidama and many southern people. Then there is also the extraordinary case of former Shewa region. In this area, millions can trace their background to both Amara and Oromo. Some researchers are saying that many ethnic Amaras in central Ethiopia have more southern features associated with Oromo than they do with the north. All of these cases of mixture in central Ethiopia add to the Oromo population already mixed with southern nations and nationalities. Still Full Oromos or "Pure Oromos" make the majority. But that doesn't mean the relatively large ethnically mixed Oromo population should be ignored. So in general, two solutions must be given for these two groups of Oromos. If such approach doesn’t happen, the Oromo struggle will also appear like a struggle against mixed Oromos, not against northerners.
  

At this time, OLF is divided and nobody knows the plan forward. This week on TV, Meles Zenawi blamed OFDM/ONC opposition parties for allegedly acting like OLF. Sadly, Meles even threatened legal measures. Legal measures against Bulcha Demeksa, the most angry but the most peaceful man in Ethiopia history? Really?  What a BIG setback for the peaceful Oromo struggle !!

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