Friday, September 07, 2007

The Asmara Group of OLF Takes TA-OLF Back to Minnesota Court




If you think you have heard the last of the OLF legal saga, then think again. The Asmara Group of OLF has re-filed its lawsuit against TA-OLF in a Minnesota court.

It is to be recalled that the same lawsuit was “dismissed without prejudice” by a Minnesota court in mid August of this year. According to legal experts, a complainant whose complaint is dismissed without prejudice has the option of re-filing the same complaint or dropping it altogether. It looks like the Asmara Group of OLF has opted for the former. That this is the case has been confirmed by this blogger’s contacts in both the Asmara Group- and TA-OLF.

After confirming the re-filing of the case, this blogger’s contact in the Asmara Group of OLF goes on to say “the case is expected to be heard in court in the next four weeks or so. While no one can tell how long it will take to receive a judgment, the [Asmara Group of] OLF expects the proceeding to be short and therefore less costly than is believed out there. This, I believe, should put to rest the minds of those who criticize this lawsuit on the basis of how much it will cost. The QC group is NOT the OLF and we are confident we shall prevail.”

The TA-OLF contact, on the other hand, writes “Once a case is filed against an individual or a legal entity, that entity is a defendant and is incumbent upon him/her to hire a lawyer, to appear in court and answer allegation(s) against him/her. Otherwise, s/he would be breaking the law of the land. [TA-]OLF is a reluctant participant in this retarded drama with Shanee Qinijjit [Asmara Group.] As has been said in [TA-] OLF’s press release on this matter in August 2007, the ultimate judge of this case is the Oromo people for whose judgment we are willing to wait patiently. I am not sure what the rush is for on Shanee Qinijjit’s side.”

In an effort to help his readers understand the reasoning that went in to conceiving, initiating and defending this case, this blogger has drafted and sent the following questions to both contacts.

  1. What do you think your group will gain or lose for being a party to this unpopular lawsuit? Financially, politically, …
  2. What do you think your group will gain if it wins this case? Financially, politically, …
  3. What do you think your group will lose if it loses this case? Financially, politically, …
  4. You both have members all over the USA. If you win this case in Minnesota, does that mean ONLY your group can operate as OLF just in MN or all over the USA?
  5. As you know, other parts of the world have their own separate court systems. Whatever the judge rules in MN, it is almost certain that Europe, Canada, Asia, Africa, etc … will not enforce it. To the plaintiffs, I ask: Do you plan to file complaints in other parts of the world as well? To the defendants, I ask: would you defend such cases in other parts of the world as well?
  6. How much have you spent so far on lawyers and where did that money come from?
  7. Had you not been engaged in this court case, what would you have used the financial and other resources you are currently expending on this lawsuit for?
Stay tuned for their answers. That is, if they respond.

Do you have any questions, or advice for one or both of the groups? If you do, please have your say.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

This lawsuit could be an order from Isaias.
Let me tell you why I think this is the case.
Isaias has recently made public his “Aand Ethiopia” agenda which he has been working on for a while, by creating AFD, converting asmara group (Shane) to Ethiopian opposition party. Etc.
In the past, he probably thought he has the Oromo issue under control.
He chose to ignore a pro Independence camp as he might have thought it is too small to worry about. The growing number of a pro independence groups and progress they are making might have sent him a message that they could no longer be ignored.
He realized getting done with Shane doesn’t guarantee getting done with Oromo cause.
So he says “Ichi baqeela kaderech atiqoraxamim”.
Isaias is known for his political miscalculations, which is based on luck of understanding of Oromo politics and physiology. This will cost him a great deal going forward.

Anonymous said...

i think this is bullshit, oromo people doesn't gain anything from this drama. we need a oreganztion who can work for oromo people and free them from yak nafxanya colonier. the so called asmara group and TA_OLF are strugling for power not the benift of oromo people. our people are suffering from death and hunger, so those two groups are not good for the real oromo people. period

Anonymous said...

I hope it does not affect some health oromos for the moment, but I hope it it for good in the long run. It is very hard to do good things but much easier to undo it, thus, guess this court me end the big confusion or God will solve when the time come.. peace time which is a gift of GOD-death

Anonymous said...

The real law suit is just starting and may go on for a long period of time. As both groups of OLF have merit to claim for and both seem very determined to fight the legal battle. The court eventually will decide which group posses a legitimate legal ground to be the one and only OLF. That is even if OLF is viewed as an entity founded to generating economic value or as philanthropic organization then it qualifies to the “Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act” and the legal argument will proceed. On the other hand, if the court system finds this legal dispute not qualifies the “Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act” then the plaintiff would be forced to look for another legal avenue or give up the whole legal persuasion.

Let us say as the plaintiff believes the lawsuit has a legal ground and the Fourth district of Minnesota reaches a verdict, then the defendant group will appeal. The judiciary body presides over the case ultimately reaches a verdict and grants legal ownership to one of the two organizations. This could take months even a year or two mean while the court may prevent both organizations from claiming as the rightful OLF.

As you all know, lawyers always find a loop-hole to either prolong the law suit or to win their case. As I see it, the world (interested in Oromo politics) is going to see a legal circus while history builds a landmark that is going to judge one of the two groups.
We, Oromos of this generation are unlucky onboard this roller-costar ride not to mention our suffering on the hands of our enemies.

Dhugaa Dubataa

Anonymous said...

These people called SQ are morally dead. It surpasses my comprehension. Who gave the SQ the right to spend our money in a useless lawsuit? Is OLF a business firm or a national liberation front? Does not being OLF mean you want to die for the cause of the Oromo people? You ABO taunt Oromoof wareegamuu taate maaliif anatu Oromoof du'a malee ati hindui'n jettee SQ mana seeraa falmachuu deemtiin waan ajaa'ibaa ti. Waanti SQ hojjetaa jirtu kun hojii nyaaphaa ti, shakkii tokko male. Ilma Oromoo silaa taatte SQ waan fokkataa kana hin dalagdu turte. Waan fafa kana waliin Oromoo jedhamani waamamuun salphina hiriyaa hin qabne.

Gumaa Guddaa

Anonymous said...

Dear Blogger,
These are all "gantu" and its Daud VS Galaasaa (Wollaggaa against Wollaggaa over AANGOO) thing. They did not care for Oromo people and won't care any more. Let's us reject these guys and move on!!

Gadaa Coqor

Anonymous said...

Mr. Anomymous, you forgot Leenco, another wollegga.

Anonymous said...

Yaa Anonymous,

Wallagga Wallagga jechaa hin ooliini waan sitti argame biyyaa keef hojjeedhu. At amma illee 'xaqilayi gizaati' warrii Amaaraa tolchan sanaan yaadda. Kanaafuu biyyaa keef waan takka hojjeechuu nama dandeessuu miti. Nama sammuu qabu illee hin fakkaattu. Silaa sammuu qabaattee waan 'xaqilayi gizaati' kana nutti hin afarsitu turte.

Dubbiin dubbii Wallagga tahuuf hin ta'in otuu hin taane dhimma dhaabbii siyaasaa ti. Yoo sii galeef.

Anonymous said...

I am an ordinary Oromo who do not belong to any of these groups, but I can see how much resources this law suit is taking away from both groups, a recourse that need to be allocated to fight the enemy who is committing crimes against our people.
This lawsuit doesn’t benefit our people and our cause in any way and should be stopped.

Anonymous said...

Kinijit is disintegrated in two main groups in the U.S. Would they go to court too, to obtain legal rights? If you visit their web site (In fact there are more than one web site by the name Kinijit) you will see that some one has registered it [Kinijit] as a trade mark with its own logo and was granted a sole ownership from the U.S patent agency. I think this person is with the group that's separating itself from Hailu Shawel's group. I am very surprised to see political parties present themselves as a business entity.

Someone wrote some where saying Kinijit advised Shanee/Asmara group OLF to take TA-OLF to court. If Kinijit's people have learnt this legal means to stopping other groups from functioning under the same name, there is high probability that Asmara group OLF took the lesson from Kinijit. At some point, we will see how the case prevails

Anonymous said...

From a perspective of an independant onlooker:

Getting Eritrean independance constituted the first necessary step towards liberation and emancipation of the African Horn region as a whole...

There is no longer today any need for a desintegration of the Abessynian Empire as it is, since people have come to understand after all the years the necessaty for responsible regional democracy by themselves, losing faith in all self-emposing central governments. But you cannot just keep on reacting towards hurts, instead of needs, towards past, instead of present, neither being in it, nor possessing forthsight about what is to come.

You have to try build it - what used to not be possible prior - a true federal democracy, all-inclusive, all together - even as the Wild Beast keeps on raging, knowing it is demising...

And why are you not down in Ogaden or Somalia fighting the crook man-on-man yourself? in order - that is - to be in rights to "question" and make comments.. of complain.


So take a look at Iraq, 'my' homeland: it is at the mercy of its neighbours... Iran plays groups (all!) against each other and funds the terror-groups, not leaving out one single functioning cell, regardless of affiliation.

Isaias' suggestion is althroughout reasonable, as oftenmost, and - rooted in the Present!

The Truth Unconscious is this:

As long as you do not learn to be equally sensitive about your brother's plight (Sidama, Gumuz etc.), as about your own's http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sidama_people - the Divine shall never assist you towards your freedom either.

Ask Him - "why You had just allowed this?"


And Subxaanah knows!
Knowing best.

Wesselaam wa Barakaatuh

Anonymous said...

Mr. Iraqi,

I think you are mixing up Asamara group (shane qinijit) and Asamara group (somalia opposition parties).

Anonymous said...

From BBC News:

“UN seeks Ethiopia abuses inquiry

The UN has called for an independent investigation into reports of human rights abuses in Ethiopia's predominantly Somali Ogaden region."
...
"The ONLF was founded in 1984 and is fighting for independence from Ethiopia, complaining of discrimination by the central government against the region's Somali-speaking nomads.”

The full story is on
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7004367.stm

This is a remarkable achievement by ONLF in exposing the Ethiopian government's dirty job, gaining publicity for their cause, putting pressure on the government and protecting ogadenians from further human right abuse.

My question is where is the OLF? what is it doing lately, I mean besides dragging other Oromo (OLF groups) to Minnesota Court.

It is a shame.

Anonymous said...

A lawsuit against your own people is shameful especially when doing so in foreign country. My first criticism goes to the individual(s) who think that OLF is a corporate entity. The original Oromo Liberation Front is neither a corporation (for profit Org) nor NGO. It is a governmental organization in transition who has responsibility to all Oromos. As such, the real jury is in Oromia not in the US or Europe. To give such high precedance to other nations deciding on our future is to hand oneself to the power of the West (no man or women is our god).
In the middle 1900's, many African nations were removing themselves from European Colonization. It seems to me that now we are handing ourselves over to a Western power?????
As Oromos, we need to go back to being serious about bilisuma!
SAFU SABAA EEGAA!!!!!
Nagaan.

Anonymous said...

THOSE TIGERS TRYING TO LIBERATE OROMIA ON THE CYBERSPACE (QC or correctly said WALLAGGUMMAA Group) Issue.
Remember! Oromia and Wallaggummaa has a difference! Wallaggummaa can never win over Oromumma!

Anonymous said...

Who is the WALLAGGUMMAA or QC Group? I never heard of them....

Anonymous said...

Apoptosis
Gambling with the name of a biggest nation,oromo in the horn of Africa in Minnesota, Asmara is nothig but an apoptosis i.e self-programmed death. Infact there is no contact without impact that is the result of Abyssinain colonialisim a chronical disease which has not treatment for the patients who believe they are healthy. That being the bad news for those who seeks schelter and support from Afewerke. The good news are nations fighting for their freedom, Liberation in horn of Africa, unmistakeable knows who is who, today more over than before. As ormo saying "Nyaat'ni nama quubsu eelee irrati bekssisa"

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