Finfinnee’s demolition started by PP is arousing my childhood memory. I started remembering every foot of roads I walked from Kaasaa Gabree Safar (Sabaattanya) to Kookaba Tsibah Qabbanaa in the 1940s. Fabric balls, peeled tennis balls, marble (Biyyi), the playgrounds, paastee, sambuusa, mushabak, shillee, moofoo, peaches we steal from peoples compounds and the chase from guards etc. and alleged sacrificial children hunter, crazy Alamirroo, came back to mind. With all these, are attached certain curves and nooks and corners. Now with them gone new situations create new memories for the young generation and life will go on as usual. From beneath them surges history that an Oromo child grew hearing. Massacres, houses burning and eviction of the whole population and desecrating of sacred grounds in Finfinnee, Oromiyaa, in 19th century comes to mind. Everything they have and live for perished: the pain then cannot be imaginable now. However, victims never let it to be forgotten for generations. At least all those years they took their children, grandchildren, on important occasions and showed them where parents used to have their all-purpose Odaa, grazing land, Hora for the cattle, barns, and their house so that they will never forget. Vengeance is stored subconsciously not erased. They can be erased only with regrets and repentance of the wrongdoer heirs, not by their denials and distortion of history.
The victims had lots to transmit in the fight against extinction; for a nation that is not able to transmit its own heritage can only consider itself extinct. A nation is a group of people with definite territory, common history, culture, tradition, common language, and the feelings of belonging to each other. No settlement, resettlement and villagization can jeopardize a nation’s identity. It may adda only to more human suffering. The pain for survival becomes greater than all else. This is hard to understand for simpletons and one-track minded elites. They fail to understand differences between individual relations such as intermarriage, situation of fear and peace and freedom of a people with individual and a nation’s freedom and independence. Demolishing Finfinnee as Addis Ababa may destroy some recent relics. Relics are relics if they are in stone, metal, or mud. In any way it will not be as lamentable for the Oromo as what they lost more than a century ago. Finfinnee for the Oromo is where they started to fall. It later helped as launching pad for nafxanyaa army invasion of all corners of Oromiyaa that enslaved and turned them into serfs overnight. They have left big scars in every Oromo heart not to be forgotten even if the town’s infrastructure were built since then. To add salt to Oromo wound the Amaaraa elites claimed ownership of Finfinnee as if christening it Addis Ababa were not enough, they started giving it another strange name.
Even if they thought Oromo were paralyzed, Waaqaa works in mysterious ways. First it rose Teferi against Minilik’s Warlords. That centralized power in colonial state loosening the more suffocating landlords’ grip a little bit. Then came Oromo peasant uprising, “The Revolution” that dealt with land based nafxanyaa system with crushing below to its social and political foundation with its rural and urban land proclamations. It has brought some relief to the Oromo though the gain was more psychological than material. Their land changed hand from landlords to colonial state. The Darg and its cohorts somehow saved the empire by hiding under the revolution. With Wayyaanee came the challenge of colonial nafxanyaa system and staggering feudalism. Unless its structure, function, and outlook changed its survival came under question. A make-believe transitional arrangement was made. Because TPLF wanted to manage it alone, with its nauseating “Revolutionary democracy” and “Democratic developmental state” with greenlight from international community. It was to reverse constitutional rights of nations, nationalities, and peoples’ so far gained. The attempt to reverse peoples’ gains cost it central power and destruction of its country built at expense of the others though industriousness of the Tigaruu is undeniable.
No foreign diplomatic advice and expertise could save TPLF. Their experiment with farmer based one dominant party system failed. Because the change set on had its own course guided by just cause and unseen hand no one can mess with it. And that was Oromo struggle for independence. There are still those after fifty years OLF political program was made public that ask what the Oromo wants. To repeat, the Oromo question has ever been for their rights of nations for national self-determination to be realized. That can be possible by victory in the armed struggle or by negotiation with legitimate colonial government that recognizes Oromo’s sovereignty over Oromiyaa. Political freedom for the Oromo is firm guarantee for freedom for all residents of Oromiyaa. At present there is a facade deceiving that Oromiyaa is a self-ruling state. But the truth is different; Oromo speaking agents are put in place as window dressing. For Oromo PP is an alien creation. Few Oromo in their bureaucracy are considered “as the privileged” (Bala gizee) overlooking alien own swarm. For example, Britain indirectly ruled some of their colonies
using collaborators. So also, is Oromiyaa. To consider this as Oromo was partners to build the empire is the same as Kenyans being partner in ruling the British empire. Let us differentiate between a servant and a companion.
Let not elites of the north fool themselves, the Oromo are wide awake that they came south as colonizers. Opinion givers from the colonizing north are trying to extend narrations, they drive from their experience to the colonized south. The truth about Abyssinian kingdom concerning Ethiopia, nationalism, national symbols, and history is different from experience of the colonized south. All were imposed on them without their will. The common history of oppressor oppressed they have is only for 150 years. Therefore, all their statement and appeals maybe relevant for the Habashaa and probably to those who were under their kingdom. For this reason , they must adjust their narratives on relations with the South to those years. The Oromo liberation movement has demanded and fought for independence from Habashaa ruling class subjugation. The major Ethiopian party, TPLF had no choice but compromise Ethiopian colonial stand because of peoples’ demand for independence from decadent empire system. If peoples under Ethiopian empire must continue to live together all have to accept these principles in the federal constitution. That is negotiating afresh how to form voluntary union or go apart. For Oromo the last hundred years is that of slavery, serfdom, and suffering. Any analysis in the eyes of a northern politicians that take the Oromo as ever part of Abyssinian state is outrageous, colonialist and not conflict resolving. To make this African region peaceful and prosperous, forget all the good and bad of the past and deliberate on how all peoples can voluntarily live in harmony in union or as neighbors?
The political situation has gone back to the pre-constitution period. Then, only powers that controlled Minilik’s seat are recognized. Despite all the revolutionary changes, the empire changed from unitary to pseudo federal state and promulgation of fake federal constitution, for many circles only one that controls the center is sole ruler of the empire. For most, the existence of federated states gives no meaning. To show its status, as one struggling to free itself from colonial shackles, Oromiyaa is just building own force to assert the Oromo alone can determine about themselves. The mysterious hands of Waaqaa added the enemy is going to wither away. What is wanted is only stronger unity and firm democratic organization and rule of law. With this, and Oromo determination, commitment to peace and equality by all, not only Oromiyaa but the region also becomes free and independent.
Originally the Oromo knew no other system except Gadaa. But after alien occupation they are introduced to many systems, Ethiopian and overseas. The Ethiopian aristocratic system had brainwashed most of them that it was God sent. The overseas ones sneaked through schools and informed them that there are alternative systems in the world. At home, away from enemy earshot they hear about their own system, the Gadaa, which was egalitarian, and democratic. When Oromo for the first time after occupation started organized pan Oromo political movement, the OLF, it was faced with those situations. They preferred their own system but there were no concrete references. Therefore, it was imperative to start with the then popular model. It is hoped that all future political and social organizations can be based on their traditional model. On paper it was tried to make the adopted system as democratic as possible. One should not make a big deal if existing organization fail short of one’s expectations; the Oromo are yet finding their own way from underneath of their own system destroyed by the invader. Let all leave OLA on how it handles its internal affairs to itself. It is making efforts to meet its mission making relentless struggle against internal and external enemy agents. This organization is the pride of the nation and the vanguard of its struggle for survival. Any innocent interference from outside could be detrimental to internal management and security of the armed force. That could unintentionally extinguish the hope and torch of freedom. All must protect it so that it remains neutral to tribalism. regionalism and faiths.
So far OLF is the sole independent Oromo liberation organization that was registered in the hearts of the Oromo and being defended by blood and sweat of their youth. Now that is represented by OLA OLF. All known Oromo organizations are registered with Ethiopia as opposition parties and waiting their turn to rule it. There is no problem with that. The question that empires can and cannot get democratized was tried in the past and failed. “To produce what do they churn whey” is a known Oromo adage. It could have been better if those that do not have alien influence coordinated their ability, their knowledge, and their energy and struggle with a common front. OLF without OLA cannot be the original OLF and only exists at the mercy of Ethiopian governing party. Oromo Liberation Front by birth is free and independent of any alien contamination. Only those who are not sure about Oromo identity mess up with this. There will be no going back unless its independence and freedom are restored. All that believe in peaceful transition of the region, must accept the Oromo as a separate nation from Ethiopia, integrated by force; and
the occupation government must repent for all wrongs done so far; and the willing accept the possibility for voluntary re-union, or independence and accept equality of all peoples and their rights to national self-determination.
Since the occupation of Oromiyaa those that changed hands in ruling it had practiced summary killings, amputations, using hunger as punishment, burning houses, farms, looting and massacring domestic animals etc. All had same permanent policy of denying the Oromo viable leadership by hunting down for brilliant independent thinking Oromo nationals to absorb them into their social and political system or eliminate them if they refuse. The prudent and courageous and promising Battee Urgeessaa was among a recent example of victims of this policy of colonialism. Battee was among those who believed in peaceful struggle. He knows that PP does not tolerate anyone standing against it in whatever name, armed or peaceful. But he was a man of courage and principle, he never flinched from the cause he believed in and the method he chose to struggle with. Battee had never showed bias against Oromo armed struggle, or independence of Oromiyaa. He was a promising leader of all Oromo but cut short. Pampering those that gave up their pride and their belly to PP will continue only until they have something new to sell or someone to betray. Until the alien could silence and neutralize or drive all Oromo to the slaughterhouse no Oromo nationalist or collaborator will be safe. The sellouts may not be stupid enough to forget what happened to followers like them of the emperor, the Darg and TPLF. It will be their turn to feed the Oromo mowing machine if PP is not brought down before that and the nafxanyaa system is dismantled. Even then, they cannot detach their fate from that of PP unless they repent in time.
PP is a crude machine with no emotions, built by TPLF from captives of war, brainwashed and fixed in Tigray as PDO. The two largest of them were ANDM and OPDO. They were organized to fulfil TPLF’s greedy and selfish end. Together they are destroying whatever is human. With them, lies and deceits have no moral limits. Engineers that made them are probably dead with reverse formula if there were any. Otherwise, they will not stop breeding their types and continuing bringing more havoc even to their creator. PP can never be a negotiating partner to resolve conflicts of the region. There are many under spell of PP and poisoned by it, who are contaminating the political field and must be stopped. Though not as clear as the time of the monarchy, the colonial foundation and policy of the empire is not changed. For this reason, all that lead it have colonial spell from which national group they may come. TPLF had come nearer to recognizing the right of nations to national self-determination, but the force of tradition pulled it away. Therefore, determination and constant pressure of the oppressed is the only solution to force voluntary union or independence.
Oromiyaa is not yet free as Prime Minister Abiy said, and OPDO/PP has never contributed to the liberation struggle of Oromiyaa. When it becomes the liberated Oromo alone declares not any alien agent or Oromo galtuu. Though the suffering of residents of Finfinnee concerns Oromiyaa its demolition is not a new phenomenon for the Oromo. The first was done by aristocrats while this one is being done by one that call itself democrat and federalist. The hullabaloo that is coming from Amaara rebels about recapturing Finfinnee is only nafxanyaa dream that can never be realized. During the last fifty years Oromo patriots had shown that they can fight tooth and nail to defend their rights and their land. Finfinnee is a natural part of Oromiyaa. One who claims Finfinnee amounts to claiming Oromiyaa. Peoples in what is called the Amaaraa region, Agawu, Oromoo and Tigray need a serious talk if they must live in peace as good caring African neighbors or as a union. Otherwise, continuing to deny their identity, and disabling the Oromo to have control on their land and resources and be obstacle on their right to self-determination and trying to restore the decadent nafxanyaa system or something like it, will only lead the victimizer to its own destruction. In freedom, equality, peace, and justice all flourish. All those that are victims of “The Scramble for Africa” like Oromiyaa shall rise together and assure peace, stability, and tranquility of the region. 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
May, 2024