Let alone the replica, the initial Tablet of Stone did not rain from the sky but given with the hand of Moses. Leaving the teaching about the kingdom of God to those that want to deceive believers despite them being conscious that distorting the Holy Books could befall all catastrophes so far known is sinful. Instead of purifying and making it ones’ own, running away from the Church because it is polluted is not proper. Much wealth is spent on it. We shall liberate our country and our religion with our struggle and assure freedom of worship and self-expression.
Oromoo are one of the peoples of the world, if not the oldest that were monotheist from time immemorial. It is not its nature to go out and compete for members, only those who want come to it. We call this religion of the Oromo Waaqeffannaa. Except it, all religions now prophesied by Oromo came from outside. Therefore, Oromummaa is what they have prior to religions they have now and is foundation of life they have in common. Oromummaa is personality built through a process of growth, being inculcated through hearing or participation about one’s family, history, culture, language and political, economic and social tradition of one’s nation. That is the basis for love of one’s country or patriotism. That is why it is said, faith is personal but country is common. One can have freedom of religion, freedom of speech and expression, and freedom to life etc. if there is a country in which all can live as equals. In Ethiopia let alone the temporal government the spiritual Church is refusing to take Oromo as equal to its Amaaraa members. Genocide is being carried on Oromiyaa by tanks, cannons planes and drones. There are many Tawaahido followers in Oromiyaa but their Church has abandoned them and did not become voice for them when in distress. It is rather siding with the aggressor and pushing it to harden the blow.
In history, because Oromo nation had a democratic system or Gadaa there were no conflicts based on outlooks. That in absence of democracy there is no special consideration because someone belonged to ones’ religion; it is enough as example to observe Somalia and Afar, Syria and other Arab countries, Yemen and Saudi Arabia. When the nafxanyaa invaded Oromiyaa the first thing it did was forbidding the practice of their religion and culture and not to use their language outside home for any relations. They tried to replace all by their own for eventual assimilation of Oromo into their nation. Political systems of Amaaraa and Oromo are autocracy and democracy and they did not fit. Because the root of Oromo civilization is so deep it refused to be erased and survived and their language thrived so soon after 1991.
Overseas friends of Abyssinia canvassed to buy favor among foreign Christians of her being “Christian Island in heathen and Muslim Sea”. The first Abyssinians encountered and clashed with were Muslims. The era when Portuguese came to help Abyssinia against Grany Mohammad can be cited. Amaaraa has cursed its Tawaahido followers if they dine with non-Christians. There is a belief that those that ate together cannot be enemies. To distinguish them from others they tied Kirri (string) around their neck. Later also after occupying Oromiyaa they have warned those they converted to Tawaahido Christianity not to associate and eat slaughters of their unbaptized siblings. Much had changed since then. Abyssinia now is also not “island” but a country of different religions. The Muslims are also not the previously oppressed. But the ugly relations that were between them earlier is not erased from completely from minds of so many. It is observable among the radical believers that they trust more alien coreligionists than their own Christian or Muslim siblings. This emanates from shortage of political consciousness.
Had it not been for efforts of Oromo revolutionaries It would have been difficult for Oromo Muslim to distinguish between Oromo Christians and Amaaraa. In Oromiyaa Amaaraa has become synonymous with Christian. For Oromo Christians also because they took not only Christianity but also Amaaraa culture of exclusiveness those prophesying Islam has to be kept at distance. Such practice was broken in the 60s by Maccaa Tuulamaa Association at Dheeraa when Taaddasa Birruu staunch Tawaahido and Arsii Moslem dignitaries like Haj Roobalee slew an ox and ate the flesh together. If there is anyone one at this era that abstain from eating slaughter of siblings is only ridiculous. Both did not adopt only religion but cultures from sources of their religion and started to shun Oromo religion and culture as alien. In the last fifty years all paid great sacrifice for freedom of their country. Today also without any differentiation among them have gone out in great numbers for the same purpose. Unless people widen their outlook and view what they have in common and privately, they cannot get solution for danger hovering over Oromiyaa.
Since we said freedom of religion is a right, to protect our rights together is a duty. Otherwise, the aggressor will divide and destroy us. Enemy of Oromo takes any religion, knowledge, region, “gosaa” (clan?) and class of Oromo as latent enemy. Though Oromo were converted to Orthodoxy by force, the present generation remained with it voluntarily. That does not mean they abstained from being Oromo and became Amaaraa. This has roots in one of the oldest churches whose Heavenly head is the same as all other Christian Churches. It has its own dogma laid down by Church fathers of the time and by Abyssinian and Coptic monks of later ages. Some see no fundamental difference between them and prefer to purify it from colonial elements and stay with it despite how it came to Oromiyaa. To cleanse it from Amaaraa feudal culture they may not even stop to establish Oromiyaa Synod if necessary. Except the faith all gadgets coming with the enemy must remain at the gate. Anything that have link to oppression like Nafxanyaa “Bandeira” (flag) and Nafxanyaa heroes are never tolerated. Unless the Amaaraa accepts sovereignty of Oromo and equality of the two nations it will not be possible to continue living together. If Ethiopia Orthodox Christianity does not clean itself from special Amaaraa interest and culture, it will not be possible to worship together.
The last hundred years for fear of the gun behind them Oromo overlooked everything and were knowingly fooled and deceived. For this reason, the Tawaahido clerics even dropped Taabot (Tablet of Stone) everywhere and said without shame it rained from the sky and Taabot refused to walk to rob Oromo resources. Repeating the same thing during this era of change what type of contempt is it? How will it be possible let alone worshiping to live such people that challenge Oromo intelligence? All Taabot are said to be replica of “Axum Tsiyoon (Zion)” curved by experts with the Ten Commandments engraved on it as memorial. Taabot doesn’t rain, walk or talk and is not God. How did the Church entertain such deceit for Oromiyaa when it would not have tolerated for Abyssinian kingdom? We don’t tell for respecting it, otherwise it is said that, those were its teaching. Double talk called “Wax and Gold” (open and hidden presentation) is part of its curriculum. Had Taabot ever rained there, at its factory? Role of Churches in colonizing Africa have been told and retold; Ethiopia’s was not different. Whatever was done then fearing harsher consequences are over now. Now, they are demonstrating unequivocally that they will never be fooled again. They will free their religion based on principles of General Council
of Churches (Ecumenical Councils) and also free their country as well. Those General Councils were origins of Oriental Churches to which Tawaahido belongs.
The Amaaraa has started a new campaign of reconquest in the name of “Milik Zamachaa”. Like the 19th century they are using the Tawaahido Church to mislead and confuse the population. The are being blamed of storing armament staking advantage of sanctity of the church. They raise falls alarm that Oromo are killing them and burning Churches. All Churches in Oromiyaa were built by Oromo labor and resources. Therefore, one that burns own property is the insane not people like Oromo who hold safuu and supremacy of the law from their heart. They are those that are crying to get sympathy of the world that are burning the Churches on themselves and their kin’s houses to tarnish Oromo name in the face of the world and defame their struggle. They drop Taabot (Tablet of Laws) in open fields claiming that certain saint has wanted a church to be built there to grab Oromo land in collaboration of Ethiopian bureaucracy. Instead of teaching the truth they lie to believers supposed to be their flock. They justify and bless the genocidal war against Oromiyaa and Tigray.
Thus, the Tawahido Church has proved that it stands only for Amaarinyaa speakers. Ethiopia for them is priorly Amaaraa. They are unable to break mental association they had with Yekunomlak of centuries ago despite observable political and technological change affecting the world. It was Yekunomlak that gave the Church one third of his kingdom when it was under Egypt. They were partners in colonizing the south and similar right was bestowed there too. Now political relations have changed. They need to be awakened not to be losers by tying their fate to the Amaaraa. Follow the language they use, whom they adore and whom the openly hate and you will know who they are. They are Ethiopians, they talk only about Ethiopian supremacy and take the rest like Oromo for granting to follow their lead. Many, unknowingly thinking as Ethiopians blame them for that. Ethiopians do not listen to their former subjects when they say, “Issuu Qarto, leelaa Zapan mattoo!” meaning, that expiring another dance has been introduced. Oromiyaa 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
January 2922