tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-388693062024-03-13T19:25:03.523-04:00Oromo Affairs<b><*+++*> This blog endeavors to bring Oromo related issues to the attention of its audience, to provide analysis and to solicit comments from its readers. Feel free to speak your mind and read comments from readers like yourself by clicking on "comments" at the end of each piece. You may also submit articles for posting here if you wish. <+***+></b>
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<p>Send your comments and articles to the blogger at <b><a href="mailto:argan.beekan@yahoo.com">argan.beekan@yahoo.com</a></b></P>Argan Beekanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07770623824567285879noreply@blogger.comBlogger93125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38869306.post-74749247025748872262015-06-13T13:49:00.000-04:002015-06-13T13:59:24.310-04:00Raadiyoo Sagalee Walabummaa Oromiyaa (RSWO)<div style="text-align: center;">
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<strong>Sagantaa Waxabajjii 6, 2015 Dhaggeeffadaa!</strong></div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfGK0naalSE" rel="bookmark" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Raadiyoo Sagalee Walabummaa Oromiyaa – Waxabajji 6, 2015" class="aligncenter" src="http://finfinnetribune.com/wp-content/themes/_advanced-newspaper/timthumb.php?src=http%3A%2F%2Ffinfinnetribune.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2015%2F06%2FRSWO2015.jpg&q=90&w=120&h=86&zc=1" height="286" title="Raadiyoo Sagalee Walabummaa Oromiyaa – Waxabajji 6, 2015" width="400" /></a></div>
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Sagantaalee RSWO dhaggeeffachuuf</h2>
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<a href="http://www.independentoromia.org/" style="color: #333333;" title="Permalink to Raadiyoo Sagalee Walabummaa Oromiyaa – Waxabajji 6, 2015">www.independentoromia.org</a></h2>
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<em>So, what do you say? Do you like the radio's clear stand on independence of Oromia? If you do why? If you don't why not?</em></h2>
Argan Beekanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14786827310322088599noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38869306.post-34283300375515890402014-05-18T19:22:00.002-04:002014-05-18T19:22:34.462-04:00Fincila Dargaggoota Oromoo Irraa Maal Baranna?
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em><strong>Beeka Biyyaa Irraa</strong></em></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbLeHGtz2H5dkP_C0g1AZyYScZ4lQlc61sqnOP1-0nIkceA_skzZFCrgEfUQLEOeHDL37U7WoaJyTXQCgkRsPeOudaOCNQWddiIsxksJPwU35NjL0WCKcMse5uyO7hScrV06lf/s1600/Fincila.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbLeHGtz2H5dkP_C0g1AZyYScZ4lQlc61sqnOP1-0nIkceA_skzZFCrgEfUQLEOeHDL37U7WoaJyTXQCgkRsPeOudaOCNQWddiIsxksJPwU35NjL0WCKcMse5uyO7hScrV06lf/s1600/Fincila.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Diddaan gabrummaa hanga gabroomfataan jilbeenfatutti, hanga
kan gabroomemmoo walaboomutt<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>hin
dhaabatu, hin du’us. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Mootummaan Wayyaanee qabsoo bilisummaa Oromoo dhabamsiisuuf
dhagaa isheen hin gargalchine tokko hin jiru. Oromoon kutaan, gandaa fi
amantiin akka wal qoodee walii isaa irratti duulu taasisteetti; hooggantoota
garaa isaaniif bulan bitteetti, kanaanis kan ka’e mooraa qabsoo bilisummaa
Oromoo yeroodhaaf laafistetti. Bakka akeekni ishee fudhatama dhabetti waraanaa
itti bobbaaftee hamilee ummataa laashessuu yaaltetti. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Garuu yaaliin ta’e hundi qabsicha yeroof laafise malee
ajjeesee owwaaluu hin dandeenye. Kanaafis ragaan, diddaa gabrummaa fi falmannaa
abbaa biyyuummaa sabni Oromoo fi dargaggoonni Oromoo yeroo addaa addaa fi bakka
addaa addaatti bifa qindaawaa hin ta’iniin gaggessaa turani fi jiran dha.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sochiin diddaa gabrummaa dargaggootaa fi barattoota Oromoo
Oromiyaa maratti gaggeeffamaa jiru, wareegamani ijoollee Oromoon ta’aa jiru fi
ibiddi qabsoo bilisummaa yoom iyyuu akka dhaamuu<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>hin dandeenye - yaaliin mootummaa Habashaa
olee bulee firii akka hin qabne - mirkanneessaa jira. Kanaafuu, ummatni Oromoo,
beekaan Oromoo, qabsaawoonni bilisummaa Oromoo, akkasuma Oromoonni garaa
isaaniif bitamanillee dhugaa dirree jiru kana irraa maal baranna? <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Fincilli dhuga qabeessi lubbuu ilmaan keenya hedduu
galaafate, galaafachuufis jiru kun maal nutt himaa jira?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 28.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1)</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">TOKKUMMAA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">; Fincilli
Oromiyaa mara keessatti ta’e , OROMOON TOKKO kan jedhuu nu hubachiisa. Oromoon
sararaa daangaa diinni sarareen adda akka hin baane nutti hima. “Qotee bulaa
naannoo Finfinneetu lafa isaa irra buqqa’e nu hin laallatu” hin jenne. Oromootu
lafa isaa irraa buqqa’aa jira jechuun tokkummaan walii dirmate. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Ijoollee Ambootu ajjeefame dhimma keenya miti”
hin jenne. Obboolota keenyatu ajjefaman jechuun hiree isaan irra gahe
hirmaatan. “Dhimmi isaa Shawaa laallata” jedhee kutaan Oromia biroon harka
maratee hin teenye. Akeekni diinaa Finfinnee fi Shawaa qofa utuu hin taane, kan
inni itti xiyyeeffate eenyummaa Oromoo dhabamsiisuuf ta’uu hubachuun akka
ilmaan abbaa tokkootti, akka Oromootti walii dirmatan.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 28.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2)</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">OROMUMMAA</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">;
Oromummaan mallattoo eenyummaa Oromoo ta’uu beekuun, diinni Oromoo bakka
Oromummaa Itophiyummaa buusuuf abbalaa jiraachuu hubachuun “WAAWUU, NUTI OROMOO;
FINFINNEENIS HANDHUURA OROMIYAA ti” jechuun utuu kutaan, gandaa fi amantiin wal
hin qoodin harka duwwaa diina meeshaa waraanaa ammayaa hanga funyaanitti
hidhate dura dhaabbatan. “Nuti Oromoo, biyyi keenyas Oromiyaa” jechuun
maalummaa isaanii fi biyya isaaniif kufan malee, kun Islaama, sun kristaana,
kaanimmoo waaqeeffata jechuun falamii eenyummaa fi abbaa biyyummaaf hin
kakaane. Hundi eenyummaa keenya booda dhufuu qaba jedhanii ajjeefaman,
madaa’an, hidhaman, jireenya dhaban.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ijoolleen Oromoo yakka tokko malee mirga eenyummaa fi abbaa
biyyummaaf waliin ka’anii, wliinis ajjeefamn. Nutihoo, ammas akkuma kaleessaa
kutaa koo, ganda koo, amantee koo jenna moo, “NUTI OROMOO, BIYYI KEENYA OROMIYYA!”
jennee faajjii ijoolleen Oromoo ajjeefamaniif qabannee wal cina dhaabannee
biyya keenya falmanna?; mirga namummaa sarbamne kabajifanna?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Deebiin isaa kan hunda keenyaa ta’uu qaba.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Have your say!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Argan Beekanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14786827310322088599noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38869306.post-49319101511475137102014-04-12T18:35:00.000-04:002014-04-12T18:48:11.470-04:00Map of Oromiyaa Walaba - With Neighboring States Shown<br />
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It looks like years of vacillation between struggling for formation of
independent state of Oromia and searching for equality within a democratized
dying Ethiopian empire has come to an end at least for one of the OLF factions.
The map shown below comes from oromoliberationfront.info - the web site of the
OLF faction better known as QC or Transitional Authority. I say it is about
time and a big present to the Oromo nation on the eve of April 15, 2014 Oromo
Martyr's day - Guyyaa Goototaa in Afaan Oromoo.<br />
<o:p></o:p> </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMaX0yzzbujZGcqnTiVAE56iBhh69J2n7lnBfQ6ks7bPeBXVmlW0aOLruT8OrUsznGW7-kDAxnOx8f1nBXWRRmjuplDeRmu0gv9UDoI96cOfOPYYSF2Zz2LfGsxZrEKjpdAkIw/s1600/Oromiyaa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMaX0yzzbujZGcqnTiVAE56iBhh69J2n7lnBfQ6ks7bPeBXVmlW0aOLruT8OrUsznGW7-kDAxnOx8f1nBXWRRmjuplDeRmu0gv9UDoI96cOfOPYYSF2Zz2LfGsxZrEKjpdAkIw/s1600/Oromiyaa.jpg" height="268" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: large;">Oromiyaa - Biyya Abbaa Kiyya!</span></strong><br />
<strong>Source: <a href="http://www.oromoliberationfront.info/">www.oromoliberationfront.info</a></strong></td></tr>
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Will we see if the same map will appear on oromoliberationfront.org - the web site for
Shanee OLF. Would Shanee approve of this map in the first place? Only time will
tell! However, if they don’t agree on a map of Oromia, it is unclear how the
two factions can conclude their never ending reconciliation that they say has
been going on for the last many years.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Happy Guyyaa Goototaa Oromoo to all my nationalist brethren. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Have your say!Argan Beekanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14786827310322088599noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38869306.post-70234752870241554192014-01-29T01:09:00.001-05:002014-02-02T10:04:20.682-05:00The Ever-increasing Crime of TPLF/EPRDF Brutal regime<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong>By Getinet Dinkayehu*</strong><br />
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<em><strong><span style="color: blue;">"Now, getting justice for Oromo in Ethiopia under TPLF is compared to hunting for a dinosaur in this day and age."</span></strong></em> (Getinet Dinkayehu)<br />
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The continuous arrests, detention, torture and disappearance of people in Oromia should indeed be a cause for concern to every Oromo people living in the country and abroad. The past 22 years have been the most painful period in Oromia. A week hardly passes without someone being picked up and detained by the TPLF security agents for one unexplained reason or another. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU430uf4dlHzf_VJt47uJ5B5CJMuBZAKyyGr3lPa1JfxQhgJRoTJHPxRrX-vyMgH9hG6Iyr65y2XRGwMCCazARMyzpqixiGnO_G76ebviNS_cs1tTVyJDhk6o1jWGCjus-Cc22/s1600/kalitti-273x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU430uf4dlHzf_VJt47uJ5B5CJMuBZAKyyGr3lPa1JfxQhgJRoTJHPxRrX-vyMgH9hG6Iyr65y2XRGwMCCazARMyzpqixiGnO_G76ebviNS_cs1tTVyJDhk6o1jWGCjus-Cc22/s1600/kalitti-273x300.jpg" /></a></div>
The Last couple of weeks I have received a lot of messages from Oromo nationalists residing in western parts of Oromia through my emails, which I preferred not to mention their names here because of their security. Here is the message I received from one friend in “Afaan Oromo” and I wanted to put it in English as follows; “I am in deep tensions and annoyed because of the case associated with my family. My father was a respected businessman in our local area. Now about two weeks are passed since my father left his home and his whereabouts still unknown. Following his disappearance the TPLF Trojan horse better known as OPDO imprisoned one of my family members and coercing to reveal where my father is. <span id="more-14288"></span>What I knows about my father is, after he openly started criticizing the evil doings of the TPLF led Ethiopian regime and the Puppet OPDOs on different public meetings; he was continually harassed and even received several death threats including the family. He was arrested at different times suspected of OLF member without due legal process and without family visitations, tortured and interrogated at gunpoint to reveal the agents he was working with for OLF. The reason why he was mainly targeted as criminal and went to jail at different times is not because he was a criminal or have done anything wrong against anybody, but only because he protested that why his Oromo brothers and sisters were cold-bloodedly killed by TPLF securities without any reasons and because he protested against the widespread injustices being committed by the regime agents in Oromia. When my father was in woyanes secret detention center, the inhuman treatments he experienced at the hand of the torturers were horrible and even some part of his face was disfigured because of the massive tortures”.</div>
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Indeed this is a daily practice of the regime against many Oromo in wider scale. I personally know many Oromo; outstanding students, teachers, business men who were unlawfully detained by woyane securities or disappeared and their families are not informed of their whereabouts.</div>
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The most worrisome situation still going in various parts of western Oromia is that, people always branded as criminals and unlawfully detained only for being an Oromo and alleged association with the OLF or sympathizing with Oromo opposition political organizations. Despite a lack of any evidence against those people, the security agents continuously torture them in secret detention centers. Also other friends from the same area said that, to pick up peoples at night and take to prison is still a daily practice of woyane securities. Imagine sitting with your family waiting to have the dinner only to receive a knock on your door that you are wanted for questioning. You are then whisked away from your beloved family without anyone knowing your whereabouts, condition of detention or what crime you might have committed. This is exactly what peoples in many parts of Oromia still going through. Many people disappeared or been killed in a very systematic way simply because they exercised their fundamental rights. Diverting the mobile phone to their security forces and internet censorships are being practical on many people. The current human rights situation in western Oromia is terrible and repugnant. There is woyanes rule that does not tolerate any form of criticism in the area at all. Even the very slightest criticism of the government in the area could land a person in jail and charge with terrorism or “shororkeessumma”(in puppet OPDOs definition). Now this situation is highly forcing people to live under great fear and uncertainties than ever. It has become normal for the people in western Oromia to simply disappear into thin air; especially those who dare to criticize the government or who are reported by their adversaries to the regime securities.</div>
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It is very annoying when the TPLF minority led regime blatantly continues through its security forces to unlawfully arrest and detain anybody they perceive as an opponent. To add insult to injury, Most of the detainees are seldom informed of their rights and/or reason for their arrest or detention and are often held beyond the time limit without charge contrary to the edicts of the so called constitution. Several productive youths are running away to escape the difficult life that controlled the area. Activism for democracy, human rights and justice are being met with secret killings, torture, arbitrary arrests and detention. The name TPLF security or “Dehninet” has brought a great fear to every Oromo hearth, whenever someone is picked up. Some remain silence because they are afraid to speak up against what is going on.</div>
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We have seen that On the beginning of this year January 2014, when people on the world joyfully celebrated the New Year and wished peace, security improvements and prosperity to their own people, in contrary the Ethiopian Federal Court gave a prison sentence to 45 people, Most of them are Oromo nationalist political prisoners sentenced to three to twelve years in prison. Without committing any crime against anybody, they were unlawfully arrested in 2010 and were accused of being members or sympathizers of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF). This alone can publically tell that TPLF/EPRDF regime has totally cracked down on political freedoms and continued committing widespread human rights violations with total impunity. Ethiopia today is ;the only country where the government publically labeled genuine dissents as terrorists and criminals, the worst kept secret killing field and the most politically intolerant regime in Africa. It is the country where the rule of law, good governance and the sanctity of human life are alien concepts. It is the country where torture, enforced disappearances, extra-judicial executions, detention without trial, statutory murder and extra-judicial convictions has become officially rooted as normal governance practices and intensifies its containment of democracy each day, and rules strictly through the instrument of paralyzing fear and the practice of brutality against ordinary citizens.</div>
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We have seen that when told the reality of Oromo, they call it anti-national or terrorism. For long we have seen that the TPLF owned Media distort the truth of Oromo for their own cause. For long we have seen that their Media created false and fabricated stories on Oromo nationalists. For long we have seen that several Oromo nationalists who were unlawfully detained And languishing in prison have been denied justice by TPLF court judges who were hired by a regime whose sole aim is to brutalize, torture and silence anybody against their tyrannical style of governance. For long we have seen that many innocent people unjustly sentenced to life term and death.</div>
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The TPLF minorities are all the leaders of the executive the legislative, judiciary and military branch, their words are final and anyone who goes against their authority is doomed. They are all the lawmen’s, the judges, the jury and the executives. They act as the ‘Creators’ of the people in Ethiopia, They decides who walks freely or shackled in jail, live, work and/or die. Judges are hired and fired by the TPLF cadres without any explanation. They owe their entire livelihoods to them and they determine who comes before these judges and the sentences they receive. Now, getting justice for Oromo in Ethiopia under TPLF is compared to hunting for a dinosaur in this day and age. It is very dangerous for the people when a single party members from one minority group has all such powers and even more dangerous if there is no accountability and no limit. No single party or leaders should have absolute power to run a nations single handily and with iron fist.</div>
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<b>What is the future for Oromo? </b> </div>
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Will there be any conductive environment where all Oromo people will be free from such kinds of fear, intimidation, torture, arrest and humiliation to express their legitimate rights and fundamental human rights which remains Unthinkable under TPLF gangs? No family, groups and businesses should count themselves safe from persecution, arrest, humiliation, detention without trial and torture under this brutal regime. We Oromo should be brave enough to come out from every corner and fight against the ever worsening injustices that continue to bedevil our motherland. Everyone, irrespective of party or group, is duty bound to act. In our journey to Demand our freedom, we must be ready to use every Avenue. The injustices meted on us are enough.</div>
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We should not expect the westerners to bring about the change we are seeking for in our Land, it’s we” Oromians ” who has to come together under one umbrella with a sole purpose of eradicating Dictators and liberating our people. We might not be united in the same political party but we should be united in the same course in fighting dictatorship. Look at the likes of Tunisia, Libya and Egypt. It’s the voices of the people that brought about change from the streets of Tunis to Tripoli to Benghazi and from the Cairo to Alexandria. It has come to a point in which we also need to do anything to get our freedom. For any meaningful political change to take place, the people must take it upon themselves to effect the change. As a result, we must not expect that an angel will descend from heaven and liberate us from Dictators. But the onus of liberating Oromia from oppression is every Oromians obligation.</div>
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Fellow Oromians, Let us ask ourselves these simple questions. With logic, we understand how our people are dying in silence.</div>
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</div>
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Why TPLF led Ethiopian regime mainly targets Oromo people; intellectuals, Businessmen, teachers, university students, artists and entrepreneurs?</div>
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Why many Oromo on a daily basis are being arrested and detained without genuine reasons?</div>
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Why many Oromo are missing and their whereabouts remain unknown by their family and love ones?</div>
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Why many Oromo are still languishing in jail without trial or have had their trials delayed?</div>
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Why many Oromo Nationalists were shot dead in their home and in public by TPLF securities?</div>
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Why many people have been fired from their jobs and schools for no apparent reasons?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Why many lands and properties have seized and looted from Oromo under this regime?</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Why many Oromo on daily basis are fleeing TPLF/EPRDF persecution and suffering in neighboring countries and dying in deserts?</div>
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</div>
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How on earth one can be sentenced to life term or death penalty only for demanding his Freedom without committing any crime against anybody?</div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Tsunamis of Human right violations of the above are well documented and are available online.</div>
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Do we as a people only have to speak the truth and or condemn injustice only when it affects us directly and or personally? This is a question that I am posing to some people who are in a position of this regime today. To those dummy OPDO leaders who continue to carry out TPLFs dirty works be warn that you will all be going down with them. The world is now a global village and war crimes and crimes against humanity committed by any person or party will never go free. The choice is yours.</div>
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</div>
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To those who think they have no say or voice on the atrocities committed against our people, Martin Luther King Jr. In the end, we will not remember the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends. Oromia is under silenced bleeding by this evil regime. If we see injustice and remain silent, we have sided with evil. We have seen that Killing Oromo is the trade mark of this regime. These killings are not spontaneous or accidental they are done intentionally to silence the whole people.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Therefore, to prevent further injustice and sufferings there needs to be a collective response to the giant atrocities in Oromia. We all have a duty to ensure that we free our land from TPLF/EPRDF dictatorship. This should be done with united front and sincere commitments. I hope the sooner we all look at freedom as an inherent human right that is a prerequisite for any society to progress, and not as a “gift” to be given to only to the deserving, the sooner we will face this challenge as one nation UNITED in the destruction on tyranny! Oppression cannot stand forever, and it shall be replaced with freedom.</div>
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</div>
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So, Fellow Oromians at home and Diaspora, Let us all rise up in unison and demonstrate against this brutal regime and fight for our freedom and for the freedom of all political prisoners who are inhumanly suffering in Ethiopia.</div>
<br />
* Getinet can be reached at <a href="mailto:“getinetdinkayehu@gmail.com">“getinetdinkayehu@gmail.com</a>”<br />
<br />
Have your say!Argan Beekanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14786827310322088599noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38869306.post-47372421032864906772014-01-12T16:33:00.001-05:002014-01-12T17:14:00.122-05:00Oromo & Oromiya - FAQ<h3 style="text-align: center;">
<em>(</em><a href="http://oromoliberationfront.info/"><em>From the OLF</em></a><em>)<o:p></o:p></em></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial Black","sans-serif";">What do
Oromos want?</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixvGVnYyDrOuYT-PBoNBbi0XMZhttO2RGr-X0TRhinQUjL1n7kEwdKly44qlFhq8RIVjpc94kYeRY3bTvfCNcJeS4BIpFqF6JIlr1IDn-CiUBVeW89WgnEKpuyJJf1iXdIqzwK/s1600/tesq.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixvGVnYyDrOuYT-PBoNBbi0XMZhttO2RGr-X0TRhinQUjL1n7kEwdKly44qlFhq8RIVjpc94kYeRY3bTvfCNcJeS4BIpFqF6JIlr1IDn-CiUBVeW89WgnEKpuyJJf1iXdIqzwK/s1600/tesq.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span class="BodyTextChar"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 9pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">Ø<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></span><span class="BodyTextChar"><span style="color: windowtext;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Nearly 90% of
political prisoners in Ethiopia are Oromo nationals.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin: 0in 0in 12pt 0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> Ø<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: windowtext;">In
a survey of more than 500 Oromo refugees in Minnesota, 69% of men and 37% of
women had been tortured by Ethiopian government. This number is considerably more
than the 5-35% for other refugee populations.</span><span style="color: windowtext;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoBodyText" style="margin: 0in 0in 12pt 0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span class="BodyTextChar"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">Ø<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="BodyTextChar"><span style="color: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">The Oromo language is
spoken by majority population in the Ethiopian empire; yet, the empire’s
official language is that of the minority Amhara.</span></span><span class="BodyTextChar"><span style="color: windowtext;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="BodyTextChar"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">Ø<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="BodyTextChar"><span style="color: windowtext;">Oromia
accounts for 65% of the empire’s GDP and 60% of its foreign exchange earnings;
Yet Oromia is the least developed region in the empire.</span></span><span class="BodyTextChar"><span style="color: windowtext;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="BodyTextChar"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">Ø<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="BodyTextChar"><span style="color: windowtext;">Nearly 100%
of Ethiopia’s hydro-electric power generation originates in Oromia; yet less
than 13% of Oromia’s population has access to electrical power.</span></span><span class="BodyTextChar"><span style="color: windowtext;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">Ø<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: windowtext;">Ethiopia
today is an authoritarian regime with no room for independent political
mobilization or debate and where political space for electoral competition, the
free exchange of ideas, and independent civil society organizations is
virtually nonexistent.</span><span style="color: windowtext;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">Ø<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: windowtext;">Ethiopia
receives US$3.5 billion (on average) annually in development aid which it
utilizes as a tool </span><span lang="EN" style="color: windowtext; mso-ansi-language: EN;">to suppress political dissent and </span><span style="color: windowtext;">to consolidate the power of the ruling
Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF).The European Union,
the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany are the largest bilateral
donors.</span><span style="color: windowtext;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-size: 9pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial;">Source: </span><a href="http://oromoliberationfront.info/press/Oromo-flyer-ver.4.0.pdf"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial;">Oromo
Liberation Front</span></a></span><span style="color: windowtext;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Have your say!</div>
Argan Beekanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14786827310322088599noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38869306.post-26158004107083037602013-12-22T12:33:00.002-05:002014-01-18T15:50:42.639-05:00Letter of Appeal to President Obama from NA Chapter of the OLF<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">
</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">December 22,
2013<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">
</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">President Barack Obama<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">The White House<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Washington, DC 20500<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Dear Mr.
President,</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">I am writing to you on behalf of myself, Oromo-American and permanent
resident members and supporters of the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF)<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=38869306#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-style: italic; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a>
in the USA Who are happy to call this great nation their home and enjoy the
democracy, justice and human rights it has to offer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our members and supporters, the vast majority
of whom are voting United States citizens, are proud contributors to this
nation’s economic and social life. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Mr. President,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifXWm9Y3yI_Sd9mcHbj7UyEX6PYtQIR8_ZGIqbPDJZ5CivxpxyJccTF9zawdacMJ0npn-k_qvVMD37xcMKSOKotcFFTw4XOsM6cqXUqA0XtJe3cNlO4T4kCSVjgvTyFV-kdAGW/s1600/TB.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifXWm9Y3yI_Sd9mcHbj7UyEX6PYtQIR8_ZGIqbPDJZ5CivxpxyJccTF9zawdacMJ0npn-k_qvVMD37xcMKSOKotcFFTw4XOsM6cqXUqA0XtJe3cNlO4T4kCSVjgvTyFV-kdAGW/s200/TB.png" height="158" width="200" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">As we mourn the passing away of, and celebrate the life and
accomplishments of, former president Nelson Mandela of South Africa - </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">"The last great liberator of the 20th century” – we cannot
help but remember one of our own – General Tadesse Biru. Gen. Tadesse was
another fighter for liberation of his people, the Oromo people, who was
assassinated by the Ethiopian regime in 1975. He was, also, the man in charge
of training Mr. Mandela when the latter came to our land for military training
in 1962. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">In your eulogy speech at Nelson Mandela's memorial on Tuesday, December
10, 2013, you said </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“Around the world today, men
and women are still imprisoned for their political beliefs; and …” which struck
a chord with us because we are members of one such persecuted people – the
Oromo people – in our land of origin Oromia.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The Oromo
are the single largest group in Ethiopia comprising over 40% of the Ethiopian
population but economically dispossessed and politically disenfranchised by
successive Ethiopian regimes. Having been forcefully incorporated in to the
Ethiopian empire around the end of the 19<sup>th</sup> century, the Oromo have since
been struggling for their right to self-determination. In an effort to kill this
political belief in the Oromo people and to perpetuate their dispossession, successive
Ethiopian regimes have inflicted untold misery on the Oromo people in the form
of selling off their land to the highest bidder, extrajudicial killings,
torture, mass arrests, and disappearances.</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Such r<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">epressions, dispossessions and human rights
violations by the current Ethiopian government against the Oromo people are
escalating on a daily basis. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Today, thousands
of Oromos from all walks of life suffer in Ethiopian prisons for no other
reason than being born Oromos and/or for their political beliefs in the Oromo </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">deserving
freedom, justice and the right to determine their fate. In Ethiopia, “</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Torture and other ill-treatment of prisoners [are]
widespread, particularly during interrogation in pre-trial police detention.”<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=38869306#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[2]</span></span></span></span></a> Many
Oromo political prisoners have died in Ethiopian prisons while we watch idly
from the “sidelines, comfortable in complacency or cynicism when our voices
must be heard.”<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=38869306#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[3]</span></span></span></span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Mr. President,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
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</div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The list of Oromos murdered
or <span style="color: black;">imprisoned for their political beliefs</span>
would be too long to provide in this letter but the cases of Tesfahun Chemeda,
Bekele Gerba and Olbala Lellisa should suffice to illustrate our points. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdYC6ud_Pl6n_nh0xC9GREjIu1-5JJY408k9aIMDvMfj7bb7p8NAbclWnVMjASjdZxeoS2Dc8Rdw9HfR1VLPq-4tS0MAQaY8HLTRre01DrOP72IvfQNrEz1udcxaFFY0FlhcEu/s1600/TCH.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdYC6ud_Pl6n_nh0xC9GREjIu1-5JJY408k9aIMDvMfj7bb7p8NAbclWnVMjASjdZxeoS2Dc8Rdw9HfR1VLPq-4tS0MAQaY8HLTRre01DrOP72IvfQNrEz1udcxaFFY0FlhcEu/s1600/TCH.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Tesfahun Chemeda
Gurmessa, an Engineer by profession and a UNHCR recognized Oromo refugee in
Kenya, arrested and handed over to his persecutors in Ethiopia in April 2007, charged
under<span class="st"> the deeply flawed </span>Ethiopian<span class="st"><strong> </strong>anti<strong>-</strong></span>terrorism law<strong>,</strong><span class="st"> </span>sentenced to
life imprisonment, held in solitary confinement for over two years with no
access to medical treatment which resulted in his death on 24 August 2013 is an
example how Oromo political prisoners are treated in Ethiopia.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Bekele Gerba, deputy Chairman of the opposition Oromo
Federalist Democratic Movement (OFDM) and Olbana Lelisa of the Oromo People’s
Congress party (OPC) were both arrested on 27 August 2011 after meeting with
Amnesty International (AI) deligation.<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=38869306#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN" style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[4]</span></span></span></span></a>
The AI delegation in Ethiopia was expelled soon after, leaving AI without
presence in that country to monitor and report on constant harassment by the
government against Oromos in general and opposition politicians in particular.</span><br />
<span style="color: #111111;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEienPg-cN77MmA3S4PJJ7w06xmx1uqZODPuv2Jy4Ft4yKWDF-3JWzRsbiBgyjgzV-5e-wvY9rOMG0rf9aQSMVKGxW4d68eOuoc03qoPC1PtMM8id9nSD6OGGuXnR6QE6h6ayxIn/s1600/BG-OL.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEienPg-cN77MmA3S4PJJ7w06xmx1uqZODPuv2Jy4Ft4yKWDF-3JWzRsbiBgyjgzV-5e-wvY9rOMG0rf9aQSMVKGxW4d68eOuoc03qoPC1PtMM8id9nSD6OGGuXnR6QE6h6ayxIn/s1600/BG-OL.png" /></a>Bekele and Olbana were charged, again, <strong>under</strong><span class="st"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
the deeply flawed </span></span><strong>Ethiopian<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span></strong><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">anti<strong>-</strong></span><strong>terrorism
law</strong><span lang="EN" style="color: #111111; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> and
convicted to long years of imprisonment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">"In
my life time, I have opposed injustice, discrimination, ethnic favoritism, and
oppression," Bekele told the court at his sentencing hearing. He went on
to say “I am honored to learn that my non-violent struggles and humble
sacrifices for the democratic and human rights of the Oromo people, to whom I
was born without a wish on my part but due to the will of the Almighty, have
been considered a crime and to be unjustly convicted." Bekele’s speech to
his persecutors parallels and should remind us of Nelson Mandela’s “I am
Prepared to Die” speech at his Rivonia trial in 1964.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">It was a
fight against such injustices perpetrated against his people that brought
Nelson Mandela for military training, albeit a short one, to the land of the
people to whom Bekele Gerba was born, the Oromo people. Gen. Tadesse Biru,
Tesfahun Chemeda Hunde and many others were cut down by successive Ethiopian
governments while carrying Mandela’s torch against injustice. Bekele Gerba,
Olbana Lelisa and thousands of others are languishing in Ethiopia’s prisons and
detention camps for raising Mandela’s torch for equality and due process. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Mr.
President,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">On behalf of myself and members and supports of the
OLF in the USA, I call upon your administration to:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Ensure
the United States government’s security ties with the Ethiopian regime will not
trump human and civil rights consideration for the peoples of the Ethiopian
empire and does not lead your administration to overlook abuses in that country;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">“Act
on behalf of justice”<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=38869306#_ftn5" name="_ftnref5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[5]</span></span></span></span></a>
and put the necessary pressure on the Ethiopian government to release all
political prisoners of which the overwhelming majority are the Oromo;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Utilize
its influences with the Ethiopian government to rescind its deeply flawed
anti-terrorism law which it has been using to sentence actual and perceived
political opponents to long years of imprisonment and to stifle “freedom of
expression, severely restricting the activities of the independent media.”<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=38869306#_ftn6" name="_ftnref6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[6]</span></span></span></span></a> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: justify; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Put
the necessary safeguards in place to ensure that United States financial,
material and other aids paid for by United States tax payers are not used by
the Ethiopian government for repressing Oromo and other peoples in the empire.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Brush Script MT"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Abraahim Abbayyee</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Brush Script MT"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Abrahim
Abbayyee<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Chairman,
North American Branch of the OLF</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span> </div>
<hr align="left" color="#ff0000" size="1" style="height: 1px; width: 92.67%;" width="92.67%" />
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;">
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=38869306#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 9pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 9pt;"> </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 9pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">The <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Oromo
Liberation Front</span> (Oromo: </span><i><span lang="OM" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 9pt; mso-ansi-language: OM;">Adda Bilisummaa
Oromoo</span></i><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 9pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;"> or ABO), or <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">OLF</span>,
is an organization established in 1973 by Oromo nationalists to promote
self-determination for the Oromo people against "Abyssinian [Ethiopian]
colonial rule".</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 9pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn2" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=38869306#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 9pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[2]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 9pt;"> </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 9pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Annual Report: Ethiopia 2013, Amnesty International</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 9pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn3" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=38869306#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 9pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[3]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 9pt;"> Taken from
President Obama’s speech at<span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">
Nelson Mandela's memorial on Tuesday, December 10, 2013</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn4" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="Default" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=38869306#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 9pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[4]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 9pt;"> See Amnesy
International “Urgent Action”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>UA: 263/11
Index: AFR 25/007/2011 Ethiopia</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 9pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn5" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=38869306#_ftnref5" name="_ftn5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 9pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[5]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 9pt;"> Taken from
President Obama’s speech at<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"> Nelson
Mandela's memorial on Tuesday, December 10, 2013</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn6" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">
<a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=38869306#_ftnref6" name="_ftn6" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn6;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 9pt;"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[6]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 9pt;"> </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 9pt; mso-ansi-language: EN;">Annual Report: Ethiopia 2013, Amnesty International</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 9pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<br />
</span><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Source: <span style="color: black; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://www.oromoliberationfront.info/"><span style="color: blue;">OLF web site</span></a>.</span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Have you say!</span></span>Argan Beekanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14786827310322088599noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38869306.post-59431775847884703242013-12-15T20:15:00.000-05:002013-12-16T11:43:03.925-05:00Effort to Unify QC-OLF and Shanee-OLF Dead, Say Insiders<br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 12pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">By Gurraacho Silgaa<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ5RxBrDqABF8E3panojmKqwXpaDrlzJHzHsTLh7OOgMPHx4Migkcf0883wGC7xNij99n7y2r2vLqJ-WY2wL94Ik4S4dWyA2ZOtiqDCZE7IGwAYG6LqQrikH_1II9gn4Lk7Fcm/s1600/struggel-continues.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ5RxBrDqABF8E3panojmKqwXpaDrlzJHzHsTLh7OOgMPHx4Migkcf0883wGC7xNij99n7y2r2vLqJ-WY2wL94Ik4S4dWyA2ZOtiqDCZE7IGwAYG6LqQrikH_1II9gn4Lk7Fcm/s200/struggel-continues.jpg" width="195" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 12pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Since the OLF split into Transitional
Authority (QC) and Shanee Gumii (SG) in 2001, the concept of reconciliation has
emerged as a central theme of political discourse within the Oromo community in
the diaspora. Reconciliation has been promoted as a way of re-directing Oromo resources
and energy that is being wasted on in-fighting and toward challenging and
eventually defeating Ethiopian colonialism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The hope was, and remains to be, that the splintered organization – the
OLF that is – will again become one, united in its purpose, in its structure, in
its function and in its processes, made stronger and thereby play the midwifery
role expected from it in the re-birth of an independent and democratic Oromo state.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">An encouraging sign in
that direction emerged last year after over a decade of demand by the wider
Oromo populace, during which the OLF performed more self-replication and
internal bickering than it did anything else. I am talking about a “</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Memorandum of Understanding and
Agreements” <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">between the </span>OLF
Transitional Authority (QC) and the OLF Shanee Gumii (SG) issued on November
20, 2012. At the time many commentators questioned whether that<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“understanding” was destined to join on the
Internet the various previous “understandings” reached among the different Oromo
organizations but came to naught or it would be a “real deal” worth the limited
accolade it received from the Oromo Diaspora.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="Default" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I hoped, and
prayed, that it would be the later for the sake of our people and for this much
loved organization for which the Oromo people’s respect has been eroding for
the last twenty years. </span></div>
<br />
<div class="Default" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Months after
a global tour by the two factions to introduce their agreement and garner
public support for it, and despite the eagerness of the Oromo public to learn the
fate of their agreement, no news or progress report has been forthcoming. Thirteen
(13) months after the hastily put together and announced “memorandum of
Understanding,” time has proved that this one is no different from the “memorandums
of understandings” among Oromo political oganizations that preceded it. Just
like many before it, the QC-Shanee “understanding” remained on the Internet
without amounting to anything on the ground. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Default" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The lofty
assertions and promises made in their “memorandum of understanding” such as “we
have resolved our differences”, “we are determined to revitalize the national
struggle for liberation”, and their “agreement” to reunite their forces and combine
their resources remained just that: a series of lofty pronouncements devoid of any
substance.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Default" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Reliable
sources inform this writter that the QC-Shanee “memorandum of understanding” is
now dead and buried over who should become the Chairman (Hayyuu Duree) of the
newly merged OLF. The details are sketchy at this time but both sides claimed chairmanship
of the organization and refused to compromise. They are currently engaged in recriminations
blaming the other side of causing the unification effort to flounder and
eventually fail. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Default" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Those close
to the unification effort say they are not surprised at all by such turn of
events. They say such an outcome was a foregone conclusion right from the very beginning
for two reasons. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Default" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The first is
the fact that both sides excluded their very members from discussions and
decisions on such an important matter which had the potential of merging the
long separated factions. All during the talks, members on both sides knew what
was going on just as much as the general public - which is to say almost
nothing. As a result, members had no opportunity to push their leaders to
compromise when necessary or to help device new strategies to bring the talks
to a successful conclusion or at least question their leaders’ decisions. As
one member of the QC group put it in afaan Oromoo, the attitude of the leaders
on both sides is “Kan wal lolus hooggana, kan araaramus hooggana, miseensi maal
keessaa qabaa? Yoo loli jedhan loluu malee! Yoo dhiisi jedhan dhiisuu malee!” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Default" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The second reason, according to those on the inside, is the insatiable
appetite by both sets of leaders for power and the want to hold on to power for
as long as possible. Based on the constitution of the OLF, say those on the
inside, both sets of leaders have over stayed their mandate by over five (5)
years. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In an organization which takes
democracy seriously, these leaders would be considered illegitimate leaders. The
national congress of both factions, required by the constitution to be convened
and elect new leaders every four years is overdue by five years. Some say it is
no surprise that such leaders with no deeply held conviction and upholding of
democracy (free, fair and periodic elections) and democratic norms resist
giving up power for the higher good of the Oromo struggle thereby causing the
unification effort to fail. <span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">These are the same leaders </span></span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">who despite remaining in power for many
years failed to advance the struggle in the last two decades and noting more
should be expected from them.</span></div>
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br />
</o:p></span><br />
<div class="Default" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In the humble opinion of this writer, unification and strengthening of the OLF is of a paramount importance to the Oromo struggle for liberation. However, the unification of these factions would be meaningless unless the underlying purpose is the advancement of the Oromo struggle and achievement of the Oromo people’s aspiration. Having the survival and staying in power of the current leaders as the overriding primary point of negotiations will not serve the interest of the Oromo people nor of their struggle but the narrow interests of those leaders.</span></span></div>
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="Default" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Under these leaders, the OLF has been jumping from crisis to crisis for
the last two decades and nothing to show in the way of achievements. In fact, I
would argue it went backward over the same time period. It is a miracle that it
has survived this long with nothing more to show than its accomplishments from
over twenty years ago. Today, it is not an exaggeration to say that the OLF is
surviving only in name and in the hearts of the masses.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Default" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">If the OLF is to survive and thrive, it needs to be a well-functioning
organization - what it definitely is not at the present time. To become such an
organization, it needs to look for dynamic leadership in the younger generation
of Oromos not encumbered by any personal issues among the current leaders. Such
new and younger leadership has a better chance of unifying the OLF factions, of
re-making the organization and of building capabilities and processes consistent
with the OLF mission: the advancement of the struggle and eventual achievement
of Oromo people’s aspiration for an independent Oromia and a free Oromo people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Default" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Oromia shall be free!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="Default" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Have your say!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Argan Beekanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14786827310322088599noreply@blogger.com49tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38869306.post-69542851405107628152013-11-26T03:36:00.002-05:002013-11-28T11:26:10.642-05:00Xalayaa Banaa Hoogganoota QBOf<strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Sadaasa 23, 2013<o:p></o:p></span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Gara:</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>J.
Dhugaasaa Bakakkoo</strong>, Hayyuu Dure QC-ABO<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>J.
Daud Ibsaa</strong>, <strong>Hayyuu Duree Shanee ABO<o:p></o:p></strong></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>J.
Abarraa Tafarraa</strong>, Dura Taa’aa THBO<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><strong>J.
Ibsaa Naga’oo</strong>, Barreessaa Gurmuu Qabsaa’ota fi Miseensota ABO<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Irraa: </b>Miseensota Kutaa ABO – Ameerikaa
Kaabaa<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Jaallan hoogganoota
dhaabota siyaasa Oromoo,</b><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5-zU4UhCoEQpWJgdvMq5DpkUnRlAIa-URDDP_D5FZvAbu_QYK3yae_M5Dyh57kyy-9xNGV2j1kdOugobAUFtShaMsdtJeKmUBfq4Cos8KvoyOIqD5tmG5Z4_HkRvztTYcY4yG/s200/Unity.jpg" width="200" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Baroota
dheeraa dabraniif dhaabota siyaasaa Oromoo hooggantan tokkomsuun tokkummaa
qabsaa’ota dhinsitanii QBO finiinsuuf yeroo addaddaatti saba Oromoo abdachiisttan.
Yeroo addaddaattis “tumsa” “wal-hubannoo” fi kkf waliif mallatteessitanii
“Internet” irratti facaafttan. Magaalota hawaasinni Oromoo jiru hedduu keessa
bobbaatanii dhimma kana irratti ibsa kennitan. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lama-lamaan (bi-laterally) “haasaa nagaatti
jirra” osoo jettanii baroota hedduu dabarsitan. Ha ta’u malee, milkiin haga
ammaatti <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>mul’ate hin jiru.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Milkaa’u
illee yoo hanqattan, tokkumaa qaabsaa’ota QBO dhinsuuf yaalii gootan fi gochaa
jirtan hundaaf galatni keessan guddaa dha. Ammallee abdii hin kutatinaa, itti
fufaa, jenna.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Dhiiroo
“milkaa’uu dadhabuun kun maaliif laataa? Fedhiitu hin jiru mo? Sirnnaani hin
hojjettaminii? Yaaliilee hamma ammaatii godhamanii mil’kaa’uu dhaban irraa maal
barannaa?” Gaaffiileen jedhanitti deebii barbaaduun yaalii ammaan booda godhamu
milkeesuuf qooda guddaa qabaata jennee amanna. Qabsoo tokkummaa qabsaa’ota
Oromoo dhinsuuf godhamu gufuu addaddaa irraa eeganii milkoomsuu fi firii itti
gochuun gumaacha hunda keenyaa gaafata yaada jedhutti waan amannuuf irratti
yaada kennachuuf dirqamnne. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Garuu,
gaaffilee kanaaf “deebiin kan keenya qofaa dha” hin jennu. Deebiin gaaffiilee
kanaaf kennamuu danda’aniis “isaan nuti tarreessine qofa” ilaalcha jedhu hin
qabnnu. Obboleeyyan addaddaa iddoo addaddaa dhaabbatanii rakkoo kana ilaalan irraa
ka’uun deebii kan keenyaa gadi ykn caalaa sirrii ta’e kennu danda’u.
Xiyyeeffannaan keenya waan dabreef wal komachuu miti; Kan dabre xiinxallee,
waan irraa barannee wal dura qabannee, fuula duratti qabsoo ummata keenyaa
tarkaanfachiisuu dha.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Kanaaf
jecha, qabxiilee yoo ilaalcha gahaa kennitaniif<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>sochii tokkumaa qabsaa’otaa dhinsuuf <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>godhamu fuula duratti tarkaanfachiisuun
milkoomsuu danda’u jennu tokko-tokko akeeknna. Ha ta’u malee, beekumsi nuti
waa’ee dhaabota kanaa qabnnu wal qixa waan hin taaneef, qabxilleen kaafnu hundi,
wal-qixa dhaabota hundaa ilaala <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>jechuu
hin dandeenyu. Kan isin ilaalu <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>keessaa
filatanii dhimma itti ba’uun, kan isin hin ilaalle dhiisuun, kan <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>keessani.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Nu
hofkalchaa!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Tokkummaan qabsaa’otaa kaayyoo
ifaa irratti hundaa’uu qaba! <o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Sababoota qabsaa’ota Oromoo
faca’iinsaaf saaxilan keessa inni guddaan kaayyo QBO irratti ilaalcha ititaa
dhabuu dha. Gara tokkoon kanneen kaayyon QBO uummata bilisa fi biyya walaba
ofiin bulu mirakaneessuuf<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>ta’uu qaba kan
jedhantu jiru. Mooraan kun, wal-giddutti tokkummaa uummatee, dandeetti,
beekumsa fi qabeenya isaa walitti kuusee sosso’uun qabsicha akka feesisutti geggeessuu
hin dandeenye. Keessattu, baroota kurnan dabran keessa, yaada fi toofttaan
isaanii faffaca’aa waan dhufeef, yeroo diinni qabsichaa jabaachaa deemuu,
mooraan kun garuu laafaa dhufe. Jeequmsi ABO keessatti bara 2001 dhalatee,
dhaabcha gargar baqaqsuun gahe, laafina kanaaf qooda guddaa akka gumaachee
shakkiin hin jiru. Hundeen baqaqa kanaas hoogganoota dhaabichaa gidduutti
kaayyoo qabsichaa irratti yaadin ititaan dhibuu dha. Kun hamilee saba Oromoo fi
kan qabsaa’otaa cabsuun kaayyo kana “bakkaan gahuun kan danda’amu hin fakkaatu”
shakkii jedhu uume. Caalaatti, shakkii kana kan hammeesse ammo, obboleeyyan
yeroo dheeraaf moora kana keessa turan, abdii kutannoo argisiisuun “haalli
addunyaa jijjiiramee jira; gaaffiin akkasii yeroo ammatti addunyaa keessatti
fudhatama fi deggersa hin qabu” jechuun yaada moraa kanaa faffacaasuu isaanii
ti.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Sababa kana irraan kan ka’e,
moraa kana keessatti, jeequmsaa fi dadhabinatu mul’ata. Osoo ofii isaanii
gidduutti yaada ititaa hin qabaatiin, jarmaa isaanii qaranii diinatti bobba’uu
waan dadhabaniif, sabichaafis hamilee kennuu dadhaban. Gabaabaatti, haalli kun,
miseensota dhaabota siyaasaa keesatti mamii fi afanfaajjii fide. Deggertoota
kaayyo qabsichaa keessatti hamilee caba fidee, jaarmota siyaasaa gidduutti
illee tokkummaa hamma turellee laaffise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Gara biraan, kaayyoon qabsichaa,
Impayericha dimookratessuun achi keessaan mirga Oromoo argamsisuu ta’uu qaba
kan jedhantu jiru. Mooraan kun, jaarmota Oromoo walaba ta’an, kanneen heera
Impaayerichaa fudhatanii biyya keessa sosso’aa jiran fi kanneen biyya alaa
taa’anii ifatti ha ta’uu, dhoksaan ilaalcha kana babal’isan hammata. Isaaniis,
tokkummaan sosso’anii, wayyoomina argisiisuu waan dadhabaniif, sabni Oromoo
abdii akka irraa hin qabnne beekkamaa dha. Keesattuu, “project”iin saaanii kun
yeroo hedduu yaalamee kan dadhabame ta’uun beekkamaa dha. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Gabaabatti, ilaalcha siyaasaa
kana lameen irratti yaadni qabsaa’ota Oromoo bakka lamatti hiramuun tokkummaa
qabsaa’otaa irratti dhiibbaa guddaa qabaachuu fi tokkummaaf gufuu ta’uun isaa beekkamaa
dha. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Yoo gad-fageessinee ilaalle,
dhimmi jaarmaa, kan diiplomaasii fi kan qabsoo hidhanno ykn nagaa kan irratti
hundaa’u kaayyoo bakkaan gahuun fedhamu irratti. Kana irraa kan baramuu qabu,
kaayyoo bakkaan gahuu fedhan irratti walii-galteen yoo hin jirraanne, tokkummaa
qabaachuun hin dada’amu. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Yaadni akkas wal-irraa fagoon
lama wal-falmaa jiraachuun, qabsoo keenyaa keessatti afanfaajjii uumuu, nu
laafiisuu fi tokkummaa qabsaa’otaaf gufuu ta’uun isaa ifaa dha. Kanaaf,
tokkummaan isin fiddan kan dhugaan kaayyoo irratti hunda’ee ta’uu qaba!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Tokkummaan qaabsaa’ota Oromoo ummata
keenyaaf dhimma tarsimooti malee kan toofttaa miti!<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Qabsoon tokkummaa qabsaa’ota
Oromoo dhinsuu fi itichuuf godhamu ija toofttaatiin ilaalamuu hin qabu. Har’a,
qabxiin ummata keenya dhimma kana caalaa yaaddessuu kan jiru nutti hin
fakkaatu. Tokkummaan qabsaa’otaa ittiin diina injifatanii biyya keenya fi saba
keenya bilisoomsuu qofaaf kan barbaadamu miti. Erga bilisa baanee boodallee,
biyya keenya misoomsuu fi sirnna haqaa fi dimookrassii keessatti diriirsuun
tokkumma qabsaa’otaa gaafata. Qabsaa’onni tokkummaa hin qabnne, yoo biyya
qabaataniis, osoo wal jeeqanii ummataas jeeqanii, saba saanii “lola lammii”
(civil war) saaxiluu danda’u. Qabxii kana hubachuu fi gad-fageessanii itti
amanuun fardii dha.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Sochiin isin tokkummaa qabsaa’ota
Oromoof gootan hubannaa fi amantii kana irratti hundaa’uu qaba. Tokkummaa
qabaachuun <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>waan Oromoo hedduu gammachiisu
ta’uu waan beektaniif jecha, ummata biratti jalala horachuuf ykn bu’aa biraa
irraa buufachuuf <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>ykn “olola of irraa
dhaabuuf” ykn “haasaa nagaatti jirra” jechuu qofaaf akka toofttaatti <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>dhimma itti hin ba’ina. Bakka gahuu dhabuu
yalii hedduu ammaan dura gootaniif sababin tokko tokkummaa qabsaa’ota Oromoo
akka toofttaatti malee akka tarsimootti ilaaluu dhabuu keessan. Kanaaf, fuula
duratti irraa of qusadhaa!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<o:p><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Dhaabni isin hoogantan kan
miseensota isaa ti, malee kan dhuunfaa keessanii miti! Kana yeroo hunda
yaadahdaa!<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Dhaabni
hoogganttan kan miseensota dhaabichaa ti. Hoogganni aangoo irra yeroo dheeraa
turuu irraan kan ka’e dhaabin kan dhuunfaa saanii kan ta’e itti fakkaachuu
danda’a. Dogoggora akkasii irraa of eeggachuu barbaachisa. Kan hooggana filee
aangoo itti keenne miseensota dhaabichaa ta’uun irraafatamuu hin qabu! Deggersa
fi qooda fudhannaa miseensotaa malee sochiin keessan milkaa’uu hin danda’u. Kanaaf,
mirga miseensonni keessan imaammata, sochii fi murtiilee dhaaba saanii
keessatti qooda fudhachuuf qaban kabajaa!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p>Sa</o:p></span>baboota sochii isin tokkummaa
qabsaa’ota Oromoo dhinsuuf goona jettan gufachiisan keessaa inni tokko, sochii
kana keessatti, miseensota keessan qooda dhorkachuu fi yaada saanii<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>kessumsiisuu diduu dha jennee amanna.
Ilaalcha “Kan wal-dhabu hooggana, kan araaramus hooggana, miseensi maal keessaa
qabaa?” jedhu irraa of qulqulleessuu dadhabuu keessan argina. Hamma ilaalcha
kana irraa of qulqulleessittanitti, tokkummaa qabsaa’ota Oromoo dhinsuu hin
dandeessan. Qabsaa’onni isin tokkoomsuuf hojjenna jettan kun eenyu isaanii?
Miseensotuma dhaabota keessanii miti? Maree tokkummaa kanneen akka tokkooman
berbaadamu keessatti qooda hin fudhane ykn irratti yaada hin kennanne milkaa’uu
attamitti danda’aa? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Seena
dabre irraa barachuu feesisa. Murtiilee gur-guddoon ammaan dura osoo miseensota
qooda hin fudhachiisin godhaman jeequmsa fi badii guddaa fidan. Jecha kanaaf
fakkeenyi irraa barachuu qabnu inni duraa bara 1991 keessa mootummaa cehumsa
Itoophiyya keessaa qooda fudhachuu ABOn murteesse keessaa, miseensi dhaabicha
qooda hin qabu ture. Murtii fardiin akkasii qooda fudhannaa fi maree
miseensotaan alatti godhamee raabsameef. Bara 1992 keessa murtiin WBO mooraatti
galchuu, beekumsa miseensotan alatti ta’e. Itti bahiin isaa lubbuu ilmaan
Oromoo qisaasuu fi WBO hamma badinsaan gahuu ture. Fakkeenyi biraan, murtii
bara 2000 keessa “Ajandaa Nagaa” labsuuf godhame, kan miseensonni dhaabichaa
irratti hin mar’achiifaminii fi qooda keessaa hin fudhatini. Itti bahiinsi
isaas ABO bakka lamatti baqaqsuun QBO gara boodaatti deebise jechuun ni
dandaa’ama. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Qooda
fudhannaa, deggersa fi fedhii miseensotaa keessanii malee, tokkumaa qabsaa’otaa
qofaa keessan fiduu hin dandeessan. “Waliigaltte”, “tumsa”, “Walhubannoo” fi
kkf mallatteessuu dura, miseensota keessaniin mar’adha. Yaada saanii
gaafadhaa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dhimma kana akka gaariitti
hubachuu fi deggeruu saanii hubadhaa. Addunyaatti facaasuu dura miseensota
keessaniin gahaa.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Gabaabatti,
mirga miseensota keessanii kabajaa! Qabsaa’onni isin tokkoomsuuf hojjenna
jettan miseensotuma kana ta’uu yeroo hunda yaadadhaa! Dhaabichi kan dhuunfaa keessan
osoo hin taane, kan miseensota ta’uu hubadhaa!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Tokkoomuun qabsaa’otaa kan aadaan
hojii saa hin jijjiiramnne QBOf faydaa hin qabu!<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Hammam illee yoo tookkomttan, yoo
hojii qabsoo hojjettanii <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>QBO achi hin
buttan ta;e ummata Oromoof <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>bu’aa hin buufttan.
Ummata Oromoo kan aria’atama fi hacuuccaa diinaa jalaa baasuu dandeessan hojii
qabsoo hojjechuu qofaan. Hojii hojjechuun ammo aadaa hojii horachuu barbaada. Dhaabonni
keenya hundi, hoogganoota fi miseensota dabalatee, aadaa hojii hin qaban. Kun
jijjiiramuu qaba! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Akka barbaachisutti Oromoo
ijaaranii bobbaasaa hin jiran. Waraana ijaaranii guddisaa fi lolchiisaa hin
jiran. Alagaa Oromoof firoomsaa hin jiran.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Hedduun saanii karoora hojiillee
hin qaban. Karoora humnna namaa oogummaa fi dandeetti qabu horachuu, karoora
beeksisii (propaganda), karoora hojii diiplomaasii, karoora Oromoo biyya keessa
fi alatti ijaaruu, karoora of-irratti hirkannoo, karoora tikaa fi qaruutee (security
& intelligence) jaaruu, karoora waraana ijaaruu fi lakkobsa fi aynaasaa
wayyeessuu fi kkf hin qaban. Karoora hojii malee hojiin hin jiru. Kan hin
karoorffatin hojjetamee fi hin hojjetamnneesaa madaaluun hin danda’amu. Kanaaf,
dhaabonni keenya waggaa dha waggaatti hojiisaanii hammam akka tarkaanfachisan
madaaluu hin danda’an. Kaan saanii gaaffii kanallee of hin gaafatan. Kun
dhaabota keenyaaf aadaa ta’ee jira.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Hojii Oromoo ijaaree bobbaasu,
kan waraana ijaaree lolchiisu, kan alagaa Oromoof firoomsu hoojjettu yoo ta’e
malee tokkummaan keessan qofaan ummata Oromoo waan gargaaru hin qabu. Aadaa
hojii horadhaa!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Wal-tuffachuu dhiisaa!<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Wal caalmaan dhaabota bilisummaa
ummata tokkoo<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>kan maadalamu, kaayyoo
ummatichaa bakkaan gahuuf hojii isaan hojjetan irratti. Hojii kana keessaa
kanneen gurguddoon, kan diiplomasii, kan waraanaa fi kan siyaasaa ti. Isin
keessaa kan qabso diiplomaasii Oromoo boonsu “hojjechaan jira” jechuu danda’u <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>eenyuu? Kan waraana diina haleelaa jiru qabu isin
keessaa eenyuu? Kan biyya keessatti ummata ijaaree qabsootti bobbaasaa jiru hoo
eenyu? Isin keessaa kan hojii kana “kanneen hafan caalaan hojjechaa jira;
Oromoo boonsaan jira!” jedhee dubbachuu danda’u jiraa? Mee dhaabbadhaa of
ilaalaa! Ebelu waraana hin qabu, ebelu nama sadituu dha fi kkf jechuun keessan of
gammachissuuf yoo ta’e malee dhugaa qabatamaa <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>keessa jirttan hin calaqqisu. Kannen wal-cabsan
fi wal-tuffatan tokkummaa ummachuu hin danda’an. Yoo ummataniis, waaruu hin
danda’u. Kanaaf, wal-tuffachuu dhiisaa! Walitti dhufttanii wal jabeessuu fi QBO
achi butuuf carraaqaa malee wal cabsuu fi wal-tuffachuu irratti yeroo keessan
hin balleessinaa.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Hoogganni seera dhaabni isaa
tumateen hin bulle, tokkummaa qabsaa’ota Oromoo dhinsuu hin danda’u!<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Hoogganni sirnna dhaaba saatiin
hin bulle, amantaa (credibility) hin qabaatu. Keesattuu, hoogganni sirnnummaa
(legitimacy) hin qabnne, bakka dhaabichaa bu’ee haasa’uuf illee mirga hin qabu.
Hedduun keessan dhaaba bakka buuna jettan keessatti, gadaan keessan erga dhume
bubbulee jira. Ha ta’u malee, qaanii tokko malee aangootti rarraatanii
jirttu.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hoogganni har’a heera dhaaba
isaa cabsee humnnaan aangotti rarra’u, osoo bilisummaa baanee aangoo qabaate, sirnna
dimookraasii fi kan haqaa diriirsa jedhamee akkamitti abdatamaa? Erga gadaan
keessan dhumee booda akka heera dhaaba keessanitti filannoo haaraa osoo hin
geggeessin ykn miseensota keessanitti deebitanii gadaa keessan dheeressuuf <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>hayyama osoo irraa hin argatin, akkasumatti
baroota dheera aangoorra teessan, hooggana isin booda dhufuuf fakkeenya akkamii
taatuu? Heera fi seera ofii keessanii hin kabajin, miseensota keessan akkamiin
kabajchiisuu dandeessuu?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Tokkummaa qabsaa’ota Oromoo
dhinsuu kan danda’an hoogganoota amantaa (credibility) ummata biraa qaban, hoogganoota
sirnnaa (legitimate leaders) fi hoogganoota seera fi heera dhaaba saaniin
bulanii bulchan qofa. Kanaaf, heera fi seera dhaabota keessanii kabajaa; yoo
gadaan keessan dhumee jiraate, dura hoogganummaa keessan sirneessa! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Oromiyaan Ni
Bilisoomitti!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<o:p><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Abraahim Abbayyee<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">D/T Kutaa ABO
Ameerikaa Kaabaa (KABO-AK)<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<a href="http://www.oromoliberationfront.info/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">www.oromoliberationfront.info</span></a><o:p></o:p><br />
<a href="mailto:KABO-AK@oromoliberationfront.info"><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">KABO-AK@oromoliberationfront.info</span></a><o:p></o:p><br />
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<strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Isin maal jattuu? Have your say!</span></strong>Argan Beekanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14786827310322088599noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38869306.post-1906066977429050232012-06-16T22:48:00.007-04:002012-06-16T23:08:44.831-04:00Ethiopian government outlaws Voice over IP (VOIP): 15-year prison sentences possible<div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizV4jRmfBCYs6TykPuP8BjSDQl-FKkRBoQwgmBIJevCtFE4TZ4iDbB4J8rztTKpKNun6nJijxEsp9GEzVfMxp1RB-rp9U3Pf23RMeRiWzxslEa_hEDAbN7V9Resy14M8FLW8-L/s1600/CesnsoredEthiopia-300x150.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 163px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 100px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5754836447226807954" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizV4jRmfBCYs6TykPuP8BjSDQl-FKkRBoQwgmBIJevCtFE4TZ4iDbB4J8rztTKpKNun6nJijxEsp9GEzVfMxp1RB-rp9U3Pf23RMeRiWzxslEa_hEDAbN7V9Resy14M8FLW8-L/s200/CesnsoredEthiopia-300x150.jpg" /></a> <em><strong>By Patrick Roanhouse<br /><br /></strong></em>Troubling news is coming out of East Africa this week. International media site <a title="Al Jazeera: Ethiopian " href="http://stream.aljazeera.com/story/ethiopia-skype-me-maybe-0022243" target="_blank">Al Jazeera</a> has just picked up that on May 24th 2012, Ethiopia ratified new legislation called the 'Ethiopian Telecom Service Infringement Law'. The Legislation criminalizes any third-party Internet services not run by the state controlled telecom monopoly, <a title="Ethio Telecom" href="http://www.ethionet.et/" target="_blank">Ethio Telecom</a>, with Skype being a focus. However, the ban affects other services, such as Google Talk.<br /><br />The new telecom law is meant to impede Internet telephony, with reported punishments of heavy fines and 8 to 15 years in prison if caught. The legislation prohibits all network telephony traffic, along with audio and video data traffic via social media, reports the <a title="The African Review: Skype banned in Ethiopia" href="http://www.africareview.com/Business+++Finance/New+Ethiopian+law+criminalises+Skype/-/979184/1426020/-/ln43ps/-/index.html">The Africa Review</a>.<br />In order to catch people, Ethio Telecom has implemented brand new "deep packet" inspecting services to filter its citizens' Net access to political opposition blogs and other news outlets.<br /><br /><a title="Reporters Without Boarders: Ethiopian Control of News & Information" href="http://en.rsf.org/ethiopia-government-steps-up-control-of-07-06-2012,42735.html">Reporters Without Boarders</a> was first to report about the new Internet censorship tools going in to country that are specifically designed to also catch people using the popular Internet proxy anonoymizer tool <a title="TOR Project" href="https://www.torproject.org/" target="_blank">TOR, the onion router</a>.<br /><br />According to watchdog group <a title="OpenNet Initiative: Ethiopia" href="http://opennet.net/research/profiles/ethiopia" target="_blank">OpenNet Initiative</a>, Ethiopia currently has the second-lowest Internet penetration rate in sub-Saharan Africa and just around <a title="Google Public Data: Ethiopia number of internet users" href="http://www.google.com/publicdata/explore?ds=d5bncppjof8f9_&met_y=it_net_user_p2&idim=country:ETH&dl=en&hl=en&q=ethiopia+number+of+internet+users" target="_blank">700,000 of the country’s 84 million citizens had Internet access in 2010</a>. The average Internet speed in Ethiopia, says Akamai, is currently 622 kbps.<br /><br />When questioned about the reason for the ban and criminalization of outside VOIP services, particularly Skype, Ethiopian officials reportedly said at first it was for national security. They later let slip about concerns that Skype hurt the state-owned telecommunications company; the legislation also helps to <a title="Endalk's Blog New Media, Democracy and Ethiopia" href="https://endalk.wordpress.com/2012/05/28/the-new-ethiopian-telecom-service-infringements-law-is-it-the-most-creative-way-copying-sopa-and-pipa/" target="_blank">squash independent journalism and bloggers over social media</a>.<br /><br />A recent ruling political party media workshop titled "Internet Management", supported by China's Communist Party, was held in Ethiopia's capital city of Addis Ababa. The workshop was headed up by Professor Gao Hongeim of the Chinese Leadership Academy. The head topic of the talk was about the experience of China regarding "mass media capacity building", "mass media institution management" and "Internet management".<br /><br />This was <a title="Ethiopian Peoples' Revolutionary Democratic Front" href="http://www.eprdf.org.et/web/guest/news/-/asset_publisher/c0F7/content/3-june-2012-26-2004" target="_blank">reported</a> by Ethiopia’s own ruling party, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front. A quick 'sanitized language' to layman translation of the topics basically states China is teaching other countries how to censor and shut down its citizen right to free speech.<br /><br />Source: <a href="http://betanews.com/2012/06/15/ethiopian-government-outlaws-voip-15-year-prison-sentences-possible/">http://betanews.com/2012/06/15/ethiopian-government-outlaws-voip-15-year-prison-sentences-possible/</a><br /><br />Have your say!</div>Argan Beekanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07770623824567285879noreply@blogger.com315tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38869306.post-23768739306655899662012-06-13T13:06:00.001-04:002012-06-13T13:11:42.059-04:00The struggle for independence of Oromiya vs. the struggle to maintain the Ethiopian empire: Which side are you on?<span class="A3"></span><br />
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<span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">By Leenjiso Horo</b></span></div>
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<span class="A3">Every Abyssinian emperor or imperial president, or imperial prime minister has flown Abyssinian flag over Oromiya: still flying it. This flag represents a symbol of a national history and pride for Abyssinians.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For Oromo, it is a symbol of colonial occupation; a symbol of injustice and humiliation. Consequently, the Oromo are waging a war of national independence to replace the colonial flag with the flag of independent state of Oromiya - the </span>flag that represents Oromo values, culture, pride, history, aspiration, hope, dream, and unity.</div>
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In the past 20 years, Meles Zenawi has increased his violence in Oromiya many folds over. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Today, more Oromo are killed than any time before; more Oromo are arrested than any time in memory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Under this colonial fascist regime large number of men, women, youths and elders have been kidnapped and disappeared. In political parlance, disappearance is euphemism for politically motivated secrete kidnappings. The arrests, tortures, and killings have been justified in the name of fighting "terrorism." <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Indeed, Meles Zenawi's regime has waged a total war on the whole Oromo population.</div>
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The reign of fascism of Meles Zenawi's Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) has choked the peoples of the empire. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since it was put in the saddle of power in the empire by foreign powers, this tiny minority has gripped economic, political and military power. Ever since, the TPLF has engaged in the persecution of journalists, artists, academia, students, elders, and members of civil society. As a colonized people, the Oromo have been subjected more than ever before to this regime's strangulation in their own country, in their own backyards. Since it set foot in Oromiya, TPLF has been dangerously undertaking economic persecution and strangulation of the Oromo people in order to destroy their ability to survive as a people, as a nation, as a community, and individuals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In addition, in Oromiya, it has strangulated freedom of expression, of the press, of belief, of association, of assembly, and of movement. It has restricted and made them illegal. This fascistic action is defended and justified in the name of "state security".<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is time to defend ourselves and our country. This time is gold not to be wasted.</div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Since 1991, Oromiya has been robbed by Meles Zenawi and his associates.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have amassed more wealth, power, and privileges than their predecessors ever had.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They robbed Oromo of their lands and resources.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The robbery, stealing and plundering of Oromiya's wealth have been justified in the name of "democracy". <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Furthermore, forcible removal or eviction of civilian population from their lands and destruction of the environment and natural habitats have been justified in the name of “development". <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With Meles Zenawi's regime, everything, including democracy, has lost its proper meaning as the right of colonial nations to self-determination has lost its true meaning with some Oromo nationals. </div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Jijjjiiramaa re-named itself as "Oromo Dialogue Forum"</b></div>
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In moving forward, the Oromo struggle has challenges: one is the internal and the other is the external.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In any struggle the major obstacle is, and has always been the internal one. It is a major obstacle, because it allies with and supports the external enemy against its own people and their struggle. The support can be direct or indirect, open or secret. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For that reason, it would difficult, if not impossible, to effectively fight the external enemy without overcoming the internal challenge. In the Oromo struggle, the external enemy is the colonizer and it is the primary enemy of the Oromo people and their struggle. The internal challenge to the Oromo struggle has been posed by persons of Oromo soul or of Oromo blood but who carry two flags. In one hand, they carry liberation flag and, in the other, they carry the Ethiopian colonial flag. When they see Oromo, they raise the Oromo liberation flag.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And when they see Abyssinians, they raise Abyssinian colonial flag.</div>
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Moreover, when asked about the Oromo struggle for independence of Oromiya, they resort to a vague talk about the right of nation to self-determination and then they go on giving a vague, imprecise, deceptive, false, and misleading meanings and interpretations to the right of nation to self-determination and to the purpose of the Oromo struggle and to its causes, to its nature and to the solution of this struggle. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For quite a while, they have been trying to change the meaning of self-determination, liberation, freedom, and independence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They say the OLF political program does not call for independence of Oromiya.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They claim it only calls for self-determination. They say self-determination is different from independence. Hence, they say the Oromo nation struggles for self-determination not for independence. But they do not dare say for a colonial question, self-determination and independence have one and the same meaning. According to the OLF political program, the Oromo question is a colonial question and Oromiya a colony. Therefore, the meaning of self-determination is the same with the meaning of independence in the Oromo situation. It is only Oromo Ethiopianists - such as those in "Oromo Dialogue Forum" - who are entertaining the false picture of difference in the meaning between these terms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These are the Oromo nationals who have been working for a long time to make alliance with Abyssinian political forces either with colonial government or with its opposition forces.</div>
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As mentioned in the preceding paragraph, it is important that one has a clear picture as to the meaning of self-determination; that it does not mean autonomy or self-rule, or self-government within the existing colonial empire. It only means total separation of a colonized people from a colonizing state and establishing their own free, independent, and sovereign state. It is with this aim that the OLF Political Program of 1974 and its amended versions of 1976 and of 1998 declared the establishment of <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>democratic <place w:st="on"><placetype w:st="on">republic</placetype> of <placename w:st="on">Oromiya</placename></place> as the objective of the Oromo struggle.</div>
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<span class="A3">Here the irony and tragedy is that there are some of our own fellow nationals who were in the struggle for the liberation of Oromia for a long time and now turned their backs against it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They have replaced the meanings of the struggle for the liberation of Oromiya and the meaning of independence of Oromiya with "democratization of <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Ethiopia</place></country-region>" and "New Democratic Republic of Ethiopia." <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In this way, they confused many Oromo nationals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Out of this confusion, some have totally abandoned the struggle and joined the enemy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some have been and are still trying to revise the meanings of liberation, independence, and freedom. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Others have been trying to uproot or abandon all the meanings, altogether.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And to others, the idea of liberation, freedom, and independence sounds a denunciation of peace and democracy. These are the former cadres of Dergue's party and its Youth League members who joined OPDO (Oromo people's Democratic Organization), upon the demise of Dergue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then, they transmigrated from OPDO to OLF in large numbers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are the forces that were instrumental in the split of the OLF in 2001. With the split, they joined Shanee in mass, overwhelmed it and finally controlled it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then they wrapped themselves around Shanee, suffocated it, and misled it by influencing it to take a wrong political line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thereafter, they split from Shanee in 2008 under the name of Jijjjiiramaa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In 2011, they re-joined Shanee, again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, before the ink of their signature of agreement that was put on paper dry they left Shanee, once again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having left Shanee, Jijjjiiramaa fractured itself into pieces. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It collapsed on itself; on its own feet and with this its political line. </span></div>
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<span class="A3">Prior to its collapse, its political slogans 'democratization of <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Ethiopia</place></country-region>' and new democratic <place w:st="on"><placetype w:st="on">Republic</placetype> of <placename w:st="on">Ethiopia</placename></place> were overwhelmingly rejected by the Oromo people and their nationalists. Now, following its collapse, Jijjjiiramaa re-appeared wearing a new lipstick and singing new political slogans "democratization of Horn of Africa" and “democratization of <place w:st="on">Africa</place>" as complementary to the "democratization of <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Ethiopia</place></country-region>" and as an alternative option to independence of Oromiya.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With this, they abandoned the name Jijjjiiramaa, altogether and re-named or re-created themselves as "Oromo Dialogue Forum/Waltajii Marii Oromoo." <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is the new lipstick Jijjjiiramaa is wearing now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is under this new name that Jijjjiiramaa is now hoping to fulfill its old mission.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The mission being to turn the clock of Oromo nationalism back and reverse it in order to help <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>perpetuate Abyssinian colonialism over Oromiya. It is this mission that has motivated and encouraged the group to try everything possible in order to politically and organizationally undermine the OLF.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hence, the "Oromo Dialogue Forum/Waltajii Marii Oromoo" is a camouflaged Ethiopian colonial agent. Dialogue/Marii is simply a masquerade skin of Jijjjiiramaa. </span></div>
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<span class="A3">Moreover, the key leaders of the then Jijjjiiramaa, and the now of the "Oromo Dialogue Forum" are one and the same.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are the same well known individuals with a clear political position. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The political position is to maintain the territorial integrity of the Ethiopian empire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For instance, some of its key leaders were members of the OLF who surrendered the Oromo cause to TPLF at London Conference of May, 1991. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was at that Conference that the now leaders of "Oromo Dialogue Forum", then the leaders of the OLF, handed Oromiya over to TPLF.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That Conference was a victory for Tigrayans and Eritreans but it was a loss for the Oromo. The delegates of EPLF negotiated for independence and delegates of the TPLF negotiated to occupy the rest of the empire-Oromiya included.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The delegates of the OLF negotiated to hand Oromiya over to TPLF. This is a plain fact. The rest of the leaders and members of "Oromo Dialogue Forum" were the members of the former Dergue party and its Youth League who have been socially, ideologically and politically Abyssinianised. These are individuals who joined the OLF after the fall of Dergue regime. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They are Ethiopianist in their political core.</span></div>
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<span class="A3">Furthermore, the "Oromo Dialogue Forum" is an embodiment of "Ethiopian democratization" and "New Democratic Republic of Ethiopia" wrapped into a single whole. As its predecessors, its political campaign is also based on lies, deceit, and fraudulent propaganda in order to mislead Oromo nationals to turn away from the Oromo struggle for independence and from national unity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The slogan “democratization of Horn of Africa" is simply the group's political figment, deceit and delusion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The political goal of the "Oromo Dialogue Forum/Waltajii Marii Oromoo" is to replace the OLF, to disarm it, and finally to do away with it as a liberation front for independence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With this, its long aim is to politically disarm and organizationally incapacitate the Oromo national movement and finally to abandon the Oromo struggle for independence.</span></div>
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<span class="A3">The recent secrete meetings of the group in Oslo, Norway and Mankato, MN, USA<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>were for charting of a secret campaign plan against the OLF and the Oromo struggle. According to attendants of the <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Mankato</place></city> meeting, the discussion was centered on what to do, how to do, when to do, and where to do to shift the Diaspora based Oromo nationals' support away from the idea of struggle for independence and in favor of the idea of the reform of <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Ethiopia</place></country-region>. The <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Mankato</place></city> meeting was setup as a follow up to the <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Oslo</place></city> meeting. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Mankato</place></city> is 85 miles away from the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area, where the Oromo population is estimated to be 20 to 25 thousand. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This meeting was held in secret.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The names of attendants were held in secret.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The place and time of the meeting were kept in secret. In addition to charting the plan for their campaign, the purpose of secrecy was to avoid exposition of the attendants to the public and to keep new local recruits and local collaborators secretly implanted among the community to foster the liquidation of the Oromo national liberation struggle in the name of "Oromo Dialogue Forum."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is time for all Oromo liberation organizations and Oromo nationalists across Oromiya and beyond to unite in a joint struggle against Abyssinian colonial occupation and its local collaborators among which the so-called Oromo Dialogue Forum is one.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is among the internal challenges posed to the Oromo struggle.</span></div>
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<span class="A3">The relationship between Oromiya and <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Ethiopia</place></country-region>, between Oromo and Abyssinians, is a colonial one. This relationship was established by a bloody colonial conquest, occupation and colonization. And ever since, this relationship has been maintained on the basis of crude use of force.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is, the occupation of Oromiya began with violence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As all its predecessors, Tigrayan People's Liberation Front (TPLF) also entered Oromiya by violent means and it is administering Oromiya by violence and by shedding the Oromo blood. This colonial regime is not going to leave Oromiya voluntarily.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has to be forced out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thus, the Oromo people can realize their freedom and independence only through a bitter struggle, including political and armed struggle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And so the armed struggle must continue of necessity. This is a war of independence; it is a war of liberation; and so it is a sacred war. Hence any resistance against TPLF's violence must also be of a violent nature: the armed struggle. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is only the language of violence that the TPLF can hear, listen, understand, and speak. The TPLF colonial occupation as it came to Oromiya in violence, so it will end in violence. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whoever thinks to the contrary is certainly a utopian.</span></div>
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<span class="A3">Oromiya has the right to be free and independent. This is its inalienable right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Oromo people have already decided to be free and independent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To be free and independent is their natural right; their inalienable right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is why they send their sons and daughters to fight the occupying force.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is why their sons and daughters are fighting the colonial occupation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That is why the Ethiopian prison cells are filled with Oromo language speakers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All in all, the Oromo national liberation struggle for independence is the road to peace, to freedom and justice that those nations who are and have been beleaguered by the colonial occupation must take. There is a great centeredness and joy and freedom to be found in doing what is historically necessary, just, and right, in taking up the tasks that history hands us.</span></div>
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<span class="A3"><span style="color: windowtext;">Oromo nationalists love their country and people. It is the love felt by these nationalists who sacrificed their precious lives and those who are still willing to risk their lives for freedom that generations, including yet unborn, cherish. It is the love the nationalists feel for all who are resisting colonial tyranny, its injustices, its violence because they know which side they are on that sustains the struggle. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We know that many of nationalists will find each other as they take this struggle to the mountains, plains, and valleys of Oromiya demanding independence. Millions of our people in Oromiya and thousands in the diaspora will continue to fight until the war for independence of Oromiya is won. They are committed to this cause as their predecessors did. They are committed to organize and fight to the end and to dismantle the Abyssinian colonial occupation of Oromiya and with it, its institutions and its violence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This needs patience and perseverance. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The struggle is to build a society in which each community and individual living in Oromiya lives free and in democracy, liberty and in peace, enjoying happiness and human dignity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These cannot be achieved without struggle and cannot be realized with only wishes or without being part of the struggle. As Frederick Douglass, an American abolitionist has put it: “If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom and yet avoid confrontation are people who want crops without plowing up the ground; they want rain without thunder and lightning; they want the ocean without the roar of its waters.” </span></span></div>
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In this struggle, on the one side, the Oromo people are fighting for independence, justice, liberty, peace and democracy. And on the other, there is simply Tigrayan colonial barbarism and its supporters fighting to maintain the colonial empire and its injustices. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For this, it is incumbent upon the Oromo nationals to ring the bell for the independence, write for it, speak for it, fight for it, die for it, and live for it rather than lending ears to the so-called "Oromo Dialogue Forum" -the group that is recently preaching the political insanity of "democratization of Horn of Africa," and "African democratization."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here the friends and foes of Oromo struggle should understand that the Oromo struggle will continue until colonial occupation ends and its<span class="A3"> new and old local agents and collaborators bow to the will of the Oromo people and to those heroes and heroines who have sacrificed their lives for the independence of their people. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>This note is for everyone who loves Oromiya, for everyone who loves his or her people, for everyone who opposes colonial occupation, and for everyone who opposes Meles Zenawi's regime war on Oromiya, on its people, and their institutions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is the time to fight. We have to fight to fulfill the dreams, the hopes, the wishes, and the aspiration of the Oromo people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For this, we must find our voice, the voice of unity, and the voice of fighting in unity.</div>
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In the end, the Oromo struggle is against Abyssinian colonization and occupation of Oromiya. The political goal of the struggle is to restore independence to Oromiya.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The time has come for all us Oromos to get up and be counted; to stand together and fight in unison to defend our country and our people against all enemies: internal and external. In this struggle, as Oromo nationals you have to make a clear and unambiguous choice. The choices are whether you stand on the side of the violent colonialist force and its local collaborators or on the side of the truly Oromo national liberation struggle for the total independence of Oromiya.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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So the question is: Which side are you on?</div>
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Oromiya Shall be free!<br />
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Have your say!</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">By Leenjiso Horo</span></b></div>Argan Beekanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07770623824567285879noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38869306.post-51372415321878121252012-01-19T06:39:00.011-05:002012-01-19T08:57:05.031-05:00Kemal Gelchu & Co.: “OLF” Trojan horse? Part IV<p align="center"><strong><em>By Observer<br /></em></strong><br /><strong>Continued from Part III <a href="http://oromoaffairs.blogspot.com/2012/01/kemal-gelchu-co-olf-trojan-horse-part_11.html" target="_blank">(Read Here)</a></strong><br /></p><br /><p align="justify"><strong>Kemal Gelchu & Co.'s Next Steps?</strong><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOKtMuEd5n5-Ap7HHeg8GsIZS3vu5j0ueij0GJ-rzlJmomzjmHy0W8Acd4pW521FEbaUYaXi1NojLJpZN2-uuAUFYASmk8fnFK4oo1VPvedX_kUj6o5yHa6fFm-4UkwX8Hz0bX/s1600/Hailu-gonfa.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 142px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5699311421872427058" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOKtMuEd5n5-Ap7HHeg8GsIZS3vu5j0ueij0GJ-rzlJmomzjmHy0W8Acd4pW521FEbaUYaXi1NojLJpZN2-uuAUFYASmk8fnFK4oo1VPvedX_kUj6o5yHa6fFm-4UkwX8Hz0bX/s200/Hailu-gonfa.jpg" /></a>If you think Kemal Gelchu & Co.’s mission is limited to spying on, taking over and sabotaging the Oromo struggle led by the OLF and killing the organization, please think again. Their mission is much bigger than that. It is all part of the widely known and much talked about TPLF diaspora policy. Targeted for destruction by that policy is not only the Oromo struggle. Abyssinian (Habasha, Amhara & others) diaspora opposition groups, including Ginbot 7 (G7), are among those marked for infiltration and sabotage by various TPLF spies. Kemal Gelchu & Co. is but one such group deployed by TPLF. </p><p align="justify">The overall goal is to have diaspora opposition groups and liberation fronts silenced and surrender to TPLF where possible or saw discord among them to disrupt and frustrate their activities.<br /><br />To that end, the Oromo struggle was chosen both as an end and a means - as an end, in that the effort targets the Oromo struggle for destruction; as a means, in that the effort includes using the Oromo struggle as a gateway to Abyssinian opposition groups marked for infiltration. The plan, which Kemal Gelchu & Co. is entrusted with executing, is killing two birds with one stone. The two birds are the OLF & diaspora Abyssinian opposition groups; the proverbial single stone to be used to kill both of them would be the OLF political program.<br /><br /><strong>How?</strong><br /><br />If there is one thing Abyssinians (Habashas) hate even more than they hate the TPLF, it is the OLF political program which calls for Oromo self-determination with the option of forming an independent state of Oromioa. This is a fact beyond dispute. For the Habasha, to defeat TPLF only to lose Oromia, the most fertile and richest part of the empire, would be to win the battle but lose the war. This is something no Habasha is willing to contemplate much less accept or compromise on. One way in which the Habshaa believe they would be able to achieve both of their objectives (defeating TPLF and keeping Oromia under the yoke of colonialism) would be to have the Oromo drop their demand for self-determination, and statehood, and join them in the struggle to depose TPLF from the Imperial throne.<br /><br />TPLF is keenly aware of this state of affairs just as we all are. Of course, it is working hard to infiltrate Abyssinian diaspora opposition groups directly as well. But, that is a pretty obvious strategy which the Abyssinians are aware of and are vigilantly guarding against. An even better strategy, however, would be to blindside them. The Abyssinian blindside, in this case, would be their obsession with having the Oromo drop their demand for self-determination. Any Oromo group willing to offer them “unity and sovereignty of Ethiopia” would be invited to alliances and even mergers. Within the country, MEDREK – which now includes Oromo People’s Congress (OPC) and Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement (OFDN) - is a case in point. Abyssinian diaspora organizations have not been as lucky. Having searched for such a group in the diaspora for many years to no avail, they think they have found one now. They are now beating the drum for Kemal Gelchu & Co – the Trojan horse approaching them with the promise of “unity and sovereignty of Ethiopia”. Little do they know that they are dancing to TPLF tune.<br /><br />Making predictions is always hazardous. It would have been nice to have a crystal ball in which to look and see the future. Having no such tool at my disposal, what follows is not a set-in-stone declaration of what will happen-- but rather what very well could happen based on Kemal Gelchu & Co.’s journey thus far as well as current trends. With that disclaimer, I will be looking out for the following scenarios to materialize in the near future.<br /><br />Having promised everything Ginbot 7 &. Co. would like to hear, including acceptance of a federal Ethiopia, Kemal Gelchu & Co. would propose some sort of alliance or a merger. It would be difficult for Ginbot 7 to turn down such a proposal for a couple of reasons. First, Kemal Gelchu & Co. has declared that the Oromo have no demand or question different and separate from that of other Abyssinians. That is exactly what Ginbot 7 has been preaching to whoever cared to listen. They have also accepted a struggle for “a functional and vibrant federal political structure” which Ginbot 7’s political program calls for. What reason would there be for Ginbot 7 to refuse a merger? Secondly, as an aspiring “multi-ethnic” organization, Ginbot 7 would love to have as many Oromos as possible associated with it to get a foot hold in Oromia which it is currently lacking. Why would Ginbot 7 not take this opportunity to extend its activities into Oromia region?<br /><br />Before such a merger can take place, however, Kemal Gelchu & Co. would insist on the future merged organization renouncing raising arms to achieve a political end and declaring “non-violence” as its method of struggle. This is necessary because Ginbot 7 has not done so explicitly. In fact, it refused to disavow raising arms in its political program by “emphasiz[ing] that “peaceful struggle” works in a society where the government respects the rights of its citizens to dissent.” No one can tell if Kemal Gelchu & Co. will succeed in this endeavor but given that Ginbot 7 is currently not engaged in one any way, it would not be farfetched to opine Ginbot 7 may be open to the idea.<br /></p><br /><div align="justify"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ6zagbPgLgOplQhH6P5XZB7aOlhQmL-KKkPKHt3tmm8elM8F2LobOG2e58t6ew_PTKzAxE3PkvXt9FrHTf7eJTzUgem3lBmKElDeS699X390EaZiRUF6iIbkrgjcTsuJOtF9z/s1600/kemal-gelchu.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 162px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 121px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5699311306202387698" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ6zagbPgLgOplQhH6P5XZB7aOlhQmL-KKkPKHt3tmm8elM8F2LobOG2e58t6ew_PTKzAxE3PkvXt9FrHTf7eJTzUgem3lBmKElDeS699X390EaZiRUF6iIbkrgjcTsuJOtF9z/s200/kemal-gelchu.jpg" /></a>If they succeed, such a merger would give them opportunity to do more harm to the opposition group by spying for TPLF and sabotaging the merged organization’s work from within. Claiming representation for the Oromo people, they would occupy high leadership positions from where they can influence decisions detrimental to the organization and beneficial to TPLF. From such positions, they would gather information on the organization’s plans and activities to be transmitted to TPLF.<br /><br />At the same time, they would argue that “peaceful” struggle cannot be waged from afar and would work hard on convincing the merged organization to return home to lead the struggle from inside the country. The only way to do so would be to negotiate their return with TPLF who would provide them with a face saving concession which Kemal Gelchu & Co. – now part of the merged organization leadership - would accept after some feigned negotiations effort.<br /><br />If other members of the leadership of the merged organization formerly from G7 agree with the concession and decide to head home, then, this would be Kemal Gelchu & Co.’s ticket back home to a hero’s welcome from TPLF. Otherwise, this would lead to a split of the merged organization along Oromo/Abyssinia line enabling Kemal Gelchu & Co. to continue to cause confusion and turmoil in diaspora opposition organizations until such time that they are exposed and “defect” back to TPLF.<br /><br />Ginbot 7 would be well advised to beware of TPLF agents bearing the promise of “unity and sovereignty of Ethiopia”!<br /><br /><strong>Conclusions</strong><br /><br />Having failed to succeed in recruiting from within the OLF and having failed to convince any faction of the OLF to join its government, TPLF had to come up with a crafty plot similar to what the Greeks did to defeat Trojans. It recruited Kemal Gelchu & Co. to infiltrate the OLF, take it over and wreak havoc among diaspora opposition groups.<br /><br />As anyone with the slightest understanding of politics can see, it does not make sense for generals who purportedly left the employ of TPLF to challenge it by force to disband their army, renounce armed struggle before they fire their first bullet and adopt “peaceful struggle.” Nor does it make sense for their much loved and respected political organization to alter its political program which gained them public love and support and adopt one that is shown to have been rejected by the nation they claim to work for. On top of that, those who execute these changes are new comers to the organization – to the OLF. Where were they before joining this organization whose program and strategy they are changing? They were working for the enemy – the TPLF. Only an enemy agent would do what Kemal Gelchu & Co. did with the “OLF” faction they claim to lead. Only a Trojan horse would do such a thing!<br /><br />The Eritrean government is aware of Kemal Gelchu & Co.’s mission from TPLF. However, as is common practice in the intelligence world, it is using the enemy agents for its own ends (more on this at a later date) while monitoring and controlling their activities. Kemal Gelchu & Co.’s request for travel permits outside Eritrea has been consistently turned down by the Eritrean government regardless of the purported purpose for travel request. Even within Eritrea, their movement is very much restricted. Since their arrival, they have been under special surveillance 24 hours a day and are followed everywhere by Eritrean HUMINT agents. Their communication with everyone and anyone, inside and outside Eritrea, is being monitored and reported every day. That is how the Eritreans found out the plot (in or around 2007) by Kemal Gelchu and diaspora supporters to force out Dawud Ibsaa and alerted the later who was able to thwart the plot easily. Even every interview Kemal Gelchu & Co. give is scrutinized by Eritrean intelligence officers for code words or code phrases meant to convey messages to TPLF. </div><br /><div align="justify">Eritreans are very vigilant against infiltration. Are we, Oromos?<br /><br />Will Kemal Gelchu & Co., "OLF" Trojan Horse, accomplish its mission and go back to TPLF to a hero’s welcome? That is their plan but only time will tell!<br /><br />Have your say. </div>Argan Beekanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07770623824567285879noreply@blogger.com103tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38869306.post-71824851223876360492012-01-11T17:32:00.013-05:002012-04-02T17:58:33.042-04:00Kemal Gelchu & Co.: “OLF” Trojan horse? Part III<div align="center"><span style="font-size:180%;"><strong><em>By Observer<br /></em></strong></span><br /><strong>Continued from Part II</strong> <a href="http://oromoaffairs.blogspot.com/2012/01/kemal-gelchu-co-olf-trojan-horse-part.html" target="_blank">(Read Here)</a></div><br /><br /><br /><p align="justify"><strong>On Changing the OLF Political program<br /></strong><br />No serious observer of the Oromo people and their struggle for liberation over the last twenty years would doubt their abiding love and support for the OLF. That much, I argue, is beyond dispute. One cannot find a stronger evidence of the truth of this statement than pointing to the fact that the Oromo people stuck with it over the last twenty years even when it is at its weakest. Even Melles Zenawi, the arch enemy of the OLF, is said to have quipped “if you scratch every Oromo, you will expose the OLF in them” or something to that effect. This quip is one of the most telling testaments of Oromo love for the OLF.<br /><br />So, why is it that the Oromo people love this organization so much and refuse to abandon it even when it seems weak and ineffective? Why is it that no Oromo organization created since has been able to garner as much support as the OLF from the Oromo people? What has it done for them in the past and what has it promised them for the future?<br /><br />Most importantly, to tie it to the Kemal Gelchu & Co. story, how can one kill the OLF which seems to have nine lives and would not die regardless of uncountable attempts on its life or the number of obituaries written about its death?<br /><br />Follow me, please!<br /><br />The Oromo people’s deepest love is not for the leaders or members of the day; Although they love and hold them in high regard too. They know that leaders and members come and go. Their love is for something constant, something persisting in the OLF regardless of who leads the organization or holds membership in it. That, my friends, is the ideals the organization represents; the fears, hopes and aspirations it is connected to. The ideals, the fears and hopes, and the aspirations it represents and stands for are the same as those that the Oromo people hold very dear. In fact, the OLF was formed for exactly that purpose – to represent and reflect Oromo hopes and aspirations. This is manifested in its political program. It is specified as dismantling the Ethiopian empire, freeing the Oromo people from colonial subjugation and enabling them to determine their fate with no external interference or undue pressure. Without dismantling the empire the Oromo will never see freedom and without freedom they won’t be able to determine their fate freely. When that opportunity comes around, while it advocates for independent state of Oromia, the OLF has promised them that it will respect and abide by their choice. That is what gained it so much love and support from them.<br /><br />Not only has the OLF reflected Oromo hopes and aspirations for liberation, it has also achieved for them, in a few decades, part of what they had lost for over a century. Paramount among them, it has helped lift Oromo identity, history and culture from the dust bin to which it was relegated by the Habasha colonizers and located it in its rightful place among the respected ones on the planet. I say helped because it is the Oromo people that did much of the lifting work through their organized and unorganized resistance. The OLF, however, gave that resistance and renaissance shape and direction. It organized and led it. The implication of that achievement alone on the Oromo psyche is incalculable. A book can be written about the impacts of this achievement. However, for the purpose of this piece, suffice to say that we would not have Qubee, or recognized as a nation without this achievement.<br /><br />OLF’s work is not completed by any stretch of the imagination. But, knowing what it has accomplished for them to date, the Oromo maintain confidence that it will deliver on its promises in the future as well. That is because they are mindful of the fact that past behavior is the best indicator of future behavior. The OLF has gone, and will go, through ups and downs, rainy and sunny days, disappointments and successes but at the end of the day, they believe, it will come through for them and will deliver on its promises as it has done before. Yes, it will stumble from time to time, it will even fall down now and then, but they are confident that it will pick itself up, dust itself off, and walk, even run and fly, again. Whether it is strong or weak at any particular time is not as important as what it stands for. Its point in time strength or weakness may be most important for opportunists among them but not for the vast majority of the Oromo people.<br /><br />Simply put, what the Oromo love is not OLF the organization per se. Their love affair is with OLF’s political program which is the embodiment of their hopes and aspirations. Without its political program, the OLF may exist as an organization, in name only, but without doubt will forgo the love and support of the Oromo people it has enjoyed since its inception.<br /><br />In order to kill the OLF, it is not enough to murder, to “disappear” or to torture its leaders or members. Nor is it enough to delegalize it or label it as a terrorist organization. Twenty years of such practices have not borne fruit for TPLF. The secret to killing the OLF is to deprive it of the love and support it enjoys from its people. That is the only sure way of burying the OLF six feet under. What better way is there to accomplish that than by decoupling and disassociating it from its political program? None at all!<br /><br />The sure way to kill the OLF, once and for all, would be to cajole, coerce or force it to abandon its missions and objectives as they are enshrined in its political program.<br /><br />Enemies of the OLF know this very well. After years of attempts at cajoling and coercing it to change its mission, and having failed miserably at it, they have devised a crafty scheme they hoped the Oromo would be unable to uncover. It is to infiltrate the organization, take it over and force it to abandon its political program so as to deprive it of Oromo love and support. But they needed an Oromo tool, a “Trojan Horse” to accomplish this mission for them.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgcNMnDDfYJhbRSP_5bNV3F2yvnSj-HISNBb5DYfjyqrmQiIMV6Xio6Tq_0NdWZ0TSVce-Q3PuOi_qXuS6XwbItG5aWX3o0u_JAO1Go4wGI1MolsTy5O4UdFeWc4eP3lIrM-Sh/s1600/kemal-gelchu.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 162px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 121px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696508977991726034" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgcNMnDDfYJhbRSP_5bNV3F2yvnSj-HISNBb5DYfjyqrmQiIMV6Xio6Tq_0NdWZ0TSVce-Q3PuOi_qXuS6XwbItG5aWX3o0u_JAO1Go4wGI1MolsTy5O4UdFeWc4eP3lIrM-Sh/s200/kemal-gelchu.jpg" /></a> Say hi to Kemal Gelchu & Co., the lethal tool charged with this mission by the TPLF.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ZpLjC7Kw_bkKw0cEGDj78t-BKlxx_j5P5rCHwLT7mjl6bs6bpw4XmyglRN3C6iY-EwFWA-z72GZjwDaeKXFUwdl005dMw4KAHJNm29AU7WLe22nlAmmlPGg7cRQTir1pN_Tw/s1600/Hailu-gonfa.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 142px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5696509656002215058" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5ZpLjC7Kw_bkKw0cEGDj78t-BKlxx_j5P5rCHwLT7mjl6bs6bpw4XmyglRN3C6iY-EwFWA-z72GZjwDaeKXFUwdl005dMw4KAHJNm29AU7WLe22nlAmmlPGg7cRQTir1pN_Tw/s200/Hailu-gonfa.jpg" /></a>That is exactly what Kemal Gelchu & Co. announced on January 1, 2012. <a href="http://oroomoliberationfront.org/pressRelease/OROMO_LIBERATION__POLITICAL_PROGRAM[1].pdf" target="_blank">(Read Here)</a> Under the guise of “a new vision with clear goals” they have changed the goal of the Oromo struggle led by their faction of the OLF from freeing the Oromo people from colonial subjugation and determining their fate freely to achievement of “New Federal Republic of Ethiopia.”<br /><br />What is more, they accomplished their mission by trampling upon the due process procedure enshrined in the OLF constitution which calls for the organizations general assembly to make such a major change. Usurping the general assembly’s power and circumventing that due process was necessary to achieve their mission. Without such illegal act, they were certain that their mission cannot be accomplished for they would be opposed by the vast majority of nationalist Oromos who had joined their faction duped by their sugar coated mantra of “change”.<br /><br />If the Oromo people’s aspiration were life in a “Federal” empire, they have had many organizations to choose from. First, there have been independent and “legal” Oromo organizations in the country that they could have supported and helped grow. These organizations have accepted a federal Ethiopia. The Oromo people, however, did not flock to join them and strengthen them. Secondly, the Oromo people have had the option of joining what Habasha’s call “multi-ethnic” organizations in the country. These are also “legal” and are working to remove TPLF from power. Twenty years after the OLF left the country, the Oromo people have refused to join these organizations.<br /><br />Why? Why have they decided to stick to an “illegal” organization labeled a terrorist and face assured harsh treatment at the hands of TPLF?<br /><br />The answer is simple. After twenty years of their refusal to join these other “legal” organizations in droves, it is fair to say that these organizations, although some of them seem independent and work for some Oromo interests, they do not represent the whole gamut of Oromo hopes and aspirations. The TPLF is very much mindful of this fact. According to TPLF even the few Oromos holding membership in “legal” opposition organizations, when scratched reveal the OLF in them.<br /><br />So what is the purpose of changing the OLF political program to realizing “New Federal Republic of Ethiopia.” knowing fully that other Oromo organizations who are working for the same ideal have not gained their people’s love and support after twenty years of existence?<br /><br />The purpose is to kill the OLF; deprive it of the love and support of the Oromo people it enjoys by changing its political program to one the Oromo don’t particularly care for. A “Trojan Horse” in the form of Kemal Gelchu & Co. was constructed and sent on this mission. Will they succeed? Only time and how the Oromo will react to these enemy spies’ actions will tell.<br /><br />This is the third evidence of Kemal Gelchu & Co.’s clandestine work for TPLF from within the Oromo movement for freedom.<br /><br /><strong>Continued in Part IV <a href="http://oromoaffairs.blogspot.com/2012/01/kemal-gelchu-co-olf-trojan-horse-part_19.html" target="_blank">(Read Here)</a></strong>.<br /><br />Have your say! </p>Argan Beekanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07770623824567285879noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38869306.post-157668613291370762012-01-08T19:21:00.010-05:002012-04-02T17:57:45.276-04:00Kemal Gelchu & Co.: “OLF” Trojan horse? Part II<div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">By Observer<br /></span></strong><br />Continued from Part I <a href="http://oromoaffairs.blogspot.com/2012/01/kemal-gelchu-co-olf-trojan-horse-part-i.html" target="_blank">(Read Here)</a></div><br /><p align="justify"><strong>On Challenging TPLF by Force<br /></strong><br />Today, five years after they joined the Asmara group of OLF and three years after claiming leadership of an OLF faction, Kemal Gelchu & Co, are generals without armies much less challenge TPLF by force. Not only have they no army to speak of but have surrendered to TPLF whatever army there was before their arrival and sided with them during their split with the Asmara Group of OLF.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTxc_Nqedk2YOu_thvwftG16tRYv3YE3AHSOHdOxLY7Ywo0EwZipF63IYyKu7g8jS_brCh4I57Nev_0V5PfRcnPmeNisbryjhMg9d2KdW_RZSKwcv5gNxf9pn2dcbSk4itlOnM/s1600/Hailu-gonfa.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 142px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695426247237169394" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTxc_Nqedk2YOu_thvwftG16tRYv3YE3AHSOHdOxLY7Ywo0EwZipF63IYyKu7g8jS_brCh4I57Nev_0V5PfRcnPmeNisbryjhMg9d2KdW_RZSKwcv5gNxf9pn2dcbSk4itlOnM/s200/Hailu-gonfa.jpg" /></a><br />Under Hailu Gonfa’s command, in Aug. 2009, they allowed the filming, and airing on a Kenyan TV station, of the Oromo liberation Army (OLA), “in southern Ethiopia near the border town of Moyale” there by pin pointing OLA location for TPLF. A few months later, in Jan 2010, the vast majority of the army surrendered to TPLF under mysterious circumstances. Even before that, it was widely rumored that the OLA under their command was full of TPLF spies.<br /><br />Furthermore, before they even fire their first shot and having surrendered their army to TPLF, Kemal Gelchu & Co. abandoned armed struggle and declared “non-violence” <a href="http://www.oroomoliberationfront.org/pressRelease/OLF_Declaration.pdf" target="_blank">(Read Here)</a> as their method of struggle there by revealing their lack of intention to challenge TPLF by force. It is unheard of for army generals to renounce armed struggle and declare “non-violence” to challenge an adversary they have asserted does not understand dialogue. The purpose, from the beginning, I submit to you the reader, was to disband OLA (Oromo Liberation Army) to deny the OLF a fighting chance against TPLF. Had Kemal Gelchu & Co. succeeded in taking total control of the OLF (including the two other factions), there is no doubt that this group would have made the OLF a toothless liberation front without a liberation army for that is one of the objectives they were sent to accomplish.<br /><br />But that is exactly what TPLF wanted all along and has been demanding from the OLF to no avail until Kemal Gelchu & Co. showed up on the scene. Kemal Gelchu & Co. partly achieved by infiltration what TPLF failed to accomplish by force and through negotiations. What force and negotiations failed to yield, infiltration delivered.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGRpz-5SeUCnWo27O1j0pOYfbqJstjceEVtCkXRp6HUK_Zl5MTBqCEwktVLbDUDAsJonILyTKGzy0DD-SECki4qNLg6W-DHOBtdCVSb0vLu7wMFF1mPB9CPd_c8OXtMjM9n0K2/s1600/kemal-gelchu.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 162px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 121px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695425790034092034" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGRpz-5SeUCnWo27O1j0pOYfbqJstjceEVtCkXRp6HUK_Zl5MTBqCEwktVLbDUDAsJonILyTKGzy0DD-SECki4qNLg6W-DHOBtdCVSb0vLu7wMFF1mPB9CPd_c8OXtMjM9n0K2/s200/kemal-gelchu.jpg" /></a> But why did Kemal Gelchu & Co. choose non-violence, a method they declared ineffective when they left TPLF? What has changed since to make “non-violence” appealing to them at this point? Nothing has changed for the better form what we know! Has TPLF become more democratic and tolerant of “non-violent” methods of struggle? No! In fact, TPLF became more tyrannical wining 99.6% in its last “elections”. It continues to “disappear”, torture, imprison and kill our people. It continues to fire live ammunitions against peaceful demonstrators. One can find no rational reason for such decision under such conditions. In order to make sense of their adoption of “non-violence”, one would have to assume they were sent on a mission by TPLF to pacify the OLF. But this is not a wild assumption. It is one supported by evidence of their actions and one widely held belief in Oromia.<br /><br />If peaceful struggle is what they had in mind, why did they leave the country in the first place? Wouldn’t it make sense to join Oromo organizations who have adopted that method - the likes of Dr. Merera Gudina’s OPC (Oromo People’s Congress) and Obbo Bulcha Demeksa’s WAFIDO? How do they plan to conduct peaceful struggle from afar - from Asmara? In the successful peaceful struggles with which we are familiar, the leaders remained among their peoples and led the struggle. Dr. Martin Luther King walked at the head of freedom marches in his country and with his people. Gandhi was among his people when he took on the English empire and tasted the brutality of the colonizers with his brethren. What are we to make of their advocacy for “non-violent” struggle from outside the country?<br /><br />Could “non-violence” be their ticket back to TPLF once they accomplish the mission they were sent to execute? I will address this a few paragraphs later in “What would the Logical next steps be for Kemal Gelchu & Co.?”<br /><br />The answer to the question about whether they have challenged TPLF by force as they promised they would do when they “defected”, should be obvious by now – NOT AT ALL! In fact, they surrendered to TPLF part of the OLA that sided with them. Before they fired a single shot, they disavowed armed struggle and adopted “non-violence”. They have no intention or plan to challenge TPLF in any way much less by force because they were sent to do TPLF work. Kemal Gelchu & Co. bears the sole responsibility for dismantling the OLA under their command.<br /><br />This is the second evidence of their clandestine work for TPLF from within the Oromo movement for freedom.<br /><br />Continued on Part III <a href="http://oromoaffairs.blogspot.com/2012/01/kemal-gelchu-co-olf-trojan-horse-part_11.html" target="_blank">(Read Here)</a>.</p><br /><p align="justify">Have your say! </p>Argan Beekanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07770623824567285879noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38869306.post-13249218756256250992012-01-07T22:32:00.023-05:002012-04-02T17:56:35.737-04:00Kemal Gelchu & Co.: “OLF” Trojan horse? Part I<div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ihabqA5wGZzzTWUT3_lKX5Ww1PWA_99CNR-ScLE55_ociCFrf6JNW4fJsEJREQGjOo-hv895G7PoWOwvbPxsRxTOMNCVTkw6TCV77MqUIjAp2QSO4YeMloREfpE-7D6g-cSH/s1600/trojan-horse.jpg"></a><em><span style="font-size:180%;"><strong>By Observer</strong> </span></em><br /><br /></div><br /><p align="justify">On August 10, 2006, Oromo nationalist all over the world woke up to the news of Gen. Kemal Gelchu’s (a TPLF army general) defection to Eritrea and joining the Asmara Group of OLF (AKA the Dawud Ibsaa Group). Kemal Gelchu had been a very loyal soldier of the Ethiopian empire for many years both under the DERG and TPLF regimes. At the time of his defection to Eritrea, he was the commander of the TPLF 18th army division.<br /><br />According to media reports, Kemal Gelchu simply walked across the border to Eritrea under cover of darkness from where he was stationed on Ethio-Eritrea border. What is more, he brought along 150 fully armed soldiers and, by some accounts, “tens of commanders” including Col. Abebe Geresu.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7VZd0IL_b9wxxoBUYDe5GYIHUz4V4hfqnN4k21CyxfZmTvfKPqqPd9TJv3SiPFk1eaWvnvmeEPYQ-keh-EZKs7XBrvpLIfQw-qYjDoGbEG7UwVLcRtmZKgiDsb1FghnPv9DUq/s1600/kemal-gelchu.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 162px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 121px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695107393208070498" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7VZd0IL_b9wxxoBUYDe5GYIHUz4V4hfqnN4k21CyxfZmTvfKPqqPd9TJv3SiPFk1eaWvnvmeEPYQ-keh-EZKs7XBrvpLIfQw-qYjDoGbEG7UwVLcRtmZKgiDsb1FghnPv9DUq/s200/kemal-gelchu.jpg" /></a>TPLF explained away the general’s defection as a disgruntled soldier who was denied promotion and chose to engage in “divisive activities”. Ethiopian TV reported: “Although his [Kemal Gelchu’s] colleagues repeatedly tried to correct the commander from his anti-government and inappropriate activities, the commander was not willing to change".<br /><br />Regardless of his alleged “divisive activities” and notwithstanding TPLF’s knowledge of it, Kemal was allowed to command TPLF’s 18th army division stationed at the border with Eritrea – Ethiopia’s arch enemy. By any standard, the border between the two states was highly guarded and monitored at the time he crossed over. Regardless, the general was able to walk across the border with 150 other soldiers in tow and with a minor shooting incident.<br /><br />How he accomplished such a feat was never explained, much less in sufficient detail. Hard to believe? Read on!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq6a2CN_jx_Gu27o2ETB8rMoNGnfw8qijgvctlDv2LzymNn0Pm3Eri48HBuz86KR5F4u3IyNqMVhutSnvs2J0cUZUjCP0EgkiJBqygk2hSsxUlFFMv_W_ephBNilbmGElYYumn/s1600/Hailu-gonfa.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 142px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695107807262377890" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq6a2CN_jx_Gu27o2ETB8rMoNGnfw8qijgvctlDv2LzymNn0Pm3Eri48HBuz86KR5F4u3IyNqMVhutSnvs2J0cUZUjCP0EgkiJBqygk2hSsxUlFFMv_W_ephBNilbmGElYYumn/s200/Hailu-gonfa.jpg" /></a>Gen. Hailu Gonfa and Col. Gemechu Ayana, two other long time soldiers of the empire, followed suite a few weeks later. How they arrived in Asmara was never explained to my knowledge.<br /><br />Their defection generated euphoria in some corners owing to the belief that these generals would re-organize and re-build a guerrilla force that would match, surpass and defeat the TPLF army.<br /></p><br /><br /><p align="justify">The two generals fanned the euphoria by informing the public that peaceful struggle against TPLF is futile and that they had exhausted the possibility of bringing TPLF to its senses through dialogues. In an interview he gave to BBC soon after arriving in Asmara, Kemal Galchuu said “The language they (the Ethiopian government) understand is force and we're going to challenge them by force." <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4779189.stm" target="_blank">(Read Here)</a>. Hailu Gonfa, on his part, told Eritrean Television, that their demands for democracy “fell on deaf ears, [as a result] they were compelled to raise arms against the [TPLF] regime and thus join the popular struggle.”<br /><br />Five years after they joined the Asmara Group of OLF and given that they now lead an OLF faction and their announcement on new year 2012 of having changed the OLF political program <a href="http://www.oroomoliberationfront.org/pressRelease/OLF_Council_Final__Resolution.pdf" target="_blank">(Read Here)</a> , it is about time, and fair, to assess their performance.<br /><br />Have they challenged TPLF by force as they promised they would do when they defected? Has the Oromo struggle fared better as a result of their defection? Has the Oromo struggle become stronger or weaker – militarily, politically, socially, etc - as a result of them joining it?. Most importantly, did they defect to the Asmara Group of OLF to help the struggle or to do TPLF work? How about the faction that Kemal Gelchu is leading – is it advancing the Oromo struggle or is it a TPLF tool – a Trojan horse for TPLF spies and saboteurs? Where they sent to infiltrate the Asmara Group of OLF, take control of the organization and ensure that faction accepts TPLF conditions of surrender: Accepting the TPLF constitution and renouncing armed struggle?<br /><br />In the following paragraphs, I will search for answers to these questions in their actions over the last five years.<br /><br />But, first, what is a “Trojan Horse?”<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIlnWQP7rj2Th81ffKQcRp5JEZ4U4OUnVgGQBALmL27-03tasmKS3rZ3WLze32jHPyigS_HpKu3BSYzeywbwORzTb6UAwgWtNw8CsXs_IUZOeyJqPglprCeexXSCzTEYDAe3LO/s1600/trojan-horse.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 160px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5695109004711330418" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIlnWQP7rj2Th81ffKQcRp5JEZ4U4OUnVgGQBALmL27-03tasmKS3rZ3WLze32jHPyigS_HpKu3BSYzeywbwORzTb6UAwgWtNw8CsXs_IUZOeyJqPglprCeexXSCzTEYDAe3LO/s200/trojan-horse.jpg" /></a> The term “Trojan Horse” comes from the legendary ancient war story between Greeks and Trojans (People of Troy). In this epic story, having given up on confronting the Trojans in face-to-face combats, the Greeks came up with a crafty plot. They built a wooden horse, hid Greek soldiers in its belly and left it at the gate of the heavily fortified and defended Trojan city. Believing that this was a parting gift to the gods from the Greeks, Trojans opened their gate, wheeled the wooden horse in and went about celebrating their “victory”. Unbeknownst to them, the Greeks had hidden their soldiers in the wooden horse, whom in the middle of the night came out of the horse’s belly and opened the gate to the Trojan city. Once the gate was thrown open, more Greek soldiers streamed in to the city and decimated the Trojans thereby winning the war. That wooden horse became known as “Trojan Horse” and the term itself has since been used to describe enemy operatives in one’s midst conducting espionage and sabotage to undermine the opponent from within.<br /><br />So, is Kemal Gelchu & Co. a Trojan horse? Let the facts speak for themselves.<br /><br /><b>On Strengthening the Oromo Struggle</b><br /><br />In a couple of years after their arrival, the Kemal Gelchu group split the Asmara Group of OLF. The reason given for the split depends on which side of the divide would be doing the explaining. However, there is one glaring fact that is undeniable about how they split the organization and the consequences accompanying the split on Oromo struggle.<br /><br />The first, and the most damaging one to the Oromo struggle and Oromummaa (Oromo identity), is the fact that when they parted company with the Dawud Ibsaa Group, their constituency consisted entirely of Oromo nationals of Arsi birth. Not a single known Oromo personality from other regions of Oromia appeared in their list. They exploited the latent regionalist tendencies espoused by some in the organization. They purposefully promoted regional differences and suspicions to gain support. They presented the split as one caused by the organization’s refusal to allow an able leader from Arsi to take his rightful place at the head of the organization. “The time is ours”, they told their fellow Oromos from Arsi. “Arsi Oromos are discrimintaed against in the organization” they preached to them. They succeeded in taking their divisive activity to the Oromo public and worked hard to destroy Oromimmaa (Oromo identity) which had been built with the blood and flesh of heroes and heroines of the struggle. They sprayed this venom in every Oromo institution in diaspora including community associations, political and religious organizations. By doing so, they saw the seeds of mistrust even among former comrades and personal friends from Arsi and other parts of Oromia. The purpose was to destroy Oromummaa and Oromo unity without which they know the struggle cannot progress.<br /><br />Without the slightest exaggeration, no action of anyone, including that of the enemy, has rolled back what was gained by the Oromo struggle to the extent they did by this action. This is a major setback Oromummaa suffered from which it is yet to recuperate. Insha Allah, it will!<br /><br />“Divide and conquer” strategy against the Oromo has been a tried and true way utilized by successive Ethiopian regimes to keep Oromos from uniting. It is also a strategy employed extensively by TPLF against other nations and religious groups in the empire. Their fear is that a united group of people will be able to pool their resources together to build enough capacity to one day defeat them. Consequently, they leave no stone unturned to frustrate their effort to unite through their agents particularly within the group they fear. One of the missions Kemal Gelchu & Co. is charged with by TPLF was to execute this policy within the Oromo and other diaspora oppositions.<br /><br />Today, the Oromo diaspora is socially more divided than when they arrived. Politically, it is more fragmented and disunited than when they defected. Militarily, the Oromo struggle is in a worse position than it was when they joined it to purportedly re-energize OLA and challenge TPLF by force. While they are not responsible for everything that transpired since their arrival, Kemal Gelchu & Co. have contributed purposefully and immensely to weakening the Oromo struggle over the last five years.<br /></p><br /><br /><p align="justify">This is the first evidence of their clendestine work for TPLF from within the Oromo movement for freedom.<br /><br /><strong>Continued in Part II - <a href="http://oromoaffairs.blogspot.com/2012/01/kemal-gelchu-co-olf-trojan-horse-part.html" target="_blank">(Read Here)</a>.<br /></strong></p><br /><p align="justify">Have your say! </p>Argan Beekanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07770623824567285879noreply@blogger.com225tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38869306.post-77465733198989470772011-12-29T11:19:00.010-05:002011-12-29T17:16:04.207-05:00Another Court Battle in the Making over OLF Name, Logo & Flag?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhICpYF0DJOuHQKqqrusNyQhFnPRYLhyphenhyphenuNYTVyOJ2woveGCV3L59fcQ20xHoXBMGyLedhyT9On5adaiBqGwD6qA9aDankzHGOQ4GX73QwgiMuMQI9ykfvLuKm1ohawa5l2KvXT3/s1600/debate.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 150px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 105px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691587566681529426" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhICpYF0DJOuHQKqqrusNyQhFnPRYLhyphenhyphenuNYTVyOJ2woveGCV3L59fcQ20xHoXBMGyLedhyT9On5adaiBqGwD6qA9aDankzHGOQ4GX73QwgiMuMQI9ykfvLuKm1ohawa5l2KvXT3/s200/debate.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div align="justify">Another winds of war between two OLF factions is blowing in the form of litigation in USA courts over the use of OLF name, logo and flag and is threatening to, once again, waste Oromo time, money and energy. Shanee’s (AKA The Dawud Ibsaa Group or the Asmara Group) sabre-rattling against TA-OLF (AKA the Dhugaasaa Bakakkoo Group or the QC Group) should be worrisome to all patriotic Oromos, to say the least, and could, indeed, end in a court room showdown.<br /><br />It is to be recalled that, in July 2007, the Shanee Group of OLF took the TA-OLF group to a Minnesota court over the use of the OLF name, logo and flag. The lawsuit alleged that TA-OLF violated “Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act” and that it interfered with the Shanee Group’s “prospective economic advantage” by using the OLF name, logo and flag - <a href="http://oromoaffairs.blogspot.com/2007/07/olf-factions-duke-it-out-in-minnesota.html" target="_blank">(Read Here)</a>.<br /><br />In August 2007, after two court appearances, the court dismissed the Shanee lawsuit without prejudice. In other words, while the Shanee case was dismissed for the time being, they were allowed to re-file if they so wished.<br /><br />Undeterred by the dismissal and bent on winning the case, the Shanee Group re-filled and launched a second lawsuit over the same issue in September of the same year. After 14 months in the court system and after $50,000.00 (by a conservative estimate) of Oromo hard earned money was squandered on both sides to prosecute and defend this ridiculous charge, the court decided in favor of the defendant and awarded TA-OLF cost and disbursements which the Shanee Group was forced to pay up.<br /><br />In dismissing the case in November 2008, the judge observed:<br /><br /><em>“The OLF began in Ethiopia in 1973 with the objective of establishing an independent [state of] Oromia for the Oromo people. Some individual Defendants have been members of the OLF since its inception in 1973. Beginning in 1999 and through approximately 2001, the OLF members began disputing the methods of accomplishing their mission. In 2001, the [Plaintiff or the Asmara Group] OLF began supporting the policy of recognizing the Ethiopian government. There were members who did not agree with this policy. The Plaintiffs continued operating under the name OLF in Minnesota (“Plaintiff OLF”). The Defendants rejected the authority of the [Plaintiff or the Asmara Group] OLF, but also continued operating under the name OLF in Minnesota (“Defendant OLF”)” - <a href="http://www.oromoliberationfront.info/press/victory_at_last.pdf" target="_blank">(Read Here)</a>.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_JqHOUXu89yMLVwuNFeO4hRf57mg5PPJorEWAcrM8zkuGotqekqcyrdhluv1ck9OBj1wpYiIFSYXO_XX0-mxPJMOTgAFRFKlgEJRW5b6RMBuyDJYdXE3YuycZfyFo_QMZ-ZYv/s1600/alaabaa.png"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 111px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691592778610260242" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_JqHOUXu89yMLVwuNFeO4hRf57mg5PPJorEWAcrM8zkuGotqekqcyrdhluv1ck9OBj1wpYiIFSYXO_XX0-mxPJMOTgAFRFKlgEJRW5b6RMBuyDJYdXE3YuycZfyFo_QMZ-ZYv/s200/alaabaa.png" /></a><br /></em>In regards to the flag under dispute, the Shanee complaint asked TA-OLF to cease using the flag. However, Shanee members summoned for deposition (question and answer sessions between a possible witness and attorney of opposing side) all asserted that the flag is a national symbol and not just OLF’s which prompted the judge to observe:<br /><br /><em>“The OLF uses a flag. It is disputed whether the symbol on the flag was created for, and solely represents, the OLF or whether it is a symbol used by the Oromo people regardless of their affiliation with the OLF.”<br /><br /></em>With that, the judge dismissed the case for the second time and ordered Shanee to pay cost and disbursements to TA-OLF.<br /><br />If you thought this would be the end of this madness, think again. </div><br /><br /><br /><div align="justify">The Shanee Group took over three years to prepare for another possible court battle. Having learned from their previous two failures that the courts are not likely to consider this dispute a commercial one, the Shanee Group went about preparing the ground work for the next battle.<br /><br />On Nov. 17, 2008, a mere nine days after losing the case for the second time, the Shanee group applied to the US Patents & Trademarks Office (USPTO) to register the OLF name and logo in the Advertising, Business & Retail Services category - <a href="http://www.mytrademarkia.com/logo-77612213.html" target="_blank">(Read Here)</a>.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvHzLVOMb2Mq0h46qLMXna1qOlDqBekyHLD8uyMimDtvrZnEkSdSbsy8XZer3qFCvGcQD1WBeEjkzoQV0R53FBJJagCCTMVVyCC7MCE2mREHTA_QC_byXzw4OQK-qcRsZb0M02/s1600/faajjii.gif"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 125px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 116px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691591936450662770" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvHzLVOMb2Mq0h46qLMXna1qOlDqBekyHLD8uyMimDtvrZnEkSdSbsy8XZer3qFCvGcQD1WBeEjkzoQV0R53FBJJagCCTMVVyCC7MCE2mREHTA_QC_byXzw4OQK-qcRsZb0M02/s200/faajjii.gif" /></a><br />Having succeeded in registering the OLF logo with the USPTO as Advertising, Business & Retail Services logo in June 2009, Shanee has now put TA-OLF on notice. In a letter written on Dec. 15, 2011 - <a href="http://www.keepandshare.com/doc/view.php?id=3391079&da=y" target="_blank">(Read Here)</a> - Shanee has accused TA-OLF of infringing on Shanee’s copy right and trade mark privileges. The letter asked TA-OLF to desist from further using the OLF “logo, flag and other materials.” Soon after, Shanee also issued a statement today on its web site <a href="http://oromoliberationfront.org/News/2011/The_Name_OLF-OLF_Statement.pdf" target="_blank">(Read Here)</a>, warning the use of OLF name and logo by any other group but itself would be illegal and immoral thereby threatening lawsuit(s) against TA-OLF and perhaps also the Kemal Gelchu group of OLF.<br /><br />If history is any guide, and from what we already know about the TA-OLF group, it seems unlikely that they will even dignify this letter with a response much less desisting from using what they consider rightfully belongs to the oromo people and their fallen comrades who paid the ultimate sacrifice with their lives to free their people and realize an independent state of Oromia. Given TA-OLF’s attitude towards the OLF name, flag and logo, it seems inevitable that another (third) round of litigation will be launched by Shanee with the inevitable consequence of squandering tens of thousands Oromo hard earned money on American lawyers once again.<br /><br /><strong>Why?</strong><br /><br />Why would Shanee spend Oromo hard earned money that can be put to a better use, say to take Meles Zenawi to World Court rather than targeting another Oromo group? Or even use the money to maintain their Washington DC office for which they were unable to afford rental fee and therefore downgraded to a smaller office recently? Why not use the money to help our refugee brothers and sisters suffering around the world or our brethren dying of famine in Oromia? While NGOs and benevolent governments feed our starving people, why would an Oromo group (Shanee) purportedly struggling for Oromo freedom waste thousands of dollars on a dispute which will not advance an inch, but retard, the Oromo struggle?<br /><br />It is no secret that the Oromo camp is fragmented, disunited and disorganized as it is. Nationalist Oromos everywhere are demanding unity based on clarity of purpose for the struggle. Having given up on their leaders, they are beginning to organize grass root Oromo unity movements. For Shanee to threaten a lawsuit at this particular time, after having lost twice before on the same issue – would be to pour gasoline on fire and frustrate the call for unity.<br /><br /><strong>A Call to Action</strong><br /><br />This blogger continues to appeal to the Shanee Group in general and Obbo Dawud Ibsaa in particular, as he had done during the first and second Shanee Lawsuits, to stop this madness.<br /><br /><strong>Obbo Dawud</strong>: What you are engaged in is an inter-Oromo political fight for the hearts and minds of the Oromo people. The Oromo people and them alone can and should render the final verdict as to which group deserves to call itself the OLF or not. Given time, one of you factions will die a natural death from lack of support from the Oromo people or thrive because of it. No amount of positive verdict from a foreign court will earn you Oromo love and support or acceptance from them. In fact, what you are doing is sending the wrong message to the Oromo. And that message seems to be that you lack confidence in the Oromo people’s ability to render this verdict which prompts you to appeal to foreign courts for help. I urge you to reflect on your group’s actions, the adverse reactions it can generate and their overall impact on the Oromo struggle.<br /><br />This blogger calls on <strong>all Oromo compatriots, particularly Shanee members and Oromo elders everywhere</strong>, to do everything they can to stop Shanee from wasting money they collect in the name of Oromo struggle on something that will not advance the Oromo struggle one inch.<br /><br />This blogger <strong>explicitly calls on Oromo elders </strong>to not turn a blind eye to this madness this time around, as they did in the two previous litigations where they chose to silently watch from the sideline while the Oromo movement was made a laughing stock of the world as a result of Shanee intiated litigations.<br /><br />Related articles:<br /><br /><a href="http://oromoaffairs.blogspot.com/2007_07_01_archive.html" target="_blank">OLF Legal Woes</a><br /><a href="http://oromoaffairs.blogspot.com/2007/08/asmara-group-law-suite-dismissed.html" target="_blank">The Asmara Group Lawsuit Dismissed Without Prejudice</a><br /><a href="http://oromoaffairs.blogspot.com/2007/08/nuro-dedefo-speaks-fro-asmara-group-of.html" target="_blank">Nuro Dedefo Defebds the Asmara group's lawsuit</a><br /><a href="http://oromoaffairs.blogspot.com/2007/09/asmara-group-of-olf-takes-ta-olf-back.html" target="_blank">The Asmara Group of OLF Takes TA-OLF Back to Minnesota Court</a><br /><br />Have your say! </div>Argan Beekanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07770623824567285879noreply@blogger.com70tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38869306.post-37356502884299642932011-12-12T19:45:00.016-05:002011-12-12T22:36:40.003-05:00The inherent danger of Abyssinian extremism and bigotry<div align="center"><em><strong>By Gumaa Guddaa</strong></em><br /><br /></div><div align="justify">Combination of racism and ideology is a very dangerous cocktail. In the case of the Abyssinians, the combination of their hatred for any human being other than ‘Habesha’ and their fervent cult like belief in the Coptic Orthodox church is unfortunately at the root of all evils in that dying empire.<br /><br />Listen to the following poem in the Amhara language:<br /><br /><iframe height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/1cDlAYnf5iM" frameborder="20" width="420" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br /><br />The above Abyssinian war cry in the form of extreme hatred and religious fundamentalism directed against nations that have done nothing to them other than asserting their national identity and claiming their rights to self-determination seems to be not an isolated incident. What is the civilized world to make of this hateful racist agitation against the Oromo and the Somali nations? But, can the world ignore it as an abrasion or should the world look deeper and wider to look for evidence indicating a deeper rooted malaise? Is it an isolated work of someone with twisted mind or a reflection of a culture?<br /><br />It is nothing more than a rhetoric one may argue. Nonetheless, it is important for every living Oromo and Somali to understand that hatred for their cultures and identities seems to be deeply ingrained in the soul of every Habesha –Tigre and Amhara alike. It appears that anti-Oromo and anti- Somali sentiment is deeply woven into the Abyssinian psyche. Look no further than how they demonised the Oromo Qubee when the Oromo decided to utilize the Latin alphabet and rejected the Ge’ez script which the Abyssinians use to write their languages – Amhara and Tigre languages. The Ethiopian Orthodox church called on all Oromos who learned Qubee to confess their “mortal sin” of attending Qubee classes and seek redemption. Such is the Habasha extremism and bigotry.<br /><br />The Amhara have been out of power for over two decades. They, however, still dream to return. Whilst we should not be sleepless about Amhara hegemony returning anytime soon, we must be concerned as to what their cousins are doing right now. The Tigre regime in Ethiopia is perpetrating what the above war cry is calling for in a systematic way. I would argue that the ethnic cleansing, in the name of farmland sale, economic and political persecution and extermination of the Oromo people is already happening. The only difference between what is on the ground and what the above propaganda material is agitating for seems only to be the gusto and the speed of the ‘final solution’ to the “Ethiopian problem” – the Oromo and the Somali nations, the two nations to which the above audio makes frequent references.<br /><br />Who is Habesha? The etymology of the term Habesha is not certain. However, the widely accepted theory is that the term Habesha comes from the Arabic word al-Habash. The Amhara and Tigre peoples constitute Abyssinians. One thing is clear thus far. History indicates that the people known as Habesha immigrated to Africa from Arabia. Axum was in the hands of the indigenous African people at the time of the arrival of the Habesha.<br /><br />Geography also tells as a lot. They are sandwiched between the Beja people in the north and the Oromo people in the south since their arrival from Arabia, sometime in the first millennia. These two peoples had a common language known as Ge’ez. They now speak Amharic and Tigre languages, derived from Ge’ez. They share similar cultural heritage. They are both warlike. Listen to the author(s) of the above audio and read their history. There is no mistaking their prejudice in the superiority of their ethnic group and their culture, and their contempt for all non-Habasha peoples in that empire and beyond. Why do we not hear this sort of intolerance from Ogaden, Afar, Gurage, Oromo, etc. nations? Simply, it is because, unlike the Habasha, they are tolerant of other ethnic groups and their cultures.<br /><br />The Oromo are peace-loving people. They have no problems with other peoples such as Agaw, Afar and Somali to mention but a few. They have peacefully co-existed with them except for the Habasha. But, unfortunately, they find themselves in a hostile terrain. Their relationship with their northern neighbours has so far been acrimonious to put it mildly.<br /><br />Written history indicates that there has been ongoing struggle between the Oromo and their northern neighbours – Abyssinians - since time immemorial. I would like to hypothesize that the animosity even dates back to the first millennia when the immigrant Abyssinians arrived in Africa. It is easy to understand that the new arrivals would have to negotiate or even fight with the indigenous Africans including the Oromo in order to eke out a living.<br /><br />Throughout out the long history of mankind conflict on resources has shaped the relationship between neighbouring communities. Therefore, the conflict between Oromia and Abyssinia is no different. The difficulty emanates from the fact that the Oromo live in Oromia and only Oromia. The Abyssinians mainly live in their homeland Abyssinia but some segments of the Abyssinian society occupy Oromia to have access to the riches of Oromia. The Oromo have shown their card i.e. quest for sovereign Oromia. The Abyssinians have become aware of this fact. The power balance at the present is with the Abyssinians. This imbalance has placed the Oromo nation at a disadvantage, an imbalance in need of urgent attention.<br /><br />I have to admit I was taken aback by the depth of the knowledge of the composer of the above Abyssinian call for the extermination of the Oromo. The author of the lyric seems to have done his/her homework. I wonder how many Oromos are well versed with the efforts of our forefathers, mentioned in the negative propaganda poem, including the Raya Oromo, Anole, Calanqo, the Western Oromo Confederacy declaration of independence, etc. The Oromo need to learn history. The old adage says “those who refuse to learn from history will be punished by repeating it”. Especially Oromos in Tinsa’e Ethiopia, Ethiopian Patriotic Front, AFD, and coalition with G7, OPDO etc. political organizations must re-appraise their stand. By the way, do not forget that the Eritreans are Habesha too.<br /><br />So that you will have a balanced view I would like to offer you the opportunity to tune in to what the Oromo sing and what their aspiration is:<br /><br /><iframe height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/jPCf8m3Ns7Y" frameborder="0" width="420" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br /><br />Simply put, the Oromo claim what is theirs. Unlike the Amhara in the aforementioned war cry, they never call for the elimination of nations. What motivates someone to call for the killing of the entire nation requires a leap of imagination to fathom. Perhaps it is the Oromo dream for peace and prosperity that threatens the evil spirit in others. But, do not be deceived by the lack of reason for such hatred. Hitler did not have a reason either.<br /><br />Finally, one has to think if we could cleanse Abyssinians from their contempt for the Oromo nation. The short answer is may be never. It seems to be a matter of world-view for them. It is actually how they define themselves. So for anyone to be nice to them or force them to change it will mean changing the Abyssinian make up literally in terms of identity and world-view. I truly believe that the only solution to stop this nonsense and spare the coming generation from listening to this sort of venomous dehumanizing and potentially genocidal propaganda is by bringing forward the liberation of Oromia. What ever the Abyssinians think about us will then be limited to their territory- Abyssinia and their sphere of influence. Surely, that can only be a good thing!<br /><br />Have your say!<br /></div>Argan Beekanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07770623824567285879noreply@blogger.com30tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38869306.post-36376907331584610832011-10-02T19:42:00.008-04:002012-01-20T22:56:08.438-05:00“Independent State of Oromia, a Bargaining Chip” – Dima Noggo Sarbo<div align="justify"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipbe21zkVP1fO7OCTMaC3EmAP9UgUf3zhxRWsWKX1s28l7md5wBZIAetdfT8DNEzbXqbLVTTg7VlUMdEZY0bcORIHpST1_plgUA9UDRv9GKdkszlUZU3xU_53Wjnh6UPqtQjFD/s1600/Dima.gif"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 152px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5659039090152755266" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipbe21zkVP1fO7OCTMaC3EmAP9UgUf3zhxRWsWKX1s28l7md5wBZIAetdfT8DNEzbXqbLVTTg7VlUMdEZY0bcORIHpST1_plgUA9UDRv9GKdkszlUZU3xU_53Wjnh6UPqtQjFD/s200/Dima.gif" /></a>In an interview he gave to ESAT (Amhara Satellite TV program) lasting about 90 minutes, Dima Nego gave a lengthy account of the Oromo struggle, the OLF, his involvement in the front and in the transitional government of 1991 in which he served as the minister of information and his opinion on the way forward.<br /><br />Much of what he told the Habshaa TV station was narration of what has been in the public domain for a long time except for a few pieces he dropped in the course of the interview. Two such information that stood out for many of us were Dima’s claim to first chairmanship of the OLF and his assertions about the “true” intentions of the founders of the organization when they included the realization of independent state of Oromia in their political program.<br /><br />Dima informed his listeners that the founders of the OLF never meant “itoophiyan la maganxal” (to secede Oromia from Ethiopia). According to Dima, the inclusion of achieving independent state of Oromia in the political program was only for the purpose of using it as bargaining chip in future negotiations with the colonial state. (Listen at end of article)<br /><br /><strong>First Chairmanship</strong><br /><br />Dima was introduced as the first Chairman of the OLF. The introduction and the fact that Dima referred to himself as such was a surprise to many longtime members of the front for they had never heard that Dima held that position in the organization at any time. However, further investigation revealed that Dima was truly the first chairman elected around the end of 1976. But his chairmanship was to be very short lived before he abandoned the organization and his post.<br /><br />In early 1977 Dima applied for a scholarship with United Nations Institute for Economic Development and Planning (IDEP) in Dakar, Senegal, and was accepted. Without informing his comrades, Dima abandons his position, boards the plane and leaves for Dakar, Senegal. Upon realizing what had happened, the executive committee members of the OLF got together, removed him from chairmanship and elected Jaal Magarsaa Barii to replace him. According to his contemporaries, Dima severed all contacts with the OLF until he completed his education and was about to return home in 1978. Unfortunately for Dima, “red terror” was in full swing and DERG (the military government at the time) was in the middle of herding off his former comrades to prisons on allegation of being OLF members. Afraid to go home to suffer a similar fate, Dima contacts his former comrades who had escaped the DERG onslaught and were in the middle of opening a second front in Western oromia - the first being in eastern Oromia. Upon being pardoned for abandoning the organization and his post, he was allowed to join them. Over the next 13 years, Dima rose to the position of a Politburo member in the organization.<br /><br />No wonder this was one of the best kept secrets in the OLF until Dima himself revealed it to a Habashaa media very recently.<br /><br />But why did Dima decide to claim first chairmanship of the front now in public - after sweeping it under the rug for the last 40 years? Could it be to lend some authority and believability to what he was speaking about? Why did he particularly stress his claim to his short lived chairmanship right when he was about to “reveal” the true intention of the founders of the OLF in relation to why independent Democratic Republic of Oromia was included in the political program? Is Dima credible?<br /><br />While we are on the issue of credibility, here is what Dima told his sponsors about his activities in 1980s to obtain “Global Leaders Fellowship Program” scholarship: “In the 1980s, Dima was involved in relief work among refugees and internally displaced persons in Ethiopia, Sudan and Somalia. When the military government in Ethiopia collapsed in 1991, he became a member of the new government as a member of the transitional legislature and a cabinet minister in 1991-1992." <a href="http://www.princeton.edu/~pcglobal/fellows2009-10.html#GLF" target="_blank">(Read Here)</a><br /><br />As Dima himself admitted in this interview, the truth, however, is far from it. Contrary to what he told his sponsors, in the 1980s, Dima was NEVER “involved in relief work among refugees and internally displaced persons in Ethiopia, Sudan and Somalia.” He was an active participant and, in fact, a politburo member of the OLF. It was as a high ranking officer of the OLF that he became Minister of Information for the Transitional government of Ethiopia (1991 – 1992) to which the OLF was a party. When the OLF withdrew from the transitional government, as he explained in this interview, Dima tendered a written resignation to the TPLF government as a true bureaucrat would do (no freedom fighter would do such a thing), left the country because TPLF “would not guarantee his safety” (no freedom fighter would expect guarantee of safety from his colonizers) and, once again, abandoned the OLF to return to school.<br /><br /><strong>Independent state of Oromia, a bargaining chip?</strong><br /><br />According to Dima, the call for independence of Oromia was included in the OLF political program for two reasons none of which was “Itoophiyaan la maganxal” – [to truly secede [decolonize] Oromia from Ethiopia]. The first reason was for the purpose of using it as bargaining chip in future possible negotiations with the colonial government of Ethiopia while the second reason was for the sake of being different from EPRP and MEISON – two political organizations that had already accepted the question of nations to self-determination.<br /><br />Dima’a answers to these questions were huge surprises to the rank and file members and all former leaders of the organization contacted by this writer. They all describe the sense of disbelief, astonishment and betrayal they felt upon listening to what Dima had to say on these issues.<br /><br />In 1982, Dima gave a similar interview to “Horn of Africa” magazine in which he was asked to “summarize the program of the OLF and tell us how much of it has been put into practice.” His response at the time was “As I stated before, the main goal of the Oromo people’s struggle, led by the OLF, is to end foreign political domination and economic exploitation. In short, [it is] to end Amhara colonial administration of Oromia and to replace it with a democratic, progressive and popular Oromo government.” (Horn of Africa, Vol. 5, No. 1, 1982).<br /><br />As one of Dima’s contemporaries said “What he [Dima] said on these two issues were absolute lies. As a co-founder of the front, I can tell you that no such points were raised nor considered much less agreed upon. Obbo Dima has the right to change his mind 40 years after he first agreed to Independent state of Oromia. However, to revise history to fit ones current political views in this case would be nothing less than the epitome of opportunism wrapped in dishonesty and lack of integrity.”<br /><br />Another co-founder of the OLF begins an article he recently wrote in response to the same interview by saying "these days we are starting to twisted tales in foreign language about the OLF from irresponsible veterans, novices and the anonymous." Defending his fallen comrades, the article goes on to say, "When the outlook of martyrs is being destorted and they connot rise to defende themselves, it is believed that this note may serve as an affidavit to some extent." <a href="http://www.gubirmans.com/Recollection%20of%20some%20facts%20of%20Oromo%20struggle.html" target="_blank">(Read Here)</a><br /><br /><strong>But does Dima truly understand the implications of what he said?</strong><br /><br />Simply put, Dima is asserting that our fallen heroes, the likes of Elemo Qilxuu, Gen. Taddasaa Biruu, Magarsaa Barii, Muhe Abdo, Baaroo Tumsaa, Mullis Abbaa Gadaa and more lied to those selfless Oromo youth they put in harm’s way. Besides lying to all, these true sons of the Oromo people who paid the ultimate sacrifice with their lives never intended to bring about a liberated and decolonized Oromia into existence; never did they intend to dismantle the Ethiopian empire and the colonial administration. Dima would have us, and his Amhara audience, believe that the ones alive today, the likes of Jaarra Abba Gadaa, Dhugaasaa Bakakkoo, Galaasaa Dilboo, Ibsaa Guutamaa and more continue to lie to us even after 40 years. Our artisits, the likes of Ebbisa Addunyaa and Usumayyoo Muusaa paid the ultimate sacrifice with their lives for a cause they were cheated into joining. The hundreds of thousands of our brethren who heeded the call of the OLF and joined the front, those who have fallen in the battle fields of Oromia to enemy fire, those who were murdered by consecutive Abyssinian governments, those who endured detention and torture for tens of years were all deceived. There is no other way of understanding Dima’s responses.<br /><br />This may make Dima’s Amhara audience happy but it could not be further from the truth. If that were the case, there is no way Dima would be the sole custodian of such a “secret”. The only case in which Dima would be the lone keeper of such a “secret” would be if this has been an idea only in Dima Noggo Sarbo’s mind. Even that is doubtful given the various interviews he gave in the last 40 years in which he had given the opposite of his responses to ESAT questions.<br /><br />I say, Dima’s credibility left much to be desired.<br /><br />What do you say?!<br /><br /><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ZqiSp_zeP0g" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br /><iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/3mciGbZrwIA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br /></div>Argan Beekanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07770623824567285879noreply@blogger.com119tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38869306.post-64769365768813838072011-09-29T22:47:00.011-04:002011-09-29T23:31:51.017-04:00Dueling “elders” compete to reconcile the OLF and TPLF- WikiLeaks.<div align="justify">Reconciliation of the Shanee Group of OLF and the TPLF regime in Ethiopia has become a business venture for some so called Oromo “elders.” According to another leaked document, in 2008, two groups of “elders” talking to two different Shanee groups were competing for Meles’s attention and for funding by the US embassy in Finfinnee.</div><br /><div align="justify"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhksY4SUZMyb9C4b_nEvTKDC2-6NWhbinC0_7XUHQIW8cIGhOFe4uwwXAcKgIOoRDe44KjjgfAmCr_fg7kRoqStey2N10CxOsOGFiuyF9eiq4M3l78ciccI0P0TmHtJbB6CyEzx/s1600/ephraim_issac.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: right; HEIGHT: 150px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5657980609787887634" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhksY4SUZMyb9C4b_nEvTKDC2-6NWhbinC0_7XUHQIW8cIGhOFe4uwwXAcKgIOoRDe44KjjgfAmCr_fg7kRoqStey2N10CxOsOGFiuyF9eiq4M3l78ciccI0P0TmHtJbB6CyEzx/s200/ephraim_issac.jpg" /></a><br />The first group, referred to in the document as Elders 1, led by Prof. Ephraim Isaac and Pastor Daniel Gebreselassie handled “OLF elders” - the likes of Dima Nago, Lenco Lata and Ababiya Abajobir. According to the document, Ababiya Abajobir returned to Ethiopia one week after the three were contacted in Amsterdam which encouraged Ephraim Isaac to suggest “that Ababiya's unharassed return reflects only the first step in a looming wave of former OLF leaders' returns to Ethiopia.”<br /><br /><div align="justify"><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLhwtt1smMORWpE2AX_dV19e1tGGyaD1KAAyek6FTuEUSfG37vMeFKN4CMcmE6SSOeDBhAWhRGJ5Y3rrZSGwsFbedL3DNf296NpYevQFac7lI-M6KUM8LDwAB1f5RkQUjaQYhC/s1600/DINKA_Berhanu.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 100px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 138px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5657980807600225250" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLhwtt1smMORWpE2AX_dV19e1tGGyaD1KAAyek6FTuEUSfG37vMeFKN4CMcmE6SSOeDBhAWhRGJ5Y3rrZSGwsFbedL3DNf296NpYevQFac7lI-M6KUM8LDwAB1f5RkQUjaQYhC/s200/DINKA_Berhanu.jpg" /></a>The second group, which the document refers to as Elders 2, consisted of AMb. Berhanu Dinka, Rev. Itaffa Gobana and Aberra Tola. Elders 2 dealt with the Daud Ibsa group which the document referred to as “Asmara-based”. Their purpose was to force the Shanee group to surrender or “risk losing the support of the in-country Oromo community.”</div><br /><div align="justify"><br />Both “elder” groups told the US embassy that TPLF “expects the OLF to unilaterally abandon its professed strategy of armed struggle without any prior indications of the GoE's willingness to reconcile beyond the word of the Prime Minister passed through intermediaries.” But all the same, “Prof. Ephraim and Amb. Dinka emphasized that they believe that the Prime Minister's receptivity to reconciliation with the OLF remains intact, and that he may be placating the OPDO, and hard-liners within the TPLF, with the current crack-down to cover his own strategy of returning the OLF to Ethiopian politics.” Blinded by self-interest, they never fail to find excuses for Meles’ actions against my people. Some “Oromo elders!”</div><br /><div align="justify"><br />Contrast that with the ambassador’s comments: “The GoE's harassment, arrests, and crack-down on Oromos and Oromo political parties, sends a clear message, in our assessment, that the GoE is not sincerely committed to meeting the OLF even part way in breaching the GoE-OLF divide.”</div><br /><br /><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify">Related Articles:</div><br /><br /><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify"><br /><div class="WordSection1"><a href="http://oromoaffairs.blogspot.com/2007/09/beware-of-mediator-bias-and-mediation.html" target="_blank">Beware of Mediator Bias and Mediation as a Tactic: A word to the Wise</a><br /><a href="http://oromoaffairs.blogspot.com/2007/10/melles-to-asmara-group-of-olf-leave.html" target="_blank">Melles to [the Asmara Group of] OLF: Leave Asmara or No Talks </a><br /><a href="http://oromoaffairs.blogspot.com/2008/10/abbabiya-abba-jobir-returns-to-ethiopia.html" target="_blank">Abbabiya Abba Jobir Returns to Ethiopia; Leenco Lata & Dima Nego to follow soon?</a><br /><a href="http://oromoaffairs.blogspot.com/2007/08/best-practices-for-aspiring-tyrant-by.html" target="_blank">Best Practices for an Aspiring Tyrant </a><br /></div><br /></div><br /><div align="justify"><br />Have your say!<br /><br />********** BEGIN ***********<br />VZCZCXRO7768<br />OO RUEHROV<br />DE RUEHDS #3188/01 3290956<br />ZNY CCCCC ZZH<br />O 240956Z NOV 08<br />FM AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA<br />TO RUEHAE/AMEMBASSY ASMARA IMMEDIATE 3622<br />RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2864<br />INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE<br />RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE IMMEDIATE<br />RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE<br />RUEPADJ/CJTF HOA IMMEDIATE<br />RUEKDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE<br />RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE<br />RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE<br />RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 ADDIS ABABA 003188<br /><br />SENSITIVE<br />SIPDIS<br /><br />E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/05/2017<br />TAGS: PGOV PREL EAID ET<br />SUBJECT: RECONCILING THE OROMO LIBERATION FRONT AND<br />ETHIOPIAN GOVERNMENT<br /><br />REF: A. ADDIS 3159<br />¶B. ADDIS 2487<br /><br />Classified By: Ambassador Donald Yamamoto for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).<br /><br />SUMMARY<br />-------<br /><br />¶1. (SBU) Recognizing that the outlawed Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) is widely supported -- at least in principle -- among Ethiopia's largest ethnic group, Embassy Addis Ababa has long held that reconciliation between the Ethiopian Government (GoE) and OLF is critical to the long-term political stability of Ethiopia. Holding a similar view, two separate groups of Ethiopian "elders" have worked in recent months to bring the OLF -- formerly a partner of the ruling Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) until the lack of power sharing by the EPRDF led it to advocate armed struggle against the GoE in 1992 -- back into the fold of legal political parties within Ethiopia. While the GoE's persistent harassment of legal Oromo opposition parties in Ethiopia and its recent crackdown on Oromos (Ref. A) has certainly not sent the necessary gesture of goodwill to the OLF in exile, the moderation of some OLF elders in the diaspora combined with the Prime Minister's approval of both "elders" processes suggest that there may be an emergent opening for reconciliation and a positive role the USG could play.<br />End Summary.<br /><br />THE DUELING ELDERS<br />------------------<br /><br />¶2. (SBU) Coming off of the success of brokering the pardon of the opposition leaders arrested in November 2005, Professor Ephraim Isaac and Pastor Daniel Gebreselassie (Elders 1), approached the Embassy to support their efforts to broker various reconciliation efforts, including the GoE and the OLF. While the Elders 1 group was critical in the opposition pardon, they, and Prof. Ephraim in particular, were often seen as partisan through the process, exerting significant pressure on the opposition leaders to admit their guilt while not press the GoE to stand down or temper its position against them. Since then, Prof. Ephraim (himself an Oromo) and his colleagues have unilaterally reached out to various OLF elders including former Chairman Leencho Lata and grandson of the last king of Jimma, Ababiya Abajobir, and Dima Negewo, around reconciling with the GoE. The Elders 1 group met these three in Amsterdam September 19-21 along with the Ethiopian Ambassador to the Netherlands. One week later, Ababiya returned to Ethiopia after years in exile. Prof. Ephraim informed Ambassador and Pol/Econ Chief on November 4 that Prime Minister Meles continues to support his group's efforts to reach out to the OLF, and suggested that Ababiya's unharassed return reflects only the first step in a looming wave of former OLF leaders' returns to Ethiopia.<br /><br />¶3. (SBU) While the Elders 1 process was afoot, a second team of Oromo elders (Elders 2) approached the Embassy with a new proposal. Ambassador Berhanu Dinka, Head of the Mekane Yesus Church Rev. Itaffa Gobana, and Oxfam America Director Aberra Tola offered a new option (Ref. B). The Elders 2 group reported in late September that a group of Oromo community leaders from within Ethiopia approached the three, previously rather apolitical prominent Oromos soliciting that they attempt to reconcile the GoE and OLF. Amb. Dinka reported that based on approval by Prime Minister Meles for his team to approach the OLF, the Elders 2 succeeded in January 2008 in getting an initial written commitment (the Amsterdam Agreement) from OLF Chairman Dawud Ibsa that the OLF would "accept, in principle," the Ethiopian constitution. When taken to the Prime Minister in the spring, Meles expressed skepticism about the statement and requested that the Elders 2 reconfirm that the OLF Executive Committee agreed to it. Despite outreach to, and receiving the support of, a broad variety of prominent Oromos in the diaspora around this effort, OLF Executive Committee members based in Asmara rejected the statement.<br /><br />¶4. (SBU) Amb. Dinka presented us with a proposal in late September that he claimed had been endorsed by prominent figures at the Oromo Studies Association meeting in July, the community leaders in Ethiopia who initially approached his group, and several key OLF-related individuals. The proposal was to convene a conference of major Oromo elders and community leaders in Ethiopia to produce a declaration insisting that the OLF pursue reconciliation with the GoE. Amb. Dinka argued that such a consensus declaration could persuade Asmara-based OLF hard-liners -- hardened either by principle or due to pressure exerted on them by Eritrean President Isaias not to engage the GoE -- either to agree to engage the GoE or risk losing the support of the in-country Oromo community.<br /><br />¶5. (SBU) When queried on the duplication of "elders" activities with Prof. Ephraim's group, Ambassador Dinka argued that Prof. Ephraim had lost the confidence of the Oromos for his partisan interventions on the GoE's behalf in the opposition pardon effort. Additionally, as an Oromo elder himself and having had a brother killed by GoE forces for alleged ties to the OLF, Prof. Ephraim, Amb. Dinka argued, is particularly not a credible advocate among Oromos because he has never once advocated to the GoE for the pardon or release of the thousands of Oromos detained in Ethiopia. Amb. Dinka further dismissed Elders 1's reconciliation efforts with the OLF noting that OLF Chairman Dawud Ibsa himself had written a letter to Prof. Ephraim arguing that the OLF leadership would not engage with him. In response to our skepticism about the receptivity of the EPRDF's Oromo sub-party the Oromo People's Democratic Organization (OPDO), Amb. Dinka argued that he and his group had discussed the issue with OPDO leaders including Addis Mayor Kuma Demeksa, Trade Minister Girma Birru, and Oromiya Regional President Abadula. While admitting that Abadula was initially opposed to such outreach, he later came around, and Kuma and Girma both supported the initiative. Amb. Dinka speculated that the OPDO support may reflect a desire for the OPDO to gain credibility within Ethiopia and shed the public perception of the party as an Oromo puppet of the Tigrayan leadership. Bringing the OLF back to Ethiopia, and possibly pursuing a future alliance with the EPRDF could offer a chance to aspiring OPDO leaders to later join the OLF, gain legitimacy, and pursue higher office. While we were skeptical that much of an opening genuinely existed among either the OLFQr the GoE, the proposed approach was novel, low cost, and offered a slight opportunity potentially to help stabilize Ethiopia's increasingly fragile political climate. As such, the Ambassador confirmed with the Prime Minister the latter's support for this effort and we funded the conference.<br /><br />CONVENING ETHIOPIA'S OROMOS<br />---------------------------<br />¶6. (SBU) On October 30 and 31, the Elders 2 convened ten apolitical elders and community leaders from Addis Ababa and each zone of Oromiya to discuss how to bring the OLF back into the fold of legal political parties in Ethiopia. In a November 1 declaration, the 160 elders "strongly demanded that the OLF leadership heed the genuine desire of the Oromo people and enter into negotiations with the GoE" on the basis of the Amsterdam Agreement. On November 3, 30 of the assembled elders met with Prime Minister Meles to report on the conference and express concerns about the recent crack-down on Oromos in Ethiopia. Meles reportedly informed the group that he has two roles which he must balance: 1) maintaining law and order in the face of credible threats, and 2) promoting political reconciliation. As such, Meles affirmed that the GoE would continue to crack-down on anyone overtly supporting the OLF through actions, but would otherwise press for leniency toward those who simply support the OLF politically or in principle.<br /><br />¶7. (SBU) On November 14, Amb. Dinka and his two colleagues briefed the press on their conference and the details of the Oromo leaders' declaration. On November 15, the OLF Executive Committee issued a press release noting that it had previously informed the Elders that it would not sign on to the Amsterdam Agreement as the OLF retains its position that "the OLF is committed to dialogue without precondition in the presence of a third party." Despite this statement, the Elders 2 group is not surprised by, and plans to reach out to the Asmara-based OLF leadership directly to assess whether the statement accurately reflects the OLF's actual position, or more the position that they must take while living in Asmara under the influence and pressure of Isaias.<br /><br />IS THE GOE RECEPTIVE?<br />---------------------<br /><br />¶8. (SBU) As reported in Ref. A, the Elders 2 conference of Oromo leaders coincided with a significant crack-down on Oromos in Ethiopia, re-igniting the question of the GoE's sincerity in reconciling with the OLF. Fundamentally, both Prof. Ephraim and Amb. Dinka have acknowledged to us in the past few months that the GoE is not willing to change its own tactics domestically with regard to the Oromo community or legal Oromo political parties in Ethiopia as a confidence building gesture. Instead, both elders have argued, the GoE expects the OLF to unilaterally abandon its professed strategy of armed struggle without any prior indications of the GoE's willingness to reconcile beyond the word of the Prime Minister passed through intermediaries.<br /><br />¶9. (C) In response to our inquiries, Amb. Dinka speculated that the recent GoE crack-down on Oromos results from a resurgence of concern from the OPDO that the Tigrayan People's Liberation Front (TPLF) at the core of the EPRDF may abandon the OPDO for the OLF as it's Oromo partner should the OLF return to the domestic political scene. Despite this crack-down, both Prof. Ephraim and Amb. Dinka emphasized that they believe that the Prime Minister's receptivity to reconciliation with the OLF remains intact, and that he may be placating the OPDO, and hard-liners within the TPLF, with the current crack-down to cover his own strategy of returning the OLF to Ethiopian politics.<br /><br />FINAL COMMENT AND NOTE<br />--------------------<br /><br />¶10. (C) The GoE's harassment, arrests, and crack-down on Oromos and Oromo political parties, sends a clear message, in our assessment, that the GoE is not sincerely committed to meeting the OLF even part way in breaching the GoE-OLF divide. Just as the GoE's unrelenting assault on the domestic Oromo community impedes reconciliation, so to does the OLF's unwillingness to accept, even in principle, the Ethiopian constitution as a basic precondition to talks. The Elders 2 initiative provided a novel approach and a narrow window of opportunity, which we recognized before deciding to support their proposed conference. Despite the minuscule chance of the conference producing a break-through, having a consensus document endorsed by prominent elders and community leaders from throughout Oromiya calling on the OLF to pursue reconciliation with the GoE is a useful step.<br /><br />¶11. (C) Embassy Addis Ababa fundamentally believes that GoE reconciliation with the OLF is critical to Ethiopia's long-term stability. If the USG chooses to support or facilitate GoE-OLF reconciliation -- as we did from 2004 to 2006 -- we must be prepared to exert pressure on both parties to offer confidence building gestures toward the other including a GoE pardon of alleged OLF prisoners and easing in the harassment of Oromos in Ethiopia as well as a unilateral declaration by the OLF to cease, at least temporarily, its commitment to armed struggle. Should the USG seek to pursue such efforts, it may be useful for AF and/or INR/AA to reach out to OLF leaders in the U.S. and Europe, as well as for Embassy Asmara to reach out to OLF Chairman Dawud Ibsa and members of the OLF Executive Committee separately, to explore the relative merits of the two "elders" initiatives, perceptions on the opening for reconciliation, and press for a commitment to re-attempt reconciliation. With the Elders 2 declaration, the Oromo people in Ethiopia have clearly stated that they are no longer looking for conflict, but for a peaceful approach to reverse Oromo marginalization. If the OLF can show themselves to be politicians and statesmen, the world would certainly be more sympathetic to their cause.<br />End Comment.<br />YAMAMOTO</div></div>Argan Beekanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07770623824567285879noreply@blogger.com48tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38869306.post-82790725772453134082011-09-15T21:39:00.021-04:002012-01-31T11:23:15.681-05:00WikiLeaks on "REACHING OUT TO THE [Shanee Group of] OLF ..."<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyreZE7cw36LLcpaUA-bOMA9dTjJaFYmppe2mykKzwyXG_LrujoKf-rFnh510c02xTX09B5dV0qOTbYgWTrQ3_eXtOFTx93GZcFnt-q6B8o_bAQ1MGudRWih_eZpWmb-_WuKrP/s1600/beware.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 158px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 200px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5652818337848456178" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyreZE7cw36LLcpaUA-bOMA9dTjJaFYmppe2mykKzwyXG_LrujoKf-rFnh510c02xTX09B5dV0qOTbYgWTrQ3_eXtOFTx93GZcFnt-q6B8o_bAQ1MGudRWih_eZpWmb-_WuKrP/s200/beware.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div align="justify">A secret document leaked by WikiLeaks (see below) confirms that the Oromo struggle continues to be used as a pawn in the chess game played by western powers on their Horn of Africa chess board.<br /><br />If history is any guide, it is not likely that this "REACHING OUT TO THE [Shanee Group of] OLF ..." would be in search of a just resolution of the conflict between Oromia and Ethiopia which would be the decolonization of Oromia through the Oromo people’s right of self-determination. The sole purpose in this case seems to be the isolation of Eritrea, another state using the Oromo struggle as a pawn in its chess game against the West and its neighbor to the south.<br /><br />Eritrea and the West share a common interest, albeit to a differing degree, when it comes to the OLF. A weakened OLF is in the best interest of both. The West would like to see a OLF weakened to the point of surrendering to TPLF without or with minimal face saving concessions for its demands. In that way, it can keep one of its tyrant clients – Meles Zenawi - happy and in power. Eritrea, on the other hand, would not want to see a strong and independent OLF that can take on TPLF on its own. But, neither does it want to see OLF surrender to TPLF before it (Eritrea) has a chance to use it (the OLF) as a bargaining chip in possible future negotiations with TPLF. It would require a total suspension of logic and rational thought to be able to imagine a deal between the two which would not include the fate of THE [Shanee Group of] OLF while they are both (Shanee – The Dawud Ibsaa Group, and Jijjiirama – The Kamal Gelchu Group) stationed in Asmara.<br /><br />One tried and true method both sides use to keep the OLF weak and pathetic is by helping it replicate itself every few years. How? They simply refer to some of the OLF leaders as “moderates” and to others as “hard-liners.” To top it up, they throw in Meles’ wish to negotiate with the moderates. Then, the race to become the darling of the West would begin. Given the omnipotence some leaders of the Shanee Group of OLF attach to the West and their craving for West’s attention, they start talking to the West behind each other’s backs and promising to meet the set conditions including renouncing armed struggle, accepting the TPLF constitution or whatever is asked of them.<br /><br />In 1998 a group of OLF leaders, led by Lenco Lata and referred to as “moderates”, signed agreement with World Lutheran Federation (WLF) to accept the TPLF constitution and renounce armed struggle. They gained nothing for doing so except contempt and disregard from the West, TPLF and the Oromo public. Their action split the leaders in to two groups. Another group of OLF leaders, led by Dawud Ibsaa and referred to as “moderates”, accepted the same conditions set by the West and TPLF in the form of “Agenda for Peace” in 2000. Besides causing the organization to split and earning the leaders of the organization contempt from the Oromo mass and others, nothing was gained by this group's action either. In 2008, this later “moderate” group split into two: one led by Dawud Ibsaa a.k.a Shanee and another led by Kamal Gelchu a.k.a. Jijjiirama. It is not enough for the West and TPLF that these two groups offered their “Agenda for Peace” as moderates before their split. As you can read from the leaked document below, they have to further be dichotomized into “moderates and hard-liners” to weaken them further.<br /><br />Having learned nothing from history and in its race to become the darling of the West, the Kemal Gelchu group has come up with “OLF Declaration of Non-violent Struggle against Meles Zenawi and its Tyrannical Regime” ( <a href="http://oromooliberationfront.org/pressRelease/OLF_Declaration.pdf" target="_blank"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">READ HERE</span></strong></a>)</div><br /><div align="justify">This is particularly interesting coming from a group whose leader was once a loyal TPLF soldier who purportedly left Ethiopia because he felt it was impossible to defeat Meles Zenawi through peaceful methods but only by waging armed struggle. Before he even fires his first bullet as a liberation fighter, he disowns armed struggle. This smells like the Trojan horse Spartans used to defeat Troy from which the adage “beware of gift bearing Greeks” originates. I plan to return to this issue at a later date. (<a href="http://oromoaffairs.blogspot.com/2012/01/kemal-gelchu-co-olf-trojan-horse-part-i.html" target="_blank"><strong><span style="font-size:130%;">READ HERE</span></strong></a>)<br /><br /><strong>What is my point?<br /></strong><br />May point is that what TPLF and the West are looking for is not a moderate OLF. If that was the case, they would have been satisfied with those who signed the WLF agreement and would have pressured or persuaded Meles to compromise with them. They did not! Had the West was looking for a moderate OLF, it would have been satisfied with the group that published “Agenda for Peace” in 2000. It did not happen! That group got no help from the West, nor any compromise from Meles. What they are looking for is a OLF weakened into nonexistence. In other words, the only way you can satisfy them is by destroying the OLF, not by being “moderates”.<br /><br />Oromo nationalists should <strong>Resist! Resist! and Resist this machination at all cost!<br /><br /></strong>===Leaked Document Begins Here=====<br />Reference ID: 07ADDISABABA1961<br />Created: 2007-06-23 14:48<br />Released: 2011-08-30 01:44<br />Classification: SECRET<br />Origin: Embassy Addis Ababa<br /><br /><br />VZCZCXRO4049<br />PP RUEHROV<br />DE RUEHDS #1961/01 1741448<br />ZNY SSSSS ZZH<br />P 231448Z JUN 07<br />FM AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA<br />TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6729<br />INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE PRIORITY<br />RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY<br />RHMFISS/CJTF HOA PRIORITY<br />RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY<br />RUEKDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY<br />RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY<br />RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 ADDIS ABABA 001961<br /><br />SIPDIS<br /><br />SIPDIS<br /><br />DEPARTMENT FOR AF AND AF/E<br />LONDON, PARIS, ROME FOR AFRICA WATCHER<br />CJTF-HOA AND USCENTCOM FOR POLAD<br /><br />E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/23/2017<br />TAGS: PGOV PINS ER ET<br />SUBJECT: ETHIOPIA: REACHING OUT TO THE OLF AND CUTTING<br />ERITREA'S DIVISIVE INFLUENCE<br /><br /><br />Classified By: AMBASSADOR DONALD YAMAMOTO. REASON: 1.4 (D).<br /><br />¶1. (S/NF) SUMMARY. Norwegian Church Aid representatives Arne Saeveraas and Hans Birkeland told Ambassador June 21 that while there was little progress on their mediation efforts between the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF) and the Ethiopian Government, they were keeping lines of communications open. The continued presence of OLF hard-liners and leaders in Asmara remains a stumbling block to progress in engaging Ethiopian leaders and the OLF, but the Norwegians are hopeful that they can bring moderate elements of the OLF into closer dialogue with Ethiopian officials. Sebhat Nega, TPLF central committee member and stalwart within the Ethiopian government, is scheduled to travel to Europe in the near future to meet with OLF representatives. The Norwegians believe that strong U.S. support for the moderate OLF leadership will help undercut Asmara,s divisive influence and bolster a greater opening between the OLF and Ethiopian government. Embassy supports Norway's approach and believes encouragement of the Ethiopian Government and outreach to the OLF moderates on a dialogue will enhance internal Ethiopian peace and stability. END SUMMARY.<br /><br />¶2. (S/NF) Norwegian Church Aid special advisor Arne Saeveraas and country representative Hans Birkeland briefed Ambassador on their latest discussions with Ethiopian officials on an OLF engagement. Saeveraas said Norwegian Church Aid and Norwegian Government remained hopeful but that the current dialogue between the OLF and Ethiopian Government (which is conducted in Brussels through former Ethiopian Ambassador to the U.S. and current Ambassador to the EU Berhane Gebrechristol) required higher Ethiopian attention. Ambassador Berhane, a conservative hard-line member of the Tigrayan People's Liberation Front (TPLF), had been a barrier to dialogue. Saeveraas noted that TPLF central committee member and stalwart of the Ethiopian Government, Sebhat Nega, who remains a close advisor to Prime Minister Meles, plans to travel to Europe in August to meet with moderate OLF officials.<br /><br />¶3. (S/NF) While Sebhat,s involvement is hopeful, Saeveraas is trying to push the Ethiopians to reach out and engage the moderate elements of the OLF rather than to set conditions for expanded dialogue. Saeveraas noted that so long as Asmara hosted and played a significant role influencing the hard-line OLF members and much of the leadership, expanded OLF-Ethiopia dialogue would be difficult. Saeveraas said moderate OLF leaders like former leader Leencho Lata were being marginalized by more hard-line members resident in Asmara.<br /><br />---------------------<br />U.S. MUST PLAY A ROLE<br />---------------------<br /><br />¶4. (S/NF) Saeveraas and Birkeland both underscored the importance of the U.S. to the process. Public encouragement by the U.S. and other countries for the moderate wing of the OLF would help bolster OLF leaders seeking a dialogue with Ethiopia and moderate the influence of the hard-liners in Eritrea. Saeveraas suggested that Norway could host a meeting of the OLF leadership, including those from Asmara, but there needed to be strong support from the U.S. and other countries to help moderate OLF leaders demonstrate to their membership that the path of dialogue was more effective than armed resistance and the more intolerant rhetoric of hard-line members.<br /><br />¶5. (S/NF) Further, both Norwegian Church Aid officials said that the U.S. and other countries privately encouraging the Ethiopian Government to reach out to the moderate OLF leaders would be the best way to undercut Asmara,s negative influence.<br /><br />¶6. (S/NF) COMMENT. Over two years ago, the Africa Bureau, working with Norway, engaged moderate elements of the OLF and encouraged Prime Minister Meles and his envoy, Ambassador Berhane, to take a more positive approach to OLF-Ethiopia Government discussions. A meeting with some OLF leaders, including a few based in Asmara, over two years ago at the State Department, while highly encouraging, did not lead to greater USG involvement, because of the lack of interagency consensus and differing views with Post which did not fully support engagement.<br /><br />¶7. (S/NF) COMMENT CONTINUED. Tough measures adopted by Ethiopian security forces in parts of the country in response to increased security threats and continued political differences between Oromo and Ethiopian Government leaders make dialogue between the Government and the OLF challenging. A dialogue with moderate elements, an effort Prime Minister Meles supports, should be encouraged. Post recommends that the interagency support the Norwegian efforts for a moderate OLF-Ethiopian Government dialogue, and that the U.S. play a greater supportive role, along with our European colleagues, in encouraging expanded dialogue. Getting the OLF leadership and supporters out of Asmara would be critical to a successful dialogue, but the U.S. and others will need to encourage the OLF that dialogue will be more beneficial in securing long-term peace, than armed resistance or opposition to dialogue. END COMMENT.<br />YAMAMOTO</div>Argan Beekanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07770623824567285879noreply@blogger.com41tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38869306.post-47258995746558052952011-09-06T19:33:00.004-04:002011-09-06T20:43:49.748-04:00Wikileaks on Kuma Demeksa, Born Taye Teklehaimanot: “opportunistic, reclusive and not well regarded in Oromiya region”<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnGJg0_40fLx0Yit_OZvsYRXMl3zgtHjCKat_gk7z98CJvibWpH2QPP_XMsBxDp_Td4OdQ5U46EOoBvnTS8Hu3Dw_9PKadmqAdf3XNmgScLPMTmI4lYjS4j8huXA-cpZ-9_vJa/s1600/Kuma-demeksa.jpg"><img style="MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 200px; FLOAT: left; HEIGHT: 134px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5649394851419668466" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnGJg0_40fLx0Yit_OZvsYRXMl3zgtHjCKat_gk7z98CJvibWpH2QPP_XMsBxDp_Td4OdQ5U46EOoBvnTS8Hu3Dw_9PKadmqAdf3XNmgScLPMTmI4lYjS4j8huXA-cpZ-9_vJa/s200/Kuma-demeksa.jpg" /></a> <br /><div align="justify">WikiLeaks, the non-profit organization dedicated to publishing previously classified, hidden or sensitive documents, has released one on Kuma Demeksa of TPLF/OPDO from 2008 in which he is characterized as “opportunistic, reclusive and not well regarded in Oromiya region” by the former US ambassador to Ethiopia. What the Oromo knew for many years – that Kuma is not Oromo and that he was “born in Oromiya Region of Amhara parents” (see below) - is also confirmed in this message.<br /><br />Enjoy!<br />__________________________________________________________________<br />VZCZCXRO0462<br />RR RUEHLMC<br />DE RUEHDS #1416/01 1430515<br />ZNR UUUUU ZZH<br />R 220515Z MAY 08<br />FM AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA<br />TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0714<br />INFO RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 3496<br />RUEHAE/AMEMBASSY ASMARA 2729<br />RUEHDJ/AMEMBASSY DJIBOUTI 8992<br />RUEHLMC/MILLENNIUM CHALLENGE CORP WASHINGTON DC 0117<br />RHMFISS/CJTF HOA<br />RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC<br /><br />UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ADDIS ABABA 001416<br />SENSITIVE<br />SIPDIS<br /><br />E.O.12958: N/A<br />TAGS: KDEM PINR PGOV PREL PHUM ET<br />SUBJECT: PARTY-HACK ANOINTED MAYOR OF ADDIS ABABA<br /><br />SUMMARY</div><br /><div><br />¶1. (SBU) Following its landslide victory in the April 2008 local elections, the ruling Ethiopian Peoples' Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) appointed Defense Minister Kuma Demeksa, an opportunistic 50-year old party loyalist, as mayor of Addis Ababa. In a conference held at the City Hall on May 20, the EPRDF also selected the Deputy Mayor, as well as the Secretary General, the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker of the City Council.</div><br /><div><br />¶2. (U) The 137 EPRDF city council members-elect appointed Kuma Demeksa Mayor of Addis Ababa in a ceremony held at the City Hall on May 20. Other EPRDF members selected for office include: Kefyalew Azeze--Deputy Mayor; Woizero Sinkinesh Atale--Speaker of the Addis Ababa Council; Elias Seid--Deputy Speaker of the Council; and Woizero Negede Lema--Secretary General of Addis Ababa Council. The EPRDF also selected ten heads of the various bureaus in the city administration: Abate Setotaw, Youth and Sports; Dulamo Otore, Education, Tsegaye H/Mariam, Justice and Security; Belaynesh Teklai, Finance and Economic Development, Fikru Merga, Trade and Industry; Getachew H/Mariam, Works and Urban Development; Daba Debele, Capacity Building; Dr. Hussein Mohammed, Health; Gebretsadik Hagos, Culture and Tourism; Ejigayehu Akberot, Women's Affairs. END SUMMARY.</div><br /><div><br />BIO ON THE MAYOR</div><br /><div><br />¶3. (U) The newly-elected mayor, Kuma Demeksa, a.k.a. Taye Teklehaimanot, was born in Oromiya Region of Amhara parents in 1958. He completed his elementary and secondary education in Gore town, Illubabor Zone of Oromiya Region. Kuma joined an elite police force in the early 1970's and was promoted to the rank of captain after the 1974 revolution that brought the "Dergue" military regime of Mengistu Hailemariam to power. As a member of the elite police force, Kuma served in Eritrea, where he was captured and made a prisoner of war by the Eritrean People's Liberation Front (EPLF) guerilla forces.</div><br /><div><br />¶4. (SBU) In an agreement reached between Tigrayan People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and EPLF in 1981, the guerilla forces handed Kuma over to TPLF. TPLF "re-educated" Kuma and allowed him to join the Ethiopian Peoples' Democratic Movement, EPDM (the non-Tigrayan, junior partner of TPLF). In 1990, Kuma Demeksa quit EPDM to form the Oromo Peoples' Democratic Organization (OPDO), the Oromo wing of EPRDF. When the EPRDF coalition came to power in 1991, Kuma was appointed as Minister of Interior in the Transitional Government of Ethiopia (1991-1995). Kuma's leverage at the helm of the Interior Ministry was overshadowed by the effective control held by Tigrayan security chief Kinfe Gebre Medhin (assassinated in May 2001). When Ethiopia's federal government was established in 1995, Kuma was elected head of the executive committee of Oromiya Region. Kuma remained President of Oromiya region until July 2001. </div><br /><div><br />¶5. (SBU) Kuma temporarily fell out of favor following the split within TPLF in the Spring of 2001 because he supported the dissident TPLF group led by Seeye Abraha, who was later jailed for six years for corruption. In July 2001, Kuma was officially removed from his position as president of Oromiya region and Secretary General of OPDO because of allegations of corruption, abuse of power and anti-democratic practices. He laid low for more than a year.</div><br /><div><br />¶6. (SBU) In late 2002, Kuma re-emerged and was appointed as one of the three State Ministers at the Ministry of Capacity Building under the supervision of the austere party ideologue, Tefera Waliwa. He served as state minister until October 2005. Embassy contacts say that Kuma convinced the TPLF leadership that he had been "reformed" and demonstrated unconditional loyalty to the party while serving as State Minister under the watchful eyes of Tefera Waliwa. Kuma was subsequently appointed as Minister of Defense in October 2005 when Prime Minister Meles reshuffled his cabinet in the wake of the 2005 national election. </div><br /><div><br />¶7. (U) Kuma has been married twice and is a father of seven, with three children from his first wife and four from his current wife. Kuma received his first and second degrees from the London-based UK Open University while working as State Minister at the Ministry of Capacity building.</div><br /><div><br />COMMENT</div><br /><div><br />¶8. (SBU) Kuma's critics describe him as a colorless party-hack who has "been everywhere and has reached nowhere." Kuma is quite and reclusive and rarely meets with non-party members. However, he is committed to the party and very loyal to Prime Minister Meles. Kuma is said to be a survivor because he respects authority, is reclusive and keeps a low profile. He is not well regarded in Oromiya region, where he served as President for over six years, and has been labelled indecisive and ineffective. Kuma's appointment as Mayor has puzzled many residents of Addis Ababa. Observers expected that the EPRDF would appoint a sharper and more apt Mayor to address the multi-faceted social, political and economic problems of the city in order to win the hearts and minds of residents who voted overwhelmingly in favor of the opposition in 2005, and largely stayed home during the 2008 local elections. END COMMENT. </div><br /><div><br />YAMAMOTO</div><br /><div><br />Have your say!</div>Argan Beekanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07770623824567285879noreply@blogger.com48tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38869306.post-47603961941650364472011-08-09T21:35:00.009-04:002011-08-09T22:09:21.955-04:00A Call to Boycott Ethiopian Airlines<div align="center"><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">To weaken the tyrant TPLF regime in Ethiopia</span></strong>
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<br /><div align="center"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639040771867031074" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 268px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2-acApiqPe_qOWC8Y15o5aiUGfM_dNv7zD3JrqwEhGvUbd4gcocqC-rrZ8u2FzFFrNb5pNYhsGArxZLG-xW4kzw1NXwdghbUnYKzNc9Lt0WWgwGXNmKBNQpKDhJ3SuTxcfUxQ/s200/ethiopian_airlines1.jpg" border="0" /></div>
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<br /><strong><span style="font-size:180%;">Kill the cow!</span></strong></div>
<br />Argan Beekanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07770623824567285879noreply@blogger.com75tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38869306.post-43950486111936561302011-07-31T11:10:00.003-04:002011-07-31T11:28:26.902-04:00Ethiopian Airlines: Anti-Oromo<div align="center"><em>By Dirribi Demissie Bokku</em></div><br /><div align="justify"></div><br /><div align="justify">My name is Dirribi Demissie Bokku. I am president of Mecha -Tulama Association. In this capacity I was imprisoned for three years because we protested against the removal of Oromia’s capital from Finfinne. Prior to my imprisonment I was employed at the Ethiopian Airlines for over twenty years. Upon my release from employment the Ethiopian Airlines against its policy and the law refused to take me back. They also refused to pay me my severance pay and other benefits including free tickets for employees who had worked and retired from employment. The Ethiopian Airlines had not done this type of harsh measure against anybody in its long history in the past. This was done specifically because of my strong stance against the removal of Oromia’s capital from Finfinne. </div><br /><br /><div align="justify"></div><br /><br /><div align="justify">My life history and the saga of Ethiopian Airlines (EAL) are as presented in my book Oromo Wisdom in Black Civilization as follows: </div><br /><br /><div align="justify"><br />Mr. Dirribi Damuse has put down certain points he sees as milestones in the course of his life to this day. The aim of putting down the points to the attention of readers is not an attempt of glorifying the life of an ordinary Oromo national. It is rather to tell the hardship an Oromo nationalist confronts under the Ethiopian empire even at the turn of this century; it is to the extent of denial of the right to life. It is to tell the reading public how much the state and its machineries boldly act to subjugate or else eliminate an Oromo. This is a rare opportunity the writer grabs to inform the world about man’s inhumanity to man. </div><br /><br /><div align="justify"><br />Mr. Dirribi Damuse tells us about major events in his life in the form of first person “I” as he claims it is right to do so since he is master of his own affairs. In fact, it is possible to develop his personal account in to a big volume. However, that would lead to unnecessary wastage of precious time of readers. </div><br /><br /><div align="justify"><br />I, Dirribi Damuse Bokku Abdi, was born to a peasant family in the presently West Shawa Zone of Ilu Galen District in May 1952. I attended Primary School at Gedo town and Secondary School in Finfinnee, the capital. It was during the reign of the Derg that I was imprisoned implicated with affiliation to All Ethiopia Socialist Movement known by Amharic acronym MEISON. I served five years and three months prison term without trial. That created the chance for me to study nationalism in line with the Marxist view of the time associated with history of the Oromo. Out of prison, I was employed at the Ethiopian Airlines in 1983. As a staff of the Airlines, I studied Economics in the evening/extension programmed at Addis Ababa University, which requires longer period than the regular does. When I was in fifth year round (1991) out of the seven years to complete, the Derg was overthrown with eventual closure of the University for a while. I also found mine in the lineup of politics in the new chapter though never returning to school.<br />I became a member of Waaqeffannaa Religion Followers Association in 2001 in the course of which I began to study the culture, history and religion of the Oromo. In the same year, I became member of Maccaa-Tulama Self-Help Association to which I was elected president two years later. On the other hand, the Association entered into a serious political debate with the government that year. The argument attributed to the issue that Oromia should retain Finfinnee immediately after it was announced that the Council of Oromia moved its capital to Adama. I, together with other board members of the Association, maintained firm stand on the matter. </div><br /><br /><div align="justify"><br />The Association called for public demonstration to express their view against the decision. The government violently crashed the demonstration blaming the Association for blackmailing the state. Apparently, I was imprisoned from May 18, 2004 up to March 2007 only under litigation process with the pretext of taking buy time for clarification. At the end, I was released up on acquittal. Then I was informed dismissed from my position with the Airlines without any sufficient ground. One could say, unfortunately though, it was due to solely the deep-rooted hatred of Abyssinians directed towards the Oromo. The Ethiopian Airlines Management, in a feat of demonstrating loyalty to the government by starving my family and me, wrote a letter on April 30, 2008 stating, “The reason for interruption of your employment duties would not allow you to rehire.” Besides, I was denied severance pay despite my legal right to claim for it after well over 20 years service. I did neither steal nor damage the property of the Ethiopian Airlines. I never had dispute with any staff member too. If I fought for the rights of the Oromo over Finfinnee, there is nothing to bother the Airlines because it is none of its business.</div><br /><br /><div align="justify"><br />The die-hard stance is testimony to the harm done on purpose against those who struggle for the rights of Oromo. The intention in this specific case is to deny the claim by Oromo over a city completely encircled by the very population and the issue the government accepted justified. The constitution provides especial rights to Oromia over Finfinnee. It is true that Finfinnee naturally belongs to the Oromo where God created them. Thus, I committed no crime at all. Since I was confident that I never committed any crime, I was ready even to face the gallows on the issue of Finfinnee. </div><br /><br /><div align="justify"><br />Here the Ethiopian Airlines committed three major crimes: denial of the opportunity to work and live; unwilling to effect severance pay; and denial of 8 free air tickets per year during retirement. The Ethiopian Airlines had the tradition of restoring many of its employees who were released from prison after serving jail terms. There is a notable case to cite. The government released a person called Ob. Darara Damasa in the Millennium Pardon Act. He had been accused of affiliation with OLF and had been sentenced to death but later on changed to life imprisonment. After serving 13 years of jail he was set free in the new Millennium. Moreover, the National Regional Government of Oromia allowed him to resume his job, teaching. The reason behind refusal of restoring me to my position by top management of E.A.L such as Mr. Girma Wake (Chief executive Officer C.E.O)<a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=38869306#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1">[1]</a> and Mrs. Frehiwot Worku Executive officer human resource E.O.H.R) has never been clear to my conscience. In fact, they did not want direct talk with me. Do not I deserve due human respect? Alternatively, they do not care for human respect. It is from this that I concluded the hatred and contempt of the Habesha against the Oromo to be the underlying cause. (King Sahel Silasie’s army at Bole, which is the current Ethiopian International Airport site, killed my great grandfather. Oromos are still uprooted from Finfinnee and its environs. They are denied job opportunity. Why should the Habesha commit all such heinous crimes? Why do they kill us? How long should they uproot us from our fatherland?) </div><br /><br /><div align="justify"><br />After two years or so of joblessness I was employed in Oromiya International Bank that enabled me support myself and my family as part of its objective of alleviating economic problems of the Oromo. This, to my understanding, is the reflection of the role of nationalism in helping nationals under difficulty. The very fact that the Oromia National Regional State re-instated Mr. Darara despite difference in political outlook again is a matter of fellow feeling under nationalism. It means the problem of an Oromo family is a matter of their concern. To the contrary, the E.A.L Management rejected my request to resume my duties as a matter of survival since they do not bother whether an Oromo family starved to death. While running lucrative business in Oromia land and Air space and Finfinnee, center of Oromia, why is E.A.L act against the interest of Oromo? Let history and Oromo people judge as to what the reaction to intentionally starving human beings and that those who are at least formally acknowledged citizens of a country should be.</div><br /><br /><div align="justify"><br />I ask all my compatriots to demand that Mr Girma Wake, Ex Chief Executive Officer of EAL and Ms. Frehiwot Worku, the Ex Executive Officer of Human Resource, who were officers at the time when the action was taken against me and the current management of EAL, to answer the following questions:<br /><br /><em>What is the justification that EAL refused to return Mr Dirribii’s to his job?<br />As a matter of management ethics, is it appropriate to refuse to talk to an employee for the entire year, an employee who served the EAL for over 20 years?<br />Is it appropriate that an employee who served for more than 20 years should be fired simply because he was jailed without being found guilty of any offense?<br />It was reported that Ms. Firehiwot Worqu said “when he stands on a street side and begs, he will refrain from his talk of the rights of the Oromo, and others will see him and also stop talking about Oromo rights.” Is it correct to fire an employee from his job to make him example to others for political reasons?<br />The dismissal letter of April 30, 2008, states the reason for the denial to rehire as follows: “the reason for which your employment was interrupted in the first place will not allow you fore reinstatement to your job.” Following this logic, what are the conditions that become the ground for refusal to rehire of an employee who had been forcefully removed from his job?<br /><br /></em>The action that the EAL took against me was intentionally done to discourage an individually Oromo from struggling for his people’s cause. The EAL management through its acts has clearly shown that it is an anti-Oromo organization. Even though this organization is created and maintained through the Oromo people’s wealth it has time and again shown its anti Oromo stance. Even if at this stage there are not many things that we could do, I demand our people to boycott flying the EAL until and unless it reverses the action it took against me and change its way of discouraging Oromos from struggling for their people.<a name="_GoBack"></a></div><br /><br /><div align="justify"><br /><a title="" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1" href="http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=38869306#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1">[1]</a> He also tried to contact through elders such as Prof Ephraim Isac Mr Bulcha Damaksa, a member of parliament and Mr. Alemayehu G/Medin.</div>Argan Beekanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07770623824567285879noreply@blogger.com49tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38869306.post-28882085277208920792011-06-14T18:10:00.006-04:002011-06-14T19:04:51.832-04:00Oromia Land Grab: Buying a parcel of land with your soul<div align="justify">It is not just the Saudis, the Indians and other foreigners that are engaged in land grab in Oromia after all. Some in the Oromo Diaspora are also busy participating in displacing the Oromo poor from their land and sharing the booty with the TPLF regime of Ethiopia. The list is long but it includes Oromo church “elders” and community “leaders”.<br /><br />What is a parcel of land worth for these people? Their soul!<br /><br />Here are three of the MPLS, MN “elders and leaders” with Girma Birruu of TPLF/OPDO selling their souls for a few acres of land in Oromia. </div><br /><br /><p align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZJ2-84CHAWL5aHqQdvglX2IwU2HD3CdkHujU_kyvIxwTJGQjrkeTWiIORIpOmQNlljiK0MkecJ7Rhpv6907Nyg2RflZ6vrXwjvJ80BMdsgfu-zVkSXTfABaHqQkPpMJmbDd4g/s1600/opdo.tif"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 430px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 287px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618208459293121586" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZJ2-84CHAWL5aHqQdvglX2IwU2HD3CdkHujU_kyvIxwTJGQjrkeTWiIORIpOmQNlljiK0MkecJ7Rhpv6907Nyg2RflZ6vrXwjvJ80BMdsgfu-zVkSXTfABaHqQkPpMJmbDd4g/s200/opdo.tif" /></a><strong>To enlarge, click on the picture.</strong> </p><br /><p>Thank God for the nationalists in MPLS (see picture below) for their continued effort to be the voice of our voiceless people back home.</p><br /><p><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRpvk596SLDTNQq29L7TTU0AEbACIp8ioiF7MMQ-fZMTIa369kFO5v7OgyzG1vs7eXJGb-SYvpXuZYEYhghMgxHEtaRzzoW4dYIm3e2Hz026I_ijkbZW4XZ7JKcawHwMCY38fL/s1600/Nationalists.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 410px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5618214541864367730" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRpvk596SLDTNQq29L7TTU0AEbACIp8ioiF7MMQ-fZMTIa369kFO5v7OgyzG1vs7eXJGb-SYvpXuZYEYhghMgxHEtaRzzoW4dYIm3e2Hz026I_ijkbZW4XZ7JKcawHwMCY38fL/s200/Nationalists.jpg" /></a><br />Have your say!</p>Argan Beekanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07770623824567285879noreply@blogger.com100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38869306.post-33690304047796113132011-06-06T16:30:00.002-04:002011-06-06T16:35:53.670-04:00A Strong Secular Pan-Oromo Liberation Front is a Key to Freedom<div align="center"><strong>By Mulugeta Mossissa*</strong></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;">June 6, 2</span>011</div><br /><br /><div align="justify">The purpose of this article is neither to imply that Oromo politics is a monopoly of one particular organization nor to undermine the contributions of many genuine Oromo political organizations and individuals to the struggle of the Oromo people for freedom.<br /><br />To the contrary, those who directly or indirectly contributed to the struggle of the Oromo people for liberation are acclaimed by the Oromo people. More over, as individuals or as groups, they will have a place in the Oromo history for their good deeds. Likewise, those who have commercialized and traded with the blood of Oromo sons and daughters will accordingly be judged by history.<br /><br />Formation of different political parities is also not a problem by itself. But the question is the timing of their formation. We can have as many different political parties as we want when the time is appropriate to do so. In an independent country where its people have political, social and economic freedoms, having a multiparty system is one of the fundamental principles of democracy. Therefore, under such a free condition there is nothing wrong with the emergence of different political parties which compete against one another to take political power and serve their people. But when Oromia is still under occupation and the Oromo people have no freedom to elect their genuine political leaders, competing over something that does not exist is “putting the cart before the horse.”<br /><br />In light with the dire economic, political and social conditions that the Oromo people are in, it is not wise to divide the Oromo forces by forming ineffective small political groups that undermine the unity of our people at large. This division will kill the aspiration of our people for freedom. As divided and weak we are, we cannot challenge the Ethiopian dictatorial regime that perpetrates different atrocities against our people. Particularly, it is very damaging to the struggle when these groups develop an attitude of adversarial competitions against one another. The only parties that will benefit from our divisions are our adversaries. I hope every concerned Oromo can understand the damage these divisions and infightings have done so far to the struggle of the Oromo people for freedom.<br /><br />Why a Strong Secular Pan -Oromo Liberation Front?<br /><br />Now, when we are facing one of Africa’s most ruthless dictators that will never hesitate to use any means to stay in power, when tens of thousands of Oromo nationals are languishing in Ethiopian prisons and concentration camps, when Oromo youths are targeted and killed like hunting games by the Ethiopian killing squads, when thousands of students are forced to leave their education and exile to neighboring countries, and when some of them perish in the sea or in the deserts on their way to safety, when Oromo rural populations are evicted from their birth places and their land is given to Meles Zenawi’s officials or sold(leased) to foreign capitalists, when Oromo men and women, young and old, rich and poor, educated and uneducated, as a whole, are treated as second citizens and dehumanized by Ethiopian dictators, it is vital important to have a strong, secular, unifying pan-Oromo Liberation Front which can be up to the challenge of the time. Neither lamenting about “Ethiopian democratization,” nor creating small ineffective Oromo political groupings can be the answer to the question of the Oromo people. It is rather prolonging their sufferings under different Abyssinian oppressive regimes.<br /><br />The urgent need is to liberate our people from Abyssinian colonial rule. To do that, it is paramount to unite and rally all Oromo forces under one Pan-Oromo Liberation Front. Without such a strong organization that could unify and lead the Oromo struggle for liberation, it is impossible to think of the Oromo freedom. Without such an organization the Oromo will go on counting, from generation to generation, the number of Abyssinian dictators that take power in turn in Ethiopia. Perhaps, one may even witness a coming back of an Abyssinian autocrat or king. That is possible to happen.<br /><br />To have a secular Pan-Oromo Liberation Front is not a matter of choice. It is a must without which we cannot liberate our people. From this perspectives therefore, it is a must to revitalize the OLF which is undoubtedly an all inclusive Pan-Oromo Liberation Front.<br /><br />The OLF, as a secular Pan-Oromo political organization, has a long history in the struggle of the Oromo people for freedom. Its political program is nothing but the true reflection of the political, economic and social aspirations of our people. This desire and will of our people is once again confirmed in 1991 when the Oromo people converged into Finfinne from all corners of Oromia to show full solidarity with the OLF and its political program. The OLF is seen by the Oromo people not only as a liberation front but also as a symbol of unity.<br /><br />The OLF leadership and members have historical responsibilities to materialize the Kaayyoo of OLF that is interested in them by the Oromo people. This requires putting the cause of our people before personal interests. It requires genuine efforts of all concerned groups and individuals involved in the struggle to solve their political differences and forge unity among Oromo nationalists to revitalize the OLF so that it can reemerge once again as a unifying all inclusive secular and strong Pan Oromo political force.<br /><br />Unity here does not however mean handshakes and giving hugs to each other by the top leaderships without addressing properly the root cause of the division. The idea of Araaraa is not reconciling individuals at the top who can drift apart when they do not agree and come together when they want. The idea of Araaraa is to adopt a common political object (Kaayyoo) and common policy towards friends of our struggle and our adversaries. It is forging a common strategy to take the struggle of our people forward. In short, it is not a unity of different individuals or groups with different and irreconcilable political objects. It is rather the unity of political actions based on a common goal or kaayyoo.<br /><br />The means by which this kaayyoo is achieved also must be clear to all members and supporters of the front to avoid polarization and confusions. Obviously the means we use to achieve our object depends not only on how we want to achieve it but also on the nature of our adversaries. If our inherent human and democratic rights are flagrantly violated and our demands to make an end to these violations are always met with brut forces, as we have experienced under different Ethiopian autocratic and dictatorial regimes for more than a century, it is our right to use all available means to get back our lost humanity, freedom and dignity.<br /><br />The Ethiopian political infrastructure and the nature of the incumbent party do not allow a peaceful political settlement of the conflicts in the Empire. It is tried and failed several times by the OLF and other opposition parties. The political suppression and economic exploitation of the Oromo people under Mr. Meles Zenawi’s regime is getting worse from day to day. Equally, the political programs of some major opposition dominated by the former ruling groups are even worse than that of the incumbent as far as the national question is concerned. Forming an Alliance or trying to operate under the shadow of these oppositions will not give a solution to the question of our people either.<br /><br />Examining objectively the socio-political and economic relationships between the Oromo people and the Abyssinian ruling groups for more than a century, we find nothing that could make the OLF to change its political program and the means by which this political program is achieved.<br /><br />Today, the unity of the Oromo people is solid more than ever. Their resolve to get their freedom and be masters of their destiny is equally unshaken by the day to day brutality of Mr. Meles Zenawi’s regime. However, without a strong Liberation Front which leads their struggle this desire cannot be materialized. Therefore, it is important that the OLF reemerge as a strong Pan-Oromo Liberation Front, once again, to fulfill this mission. Whether we like it or not, with all the ups and downs it has faced, OLF still lives in the hearts and minds of the Oromo people.<br /><br />It is the responsibility of the Oromo political leaders, nationalists and intellectuals, to correct the faulty political trend and follow a viable political path to freedom. It is their duty to turn the silent Oromo majority into a useful and dynamic force. A Strong unifying Secular Pan-Oromo Liberation Front is a key to do that.<br /><br />The strength of an organization is a key to success. Whatever the nature of the organization may be, a dozen people that are well organized can do a better job than a thousand disorganized individuals.<br />____________________</div><br /><div align="justify">*<span style="font-size:85%;">It doesn’t matter who I am. What matters is my view. If you agree with me, let us do it. If not, let me know what a better solution you have. I am ready to learn from others and share my opinion with them</span>.<br /><br />Have your say!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>Argan Beekanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07770623824567285879noreply@blogger.com168tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38869306.post-38129715716690971812011-03-26T20:27:00.005-04:002011-03-26T21:58:33.036-04:00The nature of TPLF regime<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif5yiDLlYlpGe0VBGF004oM7ObxYH3byMlW5x-KDeEF2ms9CdBEVr2AGG1lLKFayC7qu4roj_8PnEsFjhxblx9UZ2oS1-XmPpQzGYAlUK_0Cj4zYHPMzAFa93sH0QbKhA7mMDX/s1600/images.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5588553924406066882" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; WIDTH: 113px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 88px" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif5yiDLlYlpGe0VBGF004oM7ObxYH3byMlW5x-KDeEF2ms9CdBEVr2AGG1lLKFayC7qu4roj_8PnEsFjhxblx9UZ2oS1-XmPpQzGYAlUK_0Cj4zYHPMzAFa93sH0QbKhA7mMDX/s200/images.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="center"><em><strong>By Leenjsoo Horoo</strong></em></div><br /><div></div><br /><div align="justify">It is quite amazing how little those of us who even follow the events in the Ethiopia Empire and in Diasporas really know and understand the very nature of TPLF (aka Wayyane), its sinister scheme, its aspiration and the degree of its danger. <br /><br />It is a marginal organization from a tiny population, a population that barely exceeds the population of Finfinnee (Addis Ababa). Its leadership being a member of such a tiny marginal organization, it fears larger ones. As a consequence, it lives in fear and so feels insecure. It found itself in the midst of ocean of the insurgent people: the Oromo people and other peoples. It fears the people and peoples' organizations. So it has built a source of its own security. Its source of security is based on its army, the police force, the security apparatus, and rings of spies, informers, Death Squads, kidnapping squads, and their foreign supporters.<br /><br />On the other hand, it is a violent organization; a violent regime. As such, it is a rebel, a militia, a court, a church, a corporation, a legislative, a judiciary, an army, a government in open, and a government in secrecy, all in one. It controls all; it runs all. Having grabbed all these, it has turned itself into a murderous regime of men, women, and children. Hence, in Oromiya its rule is characterized by, and based on, repression, intimidation, assault on human rights and human dignities. Arbitrarily arresting, kidnapping, torturing, and killing, and quick arrest and release, long-term and life-time imprisonment of opponents are its core policy. It is a regime that has lost the spirit of humanity and moral values; it is a sadistic killer. TPLF is an arch-anti-Oromo organization.<br /><br />This enemy is artfully using Oromos to destroy Oromiya and its people. It has created collaborationist Oromo police and informers within Oromiya that keep a close eye on the Oromo population, regularly visiting, detaining and torturing suspected ones, in the name of "democracy", state security and safety. Hence, in the teeth of Tigrean reign of terror, ruthless suppression of political dissent has become part of life in Oromiya and Ethiopia. Many Oromo were arrested and tortured and killed; many disappeared without trace. Violence is the nature of this regime. Violence emanates from its frenzied insecurity, from its intolerance, from its desire for grabbing someone's wealth, from looting a country's resources for enriching themselves, from lust for power and dominance.<br /><br />Dr. Levi, himself a survivor of holocaust, wrote about the violence, and the genocide that happened in Europe. His words read in part as:<br /><br />We must be listened to...we have collectively witnessed a fundamental, unexpected event, fundamental precisely because unexpected, not foreseen by anyone. It [violence] took place in the teeth of all forecasts; it happened in Europe; incredibly, it happened that an entire civilized people... followed a buffoon whose figure today inspire laughter, and yet Adolf Hitler was obeyed and his praises were sung right up to catastrophe. It happened, therefore it can happen again: this is the core of what we have to say.<br /><br />Moreover, he predicted that the same violence can happen anywhere. Again, his words reads in part as:<br /><br />It can happen, and it can happen anywhere.... Violence... is therefore before our eyes: it snakes through ...government lawlessness.... In the Third World it is endemic or epidemic. It only awaits its new buffoon... to organize it, legalize it, declare it necessary and mandatory, and so contaminate the world. Few countries can be considered immune to a future tide of violence generated by intolerance, lust for power, economic difficulties, religious or political fanaticism, and racialist attritions. It is therefore necessary to sharpen our senses, distrust the prophets, the enchanters, those who speak and write "beautiful words" unsupported by intelligent reasons.<br /><br />As Levi predicted, it again happened. The awaited new buffoon has arrived with his violence. And so the violence has already begun in the Third World. It is happening in the Ethiopian empire against the Oromo and other peoples in the Empire. Indeed, the Tigrean buffoon, Meles Zenawi, has already organized violence, legalized it, declared it as necessary and mandatory to be implemented not only against the Oromo people, but also against all peoples in the empire; not only against Oromiya and its natural habitats, but also against Ethiopia itself and its natural habitats. Indeed, TPLF is a fascist organization and the Empire is under the teeth of its fascistic rule. </div><div align="justify"></div><div align="justify">Have your say!<br /><br /><a href="http://gadaa.com/oduu/?cat=381">Leenjiso Horo</a> can be reached at tguyyoo@yahoo.com </div>Argan Beekanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07770623824567285879noreply@blogger.com10