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Bilisummaa Now or Never

The ongoing genocide by Ethiopian government on Oromo people makes Oromo earlier Kaayyoo of independence more relevant than it was then. However much we want peace demanding only to be sovereign over our country, the old colonizer didn’t stop sabotaging our progress towards freedom and equality. Thus, war between those that are bent on reinstituting Nafxanyaa colonial system and the colonized oppressed is in progress. With the help of treacherous present federal government, all old “kiny gizat” or colonies are put under martial law and are being administered by Command Post. Though politicians on both sides had come covering up the truth and giving rosy name for present colonizer colony relations time had exploded the truth on their faces. That they are not truthful companions is revealed. Unless they can call spade, spade they cannot take the region out of the quagmire it finds itself in. The way hooligans were released on a unionist Oromo political scientist by Nafxanyaa system nostalgic calling themselves forces of unity, speaking Amharic, demonstrates how much they hate those that expose their ugly past. They are consumed by the desire to have what is not theirs, Oromo land, labor and resources. No suggestion short of that would satisfy them other than one satisfying that covetous desire. That is why they ignored the suggestion which could have saved them and attacked the professor. There is no deal possible with them, the emancipation struggle that started fifty years ago has to be pushed to the finish. It is a birth right for the Oromo to determine how they want to live in the future; independently or in a union with the willing.

That Oromo demand for independence does not rule out their desire for strong African unity, respect, equality and freedom for all nations, nationalities and peoples. That may start with Africans that were under Ethiopian empire. Oromo can be part of it and be useful for the collective only if they first free themselves. Oromo revolutionaries had always hoped that their black colonizing neighbors will start disentangling themselves from their past, take themselves as one among black Africans and work for common cause. Their colonial allies have all gone, giving back freedom they snatched from others, theirs only is overdue though you have long been unable to use it for long. All African peoples share history of ancient people that Greek historians like Homer called Aethiopia. Had Abyssinians taking that name were in appreciation of that memory there is no problem but taking as sole owners of the ancient history attached to that name is wrong. From false claim develops wrong assumptions about own history. That also distorts not only view of history of Africans in the neighborhood but also the whole black history. It is such distortion that is making many blind to see Oromo as members of the great Kushitic civilization that had been in this section of Africa as long as history existed. Oromo are refusing distortion of their ancient and modern history as well.

Amaara intellectuals from Abbaa Baahiree to this day have been taking Oromo as aliens from somewhere, in most cases out of Africa. Despite that Oromo elites are seen beseeching them to be accepted as equal partners not giving serious thought for their narrative. They try to assure them that when they say “Nafxanyaa system” they didn’t mean Amaaraa people. The Amaaraa elites on the other hand are praising Nafxanyaa for extending horizon of their little kingdom more than what they imagined

and nowadays even dare to say it only reclaimed what was theirs in ancient times. Some of their own people say that there are no people called Amaaraa but language. Others say they are minority called “Saayintee” settling among the Booran; they added to themselves Agawu, Qimaant Northern Oromo etc. and called the collection Amaara. For the colonized people, Amaaraa means Orthodox Christians who are not Muslims or Waaqeffataa. Nafxanyaa then included captives whom the Amaaraa recruited to its army and proselytized them into Christianity. Therefore, it will be a wasted effort and avoiding the truth trying to see Amaaraa and Nafxanyaa differently. Amaaraa is more popular with its Nafxanyaa face outside the region, while defining who the Amaaraa is in Amaaraa region is more difficult. They like to be called Nafxanyaa but hate its derogatory implication as blunderer, maneater, hand breast cutter, genociders and human right abusers.

Nafxanyaa system was paralyzed when the Crown was gotten rid of. The people it originated from still live in the mother country though the kingdom is in jumbles. Some of them did not stop trying to revive the paralyzed system. The Oromo are telling them to live alone what is Oromo’s and stick to their own country affairs. Nafxanyaa descendants and settlers left in Oromiyaa, unless they decline being Oromiyaan there if no force to deny them. According to projection 2007-2016 (Ayele Galaan OL) there are under 8 million non-Oromo in Oromiyaa including Finfinnee, DD and Harar, out of which those assuming to be Amaaraa may be around 5 million out of population of 42 million. Oromo had been giving citizenship (Moggaasa) probably before Rome. They are expected to leave imaginary country of their ancestors and struggle for Oromiyaa’s interest with people they are born and grown up with. Those that try to provoke them from outside, Amharic speaking so called “forces of unity” will usher only disaster on them. Unless the Amaaraa accepts responsibility for sponsoring Nafxanyaa system and stop denying atrocities done by it on the colonized people, there can be no unity with them. Their desire of reviving the Nafxanyaa system has contribution in PP launching something similar but worse than Darg’s Red Terror on Oromo.

Oromo leaders now suffering in prison are among those that put aside truth mentioned above and volunteered to live with Habashaa in a federal system overlooking all evils done to their people. That reflects Oromo tradition of putting peace before own interest. However, that was wrong with people that have no safuu (ethical standard). One cannot make peace with old enemy without negotiation. One cannot negotiate with others before being oneself. It requires to be equal or stronger. Unless Oromo are in a position to force Nafxanyaa system hopefuls to negotiation table there cannot be peace. The fundamental focus of Nafxanyaa system is to deny Oromo peace, leadership and wealth. For that reason, whenever people like Jawar occasionally come to existence they try to knock them out. Jawar is one of the brightest minds in Africa which they want to extinguish. Time has returned Oromo Qeerroo step by step to assume its traditional role. Qeerroo is not the “Faannoo” they know, but majority people. With rise in Oromo political consciousness, there is rebirth of lost identity. Because of that organizations like MTA and OLF, and patriotic individuals were brought forth to struggle for independence of the nation. Dynamic leaders like Jawar were products of that struggle. Those did not cause the rebirth but strengthened and advanced it. No group alien or Oromo can impose its will on the Oromo hence forth. The stand Oromo have on the right of national self-determination up to independence is unflinching.

The time is one that big preparation is required as a nation. When we started saying our struggle shall be protracted our knowledge was theoretical. After practicing began fatigue and losing patience with each other of comrades was unpredicted. Varieties of divisions that make we and them started multiplying. Meager fund available that some have more access to than the other also seems to affect as well. Under the circumstance where inward looking overtook outward looking, keeping initial Kaayyoo alive was testing. For this reason, when opportunity came as a result of Wayyaanee being driven out of EPRDF power and peace returned to the country many did not believe it. What is achieved was not examined in depth. That was why promises of Team Lammaa with accepted with trust. To reunite the scattered OLF was in the interest of freedom fighters and the people as well. Because old habits refused to go away it was not successful. Instead Ethiopianism started to be fanned. Organization created in the name of national liberation became Ethiopian and registered as Ethiopian parties unconditionally. Political structure and the army failed to think in common. With pressure mad on OLA some were made to return and lay down their arms. There are those that remained in the mountains with their arms. It did not take long for agreements with Ethiopian government to come under question. The government meant to be transitional not only wanted to be permanent but started to laud the Nafxanyaa system. Killing and imprisoning those that vowed peaceful struggle commenced. The truth that Oromo cannot live with these people is revealed.

Therefore, there is no alternative for the Oromo other than putting in order all they have and launch unwavering struggle. With this Oromo Qeerroo has started market boycott and blocking intercity traffic. Coordinating peaceful and armed struggle as to make them beneficial is also imperative. If they rise with coordination and determination no one can stand against the Oromo. If Qeerroo could hold on the protest it started now for a short period the government will soon fall under own weight. Oromo have to get prepared ahead of time so that no chaos is created in Oromiyaa. Oromiyaa administration that was under OPDO is now overtaken by PP. PP was built by criminals that were abusing peoples of the empire for last three decades to strengthen the Ethiopian empire. For this reason, struggle must first concentrate on taking over Oromiyaa Administration. It will be useful if a Council of Nine/Salgee composed of persons from all regions of Oromiyaa is formed to draw policy and indicate direction of the struggle.

It will be role of Salgee to prepare list of experts for all sectors, economy, social and political and start training. To respond to any question that possibly arise concerning relations with other peoples and for necessary missions it will be essential to form a team of lawyers and political experts the soonest possible. To start consultation with peoples having similar problems beforehand will save from error. It is a must that all preparations are based on principle of national self-determination up to and including independence. That each people give opportunity enabling all to determine their own destiny in orderly manner is advantageous for all. However, strengthening own rear helps the change ahead to be viable. Gaining consensus of all participants will make victory faster. The youth have responsibility to take this struggle to the finish. The time is theirs. To get organized ahead of time for common objective and get prepared could save from regrets. Oromo elders for whom Kolonel Abiy always wishes death alienating himself from Oromo tradition. Oromo respect and cares for their older generation because they are repository of national memory which the enemy wants to erase.

Now product of national struggle, the Qubee generation fearless and free from their fathers’ slave mentality has come out to take responsibility. Leaders in prison are intelligent and selfless patriots that can advance the struggle but they do not determine the goal and continuation of the struggle. Therefore Jawar, other leaders and nationalists can only fire the struggle but cannot extinguish it. It is only the ignoramus that thinks by forcing them to speak can stop Qeerroo rebellion. If they want not to be hanged head down like Mussolini it would be better to release them fast. Isaayyaas’s long hand cannot save them out for he also will at the end not escape own people’s rage. The Oromo cannot make peace with PP and cronies when they are killing, imprisoning and abusing, poisoning their knowledgeable in prison, when they are killing parents and orphan the children and are killing pregnant women and religious fathers and burn homes. Declaring himself emperor did not help Bokassa no body adulates him now. President Mangistuu when in his right mind used to say, “One day’s freedom than eternal slavery”. No one seeks that freedom more than the Oromo. Oromiyaan haa jiraattu.

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

August 2020

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