Oromo is the stem, Others are branches: fact or fancy?

It is really interesting to hear that nowadays few Oromo elites and of course a lot of Abyssinian elites telling us the new "statistical" conclusion regarding the wish of Oromo people. The conclusion declares that Oromo people doesn't want "secession". They do argue that Oromo is the stem for the other nations in the empire, who are the branches. So logically, it is the branch who may need to break off or separate, but not the stem. That is well said, very good for Abesha elites and I do congradulate them for their new "research finding". Even the few Oromo elites are trying to tell us that Oromos are changing our philosophy regarding our liberation movement. According to them, Oromo liberation will be realized only in a united Ethiopia, not in "separated" Oromia. But I do hear Oromos asking: from whom did this new philosophy basically come? Whoever the source of this theory is, let me try to challenge in short both the analogy (parable) and the philosophy these elites are talking about.

First of all, is the analogy suitable to describe the relationship between nations in the region called Ethiopian empire or in the Horn of Africa? I think seeking and finding an analogy to describe and explain the relationship of these nations in the region is mainly based on the version of history the elites do accept and which version they want to apply as an instrument for their wished goal of the political movements in the area. Clear is that there are diffirent versions of Oromo history. According to some "historians" we are immigrants who came from Madagascar. Others tell us that we were confined only in Mada-Walabu till we could move towards north few centuries back and owned the current Oromo land, which then was lately invaded by our neighbours from the north. Yet some do talk that we are indigenous people in the North East Africa, originally from Meroe, and this group claim that most cushitic nations in the horn are branches of this stem called Oromo. Accordingly the solution these three groups do suggest for the political conflict in the empire also differs. Those who tell us that we Oromos are immigrants suggest that we just leave the empire and go back to our origin. Those who claim that we are a separated people originally from Mada-Walabu insist on the unconditional independence (separation) of Oromia from Abyssinia (the current occupier of Oromia). The elites who do believe that we are the stem for all other nations claim that we can be free people in the empire including "our branches" and even we can be the dominant nation of the empire in the future, so no need for "secession" of Oromia!

I must say, the last version is the current post-modern way of opposing Oromo's right to self-determination. Forgetting the few Oromo elites who do talk like this, be it mere rhetoric or more reality from their side, the very smart Abesha elites are currently trying to designate Oromo as the stem from whom even Amharas and Tegarus originate. Their logic and move is fantastic: the stem Oromo can not be separated from its branches. They think with such simple message, they can discourage Oromo nationalists from pushing for the independence of Oromia within or without the possible union of nations in the empire/region. The question to be answered is, are the few Oromo elites preaching the same theory fooled by these Abesha elites or do they have their own tactical move having the indispensable right of Oromo nation to self-determination at heart?

As far as I am concerned, Oromo is not necessarily the "stem" for the "branches" like Amhara and Tegaru. Be it they do have common origin or not, now they are different nations with different languages, cultures and even different histories, of course having their own specific national areas. So I do consider all nations in the region, big and small, including Amharas, Tegarus and Oromos as separate trees in a garden standing as neighbours and sharing common soil, air and water. The trees have got their own discrete identities, but they do share common enviroment. They can only live both independently and interdependently sharing the neighbouring enviromental resources. Let's imagine the different trees with different nature living as neighbours enjoying the common area which can be considered as a garden. It is really beautifull to see them having diffirent colours and flowers. But what will happen if one or two of them try to encroach over the area of the others and destroy the colours and flowers of their neighbour trees? Such a tree or a plant is considered to be invasive and destrucitve. Few monthes back I read about invading plants called weeds (usually foreign plants) agrressively invading the area of other plants (always indegenous plants). Arn't Abesha elites like these invading plants? What is the role of Weyane elites today in Amhara region, Oromia, Ogaden, Afar, Sidama, Somalia....etc? Are they not encroaching on to the God-given area of other indegenious plants? To keep the garden stay beautifull and that the weeds will not invade the indegenous areas, the keeper of the garden should do every thing possible so that all plants be limited to their only allowed living area. I do imagine the garden called Horn of Africa can only be beautifull if Amhara elites and Tegaru elites will be limited to their national area and live in harmony with their neghbour nations. If they want to claim the national areas of Oromos and other nations as their own, no question they are the very destructive invading weeds, with whom we have to deal accordingly. They hitherto left their own ground and invaded the ground of the neighbouring plants. Nowadays such destructive plants are to be controlled with chemicals to limit them in their own area, so that they can be inhibited from invading the area of other neighbouring plants. At the moment, Weyan is the worst destructive weed who invaded the areas of beatifull indigenious plants aka Oromos and other nations in the region. Oromo liberation movement is nothing other than limiting the invading weeds and compell them to stay at their own area, where they can be considered as indegenious plants.

If we want to see the empire/region as an animal body, rather than as a garden, the invading Abesha elites are the same to cancer cells, which do leave their own organ to invade and destroy other neighbouring tissues and organs of a body. What the elites of the two Abyssinans hitherto did on Oromos and other nations in the region is such a cancerous invasion. It might be true that Oromo is the biological stem of Amharas and Tegarus, just like all our organs come from only one stem cell. But after being differentiated, each Organ has got its own specialized cells and tissues with peculiar colour and structure to be limited in only one specific organ. Brain cells are very diffirent from liver and heart cells, and are limited to have a form and function which is required in a brain. If we find brain cells in a liver or a heart, it is pathological and lethal. The same is true, when we find the non-integrated and autoritative Abesha elites like the current ruling Weyane elites in Oromia. They just destroy the social fabric of Oromos. For instance, language is the main parameter determinig the identity of nations. Just regarding this fact, Abesha elites who didn't learn to speak Afaan Oromo after living in Oromia for a long time are like the invading cancer cells. They either will be integrated by learning Afaan Oromo or they will be ejected as a foreign body in due time or they will kill the host Oromo language and Oromo culture slowly. This is the law of both nature and culture. That is why the normal simple Amhara and Tegaru individuals living in Oromia being integrated and respecting the culture and language of Oromos are not to be considered as cancer cells to be rejected and removed.

So coming to my own conclusion, the healthy and recommendable solution is to have a very healthy trees of different form and flower beside one an other (tree of Amharas, tree of Oromos, tree of Tigarus...etc) with their specific living area, without being allowed to invade the living area of others like the weed plants do. The empire, in which Abesha elites invaded other nations and tried to destroy their culture and nature, must be transformed in to the UNION, in which all nations of different culure live independently and interdependently like those well placed and managed plants in a very beautifull garden. That is what we mean by union of independent nations. Union of independent Amhara, Tigrai, Oromia, Ogaden, Afar...etc including even independent Eritrea, Somaliland, Djibouti, Puntland and Somalia based on self-determination of each nation is the optimal thing we all should strive to achieve. Without the right to self-determination, there is no power under the sun which can hinder nations from striving to get rid of the invading weeds or from trying to be free from the cancer cells.

OLF as a Trinity (one and three at a time)!!

This short essay is just presented as a clarification for Oromo foes, who are nowadays delighting by "percieving" a devision of the Oromo liberation vanguard in to "three". To their information OLF has got from the very beginning only one Kaayoo (goal) and at the same time three Kayyos in a pocket and it played with three cards based on the objective reality it is in aka according to the "here and now" of the situations. The 3 goals are:
- independence without a union
- self-determination on the issue of independence without a union vs independence within a union
- independence within a union.

OLF permanently advocated that it fights for Oromian independence, Oromos' right to self-determination and for a union of nations in the empire/region. It emphasizes one of the three according to the condition of the time (Zeitgeist). Whenever Abyssinians become arrogant and start to sing about the unconditional unity of their empire with supression of Oromos' right, it streses independence of Oromia from Abyssinian colonialism underming the posible union. The logic behind this is, where ever there is supression, there will be a move for separation. When reasonable politicians from different nations in the empire start to recognize the God given right of the great Oromo nation to self-determination, it starts to play the card of self-determination (decision per referendum either for independence within a union or for independence without a union).

Now the one structural OLF we Oromos had seems to have been devided in to three, each of them just taking one of the three Kaayyos:
- OLF1 of Ob Galaassa seems to make no compromise on independence without a union.
- OLF2 of Ob Daud has self-determination as its goal (being open for both independence within a union and independence without a union as far as Oromo people decide for one of the two).
- OLF3 of Ob Hassan (the new) seems to have decided for the independence within a union of nations in the empire/region so that it sympathisizes with and seems to seek an alliance with Oromos in the ruling party aka OPDO and strive for understanding from the reasonable "pro unity" Abesha forces. Here I must say, it is not yet clear whether this group moves to the position of OLF1 for it wants to consolidate all members of ULFO who do stress independence without a union. Time will tell us, whether this group be either pro OPDO or pro ULFO. Or is there any association between the two (OPDO and ULFO)?

Any ways a Merdo to the foes of Oromo Liberation Movement is that the one/three OLF(s) never give up the struggle for the right of Oromos to self-determination till we Oromos be the determiners of our own destiny, be it within Ethiopian union or without the union.

Other wise, let's differentiate rhetoric from conviction! I do hear now a days certain Oromo politicians talking about the "fact" that Oromo people doesn't want "secession". I do consider talking about Oromos wanting independence or not is a wrong generalization. One thing we need to know as a fact is that almost all Oromo politicians (including those who do make the above mentioned rhetoric) deep in their heart believe in the right of Oromo nation to self-determination. This is the whole mark of Oromos and our mindset (spiritual Organization) aka OLF. This mindset, OLF has got one Kaayyoo, but three Karaas (including three rhetorics)
- OLF mindset in the rebel organizations has got an explicit rhetoric of self-determination and it fights for this Kaayyoo by all meanses,
- OLF mindset in the opposition organizations has got the rhetoric of struggling for liberation in Ethiopian context, but it covertly struggles for the Kaayyoo,
- OLF mindset in the ruling organization has got the rhetoric, which says: "we have already achieved the liberation", but yet it covertly pushes for the Kaayyoo.

So fellow Oromos, let's allow the mindset move to the Kaayyoo in all the Karaas, despite the rhetorics of some Oromos in the opposition and ruling Oromo organizations. Let our foes know exactly, despite the different rhetorics, Oromo Liberation Movement can never be stopped till achieving the Kaayyo. Let's motivate our selves to do our rhetoric and our practice in the movement on the Karaa each of us did choose to come to the Kaayyo. Long live OLF as a trinity (OLF with one Kaayyoo, but with three Karaas)!

Last but not least, let's Oromos forget the current rhetorc of Oromo politicians in the ruling party and in the opposition parties, doing their talk under the gun point of Weyane (they deny the right of Oromo people to self-determination) and let's strive to our END Kayyoo, which is already determined by our mindset. I am personally against any sort of dictatorial unity and I am a supporter of a union of free nations in the empire/region based on free will. Any unity without Oromo public verdict will fail, take it only 1 year, about 10 years or as long as 100 years. That is why I do advocate for a lasting solution based on free will of all stakeholders, instead of the temporary hoyaa-hoyee of unity as a wishy-washy solution. MEDREK seems to have chosen unconditional-unity as a precondition for the alliance, which will surely never last long for it is not based on self-determination of peoples, but on pre-determination by only few elites. TIBIBIR aka revived AFD, which may be forged by OLF et al must be based on a solid ground and take self-determination rather than unconditional unity as the precondition for an alliance! Any ways, our foes need to know that, they can only manipulate and delay the realization of Oromo's right to self-determination, but they can never hinder it. Oromo's mindset is leading us to our Kaayyoo aka self-determination, take it how long it might be!!

What a nice expression by AFDist made months before all elites representing many nations including amharas and Oromos in MEDREK did decide to get rid of this useless article 39: ye Amhara masferareya + ye Oromo mataleya!!

It is the article which can neither hinder separation if LFs want to get it nor promote unity as Weyane some times tries to claim!!

AFDist,
nice comment you did months back. Now MEDREK seems to have heard your opinion and both Amharas and Oromos in this forum have decided to get rid of the §39, which was desighed by TPLF for the sake of claiming independence in case they lose power in finfinne palace. Indded the article was ye Amhara masferariya and ye Oromo mataleya, as you described it!!

Very interesting interview is given by Abbaaduulaa Gammadaa to Weyane's " poletical civility" forum. He described why §39 is good: "if you close a door to a group of people in a certain house and tell them to be united and live together, surely they will break a door and windows to get out of the house. But if you open the door and tell them be united, surely they will live together." So, it is the best maattaleya wickedly designed against Oromo liberation movement. He also said, the article is good to act when certain "Nefxenyaa" organization like Kinijit "siiqebx ketaayyee innaa kaaseggaa". This is the step taken as the best maasferareya against Amharas. Is it not interesting for our fool Amharas and Oromos who still couldn't come together in order to fight the common enemy, the worst fascists and looters, the empire ever had???


www.ethiopianreview.com/forum/viewpoint.php?f=2&t=8247

Good saying, "Oromo is the stem," not a branch that wants to secede from Ethiopia. In fact, article 39 was introduced into the constitution not for the the sake of the oromos or somalis, it was targeted to form 'Greate Tigrai" if TPLF is not allowed to rule Ethiopia by any means. This was clearly disclosed by Isaias Afeworki very recently. However, the formation of "Greater Tigrai" or "Abay Tigrai" is simply a wish that can not be practical. Even if it becomes practical, the only loser will be Tigrai itself.

What ever it Comesit,s much much better for oromo peaple than the courapted OPDO.

"Oromboona",


i think you are very correct! Obbo Bulchaa is outsmarting all the habashas and he is single-handedly leading the Oromo nation into a major, bloodless, democratic and permenant victory!!!

Ob Bulcha is very smart, he knows what to do. He knows thea Oromos gain in every turmoil a bit:
- 1974 revolution: land for Oromo peasants
- 1991 change: realization of Biyya Oromo and usage of Afaan Oromo in Oromia
- 2005 Finfinne as a capital of Oromia and revival of Aada Oromo
- 2010, the next election will definetly come with Afaan Oromo as a federal language and Oromia to have the true and genuine cultural, economiacal and political Autonomy
- last, but not least will be the move of Oromo people to excercise our self-determination; when? Time will tell!!!

Ogina,
thanks for the powerfull message. It just silenced the flies aka Weyane cadres, who tought that they found a dirty place (situation) to sow their discord among Oromos. As you already put it every conscious Oromo from president Girma to the maid-serevant Gerima is lead by the mind set you mentioned aka OLF, which stands for the right of Oromos to self-determination. No power, leave alone Ob bulcha, can hinder this move to self-determination, but of course some one can only delay the time of its realization. The only lasting solution for the problem of that cursed region is a UNION of nations in the region based on the rock of INDEPENDENT Oromia. All other attempts are doomed to fail!!