Oromummaa is an outlook that continuously rejuvenates and shade old skin strengthening the new one. Because it is revolutionary it will not remain stagnated. That can be observed from Oromo struggle movements that took place so far. The continuation of Oromo struggle that started in the 60s renewing itself to this day with more vigor is an evidence of rejuvenating capacity of Oromo liberation struggle. Oromo revolution is not for diverting natural process of growth but for dismantling the web that entangled it and put it in motion. The aim of Oromummaa is for Oromo to live with their unity untouched and their identity unquestioned and give guidance on how to contribute to freedom of the world. According to Oromummaa no one can deny any people equality and freedom and living with their human rights respected. All peoples cannot be denied justice. Unless these rights are realized for a nation, it would be preposterous to talk about liberation of neighbors.
One can negotiate about relations in the region, in the continent and in the world if only one is free. That is why Oromo youth independently rose with the objective of realizing the right of national self-determination for their people. There are those that do not take their effort to get liberated positively. Some may waver because of that but it is not tradition of Oromo youth to succumb to alien murmuring and reactionary distortions. There are no peoples in the region that do not have a known country and identity. All human beings tat accept rule of law have wide options of having citizenship and living in any country of choice. Those choices are not to be acquired by denying natives their country but by mixing with them. The Oromo believe that Oromiyaa is their country. They welcome all aliens that accept their laws with open arms. Oromo struggle is to get back their sovereignty and their human rights taken away from them by force; it is not to transgress on others rights. Is there anything wrong in this? Is this an obsolete idea? If the present generation demands more than this, it is its right; but trying to erase achievements so far registered is retardation.
What do those that oppose liberation of Oromiyaa complain about? Oromiyaa existed under alien stampede and in darkness for a century and half. Now it had gone out to light and eyes of majority have adjusted to the glare. However there are among the Oromo that dare not see the light yet. On the other hand peoples of neighboring colonies that had made their living in Oromiyaa are afraid that something worse than the present might befall them. Oromo are people that believe in superiority of the law and safuu. For this reason they do not have culture of oppressiveness. They have shown their willingness to cooperate during struggle and after victory with neighbors they tasted the brunt of alien rule.
There are also those that have roots in the old Nafxanyaa system and take that system as religion. Majority of those, wish to go back and live in history of their fathers. Instead of taking country of their birth as their own and live in equality they disseminate propaganda of retaining the decadent empire. If that did not happen they take themselves as country less persons. They should have known that such outlook is not viable from peoples’ struggle going on in the empire. We can see, even the Amaaraa fed up of the Tigrinyaa oppression have started to struggle for unity and identity of the Amaaraa people. Leaving aside the assumption of what might be in their heart; it is visible from their slogans that they are determined first to strengthen their identity.
All have to recognize, irrespective of their numbers, that each people under the empire are people of Africa with separate identity of their own. If they accept that for each other that a people have the right to live alone or with any people of its choice without being limited to the empire have also to be recognized for it. If we are not intending to live as masters and slaves liberation of a people should not bother the other. It has to be known that if a people ask to live with another the one asked may accept or reject the request. Recognizing such right for one another can create trust and pull them closer to each other.
The Nafxanyaa system was created by a force led by the Amaaraa. Amaaraa and Tigrawayi are known under common crown of an emperor. The present Tigrinyaa betrayed them and chased them out from around power center and monopolized the empire created under Amaaraa leadership becoming the new sole Nafxanyaa themselves. It was the Amaaraa that dropped the name Habashaa and officially registered the name Ethiopia in 1941. The colonies that Minilik called them “Gaallaa Countries” were told that they have now become Ethiopia. For that reason that name has no significance without the Amaaraa. Amaaraa elites that remained in their country have started struggling for Amaaraa unity and identity. Be them the Amaaraa or Askaries mobilized from other peoples and Amaaraanized and live scattered in the empire did not like the stand taken by Amaaraa country; they are afraid it will be the end for Ethiopia.
Truth is not adored when it affect ones interest. Amaaraa and Tigree equally know history of Ethiopia. The Amaaraa are heard cursing the Tigree for dismantling Ethiopia, ignoring the struggle waged by the colonized people to regain the right to their identity. Though they know that Ethiopia means nothing for the colonies Habashaa elites never stopped rambling about Ethiopianism. They do that considering the benefit they plunder from the colonies not because they favored Ethiopia that much. Their objective is to shelter under her name and ransack Oromiyaa’s resources. Freedom of the colonies will deny them all that. For this reason they are using Darg’s slogan “Ethiopia or death” even today. If they continue with it they will not fail to get what the Darg got. Before that happens, asking the people if they accept their suggestion will save them from danger. The situation we were in yesterday has become history. To cud past history helps only heartburn; not digestion. Therefore all concerned have to search for solution that the situation demands in order to overcome the difficulties we are in, before wounding each other further. People should not be forced to live under conditions and with name they don’t want. That has to get response before Wayyaanee shares out every land to world rich.
Struggle requires a country to fight from and a people to fight for. Those with Nafxanyaa roots are getting it hard to live in equality because they heard that their fathers ruled as superiors. For this reason they are trying to deny sovereignty of natives and keep the Nafxanyaa system as reformed by the Darg. Because the system had been dislocate from where it was they realize it can’t return to where it was. As a result they are suggesting the people also lose identity they refused to be a party to. They said the Oromo should not take themselves as independent people but as collection of individuals under Ethiopia. Do the Oromo want to give up on their Oromummaa and live as multitude of numbers? It is better to ask the Oromo since there will be no one except them that knows better about themselves.
This people are fed up of oppression; therefore it will be wise to look for a way they can determine their own destiny peacefully. Condition we were in yesterday has become history. To cud past history will only serve heartburn not digestion. For this reason all concerned have to search for ways for tackling problems in a way the time demands. The Oromo had asserted in different forms and at different times that they want to get back their lost sovereign right on Oromiyaa. Six colonial rulers had changed hands since occupation. From among them the Darg had acknowledged the existence of nations and nationalities in the empire. But it stated repeatedly that unity of Ethiopia was absolute. The one that inherited the Darg, Wayyaanee, improving on that recognized on its constitution that all peoples have the right of national self-determination up to independence. It is the first to recognize the right of colonies to determine on their destiny from among those that changed hands in ruling the empire. This did not come for the people not freely but with sweat and blood. That is the demand that got answer. Since what remains is to get that realized, we need not repeat the same question all over again but struggle to put it into practice.
With relentless struggle and tremendous sacrifices the Oromo have reached a level where past adjectives cannot describe. Myth of the enemy is broken. The curtain of fear had been raised. They have come face to face with the necked enemy, which had so far hidden under a mask of indomitability. To scratch old colonial wounds from Minilik to the Darg and bring memory of all the pains have no benefit at this time. Let students study about it at school. Tactics and tricks of colonizers had been overcome by people’s struggle. The obstacles today are the neo Nafxanyaa. The people are shaking this one also to pull it out by the root. A ruler hated by the masses is like a wobbling tooth; it has no remedy unless pulled out. Now, it is from this point on that we have to fire up Oromo struggle and take the struggle to the finish.
These days there are many distracters. One rarely hears reference to Oromo struggle for independence. Active parts of diaspora are regrouped into gang like formation and continuously ambushing each other. The Oromo nation has some weak points. Among these are clannism, regionalism, ignorance and religion; anybody that want to create divisions touch up on these soft links. Blackmailing a dissenter by ones clan is the usual practice. A politically conscious Oromo will not be moved by any blackmail but his /her own conscience. For a revolutionary no one is more concerned than him/her for a problem in any Oromo village even if the other was born there. Negatively viewing all actions and thoughts of a compatriot is to walk into traps laid down by their national enemy. Any difference of opinion, with an enemy let alone a compatriot should be settled peacefully; compatriots should solve problems behind closed curtain; care has to be taken not to find oneself unintentionally on the opposite side. Oromo nationals have to be vigilant as not to be caught off guard. Safuu has to be the first among their menu list. Use of “Ilaa fi ilaamee” can make our relations harmonious.
Holding Conventions in Oromo name are being tried in foreign lands by diaspora Oromo. Had they been held in Oromiyaa they could have saved it from being controversial. Otherwise it might have been better had it been held in diaspora name alone. No running away Oromo can claim to represent the nation from afar and impose their idea on the nation. Yet to be relevant they can come out with suggestions and material supports to fill the gap in information and means of life they have at home. National conventions can be held underground or in the open in Oromiyaa under the leadership of residents there. Then only can they be successful as national conventions. The tight security and number of collaborators and the position from where we are thinking may make this scary. But nothing is impossible for innovative generation. The Oromo are operating in maze of external operatives. At this point of Oromo history it is difficult to distinguish who is working for or against national interest. Strong and tight front should have preceded all endeavors.
Still it needs those that can work towards creating strong Oromo liberation Organization leaving aside the rest to come out of the quagmire they put themselves in. All those clever maneuvers and energy are being wasted for less than they worth just for small error in strategy. Under all circumstances Oromo revolution is unstoppable. It can have its momentary ebb but its ability to come back with great deluge is undoubtable. Still Oromo Liberation Front is the hope. Internally and externally it is being betrayed at every turn. Let those that did not participate in it look at it with grudge but with intention of learning history of their revolutionary past for they are its products. From observation of our own comrades we learn that human interest can change without warning. Those that mobilized people with nationalist ideology can turn internationalist and run away to camps they had been bombarding leaving their comrades to their fate. However OLF is surviving with inertia that can be put in motion when conditions are favorable. Oromo national enemies hate the OLF for its independent existence and its objective for independence. But let it be known that OLF may be destroyed but not the kaayyoo it stands for, Oromo aspiration for independence.
Therefore it is up to the Oromo to claim, cleans, strengthen and put their organization in motion. No one dependent can claim to lead OLF; however much he/she swears in public about her/his stand for independence of Oromiyaa. Internally those who are afraid of independence and those that are in alien pay are trying all they can to distract revolutionaries from their set goal. Therefore it is up to genuine nationals to be prepared at all times and protect themselves from distracters. To depend on alien friends forgetting the saying, “There are no permanent friends or enemies but permanent interest” is like committing suicide. Alien politicians are not saints but devils that sniff for self-interest and glory. This is the time of commotions and crisis. Hullabaloos and cacophonies are going to pass. This could be a test for revolutionaries on how they carry themselves through. Oromiyaa shall be independent! Long live Oromo Revolution!
Honor and glory for the fallen heroines and heroes; liberty equality and freedom for the living and nagaa and araaraa for the Ayyaanaa of our fore parents!
Ibsaa Guutama
April 2017