Mereja.Forum

[OPFist]

I think the only common denominator can be acceptance of union based on self-determination of nations. If Ezema activists are democrats in practice as they do say always, I hope they will accept this. Nations should decide on their own destiny based on free will, be it for freedom within union or for an independence without union. Does their rhetoric about democracy include such demand of peoples to decide on their destiny? Or are they smart unitarist foxes in sheep’s skin? Or are some of them just naive poleticians, being instrumentalized to fullfill intention of the extremists, who want to restore their domination at any cost? I hope, slowly, Amhara people will think and act independently from the hitherto extremist minded chauvinist conservatives.

[OPFist]

The two positions, i.e position of Amara forces (unconditional unity) vs position of Oromo fronts (union based on free will) should be discussed and debated before attempting to forge an alliance against EPP. Even when nations give their vote to freedom within union, then it is mandatory to decide secondly on which type of federal arrangement to be accepted. Amara forces are advocators of geography based federalism in contrast to language based federalism (“ethnic federalism”), which is preferred by most of freedom fighters. As “democrats”, all of them can live accepting the winner per public verdict. This is what UDJ wanted to achieve in Medrek. Actually UDJ got what it intended to achieve: §39 was rejected and if Medrek wins in any election, the issue regarding type of federation will be decided by public verdict. Here, it seems that federalist Oromo parties in Medrek lost in the compromise solution. They didn’t insist to achieve right of Oromo nation to self-determination and even they compromised the further existence of Oromia because of the fact that if geography based federation wins, this region will be dismantled.

[OPFist]

Now, the question to be directed to Amara forces is: can’t they extend this philosophy they do apply for deciding on which type of federation, based on public verdit as agreed in Medrek, also to the arguement: freedom within union vs independence without union? Doesn’t this require self-determination of nations to decide on which type of sovereignity peoples can have? Can’t they imagine that the public can also decide on this issue per referendum? Doesn’t their democracy rhetoric include this option? Can’t they accept and live, if certain public decides for self-rule without union? Or do they go to forest and fight for union they want to see? As I heard till now, AG7 didn’t even decide on the issue regarding which type of federation to support.

[OPFist]

Amara forces should not misunderstand me here. I do support union, when it is based on free will. My question to them is again just as UDJ accepted principle of public verdict on the decision regarding geography based federation vs language based federation, can’t they just in principle accept that people also can decide regarding type of sovereignity they want to have, i.e on self-rule within union vs independence without union? Concerning the benefit/cost discussion in comparing the two types of sovereignty, all stakeholders, of course, can try to convince the public so that majority may accept their respective wish before voting. Amara forces can advertise for the advantage of a union and the pro-liberty fronts can talk about the importance of an independence. Of cource the compromise and the common ground for both groups can be national freedom within regional union, which can be advocated by both forces if they make consensus on it. Then, alliance of both forces can try to convince the public about the importance and benefit of this common goal – union of free peoples. At last, the public should decide which to prefer.

[OPFist]

Yet interesting is to read some Amara forces fear that peoples can be brain washed and vote against their own interest. It is simply wrong to think that peoples decide against their own interest. If they do mistakenly vote against their own interset like the Americans elected Mr Bush by mistake, let it be. That is also part of democracy! Do Amara forces want that certain force should have been raised and prevented this election of Mr Bush or do they want that, just like Meles Zenawi did, certain forceful person would have taken away the victory and declare himself the winner? During elections, informing the public before making the decision is some thing good, but just taking away this possibility of decision making from the people is undemocratic. So, my message to Amara forces is that there is no half backed democracy. Either they accept it as it is, including the right of nations to self-determination or they just stop acting like pope of democracy and they should stop condemning those who are undemocratic, for it is known that they can be also the same or even worse if they get the chance to be in power. If they do reject such simple right of nations being an oppostiion, it is imaginable what they can do if they get power: they may do worse than what TPLF is doing.

[OPFist]

The mere fact that concerned people may be brain washed by interest groups to vote against their own interest is the reality we have to live with. All nations do have our own interest and each of us want to convince people that our respective position is right. By the way, why should we call it brain washing instead of calling it convincing? It is about influencing people, be it this way or that way. In America, the evangelicals were convinced and were successfull with Mr Bush and the quasi-socialists were successfull with Mr Obama. Where is brain washing? It is about convincing the majority. The one, who won hearts and minds of majority was the victor. In free and fair competition, for Amhara forces who struggle for unity, there is the same chance to that of Oromo fronts (advocators of union as result of self-determination). Their freedom of choice is mutually respected.

[OPFist]

But regarding those dictatorial unifiers who are advocating unconditional unity without the option for public verdict, it should be known that they do take freedom of Oromo fronts by advocating such dictatorial position. For example, when they say “be andinet lay anideraderim!”, they are sending the message: you either accept this andinet or we will deal with you. They don’t say, we advocate for unity and then let the public decide. Their approach is arrogant, dictatorial and uncompromising! To such people, Oromo fronts also should say: “be netsanet lay anideraderim”. Now how can two groups who do say “anideraderim” deal with each other democratically? The only solution will be bullet, as it has been till now. Up to now, pro-unconditional-unity dictatorial forces won for the last 150 years and they “united” us by force. Oromo freedom fighters call this colonization, for it is not union based on free will. Some people with similar dictatorial ideology do now want to continue status quo at gun point. That is why Oromo fronts dare to say: such forces are not open for lasting solution, but they are still causes for misery in the Horn region.

[OPFist]

The question yet to be answered is again: do we see any possibility and any common denominator for an eventual alliance between the above mentioned bloc of Amara forces and Oromo fronts against Biltsiginna? I suggest that the only common denominator is acceptance of common strategical goal, i.e union based on nations’ right to self-determination. In relation to this common denominator, we can classify current political organizations in Ethiopia in to the following three roups: 1- on the right side are ethio-nationalists, who want to see Ethiopia with uniformily amharanized one people; they are geogeraphy based federalists who do advocate for “democratic federal Ethiopia” where there will be no visible danger for future disintegation, they actually plan to get rid of national areas like Oromia; 2- in middle are language based federalists, who are usually known as ethnic federalists. They want to see autonomous nations like Oromia determining their fate in their national area, but this group does exclude pushing for the right of nations to self-determination per referendum; 3- on the left side are ethno-nationalists, who want to excercise right of nations to self-determination and forge a sovereign, independent republics of their national areas like independent gadaa republic of Oromia without union.

[OPFist]

Till now, certain steps have been taken by the OLF to forge common ground with Amara forces and to kill TPLF in Ethiopian political history. The short sighted TPLF, who was good at winning battles, but could never win the war, thought that it was possible to destroy the OLF by persecuting and massacring its supporters. But these actions of TPLF gave the OLF even more Oromo support, which it actually didn’t have till 1991. Further more, interesting is that the OLF killed not supporters of TPLF, but it took away the existence of TPLF in Ethiopia in a long run. OLF did this by taking two very important steps. In 1992, OLF denied TPLF the legitimacy it needed in Oromia. With that, TPLF became eternal enemy of the Oromo. TPLF could have made the OLF its partner and would have enjoyed support of all Oromo, but it formed OPDO and made itself alien to the Oromo people. In 2006, the OLF formed AFD together with Amara parties like CUD and with that it took away the very important instrument TPLF used to rule over Ethiopians: designating Amara forces as centeralists and Oromo freedom fighters as separatists; so these two groups fight each other instead of struggling together against TPLF. Slowly, this instrument died and TPLF was under attack from both the Amara and Oromo. The same thing must happen now against Biltsiginna. Surely, take it only 1 year or as long as 10 years, Biltsiginna will die away like Isepa of Derg and EPRDF of Woyane. After losing power, Biltsiginna will be remembered in Ethiopia as bad a regime as Naizi is now remembered in Germany. The coming generation will distance itself from Biltsiginna and will be ashamed of its history just like the new generation of Germany is doing now regarding their forefather’s deed.

[OPFist]

Actually, I do appreciate the effort of Amara forces, who are trying to foster democratic unity of the country. It is not bad to advocate such unity. As I understood from their hitherto writings, they do use both religious and political methods to promote and keep the unity. This is actually very dangerous combination, specially when used by one and the same individual. I advise them as individuals to leave one method and persue the other. The problem is that as a politician, one can persue interest of the group he/she does support, e.g interest of Amara forces to keep the empire intact against interest of Oromo freedom fighters to dismantle the empire and build union. As a religous person, one is morally obliged to think inclusive, trying to satisfy both Amara forces and Oromo fronts, which will bring him/her in to difficult position. Otherwise in order to know what type of unity the Amara do advocate, they need to see difference between an empire and a union. Amara forces use the euphemy, unity, to mean keeping the empire intact. Just to put the difference in short, empire is “unity per force” and union is “unity based on free will”. If Amara forces are believers of this second premise, then they also do risk that “free will” of peoples to be expressed in referendum can lead to independence of nations without union instead of only to the unconditional unity which they want to achieve.

[OPFist]

I think position of the OLF is the third one, i.e self-determination of Oromo people per referendum which can lead either to language based federation (union of free nations) or to independent gadaa republic of Oromia without union. Now, coming to the call for alliance by Ezema, I think it is alliance of all these three groups, who can agree on establishing federal democratic Ethiopia per public verdict to decide firstly on type of sovereignity: YES to union vs NO to union and then if the choice is YES, secondly to decide on type of federation: language based federation vs geography based federation. OLF can be part of such alliance for its vision of Oromo’s right to self-determination leading to self-rule within union or to an independence without union based on referendum among the Oromo will be accepted and respected.

[OPFist]

Also in Oromo liberation camp, nowadays there are three tendencies or directions: 1- Ethiopianist Oromos rallying behind Ezema seem to claim that Ethiopia belongs to the Oromo or the Oromo belong to Ethiopia and they say we have to fight for freedom of all Ethiopians from any sort of domination, exploitation and subjugation. They are not against Afaan Oromo beside Amhyarinya to be working language of federal government as it is language of the majority. This group of the Oromo are smart to claim some of Oromos’ right in a diplomatic way. 2- Federalist Oromos like those rallying behind OFC are supporters of language based federation, they want to see Oromia having its autonomy and its limited sovereignity, but this group don’t dare to push for right of the Oromo to self-determination, instead they seem to accept unconditional unity. Otherwise they say other regions can be devided if they want to forge geography based federalism, but this is not vision of the Oromo and should not be fate of Oromia. They look at geography based federalism as a plot to dismantle Oromia. That is why I do ask: can AG7 get support of this group? 3- Oromianist nationals include all the Oromo rallying behind their liberation fronts, specially behind the OLF and they want to achieve self-determination of Oromo people leading to either self-rule of Oromia within union or to an independence without union based on outcome of referendum among the Oromo.

[OPFist]

I hope the right oriented ethio-nationalists, who want to stablish Ethiopia with geography based federalism and the middle positioned federalists, who want to establish democratic Ethiopia with language based federalism or with the assymetric federalism (having both mononational states like Oromia and multinational states like SNNP at a time) will give up their respective positions and join the left oriented ethno-nationalists, who want to liberate their respective national area and simultaneously forge union of free nations based on self-determination. To be clear, neither the vision to dismantle Oromia nor the intention to dismember Ethiopia per force can lead to the lasting unity, which Amhara forces want to see. So, I hope we can bring all the stakeholders to rally behind common goal of building language based federation or union of free peoples based on self-determination as compromise solution.

[OPFist]

Just as some of Amara forces seem to love the name Ethiopia, some Oromo do suspect that this group does hate to see Oromia existing. When I do hear and read the persistent rhetoric of Ezema leaders talking that acceptance of Ethiopian unity is precondition for the alliance they want to forge, I can just conclude that Ezema is simply smart version of the notorious chauvinists! They do exhibit arrogant stand of “my way or high way”, which doesn’t promote the unity they actually want to realize. I do believe that the only viable unity should come from free will of nations in the empire through self-determination. Otherwise these people in Ezema can strive as long as they want, they can never win hearts and minds of the Oromo and all other self-conscious oppressed nations (excluding the mental slaves who are already acting to be more Habesha than the natives).

Good is

[OPFist]

Good is that Ezema struggles against EPP but it seems to make no constructive compromise to build an alliance with Oromo freedom fighters. With that it already made a big obstacle even for unity forces. Intentionally or unintentionally it is against the cause it seems to fight for. Sure is that the bloc of unity forces can not win against both the first and the third (bloc of freedom fighters), who actually do have a potential to build strategical alliance against their second bloc of unity forces. Those forces in the second bloc should remember that they lost the struggle in 2005 not only because of action of the TPLF, but also because of the support they lost from the Oromo and other oppressed nations. As an e.g, OFC and UEDF abandoned the alliance at the last minute, as they observed the danger CUD might bring by reversing even the fake language based federation of the TPLF, in which at least limited cultural autonomy of nations is respected.

[OPFist]

Now, Ezema seems to do the same mistake. That is why I dare to say, these people in Ezema are either naive politicians or implants to sabotage the intention of Amhara unitiy forces, for their approach at last leads not to unity. If they realy want lasting unity, they have to agree to accept verdict of the people. When the time comes, they can advocate for unity they do believe in, others will advertise independence of their respective nation, then let us leave the result for people to decide. That is what we call right to self-determination per referendum. Further more, if the parties in the alliance make consensus to forge union of free peoples from the very beginning, all can propagate together their common vision and allow the public to either accept or reject it. If this is view of Amara forces, there will be nothing to quarrel on with Oromo freedom fighters. Let the people decide firstly on type of sovereignity regarding self-rule within a union vs independence without a union and then secondly after deciding for union based on free will, people can yet decide on type of federation we will have: language based federalism vs geography based federalism. If this is view of Amhara forces, there is no hinderance for the possible alliance with Oromo liberation fronts against bloc of Biltsiginna.

[OPFist]

If rightly excercised, genuine ethnic federalism, i.e free Oromia in Ethiopian union based on free will of nations is good common ground for both Amhara forces and Oromo fronts. Therefore, if Ezema gives up its stand of having unity as precondition for the possible alliance, any move of AG7 and OLF to struggle together for freedom and democracy in Ethiopia is very smart and timely. Yet the two organizations need to build middle way compromise solution to their apparently irreconcilable goals (OLF struggles for independent Oromia and wants to achieve an integrated Ethiopia). I think any alliance similar to AFD is best way to self-determination of the Oromo as a nation and to democratization as well integration of the resulting union of peoples in Ethiopia as a region (national independence within regional union). The result will be free Oromia in Ethiopian union. This is not just fancy, but fact which can be realized

[OPFist]

Last but not least, I would like to say: no empire in history has ever changed through reforms. It was only fall of empires that could set enslaved nations free. For democracy and union of nations in Ethiopia to be realized, the empire must end and then Ethiopian union can be forged. Sovereignty of all Ethiopians over their country should be recognized. All nations in the empire, big or small, should have equal rights to national self determination. It is only if they are free that they can decide on their destiny. At the end, peoples of the empire and many more can join the union if they want so. There should be no other nation to decide on fate of others, as the Habesha tended to do. The same is true for all nations in Africa. Then, even there will be possibility for united sate of Africa to be established based on free will of its entire nations and peoples. Even Habasha nations, that have never had a say in the way they were governed, will get opportunity to excercise their own self-determination and elect leaders of their own choice freely. As long as national domination persists, the struggle for liberation shall continue. That is why I would like to say, a panacea for the current problem in Ethiopia is co-operation of Amara pro-democracy forces and Oromo freedom fighters having language based federalism in a form of Ethiopian union as common ground and common purpose. Just as ODF priviously did, I salute the call of some elites to work with all Oromo organizations in particular and all Ethiopian opposition forces in general in order to fight against the Abyssinian system of domination! May Waaqa help us all to be victorious!