By Leenjiso Horo

Oromia: Under the brutal regime’s rule

Make the male lines like trees that have had their roots cut;
Make the female lines like rooks that have dried up in winter;
Make the children and grandchildren like eggs smashed against rooks;
Make the servants and followers like heaps of grass consumed by fire; ….
In short, annihilate any traces of them, even their names.

–The Fifth Dalai Lama’s instruction to repress Tibetan rebels in 1660.

The Tigran genocidal extremist political elites have learned the methods of committing genocide from the above instruction. This instruction has become for the Tigran political elites a political religious faith book. It adopted this instruction to implement in Oromiyaa against the Oromo people. One need to understand, the nature of Tigran culture from their successive political leaders like Ras Mikael Sehul, Emperor Yohannes IV and Meles Zenawi and his political collogues.

Tigran fascism has a long history. Its history of fascism extends back to Ras Mikael Sehul of the 18th century and Emperor Yohannes IV of the 19th century. Both men sowed seeds of fascism to which Meles Zenawi and his TPLF are the heirs. Indeed, todays Tigran genocidal elites are the products of their history. It is for this, the current Tigran elites have been continuously following the legacies of Ras Mikael Sehul and Emperor Yohannes IV. Ras Mikael Sehul was said to have killed Oromo and Amhara prisoners of war and then peeled their skins off; made the skins into sacks; then he filled those sacks with straws and displayed in public in Gondar to be seen. Emperor Yohannes IV was said to have used “force, fire, and sword” to eliminate Oromo Muslims and Waqeftaa in Wollo who were refused to be converted to Christianity. He mutilated the limbs of those who refused. That is, he cutoff the breasts of women and hands, ears, and tongues of men. It has been said he pulled out one eye from each of his victims. The purpose was to force them into accepting the religion of his choice and at the same time to teach the others the consequence of refusal to accept. Similarly, in 1991, Meles Zenawi, upon entering Finfinnee/Addis Ababa, ordered his army to set on fire Military depot (storage of chemical weapons) in the city. The explosion of the storage of chemical weapons terrorized residents, killed many of them and destroyed many homes. The toxic chemical that released into the air and water is still today causing serious harm to the residents of the city and its vicinities. With this, the brutality of TPLF accelerated with murder, violence, and terror, and the seeds of its plan for the extermination of the Oromo implemented Oromiyaa wide. And, the Oromo people are exposed to the ruthless slaughter. This consistent pattern of crime shows time and again that the Tigrans have inherently greater cultural propensity for hatred, violence and cruelty. Hence, it is clear that the Tigrans political elites have an insatiable propensity to commit crimes of genocide, ethnic cleansing, and crime against humanity.

Since 1991 to date, the Tigran political elites-led regime, its state, and its military and security forces have been committing genocide against the Oromo people. These genocidal fascist elites have already exterminated hundreds of thousands of the Oromo men, women and including pregnant women, children and elderly for no reasons than being Oromo. Not on this, millions have been evicted from their lands. Being an Oromo in and of itself is seen by the Tigran political elites as their enemy. Since Oromiyaa is placed under the administration of military Command Post, marshal law is declared. With this, mass murder, kidnapping, torture, and disappearances without trace have been carried out both in towns, villages, and rural areas. The Tigran army’s and security forces’ savagery, barbarism and ruthless cruelty in rural areas include the killing of the infants grabbing by the leg from mothers’ arms and dashing head on the ground and then shooting the mothers to death are common occurrence. In Oromiyaa, kidnappings, forced disappearances, eviction from homes and lands, arrest, torture and killings have been institutionalized. In addition to the annihilation of men, women, children and elderly, it has also targeted the Oromo political leaders, religious leaders, academics and intellectuals and business and communal leaders and journalists at all levels for annihilation. Its centrally planned, centrally organized and state-sponsored violence, killings and evictions of people from their land and homes have touch all nations and nationalities in Ethiopia. This annihilation is and has been undertaken by the centrally organized and government-directed forces.

The TPLF’s target of killing is not just only Oromo men who might organize themselves to fight back in order to defend their people and country, but it also targeted women and children. It targeted women because they are the bears of the next generation and the children are targeted because they are the next generation. The purpose of killing women and children is to destroying a nation “root and branch” of a targeted population. In this case, the targeted population is the Oromo people and the aim is to destroy the “root and branch” of the Oromo nation. This is a policy of exterminating current generation and the future generation of the Oromo nation. Furthermore, today the fascist TPLF’s murderous political repression, violence, genocide, ethnic cleansing and crime against humanity have plagued Ethiopian empire state. Hence, the nations and nationalities in Ethiopia are under the extremist genocidal elites’ state-organized physical extermination. No one is spared from this except the Tigran ethnic group. Particularly, the annihilation of the Oromo people has become the state policy in the Tigran extremist led Ethiopian state. As it is clear to all, State violence has been institutionalized in Oromiyaa. Genocide has become the ultimate expression of the Tigran led state’s aim to annihilate the Oromo population. This policy of repression, violence and genocide is not spontaneous but it is the outgrowth of the decisions made by the Tigran powerful political and economic elites who have access to the significant state resources-the judiciary, the army, the police force, the security, intelligence and the economy. In order to implement this policy, the institution of violence- the notorious Agazi Special Force has been created; military and concentration camps have been expanded; technique of torture have been refined and organizational criminal intelligence networks and killing squads have been established throughout the country whose purpose are to destroy nations and nationalities in Ethiopia.

Genocide, ethnic cleansing, crimes against humanity and war crime Genocide

The general framework for analysis on the question of genocide in Ethiopia is the following based on the UN Convention on Prevention and Punishment of crime of genocide Article II of 1948. It is oftentimes referred as crime of crimes. It states “genocide means any of the following acts Committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such:

1. Killing members of the group;
2. Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;
3. Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;
4. Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;
5. Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.”

On basis of this article, the two fundamental elements of the crime are the first is intention, and the second is the act committed include at least one of the five criteria cited above. Based on the Article II the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of crimes of genocide, under the TPLF, the Oromo people have been intentionally killed (Article II a); the regime’s inhumane treatment of a serious bodily and mental harm have been inflicted upon the Oromo, Sidama, Somali, Gambella, Amhara and etc. (Article II b). Furthermore, this Tigran perpetrator regime has been subjecting the Oromo, Anuak and the Amhara to a systematic expulsion, eviction and forced removal from their homes and farmlands and subsequently settling its nationals on those lands. It has undertaken deprivation of means of livelihood by confiscating property, destruction of homes, looting and denial of housing that are tantamount to a deliberate act to inflict on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction (Article II c). Furthermore, land is the life of the people. Hence, expulsion of the people from their land is a deliberately inflicting on the people, conditions of life calculated to bring about their physical destruction in whole, or in part (Article II c). It is therefore clear according to Article II a, b, and c, genocide is clearly committed by the TPLF led-regime of Ethiopia.

Here it is important to understand the basic difference between crime against humanity, genocide and ethnic cleansing and crimes of war. Genocide is understood to be the state-organized, state-sponsored systematic mass murder of innocent and helpless men, women, and children with the purpose of eradicating a group from a territory and subsequently populating that territory by the nationals of the perpetrators. For this, it commonly describes campaigns of mass extermination. It is a form of annihilation. It includes physical disappearance (the body destruction) and symbolic disappearance (the destruction of the memory of their existence). For these, it is oftentimes said that the main objective of genocidal destruction is the transformation of the victims into “nothing” and the survival into “nobodies.”

Ethnic cleansing

Ethnic cleansing is defined as forcible removal, unlawful displacement, relocation, deportation, forced transfer and expulsion of an ethnic group from a given territory. It is a forced permanent removal of one group of people by another from a region or territory and the subsequent occupation of that territory by ethnic group of the perpetrator as though the target group had never existed there. It includes the removal of all physical reminders of the targeted group through the destruction of historical sites such as shrines, monuments, cemeteries, and houses of worship. With ethnic cleansing, the group’s attachment to the land and its environment will be destroyed through destruction of the group’s homes, social service centers, farms, institutions and the societal infrastructures. Methods for carrying out ethnic cleansing among other things include, such as:

• forced expulsion, or voluntary evacuation through violence, intimidation, fear and genocide;
• Murder;
• Torture;
• Arbitrary arrest and detention;
• Extra‐judicial executions;
• Rape and sexual assaults’ as well as deportation and military assaults against civilians and etc.

Ethnic cleansing is related to genocide. It is a form of genocide. If so, one may ask a question as to what makes genocide distinct from ethnic cleansing. One distinctive difference is ethnic cleansing is focused more closely than genocide on territory and on forced removal of ethnic groups from specific areas. The purpose is to create ethnically homogeneous geographic areas belonging to perpetrator ethnic group. Another difference between the two is the intent of genocide is to destroy the group, whereas the intent of ethnic cleansing is to displace the group. Hence, intent to displace is not intent to destroy. However, the overlap between ethnic cleansing and genocide takes place when forced removal of population leads to a group’s physical and symbolic destruction. In this case, ethnic cleansing becomes genocide. Genocide is the ultimate form of permanent removal.

Again another similarity is ethnic cleansing takes on extermination. At this stage mass killings begin. Killing becomes sport. At this time, the perpetrators dig up the mass graves, burn the bodies, cover up evidence, and intimidate witnesses. Leaders of the guilty regimes block investigations of crimes, and often remain free from punishment of their crimes. The question one may raise is as to causes for ethnic cleansing. The primary objective for ethnic cleansing are ethnic difference, pursuit of land-grab, economic goal and political power. It is the function of unchecked political power-the power that commits crime of ethnic cleansing to achieve its objective of land-grabbing, of capturing natural resources, economic wealth and consolidate its political power base. Not only these, the TPLF’s ethnic cleansing also based on its hate, prejudice, intolerance for other ethnic groups and on its complete disregard for the sanctity of human life. These are what the Tigran political elites have been doing in against the nations and nationalities in the Ethiopian empire state

Crime against humanity

Crime against humanity means atrocities and offences committed against any civilian population. It constitutes mass killings of large number of individuals. It is a crime committed as a part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population. Methods of committing crime against humanity include:

• Torture;
• Murder;
• Extermination;
• mass systematic rape;
• Enslavement;
• enforced disappearance of persons;
• Forcible transfer of population;
• Persecution against collectivity on racial, national, ethnic, cultural, gender, religion, political
  or other grounds;
• Imprisonment or other severe deprivation of physical liberty and etc.
• Arbitrary arrest and detention;
• Extra‐judicial executions; and etc.

Here one may raise question as to what makes genocide distinct from crimes against humanity. The answer is this, contrary to the crime against humanity, genocide has different focus. It focuses not on killing of individuals, but on the physical destruction of the groups. This means the intent of genocide is to destroy, to annihilate the group. That is to deny a particular group of people the right to exist. Thus, the victims of genocide is the group, not individual. For instance, a single isolated act could be qualified as a genocide (e.g. Sidama massacre at Loque in 2002), whereas a single isolated act against a civilian does not qualify as a crime against humanity because the crime against humanity must be committed within the context of a widespread or systematic attack on any population. Sometimes, persecution is combined and intertwined with genocide. For instance, a charge with crime against humanity is attached to the individual who is charged. Whereas a charge with genocide is attached not only to that person who is charged but to his or her ethnic group as well. The legal definitional criteria for genocide is intent. That is, intent is what distinguishes genocide from crimes against humanity. For example, the late PM Meles Zenawi’s statement of the “Majority can be made minority” is the statement of intent to destroy the majority in whole, or in part. This statement was made in reference to the Oromo people. It is the intent to commit crimes of genocide to reduce the majority to a minority status. On the basis of this, his regime has been committing genocide against the Oromo people since 1991 to-date. It must, therefore, be clear that a charge of the Tigran political elites with genocide not only attaches with the elites themselves, but also to their ethnic group as well.

War crimes

War crimes are the wilful violations of the laws or customs of war, including:

• Atrocities or offences against persons or property;
• Murder, ill treatment of the civilian population in occupied territory;
• Murder or ill treatment of prisoners of war;
• killing of hostages;
• Torture or inhumane treatment, including biological experiments;
• maiming;
• plunder of public or private property;
• Wanton destruction of cities, towns or villages; and etc.

With the understanding of the fundamental distinctions between the types of these crimes, the question then remains as to under which type of crime the TPLF, its associates and allies be charged with upon the fall and demise of the TPLF fascist regime. Here, the associates include-among others, accomplices, aider and abettors, conspirators, crime facilitators, accessories, land-grabbers and etc. These are individuals with the actual and full knowledge of genocide, ethnic cleansing, crime against humanity and war crimes committed against Oromo and other peoples and yet choose to benefit or profit from such crimes. The fact is, such are individuals who have been involved in committing crimes against their own people in alliance or in association with the fascist TPLF colonial regime. For instance, if diaspora based individuals’ bought a piece of Oromo land or properties or received the land or property from the TPLF led fascist regime in the name of “investor”, they will be charged with either genocide, or ethnic cleansing or crime against humanity or with war crime depending upon the type of the crime committed. The fact is this, these individuals have been and are willingly and voluntarily engaged in the Oromo land-grab for selfish reasons with actual and full knowledge of crime being committed against the Oromo people. Consequently, these land-grabbers deprived our people life, liberty, land, and homes. These benefits or profits are made on the blood of the Oromo people. Under this condition, one thing must be clear that upon the demise of the TPLF led fascist regime, the people who were evicted from their lands or properties were taken from have full right to retake their lands or properties back.

The failure of International Community

The international community has a responsibility to use appropriate means to prevent genocide, ethnic cleansing, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Ethiopia. However, it has failed to stop the Tigran fascism. It knew the early warning for these crimes. It knew, the Tigrans are a minority that constitutes four and half percent of 102 million population. Despite this, this minority totally controls the government. Hundred percent of the leadership is concentrated in the hands of Tigran minority ethnic group with hostility toward other ethnic groups. This minority has a complete monopoly over the Army, police forces and security and intelligence. Furthermore, the parliament is hundred percent its party, no opposition. Judicial system services the state. The Foreign Service are populated with the Tigran ethnic group. This minority ethnic group has also a total control over the economy and finance. At the same time, there is no free press. In the light of all these, the international community has overlooked the factors that should have drawn its attention about the likelihood of genocide, ethnic cleaning, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Ethiopia. This failure of international community has encourage, the TPLF led-regime to commit crimes of genocide, ethnic cleansing, crimes against humanity and war crimes against the peoples in the Ethiopian empire.

In sum, the TPLF is a megamurder regime. It is a radical bloodthirsty regime. Since it militarily seized power in 1991, it has been committing genocide, crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing and war crimes against the people. The cruelty, savagery and intensity of its crimes against the peoples are unparalleled in the history of Ethiopian state. Hence, it is not a mischaracterization to call it, the regime of death and destruction the Ethiopian empire has ever seen. As it is stated in the above paragraphs, genocide has been perpetrated by the Tigran genocidal elites against the Oromo people. It has planned, coordinated and executed a policy of violence, terror, and annihilation of the Oromo and other peoples, their supporters, and their sympathizers. Such crimes have been carried out both domestically and beyond national borders. It has failed to comply with the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the crime of genocide, crimes against humanity and other crimes to which the Ethiopian state is a signatory. At the same time, the Ethiopian judicial system is at the service of national security state. Consequently, it has also failed in Ethiopia with regard to human rights violations and crimes against humanity. Moreover, the international community is also not willing to confront the Tigran led-regime for its crimes against humanity, ethnic cleansing and genocide. This means it turned a blind eye and a deaf ear to the crimes that the Tigran fascist regime is and has been committing against the peoples. Consequently, it too has failed to defend the people against genocide, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity in the case of Ethiopia. The only way of bringing justice to the people of Ethiopian empire state regarding the crimes of genocide and crimes against humanity is through the establishment of Special International Tribunals. It is, therefore, time for the international community to confront head on and stop this genocidal violence against the people before it reaches catastrophic proportions.

However, one thing must be clear. No one will come to stop the genocide, crime against humanity and ethnic cleansing against the Oromo and other peoples. As history has shown time and again, no a nation ever came to save the Armenians from the Ottoman Empire committed genocide as one and half million were destroyed in three years; no a nation came to save the Jews from German committed genocide until after six million were perished; and no a nation came to save Tutsi from Hutu committed genocide until after one million were perished in three months. So, it is to be naive to expect the world community to come to the Oromo’s aid to stop genocide that the genocidal fascist Tigran elites are being committing against them. The genocide committed against the Jews, the Armenians and Tutsi were committed by the majority, whereas today the genocide against the Oromo people is being committed by the minority regime. The TPLF’s genocide against the Oromo people can only be stopped by the Oromo people alone. This demands organization, leadership, and a political will to act. For this, the Oromo people must be organized and armed in order to fight and removal this enemy and its horror of genocide from Oromiyaa. At the same time, it is incumbent upon the peoples of the Ethiopian empire state to join together in the fighting against this barbarous common enemy, to remove its horror of genocide, its crime against humanity and its ethnic cleansing and to bring it to justice. Here one has to be realistic that there is no help coming from external powers to stop the TPLF genocide against the Oromo and other peoples. Hence, it is time to take ones destiny into one’s own hands in order defend oneself, to fight and defeat this dangerous enemy-the TPLF. For this, it is time to organize, mobilize and army the population to fight in order to dismantle the TPLF led genocidal fascist regime, to remove its horror of genocide, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity, its laws and its institutions.

Oromiyaa Shall BE Free!

An Ethiopian Oromo woman died yesterday, after attempting to assist a man who set himself on fire in front of the UNHCR office in Cairo, in protest of the organisation’s lack of assistance.

(Cairo Scene) — An Ethiopian Oromo man seeking refuge in Egypt set himself on fire last Thursday in front of the UNHCR office in 6^thof October City, in protest of the large-scale rejection of Oromo asylum-seekers fleeing persecution in their home country. The episode, which was recorded on video by eye-witnesses, led to the death yesterday of an Oromo Ethiopian woman who attempted to assist him.

Following the situation, the UN agency closed its doors yesterday indicating “security concerns” – the organization reportedly issues asylum rejections every Thursday – and published an official statement on their Facebook page today.

“UNHCR deeply regrets the tragic passing of an Ethiopian Oromo asylum-seeker on 26 July 2016, following a violent incident outside UNHCR office in Cairo. She was a mother of two young children and UNHCR would like to offer its sincerest condolences to her family and friends for their loss.”

“UNHCR is mindful of the frustrations and anxieties that asylum-seekers and refugees may feel because of lengthy procedures, due to the high number of applicants in Egypt. As UNHCR is committed to ensure fair, consistent and transparent processes for asylum-seekers and refugees of all nationalities, it calls for the cooperation by all refugee communities and appeals for their understanding and non-violence,” the post reads.

The episode sparked outrage amongst Ethiopian members of Oromo ethnicity, as their requests for asylum are often rejected by the organisation. CairoScene has contacted UNHCR Egypt’s Public Information Officer and has yet to receive a reply.

“It is sad to hear that a single mother of two children has been burnt. Although the number of asylum seekers are high, it is up to [the] UNHCR office to hire more international and internal staff to solve the problems. The other main problem is that many RSD (Refugee status determinations) interviewers didn’t allow people to explain details about their claims because of time. This should be changed,” one Facebook user, Abdataa Rabbii Sayyidaa, said in a comment.

“I am observing that the UNHCR in Cairo is [rejecting] most of the Oromo cases based on bias while the refugees are trying to address the circumstances and why they left their country. Even the UNHCR has clear information about the Ethiopian regime crackdown on Oromo (…) and what is going on in the Oromia region. Even the UNHCR has more recent information [regarding] the Oromia region [being] under emergency military ruling at this time,” another user said.

The Oromo – Ethiopia’s largest ethnic group with over 35 million members – have been fleeing persecution from their home country in recent years, but unrest intensified in November 2015. On November 12, Oromo protesters took to the streets of Ginchi – a town 80 kilometers from Addis Ababa – after authorities had decided to clear a forest and a football field for an investment project. According to Human Rights Watch, protests broke out in at least 400 different locations across all the 17 zones in Oromia, where security forces shot into crowds, summarily killed people during mass roundups, and tortured detained protesters. “The Ethiopian government has claimed that protesters are connected to banned opposition groups, a common government tactic to discredit popular dissent, and has charged numerous opposition members under the country’s repressive counterterrorism law,” HRW says in a report.

According to Amnesty International, between 2011 and 2014, “at least 5,000 Oromos have been arrested based on their actual or suspected peaceful opposition to the government.” In numerous cases, actual or suspected dissenters have been detained without charge or trial, killed by security services during protests, arrests and in detention.

(SBO/VOL – Adoolessa 29,2016) —  Irree fi Gaachanni Ummata Oromoo WBOn Zoonii Kibbaa Waraana Sirna Gabroomfattuu Mootummaa Wayyaanee Irratti Tarkaanfii Fudhateen Injifannoo Galmeessee Jira.

Qabsoo of irratti hirkannoon bilisummaa ummata Oromoo mirkaneessuuf falmaa gochaa kan jiru WBOn, Adoolessa 28,2016 Godina Booranaa Ona Mooyyalee keessatti bakkoota adda addaatti tarkaanfilee waraana sirna gabroomfattuu wayyaanee irratti fudhateen loltoota diinaa 28 ol hojiin ala gochuu Ajaji WBO Zoonii Kibbaa beeksise.

 By Daniel Berhane

(Horn Affairs) — In the past two weeks, the Sendafa Sanitary Landfill have become the talking point of Addis Ababa. It did not get as much attention even last September when it was inaugurated, touted as Addis Ababa’s “ambitious plan to transform its solid waste management, collection, and disposal systems”

Sendafa Landfill is a multi-million dollars project located 27 kilometers to the northeast of Addis Ababa in Oromia region in an area called “Chebe Wergenu”, nearby Legetafo town.

In normal times, few would care to know about the city’s waste disposal site. However, since mid-July, Sendafa Landfill became a household name as the local community stopped trucks from dumping garbage in the site.

Addis Ababa had to pile up garbage on its streets for ten days before the authorities decided to re-open the Qoshe waste disposal site, which was closed last December when Sendafa became operational. Meanwhile, Addis Ababa and Oromia officials are reportedly conferring on the matter.

The authorities have been giving a simple answer to the media: We have paid compensation to the displaced farmers but they are blocking us from disposing waste in the site.

HornAffairs traveled to the area on Thursday to find out why the locals community blocked garbage dumping in the site.

The local peoples’ version of the matter was much different from the authorities.

Photo – Sendafa Landfill – The waste disposal pit

Compensation

A farmer evicted due to the project told HornAffairs that the authorities have not been straightforward from the beginning. “When the land appropriation began in 2011/12, they told us it was for the construction of a new airport, and we will benefit from employment opportunities,” he said.

Several farmers describe the land appropriation process as intimidating and unfair. “They undervalued the size of our land and its production,” a farmer claimed. Adding that, “They brought law enforcement officers and told us if we didn’t comply, we will be treated as outlaws.”

The difference between the version of the officials and the farmers does not end there.

The officials have been telling local papers in the past weeks that the displaced farmers were paid their land’s 10 years’ worth as compensation. Two farm owners told HornAffairs that they were paid only one-year worth compensation.

The farmers told me the rate was 18 birr per square meter. I pointed out that would be 180,000 birr/hectare and asked, “Isn’t that enough money for a farmer?”

“In the past, we used to eat our produce. Now we are mere consumers like you. How long can we live off of this?” a father of seven responded.

As a reference, he described that a typical farmer produces up to 40 quintal/hectare/year. “But that’s the estimation the officials accepted, we produce more,” he quickly added. Another farmer said, a farmer in the area could lease half-hectare land up to 60,000 birr for farming purpose for a year.

The officials claimed to have paid “more than 40 million birr” compensation in 2012. In recent media statements, they lowered the figure to 25 million. But locals claim, less than 5 million was paid for compensation.

Photo – Sendafa Landfill, A truck pushing the pile of trash

Waste Disposal Pits

After lobbying the security guards of Sendafa Landfill, we were allowed to visit the the waste disposal site driving through it.

There are two large disposal pits. The first is for dry waste disposal, while the second is for chemical waste from factories.

The dry waste disposal pit is eight hectares size, according to an employee of the site. The depth appears about five meters. It is already half full. But we were told the garbage will be pilled up to twenty meters high. Still, it is hard to imagine how at current rate it will last five years, let alone the planned thirty years.

By definition, a Sanitary Landfill consists “putting on a cover material at the end of each operating day” and compacting the waste to the smallest possible size.

On Thursday, we saw the waste mostly covered with a silver sheet. However, the locals told HornAffairs, “There was no covering material before we began complaining.”

One truck was pushing the pile of waste from the sides of the pit to the top. Though, it appears inadequate to compact the waste that is spread almost four hectares horizontally – if that is the objective.

Local farmers claim the bad smell from the waste reaches several kilometers afar, up to a condominium site called Bole Arebsa. One young man described, “The smell gets people sick. The flies gathered due to the waste irritate the oxen we use for plowing. We can’t farm anymore.”

“You should have come on a sunny day to observe the scale of flies and scavengers,” another farmer exclaimed. A third described how dogs scatter bones all over the villages after rummaging the waste.

The wire fence is too wide to block them.

Photo – Sendafa Landfill, The waste disposal pit

Toxic fluid

The dry waste is not so dry after all. There is fluid component that comes inside the dry waste. That fluid trickles down to the ground and drains through a pipe into another smaller pit. Then it is channeled to a third pit.

The fluid from the chemical waste pit (mentioned above) passes through these smaller pits.

During this passage through the three smaller pits, the fluids are supposed to lose their toxic character.

However, the locals dispute that claim.

“Look at these flowers,” a farmer said pointing to flowering plants on the side of the third of the smaller pit. Some are green while others have turned brown and yellow. “This happened when the liquid spilled into the field,” he explained.

Yet, that fluid is deemed safe and is released to a channel outside the compound. It eventually flows into Akaki River.

To help the detoxication process, grass had to be planted in one of the smaller pits, the locals explained to me. But there was no grass in the pits. One farmer claimed, smiling, “the budget for the grass was 40,000 birr”.

There is another unsafe fluid.

As the waste has already reached the top of the waste disposal pit; when rain falls, it washes the waste and runs off to sideways. Then it enters the channel created for rainwater drainage. According to a local, that flows directly outside the compound and eventually to Akaki River.

If there claims are verified, the locals resistance would as well be in direct interest of Addis Ababa, not just their locality.

Photo – A household next to the smaller pits of toxic fluids, Sendafa Landfill

Not a regional thing

Like many, I suspected the controversy on Sendafa Landfill could be part of the resistance to Addis Ababa’s growing pressures on the surrounding Oromia areas. Just like the draft master plan covering the surrounding areas – which wascancelled after protests engulfed Oromia.

The locals are aware of that. And quick to dismiss it.

“Some portray this matter as a regional thing,” said a displaced farmland owner, who is educated up to 10+1 level. “It is not”. Then added, “we are just asking for Article 92 of the Constitution.”

“What does that article say?” I asked, embarrassed.

“The right to clean and healthy environment,” he quickly replied.

Later, talking to another farmer, I asked, what he would suggest as a solution.

“The government can build anything it wishes on the land. We do not object. Just remove the waste, dump it elsewhere.”

The farmer said, “Now officials are promising to give us the rest of the compensation, to give us land deeds in another area. But we can trust their words anymore.”

After lamenting about the compensation process – that he was given compensation for much less than the actual square meter of his land; he added “they cheated the square meter, they cheated the money”. [ካሬውን ሰረቁ፣ ብሩን ሰረቁ]

‪#‎OromoProtests‬
Ammaan kana Konkolaataan Salaam bus kan gara Harargee deemaa ture Tarkaanfii magaalaa Haramaayaa keessatti irratti fudhatameen osoo Harar hin ga’in magaalaa awwadaay waajjira poolisii jalatti uummata harcaasee uummanni konkolaataa birootiin akka deeman taasifamaa jira.Foddaan isaa caccabee jira haala hin taaneen harkaa ba’ee waajjira poolisii jalaa seene.”

‪#‎OromoProtests‬
Magaalaan Holataa guyyaa ar’aa bifa kanaan mooraa waraanaa guddoo fakkaattee bariitee, haaluma kanaaniis oolte. Via Sirkanan Ahmed

Good job Gonder!!

Boruu Barraaqaatiin

Kutaa 1ffaa

Oromoonni Matakkal gosa Oromoo Maccaa jalatti beekamu. Kufaatii Dargii dura kutaa Gojjaam keessatti waamamuu turani. Yeroo ammaa ammoo Naannoo Bulchiinsa Beenishaangul jalatti bulaa jirani. Akka qorannoon seenaa manguddoota Oromoo naannoo kanaa irraa sassaabame ibsutti, akkaataan qubsuma ummata keneya kanaa bifa lama kan hordofe ture. Kan duraa gama Baha Wallaggaa irraan Dangab yookiin Dibaax naannoo jedhamu kan qubatanii dha. Kan lammaffaa ammoo gama Dhiha Wallaggaa lafoota akka Najjoo, Gidaamii, Muggii, Boojji fi Sibuu irraa laga Abbayyaa cehanii bakka amma Wanbaraa jedhamu kan qubatani. Kun kan tahe jaarraa 16ffaa yeroo itti Oromoon daga isaa duraan halagootaan qabatamee ture deebisee toyachuuf bal’inaan sosso’aa ture san irraa eegaleeti jedhama.

Oromoonni yeroo ammaa bulchiinsa naannoo Benishaangul Gumuz jalatti bulaa jiran miidhaan sabummaa irra gahaa jiraachuu dubbatu. Akka fakkeenyaatti rakkoolee gurguddoo ummatni Waanbaraa himachaa jiru haa laallu.

Akka dargaggoonni Oromoo naannoo kana keessatti dhalatanii hiree barnoota olaanaa argatan qorannoo geggeessanitti, yeroo ammaatti akka Oromootti jiraachuun Oromoota Waanbaraa gaaffii keessa galee jira. Kana kan nama jechisisu keessa qabxilee muummee ta’an tokko tokko tuqun barbaachisaa dha. Isaanis:

• Jaarroleen biyyaa bara 1987 hanga Finfinneetti dhufanii waa’ee Oromoon mirga dhabuu iyyatanillee hiika hin arganne;
• Bara 1986 waraanni irratti banamee namootni heeddun dhumaniiru, manni gubateera, qabeenyis barbadaa’ee jira;
• Namni 30 Naqamteetti ergamani Afaan Oromoon leenjii barsiisummaa argatanii yoo deebi’anis ‘Kun biyya Oromoo miti, yoo barbaaddan biyya isaa dhaqaa barsiisaa, kanaan achi yoo waan biraan leenjii keessan hin fooyyessitan ta’e Afaan Oromootiin hojii hin argattan’ jedhamanii waan baratan gatii akka dhabu godhamee jira;
• Uummatni martinuu yeroo saba isaatiin gurmaa’u Oromoon dhorkamee jira. Qaama Dh.D.U O irraa namootni Oromoota Waanbaraa gurmeessuuf dhufan qaama aanaa kanaan ari’amanii tarkaanfiin tokkoyyuu hin fudhatamne;
• Oromoon dhaloota biyyaa ti malee abbaa biyyaa miti (ye haager tewallajji injii ye haager baale beet ayidellem) jechuudhaan erga abbaan biyyaa argaate dhuftuun (maxxee) irratti dhalatte ammo argatti jechuun ijoolleen Oromoo carraa barnoonta ol aanaa fi hojii akka hin arganne balballi itti cufameera. Haala adda addaan utuu sabummaan isaanii hin beekamin yoo miliqanii keessa darbanis guddina akka hin arganne godhamuudhaan gocha Afriikaa Kibbaa durii waliin wal fakkaatu naanichaan raawwatamaa jira;
• Mirga hawaasaa fi siyaasaan alas gama dinagdee fi haaqa seeraan loogiin hojjetamu Oromummaa Oromoota aanaa kanaa irratti dhiibba guddaa gochaa jira.
• Ijoolleen Oromoo filmaata dhaban Oromummaa isaanii jijjiiranii Sinishuummaatti galmaa’uudhaan hojii argachuuf dirqamaa jiru. Kunis uummaticha haasofsiisuun kan mirkanaa’uu danda’amuu dha; akkasumas,

Uummatni Oromoo baayyinni isaa akka lakkoofsa bara 1984tti (A.L.A) koonyaa Matakkalaa harra zoonii ta’e keessatti 55,501 ture, yeroo lakkoofsa bara 1994 (A.L.A)tti waggaa 10 keessatti 3,332 qofa dabaluun 58,833 qofaa ta’ee jira. Kunumtuu yeroo akka Goojjamitti bara 1984 (A.L.A) lakkaa’ame kan Oromootin zooniilee Kamaashii fi Asoosaa itti hin dabalamin 55,501 ture. Kun akkamittiin gurmuudhaan kan Oromoo Waanbaraa caalan Oromootni zooniilee lamaa itti dabalamaanii haala baayyinni uummataa Itiyoophiiyaa keessaa itti dabalaa ture % 2.9 tiin kan Oromoo Benishaangul gumuz keessa jiruu garuu kana duwwaa ta’e gaaffiin jedhu deebii hin arganne.

Ummatni Sinichoo duris ammas zooniidhuma Matakkalaa aanaaleedhuma durii sadan armaan olitti eeraman keessa qofa jiratu. Garuu lakkoofsa bara 1984tiin (A.L.A) 17,840 ture irraa bara 1994 (A.L.A) waggaa kudhan keessatti 14,265 dabaluudhaan gara 32,105tti ol guddachuun isaanii lakkoofsi Oromoo garuu akka gadi qabamu loogiin godhamuu isaa sirriitti mul’isa. Utuu dhugaadhaan %2.9 tiinuu shallagamee (projection) Oromoon Zoonii Matakkalaa utuu warra zoonii kaaniiyyuu hin dabalatin gara 74,588tti, kan Sinichoos gara 32,105tti utuu hin ta’in gara 23,975tti guddata ture. Amma garuu kan mullatu Oromoon waggaa kudhan keesaa % 1 gadiin, Sinichoon ammoo % 6 tiin akka dabalaniidha. Kun ammo kan dhugaa irraa baayyee fagaatee ta’uun isaa ifa.  Xinxala istaatistiikii armaan gaditti gabateen kaa’ame irraa hubachuun ni danda’ama.

Xiinxala Baayyina Uummata Oromoo Matakkalaa kan Lakkoofsa Estaatistikii Bara 1984 fi 1994 A.L.A Irratti Hundaa’e

Maddeen odeeffannooKutaa 2ffaa barruu kanaa keessatti furmaata malu irratti xiyyeeffanna.

• Manguddoota biyyaa naannichaa
• Waraqaa qorannoo eebbaa (dissertation) barattoota Oromoo dhalootaan naannoo sanii
• Wikopedia
• Central Statistical Agency of Ethiopia

Ibsa Adda Bilisummaa Oromoo

Qabsoon Ummanni Oromoo mirga abbaa biyyummaa, Bilisummaa fi Walabummaa isaatiif gaggeessaa jiru gulantaa murteessaa irra gahuu, haalli Oromiyaa keessaa sirriitti agarsiisa. Sochiin warraaqsaa ummanni Oromoo gaggeessaa jiru gootummaa, bilchina jaarmayaa fi tooftaan akkasumas Impaayerattii keessattis tahe naannawa Gaanfa Afrikaatti fakkeenya murteessaa tahuu ummata Oromoo dirreetti baasee agarsiiseera. Keessumaa dhaloonni haaraan Gabrummaan Nu irratti Xumura Argachuu Qaba jechuun gootummaa fi murannoon bilisummaa Oromoo mirkaneessuuf muxannoo qabsoo fi jaarmayaa hunda sochoosaa agarsiisaa jiran lammiif abdii, mootummaa gabroomfataaf ammoo naasuu akka malee itti ta’e.

Wayta ammaa kana goleen Oromiyaa fincilaa fi mormii hin keessummeessine hin jiru jechuun ni danda’ama. Magaalotaa fi baadiyyaalee Oromiyaa keessaa sagalee fedhii bilisummaa fi mormii gabrummaatu dhaga’ama. Alaabaa ABO waggoottan kudhanoota dabran goototni kumaatamni hedduun irratti wareegamanii asiin gahan tan faajjii bilisummaa taate qabatanii hiriira bahuu fi bakkoota addaa addaatti fannisanii balaliisuun, alaabaa Impaayerattii mallattoo gabrummaa taate irra ol kaasanii aduun gabroomsaa dhihuu, bilisummaan Oromoo dhiyaatuu labsaa jiru. Walumaagalatti warraaqsa gabrummaatti xumura gochuu akeekkatetu wareegama ilmaan oromoo qaqqaaliidhaan guutuu Oromiyaatti gaggeeffamaa jira.

Mootummaan TPLF/EPRDF wayta galaana warraaqsaatiin nyaatamee qarqara dhabama isaa jiru kanatti dalagaa raaw’ataa jiruun, gaaffii ummatootaaf amma illee karaa nagaatiin deebisaa laachuuf fedhii akka hin qabnee fi aadaa isaas akka hin taane mirkaneessee jira. Yakki suukanneessaan hidhattoota isaatiin ummata Oromoo irratti itti fufiinsaan raaw’ataa jiru kanaaf ragaa gahaa dha.

Ilmaan Oromoo mirga uumaadhaanii fi heera addunyaatiin qaban gaafatuu irraa humnoota waraanaa, tikaa, Poolisa Federaalaa fi milishoota wayyaanee Oromiyaa weeraraniin guyyuu haala namoom-dhab ta’een ajjeefamaa fi hidhamanii zaliiliif saaxilamaa jiru. Kanneen jireenya harkaa gara afaanii gaggeeffatuuf dhama’an badii malee rasaasaan gombisuun, daa’imman hamtuu-toltuu hin beekne, haawwanii fi manguddoota garajabinaan ajjeesuun, Oromoota cidha irra jiranitti dhukaasa banuun dhiiga lolaasuun har’as hin dhaabbanne. Qabsaawota Oromoo falmaa dirreetiin moo’achuu dadhaban summiidhaan galaafachuu irra dabree ummatas haala suukanneessaadhaan fixuun bakkayyuutti sirna nama-nyaataa kanaan raaw’atamaa jira.

Akeekni dalagaa hammeenyaa fi diinummaa kanaas Ummata Oromoo rifachiisanii fi hamilee cabsanii falmaa irraa boodatti deebisuu dha. Qabsoon Bilisummaa Ummatni Oromoo gaggeessaa jiru sadarkaa shiraa fi hammeenya akkanaatiin gufatu irra tarkaanfatuu isaa, fincillii fi mormiin baatiilee 8 oliif itti fufiinsaan Oromiyaa keessaa belbelaa jiru ragaa guddaa dha. Kun gabrummaatti xumura gochuudhaan Galii isaa gahu malee akka hin dhabbatne diinaafis firaafis mirkaneessaa jira.

Addi Bilisummaa Oromoo gocha gara-jabinaa mootummaan wayyaanee lammiilee Oromoo harka duwwaa gaaffii mirgaa dhiyeessaa jiran irratti raaw’atu ammas gadi jabeessee balaaleffachaa, Ummatni Oromoo mirga uumaanis, seeraanis qabu bifa barbaachisaa ta’e hundaan kabajsiifatuuf, wareegama hangamuu nu gaafatu, qabsaawuun mirga isaa tahuu hubachiisa. Waan ta’eef, Ummatni Oromoo diina qe’ee isaatti waggoota 25 guutuu kan itti roorrisaa ture quufuu dadhabee ammas roorrisuutti jiru bifa isaa danda’ame hundaan of irraa qolachuu qofa odoo hin taane, dachee isaa irraa buqqisee biyya isaa irratti abbaa ta’uuf wareegama feesisu baasuu itti fufee sirna bittaa alagaatti xumurri godhamuu qaba. Kun guduunfaa sirna gabrummaa jaarraa lakkaawatee akka tahuuf murteeffatanii socho’uun mala filmaata biraa hin qabnee dha.

Goototni ka’imman (Qeerroo-qarreen) Oromoo golee Oromiyaa cufa irraa harqoota gabrummaa saba keenya irraa darbuun Bilisummaa gonfachiisuuf qabsoo hadhaawaa fi seena-qabeessa gaggeessaa jirtan, gochaan hammeenyaa diinni itti jiru, kufaatiin sirnichaa dhiyaachuu kan mul’su tahuu hubatuun falmaa akka itti fuftan dhaamna.

Ummatni keenya alaa fi keessaan yaadotaa fi ajandaalee sochii murteessaa itti jirru kana irraa nu jal’isuuf ykn. nu daguuf itti tattaafatamu kamuu gurra irraa cufatuudhaan kana bakkaan gahuuf akka sochootan gadi jabeessinee hubachiifna. Miseensotni ABO hundi (keessattuu WBOn), akkasumas, humnootni addaa guutuu Oromiyaa keessa jirtan cufti, akkasumas, deeggartootni ABO Oromiyaa fi biyyoota alaa mara jirtan dirqama keessan dacha-dachaan akka guddiftan dhaammatna.

Yeroon kun yeroo diinni Saba keenya gabroomfate aangoo Irra of tursuuf yakka duguuggii sanyii lammiilee keenya irratti hammeessaa jiru, gama kaaniin ammoo yeroo ummatni keenya wareegama baasaa jiruun odoo hin rifatin murannoon falmaa finiinsaa jiru dha. Waan ta’eef, lammiileen Oromoo biyya keessaa fi biyyoota alaa jirtan addatti ammoo qabsaawotni Oromoo kabajamuu mirga abbaa

biyyummaa fi bilisummaa Oromoof falmaatti jirtan, irree tokkummaa ummataa fi qabsaawota keenyaa caalaatti jabeessuun, qabsoo sirna wayyaanee irratti gaggeeffamaa jiru waan danda’ame hundaan akka maddii dhaabbattan waamicha dhiyeessina.

Humnootiin bilisummaa Oromoo fi Walabummaa Oromiyaaf qabsooftan hundi umrii diina kanaa gabaabsuu xumura itti gochuu keessatti gahee keessan akka kennitan gadi jabeessinee dhaammatna.

Kanneen humna waraanaa, poolisaa fi tikaa wayyaanee keessa jirtan qabsoo haqaa ummatni gaggeessaa jiru cinaa akka dhaabbattaniif waamicha deddeebi’ee isiniif godhamuuf gahaatti deebii kennuun isin irraa eegama. Diina ofii aangoo irra turuuf jecha haadhaa-abbaa, obboolaa fi lammii keessanitti dhukaastanii akka ajjeestan, madeessitanii fi gaaffii haqaa ummatni dhiyeessaa jiru ukkaamsuuf tarkaanfii hammeenyaa fudhattan isin ajajaa jiru didachuun, yeroon aantummaa keessan ummata keessaa baatanii fi borus keessa jiraattaniif agarsiisuun tarkaanfii seena-qabeessa fudhattan kan maayyii amma. Kana gochuu dhabuudhaan meeshaa diinaa ta’uu itti fufuun murtii ummataa jalaa kan isin hin baasne tahuu hubachiifna.

ABOn qabsoo Bilisummaa Oromoo gaggeessaa jiru daran kan babal’isuu fi cimsu tahuu ibsaa, warraaqsa xumura gabrummaa sab-boontotni ilmaan Oromoo, Qeerroon Bilisummaa Ummata Oromoo waliin ta’uun gaggeessaa jiranis bifa barbaachisaa ta’e hundaan kan hogganu, jajjabeessuu fi galma ga’iinsa isaaf hojjetu tahuu irra deebi’ee yaadachiisa. Gochaan faashistummaa wayyaanee fi jala -deemtotni isaa Oromoo irrati raaw’atanis badiisi isaanii dhihaachuu fi wareegamni ilmaan Oromoo Bilisummaaf baasan firii hawwameef argamsiisaa jiraatuu mirkaneessa.

Injifannoo Ummata Oromoof !

Adda Bilisummaa Oromoo

Adoolessa 2016

Amharic Version in PDF

By DJ

Prisons in Ethiopia

The African American experience in the United States is one of the most tortured histories than any other American citizen. Even though African Americans have been in the United States for the past 400 years, longer than most white European immigrants to the continent, they face a daily indignity, racist affronts, taunts, and a plethora of other inhumane treatments.

Starting in the 1950s and 1960s, activists such as Malcolm X, the Black Panthers, and in recent years, young grass root activists in Chicago Illinois, coined the term “we charge Genocide” because they were targeted and killed by the City Police.

Hence, we Oromos, damn right, charge genocide by Tigre Liberation Front and its Leadership for extrajudicial killings of 500 plus unarmed Oromo youth and other Oromo citizens in Oromia!

The convention on the prevention and punishment of the crime of genocide was adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1948. The Imperial Ethiopia regime was among the states that signed and ratified the General Assembly Resolution # 260. All those states that signed the convention were advised to prevent and punish actions of genocide during times of conflict and peacetime.

The Convention defines genocide as killing on the basis of race, or “killing members of the group” ..any intention to destroy in whole or in part, a national, racial, ethnic or religious group”  is according to the Convention is genocide–thus the Convention also states ” causing serious bodily or mental harm to a member of the group”  is genocide, as well as “killing members of the group”

The Ethiopian empire is a signatory to the above said Convention and we maintain, therefore, the Wayannee/TPLF leadership who usurped the state power from the previous Ethiopian regime should be charged of the crime of genocide on the Oromo citizens of the Empire. The cruel and inhuman documented crimes of TPLF and its leaders against the Oromo people in the Empire are of the gravest concerns to all Oromos. We call upon all people of good will in Africa, Europe and the United States to call the TPLF and its leadership to account to the extrajudicial killings, mass arrests, and acts of terror to destroy the Oromo People.

We present the documented crimes of the regime’s Stormtroopers known as “Agazi”  that, according to Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Freedom House, and many others who monitor human rights  violation, have committed heinous acts of extrajudicial killing of more than 500 Oromos since November 2015. These crimes of awful magnitude, planned, coordinated and executed   by The Tigre People’s Liberation Front leaders, aiming at the essential foundation of Oromo people, its culture and its existence is genocide!

The United Nation’s General Assembly has affirmed that “genocide is a crime under international law whether the crime is committed on religious, racial, political or any other grounds….any act committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group…as such: killing members of the group, causing serious bodily harm or mental harm to members of the group ….a systematic and structural destruction of innocent people by a state bureaucratic apparatus is genocide”

The Wayannee Gestapo army under the order of TPLF leaders committed brutal and grotesque acts that eclipsed a civilized international standard of crowed control. They used live bullets to quell teenagers whose only weapons were their love of their lands and the Oromo farmers who have been forcefully evicted from their farms. These massacred youth were protesting the vulgar acts of expelling Oromo farmers from their ancestral lands. The resistance and martyrdom of heroic Oromo youth whose blood drenched the Oromia soil, whose tortured, maimed and mangled bodies were strewn allover Oromia’s hills and farm lands is our anguish, and these are crimes against humanity and Damn Right We Charge Genocide!

Obbo Tarfaa Dibaabaa, har’a Adoolessa 29, 2016, magaalaa Hamburg, Jarmanii, keessati addunyaa kana irraa dhukkubaan boqoochuu isaanii gadda guddaan isin beeksisna. Obbo Tarfaan, Amajjii 6, 1940 magaalaa Dambidoollo, Wallaga, Oromiyaa tti dhalatan.

Obbo Tarfaan abbaa manaa Adde Arfaasee Gammadaa, abbaa Yared, Benjamin fi Talile, fi akaakayyuu Gilcha, Galan Hirtz-Dibaba, Hawani Yonas and Yadani Yonas turan. Maatii fi firootin isaanii jaalala fi kabaja guddaanisaan yaadatu.

Sirna, bakka fi yeroo awwaalcha isaanii yeroo dhihooti beeksisna.

Maatii Oboo Tarfaa Dibaabaa
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Sad News

Our family is deeply saddened to inform every one of the passing of our beloved Obbo Tarfaa Dibaaba, on July 29, 2016 in Hamburg, Germany. Obbo Tarfaa was born on January 6, 1940 in Dambidollo town, Wallaga, Oromia.

Obb Tarfaa is survived by his dear wife Adde Arfaasee Gammadaa, his loving adult children Yared, Benjamin and Talile, and his beloved grandchildren Gilcha, Galan Hirtz-Dibaba, Hawani Yonas and Yadani Yonas. He will be missed terribly and remembered fondly by his family and friends.

Obbo Tarfa’s funeral arrangements will be announced soon.

Obbo Tarfa’s Family

Ayyaantuu – we are deeply saddened by the loss of the ‘father of Oromo Rielf Association (ORA)’, Tarfa Dibaba, whose life long dedication saved thousands of Oromo refugees in the Horn of Africa. We extend our deepest sysmpathies to the family of Tarfa and friends. May the soul of Tarfa be at peace! RIP

More development about the death of Tarfa Dibaba to come

#‎OromoProtests‬ intense protest underway in two towns of West Arsi, Edo Waqantera and Xiyo. People have kicked out the military from the town. Witnesses saw more reinfrocement arriving and regrouping outside the town. Three people have been shot and wounded so far.
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Arsii Lixaa magaalota lama, jechuunis Edo Waqanxeeraffi Xiyyoo keessatti mormiin cimaan geggeeffamaa jir. Ummanni loltoota mootummaa magaalaa ari’ee ture. Ammaa humna dabalataatin deebi’anii too’achuuf yaalaa jiran.

Abdii Boruutiin

Gaafii akka mata dureetti dhiyaate kanaaf deebii otuu hin barbaadin dura, garaagarummaa fi walfakkeenya sochiilee lamaanii kana hubachuun barbaachisaa dha. Walfakkeenya caalaa garaagarummaan waan heddoomuuf, mee dura walfakkeenya sochiilee kanaa gabaabumaan ilaalla.

Walfakkeenya

Musiliimonni kan gaafachaa turan mirgi amantii keenyaa nuu haa eegamu; mootummaan dhimma kana keessa seenee nuuf murteessuu ykn nurratti murteessuu hin danda’u; namoota nuti barbaadne fi filannetu nu hogganuu qabu; amantii nuti hordofnu otuu jiruu kan biraa alaa dhufee nurratti fe’amuu hin qabu fi kkf yoo ta’u sochiin kun yeroo dheeraa booda jijjiirama tokko otuu hin fidin dhaabbate.

Karaa biraatiin sochii uummata Oromoo yoo ilaalle ammoo, gabaabumatti ka’umsi isaa Maastar Plaanii wajjin walqabatee, yoo xiqqaate mirgi seerri fi heerri biyyattiidhaaf lafa kaayame nuu haa kabajamu kan jedhu ta’ee, kunoo ji’oota sagal keessa jira. Walumaagalatti walfakkeenyi sochiilee lamaaniitu gaafii mirgaa ti jechuu dha. Gaafiin Oromoo garuu kan asitti dhaabbatu qofaa miti. Waayee kanas armaan gaditti ilaalla.Gama deebii Wayyaaneen kennituun yoo ilaalles, namoota reebuu, dararuu fi hidhuun sochiilee lamaan keessattu kan mul’atuu dha. Wayyaaneen akkuma barte sochiilee kana humnaan dhaabuu ykn dhabamsiisuu yaaluu ishii ti.

Garaagarummaa

Garaagarummaan sochiilee lamaan kana jedduu jiru baay’ee bal’aa waan ta’eef, hunda isaatuu kaasuun yoo danda’amuulle baate, qabxiilee gurguddoo tokko tokko kaasuun ni danda’ama.

Tokkofaa, sochiin uummata Oromoo fi gaafiin isaa har’a sadarkaa ol aanaarra haa gahu malee, erga uummatni Oromoo gabrummaa Habashaa jalatti kufee kaasee, hanga har’aatti kan deemaa jiru; gaafii bu’uraa; gaafii eenyummaa; gaafii bilisummaa fi Abbaabiyyummaa waan ta’eef baay’ee bal’aa fi hanga kun guutumaa guutuutti deebii argatutti dhaabbachuu kan hin dandeenye dha.

Lammaffaa, uummata sochiileen kun lamaan hammatan yoo ilaalle, sochiin uummata keenyaa Oromiyaa kaabaa-kibba, bahaa-dhiha akkasumas jiddugaleessa kan kakaase yoo ta’u, walumaagalatti sochii biyyoolessaa ti jechuu ni danda’ama. Sochiin Musiliimotaa garuu harka caalaan magaalota keessatti waan ta’e natti fakkaata.

Sadaffaa, tooftaaleen sochiilee lamaanii garaagarummaa guddaa qabu. Tooftaalee uummatni keenya itti fayyadamani fi ittifayyadamaas jiran, biyyatti sana keessatti kan mul’atee ykn argamee hin beekne yoo ta’u, diinagdee Wayyaanee laaffisuurratti gahee guddaa taphatan.

Afraffaa, gaafiin uummatni Oromoo kaase fi kaasaas jiru ijoon isaa gaafii eenyummaa ykn gaafii jiruu fi jireenyaa ti. Uummatni tokko yoo eenyummaan isaa jiraate fi lafa qabaate bilisummaa fi abbaabiyummaa hawwa. Haalli nuti har’a keessa jiru garuu baay’ee yaaddessaa waan ta’eef uummatni keenya baduurraa of baraaruuf qabsaa’aa jira. Gaafiin/sochiin akkanaa ammoo guutumaa guututti hanag deebii argatutti waan dhaabbatuu miti.

Shanaffaa, sochii Musiliimotaa dhaabuuf Wayyaaneen Poolisoota itti bobbaaftee turte. Kan uummata keenyaa dhaabuuf ykn dhabamsiisuuf garuu har’a kunoo Oromiyaa guutuu waraana ishiitiin bulchaa jirti. Bulchuurra unkuraa jirti jechuu wayya. Lammiileen keenya kan waraanni Agaazii ajjeese lakkofsi isaanii sirriitti hin beekamu. Kan hidhame, ajjeefame fi bakka buuteen isaanii hin beekamnes akkasuma.

Egaa, gara gaafii mata dureetti deebi’uudhaaf, wanti biraallee yo hafe, garaagarummaa asitti tuttuqaman kanaayyuu yoo fudhanne fi ijoo dubbii yoo laalle, sochiin uummata Oromoo waan dhaabbatu hin fakkaatu. Bakkee tokkotti waan qabbanaaye fakkaatee, bakkee biraatti ka’aatuma ittifufa malee hin dhaabbatu jechuu dha. Hangam akka turu fi jijjiiramni inni fidu beekamuu baatullee akka sochii Musiliimotaa sana waan dhaabbatee hafu natti hin fakkaatu; hin ta’as jedhee hin amanu. Haa ta’u malee, gaafiin “Jijjiirama hoo fidaa?” kan jedhu waa baay’eerratti hundaaya.

Inni guddaa fi hangafti garuu tokkummaa uummata keenyaa fi humna keenya jabeessuu dha. Qabsoo kana keessatti hunduu dirqama Oromummaa bahuu dha. Gahee fi qoodni kiyya maali jedhanii ofgaafachuu dha. Waan namarraa eegamu godhuun yeroon isaa har’a malee boruu akka hin taane hubachuu dha.

Sochii uummata Oromoo kana keessatti gaafiilee adda addaatu ka’u. Fakkeenyaaf, uummattootni Itoophiyaa maaliif callisanii taa’u? Maaliif uummata Oromootiif gargaarsa hin goone? Maaliif ka’anii waliin hin sochoone?… Gaafiilee kana kaasuun gaarii dha. Haa ta’u malee, wanti hubachuu qabnu tokko, olola Habashootaatiin baroota dheeraaf keessumaayuu Wayyaanotaan godhama ture fi jiru irraa kan ka’e, uummatni Oromoo bilisummaa fi abbaabiyyummaa isaa deebisee yoo argate, uummattoota biraatiif sodaachisaa akka ta’u waan itti himamaa tureef; kunis sammuulee uummattootaa keessa waan jiruuf; hanag rakkoo walfakkaataan dhaqee balbala isaanii rurrukututti har’a hunduu callisuu filatan. Uummattoota Habashaa dhiisii warrumti akka keenyaatuu warri kibbaa callisuun isaanii waanuma olola kanarraa madde natti fakkaata. Kan ta’es ta’u, Oromoon wal malee gargaarsa biraa akka hin qabne yoomiyyuu caalaa hubachuu qaba. Kanaaf, tokkummaa fi humna Oromoo cimsuu qofaatu furmaata nuuf ta’a.

Tokkumman Oromoo akkamitti cimuu danda’a?

Akkuman kanaan duras barreessaa ture fi har’as irradeebi’ee jechuu fedhu, tokkummaan nuti dhabne ykn bakkeen hir’inni jiru tokkummaa qabsaa’otaa fi jaarmayoota Oromoo bira. Uummatni keenya akka uummataatti tokkummaa qabaachuu isaanii jechaan qofaa otuu hin taane, hojiidhaan lafarratti agarsiisanii jiru. Tokkummaan har’a dhabame tokkummaa jaarmayoota keenyaa ti. Yeroo baay’ee tokkoomne ykn walhubanne jechaatuma as gahanii jiru. Tokkummaan dhugaa garuu jaarmayoota keenya jidduutti mul’atee hin beeku. Kun waan nama gaddisiisu fi qaanessuu dha. Har’a illee yeroo uummatni keenya ijoollee sabiyyii dabalatee diinaan ajjeefamaa jiran kanatti, jaaramayootni Oromoo biyya alaa jiran, gadi bahanii waliigalle jedhanii; sana booda garuu sagaleen isaanii dhabamuun isaanillee qaanessuu qaba. Uummata keenyatti qoosaa jiruyii? Yeroon ammaa yeroo waan jedhan hojiidhaa agarsisan malee, akkuma dur barame, ibsa baasaniituma manatti deebi’anii taa’anii miti!! Kun isaaniifis nuufis qaanii hamma kana hin jedhamnee dha.

Biyyatti deebi’anii, uummata keessatti argamanii waliin qabsaa’uu yoo baatan, tokkummaa dhugaa uumanii sagalee tokko dubbachuunuu uummata biyya keessa jiruuf hamilee ta’aa bar!! Lakkii, kana godhuurra amaluma barame sana ittifufuu filatanii jiru. Isaan tokko tokko mooraa QBO keessatti tokkummaa qabsaa’otaa uummuurra jaarmayoota alagaa biroo wajjin tumsa uumuun bu’aa waan qabu ykn tooftaa gaarii akka ta’e waan yaadan fakkaatu. Tumsa uumuun badaa miti. Keessumaayuu uummattoota akka keenyaa fi hiree walfakkaata qabnu wajjin tumsa uumuun barbaachisaa dha. Humnoota fedhii uummata keenyaa hin qabne fi kaayyoo QBO hin kabajne waliin tumsa yaaduun eessanuu nu hin gahu. Mooraadhuma keenya humneessuu fi cimsuutu furmaata caaluu dha. Keessumaayyuu humnoota kaayyoo fi galii keenya hin barbaadne wajjin maalirratti waliigaluuf jennee ammas yeroo keenya gubna? Isaan kun eenyummaa keenyaa hin fudhatanii bar!! Itoophiyummaa fi alaabaa ishii fudhachiisuuf haal-duree uumuu bar!

Tokkummaan jaarmayootaa kan dhugaa ta’e yoo jiraate wanti qindeeffamu fi hojjetamu hunduu bu’aa agarsiisa. Yoo kun hin jiraanne akkamitti dandeettii, beekumsa fi qabeenya keenya qindeessinee humna uumuu dandeenya? Gara gara faffaca’uun akka bu’aa hin qabne waanu argaa as geenye dha. Aariidhaa (Emotionally) barreessu natti hin ta’inii, jaarmayootni keenya kan biyya alaa jiran kun tokkoomuu kan danda’an, hoggansi jaarmayoota hundaatuu kan amma jiru kun gutumaa guutuutti jijjiiramee, dhaloota haar’aadhaan yoo bakka buufame qofaa dha jedheen yaada. Warri hanga har’aatti asiin gahan gaheen isaanii “gorsa kennuu” otuu ta’ee irra caalaatti jijjiirama tokko fiduu danda’a jedheen amana. Beekumsa, dandeettii fi mooyxannoo qabaniin dhaloota (hoggana) haaraa bira yoo dhaabbatan galiin isaan barbaadanillee bakka gahuu danda’a. Kun isaan achi dhiibuuf otuu hin taane, humna haaraadhaan qabsoo sadarkaa ol aanaarra gahe kana caalaatti finiinsanii gabrummaa xumuruuf gargaarsa ta’a jedheen amana.

Yeroo baay’ee akka haasa’amaa ture fi jirutti, humna waraanaa Oromoo cimsuun filannoo barbaadamaa (Preferred Option) akka ta’e amanama. Haa ta’u malee, waraana ijaaruun jaarmayaa tokko ta’e fi hoggansa cimaa qabu, kan uummata Oromootiin deeggarsa guddaa qabu jalatti yoo ta’e malee waa hundaa qindeessuun rakkisaa ta’a. Uummatni keenya qabeenyaan gargaaruuf hamileedhaan kan ka’u jaarmayaan akkanaa yoo jiraate qofaa dha. Jaarmayaa waa hundaa sossoosuu danda’u (an organization which can mobilize all recourses) yoo hin qabaanne, gargaarsi uummataas laafaa ta’uu danda’a jechuu dha. Egaa, gara xumura barreeffama kiyyaatitti deemuuf, jaarmayootni keenya kan biyya alaatti gargar hiramanii jiran waayee kana ittiyaaduu qabu. Otuu isaan asii fi achi jedhanuu uummatni isaan gatee deemee akka fagaate waan hubatan natti fakkaata. Kanaafuu, silaa isaantu cimee uummata dursa ture; amma garuu uummatatu isaan dursee jira. Uummatatu waan isaan hogganaa jiru fakkaata. Bakkee adda addaatti bibixxilamanii hafuurra, yeroon walitti deebi’anii tokkummaa dhugaa uuman yeroon isaa amma.

Galatoomaa!

“The suffering which falls to our lot in the course of nature, or by chance, or fate, does not seem so painful as suffering which is inflicted on us by the arbitrary will of another.”

By: Yared Terfassa

From reading a recent article by the well-seasoned historian, Dr. Mohammed Hassen, titled “… continuous attack on Oromo identity…,” one can surely pick up the agony and powerlessness felt by the author for the violence and brutality endured by his people – the Oromo. And, that man of conscience, Mr. Felix Horne of the Human Rights Watch, expressed his utter revulsion at the extent of brutality the current Ethiopian Government is perpetrating against the Oromo in the phrase, “Such a Brutal Crackdown,” a title he gave to the recent report.

Unquestionably, the political sentiments of both of these good people are shared by all those who stand for peace and human dignity.  But, there are ideas and attitudes that underpin “Such A Brutal Crackdown” and “continuous attack on Oromo identity”.  Understanding of these underpinnings is imperative to finding ways out of the perennial problem of violence in Ethiopia. My premise here is that “violence is never a question of a single act in the here and now.” It is a “phenomenon that has history.” And, more often than not, it is preceded by some sort of generalized belief or prejudicial judgment.

The violence against the Oromo did not commence in November 2015. It has been going on since the inception of the Ethiopian State.  Of course, there are those who completely forget, deny, rationalize, and/or relativize the history of violence against the Oromo. These individuals have the luxury of “historical amnesia and incuriousness about” it. For the Oromo, however, the Ethiopian State violence is a “lived experience of expropriation, whose effect constitute…daily humiliation…”

Prior to the importation of the idea of nation-state into Africa from Europe in the 19^th century, the Oromo had lived as a pre-nation, independent people under an indigenous, democratic, administrative system, the Gadaa. They are people of ancient origin. The initial act of the formation of the Oromo as a linguistic-cultural group can be adequately explained by the principles of ease, least effort, congeniality, and pride in one’s own culture. And, the longevity of its existence can be attributed to the coherence and soundness of the foundational ideas Oromo for communal living, the commitment of its adherents, and of course, historical fortune.

The Gadaa system, which has served the Oromo well since time immemorial to live in peace, proved inadequate in the face of an emerging politico-military organization imported from Europe. The Oromo did not transition from direct democracy to a centralized, national, republican form of government in time to successfully fend off threats to their independent survival. Though the absence of centralized national leadership at a critical juncture has made the Oromo vulnerable to the military adventures of chieftains, it was the political tutorial and bullet handouts of the Europeans to local chiefs that was decisive in changing the Oromo’s historical fortune. The Europeans gave out the tutorials and handouts on a first come basis to local chieftains who would give or give up something in return. The Europeans help was never based on considerations of individual merit of the chieftains or evaluations of the languages, traditions, or social organizations of indigenous groups. In politics then, as it is today, what mattered was “who you know.”

Be that as it may, since the completion of the founding of the Ethiopian State violently in early 20^th century, the Oromo fate in Ethiopia has been in limbo until 1991. During that period, a modus vivendi has been “worked out” between the Ethiopian State and the Oromo in which the latter “simply knew” their position in the Ethiopian social hierarchy. They were expected to abide by the realities of the prevailing system. Whatever resistance the Oromo had showed was viciously suppressed. In 1991, however, social changes that occurred in Ethiopia pushed the Oromo issue to the fore. The power to be, the TPLF, declared its commitment to address ethnic/national issues through “Revolutionary Democracy” – respect and recognition for the sovereignty of ethnic/national groups. For the first time in Oromo history, Oromia, Oromo country, obtained legal and political recognition in Ethiopia.

Merely a year into its rule, however, the TPLF wavered from its “convictions” and replaced them with its narrow, group “interests.” It replaced “Revolutionary Democracy” with the so-called “Developmental State” program. The essence of this program is the creation of a middle class whose members would be chosen, directly or indirectly, by the TPLF and perpetuate Tigrean hegemony for a long, long time to come. Accordingly, the TPLF adopted England’s 18^th century “primitive accumulation of capital” model to create wealth to its leaders and benefactors. It involves “suddenly and forcibly” divorcing farmers from their “subsistence farm” for the purpose of raising capital. It should be noted that when this took place in England, the country had already had over three hundred years of existence as a nation, which is far different from the ethnic and national realities of Ethiopia in the 21^st century.

The Oromo have naturally rejected the imposition of these “horrifying barbarisms” and the rationalization of irrational means (impoverishing millions of Oromo) to an end (creating a few capitalists, mainly Tigreans). The Oromo view TPLF’s paternalism (and/or parasitism) as the worst form of affront toward their dignity. As a result, the Oromo, from Wollo to Borena and from Wellega to Hararghe, have taken to the streets in opposition to TPLF’s project of dispossession. Obbo Ibsa Gutema, that man with iron in his soul, has proudly characterized the recent Oromo resistance/mobilization as “…unseen… (at least) in the region…since the 16^th century.”

One cannot fault the TPLF, or any other group, for having or pursuing its own social, economic or political interest. Interests can be negotiated and an amicable solution can be found. But, when one’s interests are elevated to the status of rights, they become non-negotiable. Thus, the TPLF has to defend its newly devised non-negotiable interests via the rule of violence as it is doing now, and not through the rule of law.

Successive Ethiopian governments have made use of extreme violence against opposition groups, ideological or ethnic/national. But, the violence against the Oromo has been going on for so long and the ubiquitous prejudice against them have made the perpetrators and a lot of observers unsympathetic and unempathetic. It is a historical fact that the Ethiopian ruling class and its adjunct intellectuals have been propagating ethnic/national prejudice against the Oromo. Some of the prejudicial judgments about the Oromo in Ethiopia include describing or characterizing them as “late comers or foreigners,” “uncivilized,” “pagans,” “tribalist,” “narrow nationalist”, “extremist,” “threat to Ethiopia,” “agents of foreign powers,” and more.

Remember the old adage: “There has never been a bite without previous barking.” Without such generalize beliefs, the violence against the Oromo could not have been sustained with such frequency and intensity for so long. These beliefs are, of course, literally absurd. They are based on faulty and inflexible generalizations. They cannot be rationally accounted for by the objectively known traits of the Oromo or their deserved reputation. But, they have been serving a purpose justifying and/or masking the economic advantage, social status and political power that the rulers derive from the subjugation of the Oromo. These prejudices are then passed on from generation to generation.

Some of the ways that anti-Oromo prejudices are propagated and recycled from generation to generation are:

• Jokes and derisive languages as methods of proving the “inferiority” of Oromo and exalting the attributes of others.The jokes one tells or gets amused by say a lot about the decency and soundness of one’s character. Of course, some get a sense of superiority/release in the most deranged of ways, including via depraved and debased jokes.A few use of the epithet “gala” not only to characterize a person’s membership but also to disparage and reject him. The use of this epithet is to dehumanize the Oromo and influence how they are perceived and how they are written about and thought about by the general public in Ethiopia. For the user of this epithet, the proper name Oromo strikes him as absurd; the Oromo language strikes him as ludicrous; the mention of the Oromo name sends him into paroxysm of fear, or a frenzy of anger.
• Denial of the existence of the Oromo nation and/or oppression against them so as to justify the rule of violence.Some of the deniers of the existence of the Oromo nation set about deconstructing the Oromo identity in an attempt to show the illogicality and falsity of the facts of Oromo history. They argue that since there are no “pure Oromos” in Ethiopia, those who profess real Oromo identity are “self-serving fakes,” whose demand for social justice should be dismissed as mere trouble making.These deniers fail to understand that national identity is not a biological concept although ancestral lineage has traditionally been accorded much weight in the literature. They also fail to appreciate the sense of pride and purpose the Oromo identity produces and the passion it engenders that are instrumental in the struggle for freedom and justice. There is no moral error in claiming, asserting, and promoting one’s ethnic/national identity. Furthermore, the only way to find out whether the Oromo nation exists is to ask the people – a project that requires political will and the audacity to take responsibility.Some other deniers make every effort to find an alternative “national problem” with a view to put the Oromo question on the back burner. Some of the problems identified to undermine or hide ethnic/national problems are income inequality (class struggle), corruption, border issues, religion, threat from external enemy, and so on. Of course, Ethiopia has these problems and much more. Yet, the articulation of one problem and the attempt to find one sovereign solution does not seem a rational or practical approach to address the multi-headed demon facing the country, including the most potent – ethnic/national issue.

  Still, others present ethnic/national problems as economic questions, and proceed to look for solutions in the Marxian school of thought. They are of the opinion that “class makes for a rational political behavior because it associates people on the basis of their common interests, in pursuit of an individual emancipation.” They theorize ethnic identity as “false consciousness.” The Ethiopian experience of class warfare under the Derg clearly demonstrated the absurdity of this belief, though. Driven by “envy, resentment, and paranoia,” the so-called class struggle had turned into a justification for arbitrary imprisonment, torture, judicial and extra-judicial killings. The experiences of almost all countries who chose similar journeys had been even more horrifying.  The affirmation of the Oromo identity is not “false consciousness” that needs violent absolution. Rather, it is a human rights issue demanding urgent politico-legal solutions.

  Also, traditional liberal democracy is inadequate to address the deep-seated, extremely discriminatory socio-political problems in Ethiopia. It has failed to appreciate the dynamic interrelationship between individual rights and group rights. Advocates of liberal democracy also miserably fail to see that the free choice, civil society, and property rights they advocate could not be achieved or sustained in a country where there are ethnic/national prejudice and discrimination. The sad culture of “copy and paste” of the Ethiopian literati has proved to be an additional impediment to finding peaceful, egalitarian solutions for ethnic/national problems.

  Sometimes, however, the denial of the existence of the Oromo as a group or the oppression against it are based upon sheer habituation to the status quo, and not on malicious intent. Some people are accustomed to the prevailing social system that they think it is eternally fixed and entirely satisfactory to the Oromo. Such people do not have malicious intent, thus are amenable to change through information and learning.

• Fabrication of myths to create the illusion that the current social order has moral superiority because it has historical priority.All nation-states create or use myths about themselves that they wish to perpetuate. One motive for the formulation of myths could be the desire to enhance national pride or status, or to provide a heritage to live up to. In Ethiopia, however, a variety of myths have been fabricated to discredit, defame, and denigrate the Oromo. Some of these myths have been fabricated to create the illusion that the current social order has always been accepted and hence, it is beyond reproach or contestation. History of antiquity is employed as a device to suppress legitimate demands for justice. In most cases, those who manufacture the destructive myths in Ethiopia are individuals with some kind technical training. They write articles, blogs, books which give them a veneer of respectability and a modicum of success in spreading their fables since their writings are quite widely distributed. Even with the best of intentions, the utility of myths in forming lasting national unity is fatally undermined when the ruling class perpetuates discrimination and violence against a significant segment of the population, as is the case against the Oromo.
• Employment of primordialist theories to trivialize and delegitimize the Oromo quest for freedom and equality. In addition, rationalization of the actions of the Ethiopian Government, relativization of the suffering of Oromo, and blaming the Oromo for their predicament have all been used for the same effect.Some characterize the Oromo’s demand for recognition as “tribalism,” or “primordialist.” They argue that such a demand is an “irrational sentiment” that has survived from past tribalism, and not fit for the modern personality. Some even have borrowed the phrase, “lack of imagination” from Mr. Obama’s speech to give credence to their myopic and defective reasoning. They describe Oromo nationalist as “cultural fools, doomed to reproduce their world endlessly and mindlessly.”These prejudiced individuals condemn the Oromo in the most condemnatory terms possible. The critical weakness of these arguments is that they fail to recognize again that ethnicity is not a genetic concept. The fact that the Oromo identity is not biological reality does not mean it does not have social significance. In fact, the Oromo identity in Ethiopia likely determines or greatly influences an Oromo individual’s personal security, socio-economic mobility, and the like. And, approaching ethnicity or nations in terms of genes/DNA is not just wrong but dangerous. The argument these bad-faith Ethiopians are pursuing and the position they are advocating is a species of sociological racism and may become a doctrine of extermination.The other category of ill-thinkers attempt to rationalize the suffering and oppression of the Oromo. They invoke the Darwinian theory of evolution in such a way to justify the subjugation of the Oromo by a “fit” ethnic group. They chide the Oromo for their “stubborn refusal to modernization.” But, modernization is not a neutral concept; it is a contested one. Modernization can be viewed as not an instrument of modernity but its subversion. For instance, colonization as an instrument of modernization carried to other peoples, to construct auxiliary instruments of labor, is the antithesis to modernity. Thus, the Oromo demand for cultural right and socio-political recognition cannot be dismissed on the premise of modernity.

Deconstructing history, fabricating fables, denigrating the Oromo are simple intellectual tasks; they do not involve difficult moral choices. But, their impact on the Oromo individual is all too real.

Naturally, the Oromo individual has devised ways to survive the persistent blows of contempt and violence directed toward him/her in Ethiopia. He/she has employed various tactics/mechanisms to survive the scourge of ethnic prejudice and national oppression. And, the choice of tactics/mechanisms depended on the individual’s own life experiences: how he/she was trained, how severe his/her suffered from persecution, his/her philosophy of life, etc.  Some of these are:

• Selective self-preservation and passivity: many individuals, particularly in urban settings, have resorted to the tactic of playing the clown, ingratiating themselves, pretense, etc. in the interest of survival and social mobility.
• Denial of membership: is the simplest response. This device comes easy for those who do not have Oromo names, appearance, or accent, and who do not in fact feel any loyalty or attachment to the Oromo. Perhaps, they are, figured by tradition, only a half, a quarter, or an eighth inheritors of the Oromo tradition. Also, there are some who deny their group by conviction and regard it as desirable for all others to lose their identities as fast as they can. But, often, the individual who denies his/her allegiance to his group suffers considerable conflict.
• Self-hate: a few have come to dislike their Oromo heritage. These types have a sense of shame for having an Oromo name, Oromo parents, or any of the negative qualities ascribed to the Oromo by irrational and immoral others. They want to lose themselves totally into another culture as soon as their custom, speech, and wealth makes them indistinguishable from that culture. They mentally identify with the practice, outlook, and prejudice of the existing system. I do not know how such individuals could be “cured.”
• Fighting back: the reactions of many Oromo individuals can be summarized by a quote from Spinoza. “He who conceives himself hated by another and believes that he has given him no cause for hatred, will hate that other in return.” Hate is not a virtue; fighting for one’s dignity is.
• Enhanced striving: many Oromo individuals have chosen making the extra spurt of effort to surmount the challenges of everyday prejudice they face in Ethiopia. Consequently, many have achieved and become paragons of success. Although there is nothing unethical in this approach, it does not provide much political inspiration.

Here, it should be absolutely clear that such tactics of survival are not exclusively of Oromo invention or experience.  The Tigreans under the Derg, the Amharas under the TPLF, have employed similar methods of survival and mobility at various levels. In fact, that such methods have been employed throughout history by every group of people who has ever been subjected to constant violence by the power that be. Furthermore, the Oromo do not claim that the indignities they have been enduring are worse than that of the Gurages, the Kembatas, the Wolaitas, and others. Rather, the Oromo have chosen to reject subordination and demand recognition as part of the universal struggle for human dignity. Given their history, demography, geography, economy, and the culture of resistance they have developed, the Oromo has the capacity and a historical responsibility to bring about a new politico-moral order of which human dignity is the foundation, and peace, stability and development are paramount.

Nonetheless, none of the tactics adopted by individuals could bring about lasting, nay fleeting, change. National or ethnic prejudice is the most difficult to overcome on an individual basis. The violence against the Oromo people would not stop if and when an Oromo individual achieves a certain economic or social status. Individuals can rise and fall, succeed or fail. But, discrimination and stigma are a common, group fate, and it requires collective action for group rights. National oppression or ethnic prejudice is not an individual issue, and mass escape is never possible. That is, the Oromo demand for recognition cannot be reduced to be a matter of individual self-determination.

The Oromo nation is not a group of individuals who have come together for a certain political project, and who would cease to be Oromo after achieving it. Neither is it a collection of individuals who have found their way into the nation by their own paths, one person or family at a time. It definitely is not a collection of individuals who joined the group because the TPLF is persecuting them. Rather, an Oromo individual is discriminated against and persecuted because of his/her group membership – because he/she is Oromo.

The Oromo are people with a sense of pride in a rich received tradition, a longing for generational continuity, and loyalty to the Oromo national identity. Of course, individuals can break away, and commit themselves to the difficult process of self-formation. But, the vast majority of Oromo people do not want to see the Oromo nation dissolved. They do not want to abandon their language or traditions. They do not want to forfeit their national identity for the sake of being accepted as “pure Ethiopians. They passionately want to be recognized as a group, as an independent source of human activity, with a will of its own. This is what the Oromo are struggling for.

To conclude, the recent violence against the Oromo in Ethiopia is not a new, one-time, accidental phenomenon. It is one that has been going on with varying levels of intensity, with a purpose, since the founding of the Ethiopian State. The absence of a democratic founding covenant or a subsequent ethical or democratic tradition have made violence an acceptable method of state building in Ethiopia. Functional or pathological, the prejudice against the Oromo has been real and pervasive. And, there has been a direct relationship between the prejudicial view hold by the bearers and the brutality they inflicted upon the Oromo. The absence of an Oromo national organization with centralized leadership has also contributed to the continuation of the perpetration of violence. Today, in the 21^st century, the Oromo are under a power that follows the tired modus operandi of despots of the 19^th century.  In fact, the political and security cost of living in Ethiopia is exorbitantly high for the Oromo. For instance, that staunch advocate of peace, Obbo Bekele Gerba, is being charged a price that even an ascetic cannot afford.

All is not bleak, though; there is hope. The ongoing Oromo struggle has earned the respect and admiration friends and foes alike. Many of the ethnic/national groups in Ethiopia are tired of tyranny. The Americans and the Europeans also have begun looking at the Oromo as a viable partner for peace and democracy in the Horn of Africa. The only remaining obstacle is the intransigence of the TPLF. The TPLF also has to either abandon its violent ways and dictatorship out of self-inspection or through pressure from the Oromo, the Amhara, the Sidama, and others before things go out of hand.

“There are some abuses that are genuinely intolerable, and some excuses for these abuses that are insupportable.”

SEENAA  Y.G(2005)

Qabasoon Walabummaa/Bilisummaa Oromoo sadarkaan irra jiru, akka kaleessaa kan hawwii qofaan guutamanii dubbatanii miti. Ilmaan Oromoo akka kaleessaa “Tokkummaan humna” jedhanii , adaraa waaqaa fi lafaa haa tokkomnu jedhanii yeroo itti wal kadhatan irra hin jirru. Bilisummaa fi injifannoo warra kaanii ilaallee, hinaaffaan atu nuutis akkas taanee jennee of nyaachuu irra hin jirru. Har’a wareegamni qaaliin itti kafalamee “HUMNA TOKKUMMAA” itti argisiisaa jirra. Dhalli Oromoo Biyya keessa jiraatu, humna tokkummaa diinatti argisiisaa jira. Humnuma tokkomee kanaatu diina raasee hegaree isaa akka mil’atee ilaaluu taasisaa jira. Biyya alaattis humni tokkomee bu’aa maalii galmeesisaa akka jiru ijaan argaa jirra. Qabsoon Oromoo kana booda Injifannoo barbaadamu galmeesisaa deemuu irraa , humna dabalataa horachaa deema malee, akka tokkomuuf sochii taasifamuun humna hin buusuu.

Bakka jiran beekuun, bakka ga’an herreeganii waan bakka ga’an sanaaf gamanumaa akka qophaa’aan nama taasisa. bakka jiran wallaaluu fi waan irra ga’an hubachuu dhabuun, wallaalaa nama taasisa. Maanguddoomanii qalbiin ijoollee ta’uu dhugeessa. Waan irra ga’an beekaa ykn ani keessa hin jiru taanaan ,, jedhanii halaakuunis duubarra salphachuu fida. Ilamaan Oromoo hundi, warra har’allee arrabaan dheeratan dabalatee wanni hubachuu qaban, qabsoon wareegama qabsaa’ootaa fi dhaloota har’aan Sadarkaan kanarra ga’ee jiru, deeggarsa xiinxaltoota xobbee dhabee mitii, shirri fi hammeenyi addunyaadhaanu duubatti akak hin deebineedha. Inifannootu hundayyuu karaatti deebisaa deema. Qabsoon Oromoo bifa hundaan gaggeeffamaa jiru, har’a dabeessaa fi kashalabboota kabajaa hin qabneen , ofii waa osoo hin hojjannee, isuma jiru dhabamsiisuuf warra abbalaniin , hin hongaawu. Tokkummaan humnaa jechaa bara hin lakkaa’uu. Warra hiikkaa tokkummaa hubatee, humnatti jijjiirrateen inuma itti fufa. Wareegamni dhalootaa firii humna tokkummaati !!! qoosaa mitii. Qabsoon Oromoo diinaaf yaaddeessaa ta’uu guyyaa saafaa addunyaa irratti lallabamaa osoo jiruu, odoo arginuu fi dhageenyuu, Qabsaa’oota Oromoo walitti qabanii qabsoo kanaaf furmaata hin fiddan jedhanii warri legelleegan, ammallee sadarkaan qabsoo Oromoo maal irra akka jiru Ifatti akka ilaalaniif ija banadhaa jennaan. Qabsoon Oromoo kana booda maaloo maqaa keessaniif boodatti harkifannee jedhee duubatti deebi’ee isaaniin hin qixxaatu. Hin eeggatu.

Baabura Qabsoo Oromoo jechuun, Baabuura wayyaanee Finfinnee keessaa miti.baabuura haqarra ejjatee, dhiiga Ilmaan cunqurfamoo irra oofamuu miti. baabuura miidhaa Ummatootaa haguuguuf umamee miti. Baaburri Qabsoo Oromoo , baabuura haqaatii. baabuura yeroo dantaa ofii qofaa itti tajaajilamanii keessaa harca’anii mitii. Kaleessa baabuura kanatu nu geessa jedhanii yaabbatanii, mijachuu dinnaan, keessaa bu’anii kan biraatti ce’anii  miti. baabuura dhugaatii. Baabuura hadhaa hedduu qabdu. Baabuura injifannoo fi walbummaatti nama geessitu.karaan ishee dheeraa. Galiin ishee fagoo. Obsaa fi murannoo kan gaafattu. Baaburri shufeeroota muratoon oofamtu kun, warra dadhabee fi laafate, akkasumas kan isaan gananii keessaa harca’aniif  , baabuura finfinnee dhiigaan laaqamee cinaa geessanii hin dhaabbattu. Cubbamoota daddeebisuuf gonkumaa hin yaaddu. Jabiinaa fi cichoomiina isheen kunoo humna tokkummaa diinatti argisiisu oomshitee lammii boosaa jirti.

Qabsoon Oromoo milkaa’iinaan akka goolabamuu, diinnu guyyaa saafaa amanaa jira. Hegaree isaaniif yaadda’anii ifatti waan isaan baasuu lallabuu eegalanii jiran. Warri galata hin qabnee fi kabajaa hin qabnee kun hin liqifamuuf. wareegama Ilmaan Oromoon , dhimmi Oromoo ajandaa addunyaa addatti , ajandaa Senaataroota Ameerikaa ta’uu isaa ifatti osoo arganii, qabsoon gaggeeffamaa jiru bu’aa buusee hin qabu jedhanii diina qixxee falmaa jiran. Dhaaboonni siyaasaa addunyaa irraa hundumtuu hanqina qaban. Hanqinni isaan keessa ture nu keessas jira. Sirreessuu fi keessatti hirmaatanii yaada dhiheessuu kaasee ofiin amma qajeelchuutti  of kennuun kan abbaati. Lubbuu ofii mararfachaa qabsoon gonkumaa hin jiru. Waraanumayyuu qabaayii ???? jedhanii arraba dheeratu. Wayyaaneen ammoo waraana Bilisummaa Oromoon qabadhee jettee midiyaa irra baaftii. Xinxaltoonni Hogganni bu’uu qabaa jedhu. Dadhaboodhaa, dulloomaniiru kkf jedhu. Wayyaaneen ammoo ega angotti dhufnee qormaati tokkoffaa keenya Hogganootuma kamataman kana tarrisu . eenyutu dhugaatti jira ? hedduu nama gaddisiisa. Xiinxaltoonni keenya har’allee tokkummaan hin jiruu jedhu. Ijoolleen Biyya keessaa kaabaa kibba, bahaa dhihaatti raajii hojjachaa jirti. Warri tokkummaan dhibee jedhan kun, miidiyaama irrattillee ofii tokkomanii hin beekan. Wayyaaneen ammoo ABOn ijoollee nurratti bobbaasee, Biyya foxxoqisuufii jedhee halkanii fi guyyaa lallaba. Addunyaan ammoo gama biraan , gaaffiin ummata kanaa dhugaadhaa, wayyaaneen dhugaa kana liqimsuu qabdii jechaa jiru. amma kana keessaa qabsoon keenya sadarkaan inni irra ga’ee jiru kan ibsuu isa kam??? ???

Galanni Gootoota wareegamanii fi Qabsaa’oota cichoominaan jiraniif haa ta’uutii, Qabsoon Oromoo furmaata baroota dheeraa keessatti hawwiinu keessa dabree, Umurii wayyaanee waggoota muraasa keessatti jennee tilmaamuu irra geenyee jirra. Kufaatiin wayyaanee 100/100 mirkana. har’a WALABOOMUUF qofa osoo hin taanee, WALABUMMAAN duuba waan nu eeggatuuf marii eegallee jirra. Haalaa fi akkaataa teessuma Oromiyaa irraa, tarii walabummaan booda wareegama gama hundaan nuuti baafnuu, wareegama walabummaan duraa caaluu akka danda’uu tilmaamuun eegalamee jira. Kana jechuun abdii nu kutachisaaf osoo hin taanee, wareegama sana hanqisuuf har’aa kaafnee waan hojjachuu qabnuu akka jiru wal hubachiisuufi. Walabummaan booda halgaa irraa mitii , akka Ummataattu qormaata hedduu ulfaataatu nu eeggata. Qormaata nu eeggatu kana keessa dabruuf, qophiin barbaachisu eegalamuus mala. garuu haalaan qophaa’uu nu feesisa. Hin abjoottaa akka naan hin jenne. Kufaatiin wayyaanee dhugaadhaa hin shakkiinaa.

Shirri diinaa lakkoofsa hin qabu. Shiraan Kufaatii isaa illee ni dhoksa. maaliif jennaan, inni isa kuffisee qophii akka hin godhannee fi ega kufee booda isa hadheessuuf jedhama. Wayyaaneen miidiyaa irra jirti malee Biyya bulchuu irra hin jirtuu jedhama. Isheen garuu jiraachuu ishee miidiyaa of harkaa qabduun osoo hin taanee, bitamtoota midiyaalee hawaasaa adda addaa irratti bobbaaftee jiraachuu isheef ragaa lakkofti. Har’a nuuti holola kana hundaa irra tarree, keessa keenya ifatti itti argisiisaa jirra. Funyaan ishee jalatti goota meeqa uumnee sirna ishee mogolee jalaa kaafneerra. Kun dhugaa !!!! humna tokkummaa amma jiruun wayyaanee kan raafnee, humna qabaachuu qabnu keessaa harka walakkaa irra yoo geenyee, wayyaaneen hin jirtu. Humna kana harka walakkaatti butaa fi sadarkaa sana irra gaafa geenyu waan goonfannu fi isa booda jiruufis har’umaa yaaduu fi qophaa’uun hedduu barbaachisaadha.

Barreeffamakoo kutaa dheeraan qophaa’ee kanatti seenuuf yaadoota har’aa qalbiin qabadhaa. hanga har’aatti akkaataa sadarkaa har’a irra jirru dhaqabuuf yaadoota waliif hiraa fi wal gorfachaa turree jirra. Yaadaa fi gorsa wayyaanee lafaan ga’uu caalaa har’aa kan nuuti fardeessu qabnuu, wayyaaneen kufuun booda kan jiruuf ta’uu qaba jedheen amana. Akka walii galaatti, sochii kana boodaa kan ce’umsaatti fudhachaa , kan galii keenyaa fi galii keenyaan booda jiru irratti mari’achuu eegaluun dansaadha jedheen amana.

Kana booda maaltu nurraa eegama ? maaltu nu hafa ? maaltu nu barbaachisa ? hanga Bilisummaatti maaltu nu hafa ? Bilisummaan booda maaltu nu eeggata ? yaadoota kana bal’inaan dhiheessuun barbaada. Kufaatiin wayyaanee mirkana. Yoom kuftiinillee jabiina keenyaan murtaa’aa malee jabiina wayyaaneen miti. sadarkaa kanarra ga’uuf, wareegamni dhalootaa fi qabsaa’ootaa bakka ol aanaa qaba. wareegama kana firii itti gochuun kan danda’amuu Walaboomuu qofaan osoo hin taanee, walaboomuu ykn bilisoomuun booda waan jiruun mirkaneessuu barbaachisaadha. wayyaanoota keessaa har’aa kan dhaga’aa jirru, nuuti ganna amma kana kan qabsoofneef waan har’a argaa jirru kanaaf mitii jechuu ega eegalanii bubbulanii jiran. Rakkoon jireenya hawaasummaa irra ga’aa jiru sadarkaa yaaddeessaa irra ga’aa jiraachuu himamee jira. Kun akkaataa hawaasa isaanii gaggeessan irraa madda. Nuuti woo bor maaltu nu eeggata ? kana hudnaa ilaalla. Kanas , muuxannoo Biyyoota Bilisoomanii , Dhaaboota siyaasaa milkaa’anii hanga tokko fudhannee ilaalla ? kanneen keessaa haala qabatamaa Sudaan kibbaa,,,,Filitsixeem ,,,,,Ertiraa,,,,,,,Tigiraayi,,,,,,Somaaliyaa,,,,,Afriikaa-Kibbaa,,,,,Itoophiyaa-wayyaanee,,,,,,,,,jibuutii ,,,,,,,Affaar,,,,,Jibuutii,,,,,Amantii,,,, Jireenya Hawaasummaa,,,,Siyaasaa kkf hundaa kaafnee hegaree keenya waliin irratti dubbanna. Maaliif jennaan amma yeroo isaa waan ta’eef. Akka Ummataatti yaaduu fi akka siyaasaatti yaaduun garaagarummaa maalii qaba ? akka siyaasaa fi qabsaa’aatti yaaduun maal jechuudha ? akka Ummataa fi qabsaa’aatti yaadunoo ? akka Ummataa fi Bulchaatti yaadun tokko ? garaagarumman maalii ? kana hundaa ilaalla .Kutaa 2ffaatti walitti deebina.

GALATOOMAA !!!!

HORAA BULAA !!!!