When we say we want peace and tranquility we mean being free from alien domination, the right of nation to national self-determination is realized, and citizens are ruled by consensus representatives and representatives at any peer level are given through election. This is the Gadaa system principle. If the struggle made for this is protracted and causes suffering it will be a cost for living without abuses in freedom and with honor as human beings. There is no worst thing than being occupied and dehumanized by aliens. OLF had clearly articulated in its political program of 1976, question that Oromo refer as basic kaayyoo. This is the people’s basic question of the interest they have in independence and freedom based on the right of nations for national self-determination. Therefore, it does not stop until it gets proper answer. Questions presented by other parties after the Revolution of 1974 did not survive because they are posed mixed with questions of those that occupied them not solely for liberation of Oromiyaa. As a result, they did not survive. The questions of Ethiopian government and that of Oromo were not taken as that of colonizer and colonized. Instead of separating and seeking solutions accordingly they took them as class struggle within one nation. Those Oromo elites which considered Oromiyaa to be too small for them envying not the Ethiopian empire but also its neighbors. Before assuring having Oromiyaa it would be impossible to get out of the cog mire history put them into. They are only Oromo elites, before making sure own identity, sovereignty, freedom, and equality that give priority to alien relations. There are those that think to be Oromiyaan one must be Ethiopian.
After 1991 there were those that organized themselves saying they are going to run peaceful struggle minus the name Ethiopia. Their objectives which they had on relations of Oromiyaa and Ethiopia were not changed, they still believe in democratizing empire Ethiopia and unconditionally accept Ethiopianism. That is to deny over fifty years of organized national struggle and the sacrifices so far made. Putting Oromiyaa on the map, breaking Oromo and feudal relations, getting rid of derogatory names, publicly speak, learn and work with own language were some of the achievements. It is only OLA OLF that is with the basic kaayyoo from among Oromo organization. Those that are registered as Ethiopian organizations and are ready to compete for the empire’s power. If they win in competition Oromo through OLA OLF will negotiate with them. The law does not allow them to negotiate with PP on behalf of Oromo. The regime that is running the Ethiopian empire is for Oromo an enemy. Oromo love freedom and independence because they want to live in peace and tranquility forever, from generation to generation. For Oromo peace and tranquility have no better alternatives. Oromo because of democratic background, their demography, their rich resources and their having Safuu (ethical standards) to respect human and individual rights and equality for all make them reliable partners.
It has been more than a century and a half since the region of Horn of Africa lost peace. Among countries in the region are Abyssinia currently known as Ethiopia. Ethiopia is a country of autocracy. It is not acquainted with people’s government or democracy. Even since the fall of the last aristocrat, dictators had kept on changing hands only changing its name to republic. Before it was colonized, Oromiyaa had a democratic political culture known as Gadaa system. Still, they have the propensity to egalitarianism. In modern Ethiopia elections are conducted to deceive world public opinion but they had not been fair and free as they were never intended to be. To expect Abyssinian elites to shift to democracy may need generations. Whoever comes to power, whichever language one speaks, is guided by the colonial empire’s bureaucratic principles laid down by generations of similar minds. Using those principles enables the incumbent to assume traditional legitimacy and gives more access to power and wealth to greedy individuals and groups. In this way, dismantling the empire to settle old grievance is overlooked by those that promised changes before they came to power. They lied, they were all reactionary at heart only wanted to compete for power of the empire as it is, or at best democratize it.
One who grabs power continues with oppressive tradition. It suppresses all rebellion with a crashing force that discourages everybody that thinks of it. Since the ruling class is above the law, respect for human and individual rights is unthinkable. People of the region are for long longing for peace and tranquil days. To stop the tradition of warlordism they must make a revolutionary war that brings peace and development to the region. Oppressors
always say that there is no country built by war to discourage armed struggle conducted for independence and letting abuses continue. However human nature seems what an American revolutionary once said, “Give me Liberty or give me death.” A regime, however mighty it may seem for a moment, can stay in power as long as it has control over the person who carries the guns. Regimes of the emperor, Darg and Wayyaanee are recent examples. There are those who advocate peaceful struggle for different reasons, as an excuse to avoid sacrifice, to sabotage genuine struggle, for religious reasons, etc. Oromo had conducted a peaceful protest that had cost them dear though able to oust TPLF. Their victory was stolen by the cunning, in EPRDF and collaborators. It amounts to suicide to try a peaceful struggle against a dictatorial regime that does not abide by rule law and principles of fair game.
In the last fifty years, abuse has escalated, and peace has been more disrupted than ever, leading people to organize and defend themselves in the pursuit of freedom. Their objectives were of two types. One was to decolonize the colonial states. The other was to overthrow the oppressive regime and replace it. The objective of the Oromo thus was the first one, to change the status quo through realization of the right of nations to national self-determination up to and including independence. Since then, the forces that wanted to restore the empire and those that wanted to bungle it are all overthrown. However, the empire’s structure remains intact. True peace and stability will only be achieved once this destructive structure is dismantled. The legitimacy of the rulers has never been established through a genuine popular election or popular consensus. They continue to cling to the Habashaa tradition of legitimacy, rooted in the aristocracy’s imperial crown. That is why the objectives of Amaaraa elites and that of their agent in power now, PP, are said to be the same. All of them think that they could get legitimacy if only they inherited the imperial throne with its subjects as they were. Some in addition may conduct elections to fake participation of the people, where they alone got elected.
The situation in the region clearly shows that the colonizer and the colonized can no longer coexist without destroying each other. This is why, in 1991, an Ethiopian organization TPLF and others like the OLF, and others declared the 1991 Charter that formed the Transitional Government of Ethiopia (TGE). TPLF betrayed other members of the TGE, but the government continued under its guidance, with advice from various interests, and eventually produced a constitution. The TPLF was the first Habashaa organization to recognize that without such a tool, it would be impossible to keep the diverse peoples of the Ethiopian empire together. However, despite this understanding, TPLF lacked the vision to implement true liberation. Even those who helped TPLF to power wanted strong individuals or groups to dominate the region and viewed democracy as an obstacle to their own interests. When its weakness starts from the inside, nobody wants to invest in a client. In the new Ethiopian government those who have Oromo background understand that participation of the people in governance is advantageous. But the alien autocratic political orientation they got, and selfishness and daydreaming for their leader became the main obstacles to doing what is correct.
Anyways, on paper it has taken that all people are equal. The constitution starts in its preamble. “We the nations, nationalities and peoples of Ethiopia”. It assures that all those groups have separate identity and territories. All hitherto efforts for conflict resolutions failed because of denials of these provisions. It means the Amaaraa ruling elites and their agents did not part with their known slogan “one Ethiopia or death.” The empire and its supporters may die, but nations, nationalities and peoples must get their freedom and independence. All previous efforts for conflict resolution were not realized because these provisions were denied. Peace and reconciliation are impossible without recognizing the rights of nations to self-determination. Therefore, true reconciliation can only begin among groups that believe in equality, democracy, and peace, as outlined by the constitution. Since the empire’s formation, be it during unitary or federal system, the center of power has always remained fixed. For peace to prevail, this must change.
The changes following the fall of the monarchy did not lead to a corresponding shift in the power structure. The center of power continued to speak Amharic and operate in Amharic. TPLF started to
sabotage Oromo struggle by organizing from war captives, OPDO to counter OLF. That organization has so far been a chronic cancer in Oromo liberation movement. More than simulating Oromummaa, it has ruined its maker and even consumed itself. However it tried, it could not pull down the OLF, but it might have sprayed its poison. For name’s sake, TPLF gathered similar captives from anti-liberation fighters from different nationalities and declared forming a coalition named EPRDF under whose name it did all the devastations in Oromiyaa. Even then, power that was at the center was not shared out between the federated states as the constitution ruled. This shows that it is only one who controls Minilik’s Palace who controls true power if the empire structure remains intact.
Organizations of captives like OPDO and ANDM first changed themselves into political parties before they dissolved themselves. Then individually joined Abiy’s party PP. This process unceremoniously dissolves EPRDF. The only member of EPRDF that remained intact is TPLF and has gone to war for refusing to abandon its people and join PP and abide by its rules. All pseudo-nationalist members of EPRDF cut and ran from their people when the testing time came. Whatever the propaganda may be Ethiopia is a One-Party state. However, PP has allowed others to register to make Ethiopia looks like multiparty country. Abiy openly condemns Oromo nationalism. He is trying to infiltrate OLA and break it down. He probably has got away with weak individuals who have no significant change in OLA. OLA OLF is not any Oromo organization but an all-Oromo organization. The struggle will continue, even if Commander in Chiefs shun the struggle. There are millions to continue waiting their turns to sacrifice for the rights of their people.
Liberation war is a voluntary response to the Oromo call. At present PP is at the head of the colonial empire, whatever language it speaks it has nothing to do with the Oromo, it is head of the enemy. In previous eras leader makers could hide the ethnic origin of the leader. The case of Iyyaasuu, Tafarii, and Mangistuu could be cited. Abiy and his officers were not the first Oromo to assume Ethiopian power. made is different. They had two cards. One, they came to power replacing legitimate Abyssinian leadership. Two, they claim to be Oromo through OPDO. With the firs card they got legitimacy to be enthroned as leader of the Ethiopian empire. Through the second they were able to attract several Oromo not proud of their Oromummaa and the naive. In that way they recruit thousands into their army and then send them to fight Abyssinian rebels, from which they rarely come back alive. In the same way they send them against OLA for fratricidal war. Unawaken children of the oppressed instead of fighting for their own freedom die in a war that does not concern them. Traditionally people go out to reconcile humans and nature performing some prayers and rituals; never for political conflicts like OPDO. The Gadaa system had its own methods of conflict resolution.
There were revered Oromo institutions, like the Abbaa Gadaa. The present Abbaa Gadaa are there for remembering the past and have no power and moral bearing on the people as they used to be. They are totally under enemy administration, replacing the past Balabbaat and Abbaa Qoroo under imperial rule. We should be grateful for those communities that preserved the institution underground and overground. Had the present been heirs of the traditional ones, they must have courageously come out and say to the colonial government “Take your hands off Oromiyaa” siding OLA. But surprisingly they are asking OLA to stop fighting for liberation of Oromiyaa. But they are not yet out of colonial mentality to assume responsibility of the traditional institution. The invaders lead by PP and collaborators are responsible and accountable for all abuses of rights, massacres, and plunders in Oromiyaa. Oromiyaa lost peace and tranquility because of alien occupation. Until political inequality among the people in the region were erased and taking care of own economy is possible there can never be peace and tranquility.
Some attempts are made to escape the truth by propagating misguided theories that distort history. Tawaahido Daftaraa (Clerics) have presented theories to elevate their own people while belittling the Oromo. Unfortunately, pseudo-educated and misinformed individuals continue to embrace these theories. They claim that the Oromo came from outside Africa in the 16th century, yet there is no evidence for such a theory. The Oromo are among the oldest peoples of Africa. They were semi-nomadic roaming the eastern segment of Africa. The 16th century marked a major return migration of people who had once moved to the south. They were part of the broader Kushitic-speaking peoples
who once controlled a vast territory from the Mediterranean to the Bantu zone. The Oromo were closer to the peoples that Greek historians referred to as “Aethiopia” than any of those who later appropriated the Greek name.
The Oromo are more concerned with their present and future than with their dead history of 6,000 years. While African peoples have experienced both periods of civilization and downfall, reflecting on past glory serves no purpose unless we reflect that history in our current realities. Nationalism is not based on DNA but on the shared history, one system of life they followed, culture and tradition, definite territory they control, one language, and kaayyoo (objectives) that unite them as Oromo. Oromummaa, or being Oromo, is rooted in these elements. It is not something to be erased under any circumstances. And the Oromo will never lose their connection to their fatherland and identity.
The Oromo cause has gone beyond mere words and suppression. Oromiyaa belongs to the Oromo. Ethiopian history recognizes that. Without understanding the relations of DNA and nationalism messing it up has no benefit. Oromummaa can never be delated. Unless with weakness and naivety there is no criteria that could deny them their fatherland. The Oromo fell because they were overpowered by superior fire power and military experts from Europe. The Kingdom of Abyssinia had been an offshoot of European imperialism for a long time. But had it been one to one, being victorious over the Oromo was unthinkable. Now they have recovered from that. Therefore, unless it is to confuse people and distract them formulating different theories will not serve the politics of nationalism. Accepting the way a people recognize itself can bring peace and tranquility. Badmouthing only wounds more and takes apart and does not bring reconciliation.
The Oromo can defend themselves and retaliating against the injustices done to them. But their culture of forgiveness, of accepting superiority of law, love of freedom and love of humanity makes them choose tranquility over violence. The empire is in its last leg be it in political or economic or social relations. If there are those that give it energy and revive it is advice to cut their hopes. Therefore, then to spare blood and labor on something that can never revive it would be better to search for new order that could bring peace to all residents of the region. Empire built by nafxanyaa system has rotten and is ready for a change. As human beings search for interdependence across seas and oceans, it would be far better if we, as Africans and neighbors, focus on developing together. To choose violence from peace and tranquility in our hands is ridiculous. Now we are in an era at the tip of capitalism. To think like feudal will only take us backward and humiliate us and nothing to be proud of. Let us shun a system that caused us to quarrel and start thinking in a new way and productive. Oromiyaa have fertile land, rich natural resources, having democratic culture and one of the big populations in Africa is at advantage for war and peace but for momentary glitch. Be that as it may, peace, tranquility, justice, and freedom are their permanent kaayyoo. 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
December 2024