Did Fayyis help Jawar to Change his Slogan from “Ethiopia out of Oromia” to “Ethiopia shall be Oropia”?
I remember how I once confronted Jawar Mohamed as he was harsh against the OLF. I literally told him: “boy, you can’t survive in Oromo politics by being such anti-OLF, for the organisation is already the Spirit of bilisummà, be it doing right or wrong. Then after, he was a bit reconciliatory. Secondly, I once was the cause for a good discussion between him and Prof. Messay Kebede on Ethiopian issue. Thirdly, I tried to defend him by writing an article with the topic “Jawarawi Harakat” as the Neo-Naftagnas targeted him, when he asserted “I am first Oromo”. Now, I read a very matured interview with BBC from him regarding Dr. Abiy in particular and Biltsiginnà in general. He is no more concentrated on only Oromian politics, but also concerned about Ethiopian problems, surely knowing that future democratic Ethiopia shall be Oropia (Oromummà led colourful rainbow state). No other nation can benefit more than the Oromo from keeping national unity and territorial integrity of such Ethiopia. That is why, I would like to commend Jawar and other Oromo nationalists, who are really worried about the disintegration of Ethiopian state. Did I help Jawar to change his slogan from “Ethiopia out of Oromia” to “Ethiopia shall be Oropia”?
Read more: https://orompia.wordpress.com/2023/04/1 ... s-amharia/
Re: Did Fayyis help Jawar to Change his Slogan from “Ethiopia out of Oromia” to “Ethiopia shall be Oropia”?
The hitherto Ethiopia dominated by Amaranet/Amarigna can be called Amapia. Dr. Abiy’s regime is till now the keeper of this status quo. Not answering the three key Oromo questions (promoting Afaan Oromo to primary working language of the federation, bringing back Wallo to Oromia and putting Finfinne under administration of Oromia) up to know makes this regime more pro-Amaranet than pro-Oromummà. That is why it is definately wrong to designate this regime as Oromo rule. It is simply as Amaranet dominated as that of other regimes from Yekuno Amlak to Meles Zenawi. The Oromo trying to change such regime of domination to Oromo led administration is going on in the last more than 50 years having two parallel visions: an independent Oromia and an integrative Oropia. The first goal is now entertained by Jaal Marro et al and the second objective is advocated mainly by Jawar Mohamed et al.
No question that the Oromo, who got rid of both Abyssinian colonizers (Amhara Assimilationsts and Tegaru hegemonists) shall be free from the currently ruling dictatorial Oromo Prosperitans led by Abiy Ahmed. This regime of Abiy is dominated by Oromo elites, who are doing the bidding of Abyssinian dominators. It is determined to maintain the existing domination of Amaranet/Amarigna at the cost of Oromiffà/Oromummà. After achieving our bilisummà/freedom from this Pro-Amaranet elites, the Oromo will choose one of the two post freedom sovereignty: either Oropia of Jawar Mohammed or Oromia of Jaal Marroo. There is no disadvantage for the Oromo if we opt for one of these two types of sovereignty as long as we are free from the Abyssianist dictators. In general, Oromo elites can be devided in to three camps based on their political move: Abyssianists, Ethiopianists and Oromianists. Abyssianists like those in OPP are with slave mentality adoring Amaranet instead of respecting Oromummà. Ethiopianists like those in OFC want to democratize Ethiopia in Oromo terms so that it will be de facto Oropia. Orom(p)ianists like those in the OLF want to either establish republic of Oromia or change the name of democratic Ethiopia to Oropia.
On February 5, 2013, Ethiopia’s only and publicly-funded television station, ETV, aired a controversial documentary during primetime in violation of an outstanding court injunction. Oddly subtitled “Boko Haram in Ethiopia,” Jihadawi Harakat (i.e. Arabic for “Jihadi movement”) – denounces leaders of Ethiopia’s yearlong protest movement for alleged links to foreign terrorists. That criminalization of the Ethiopian Muslims’ legitimate question of the right in exercising their religion without any interference from the government was not surprisingly the first fictitious “documentary film” produced by the regime to criminalize civic or political movements in Ethiopia. Similar criminalization of the Oromo national liberation movement (the OLF) has been undertaken some years ago.
Parallel to such malicious move of the ruling elites, the nostalgic Amhara elites, who want to impose an assimilative Ethiopia and Ethiopianism on the Oromo in particular, and on all other nations and nationalities of the empire in general, also produced and published a “documentary film” with a title “Jawar Mohammed – A Muslim OLF Radical – Ethiopians out of Oromia” as shown here:
The discussion regarding the controversal Oromo nationalist, Jawar Mohammed, started with the seemingly well-thought restructuring of the Oromo history by an Abyssianist Oromo scholar, Dr Fikre Tolassa, who wrote an appeal open letter to one of the ODF (Oromo Democratic Front) leaders, Dr Bayan Asoba (http://www.gadaa.com/Beyana-Suba-1.pdf). This new version of Oromo history and the demands directed to ODF in order to reverse the use of Qubee (Afan Oromo alphabet), adore Ethiopian flag and accept Ethiopian nationalism at cost of Oromian nationalism ignited a series of responses and debates between the two contesting nationalists (Ethiopianists and Oromianists). One of the responses was the suggestion of fostering future common home, Oromia, instead of Ethiopia, which I forwarded: http://gadaa.com/oduu/20124/2013/06/06/ … ty-amhara/.
Then followed a well organized campaign and discussion in Ethiopian as well as Oromian media. The explicit intention of the campaign sounded “we want to promote a constructive dialogue between the Ethiopian nationalists and the Oromian nationalists, who do respectively pursue two diametrically opposite political goals, but had one common enemy, the TPLF, which hindered their move.” The debate and discussion were interesting, and it was very inviting at the beginning. Gradually, some protagonists from Abyssianist camp started to put a precondition for the discussion. They started to impose Ethiopia and Ethiopiawinet on Oromianists, who claim to have Oromia as a country and Oromummaa as their national identity, of course rejecting the demand of owning Ethiopia and Ethiopiawinet.
Even some of the leading protagonists in Ethiopian media started to take side and denigrate Oromia and Oromummaa to the extent of “intimidating” Oromo nationalists, who wanted to assert republic Oromia as a future independent state, instead of envisioning a united Ethiopia. This conflict led to a hot discussion in which the Oromo nationalists vehemently rejected Ethiopia as their future land and Ethiopiawinet as their identity. On the contrary, they asked the Abyssianists to arrange for the future common home, Oromia (naming the future democratic federal state as Oromia, instead of Ethiopia). Surprisingly, this counter attack has driven the Abyssianists crazy; they were very angry; they asked “how dare you try to change the name of this holy-land given to us from God?” These right extremist Abyssianists started to bash and vilify Oromo nationalists in discussion forums. The intended dialogue between Amara and Oromo at Paltalk level changed into confrontation between the two groups. Of course, TPLF agents and cadres enjoyed this conflict and as usual poured kerosene to the fire.
It was amidst this circumstance that the journalist in Al-Jazeera asked Jawar Mohammed a very good question: “are you Oromo first or Ethiopian first”? (http://stream.aljazeera.com/story/201306102025-0022818). The answer to the question was crystal clear: “I am Oromo first; Ethiopian identity is imposed on me.” This reply from Jawar made the already crazy Abyssianists to take off their cloth and declare a cyber-war against him. They decided to invite him to an interview and persuade him to apologize. They did as they planned, and the answer they got in the interview was not what they expected, but the re-assertion of his firm position regarding Oromia and Oromummaa. What a liberating stand from Jawar! Oromo nationals were proud of him; Abyssianists were mad at him. They started a mission of character assassination, criminalization, denigration, and even went to the extent of collecting a petition against him.
Jawar, who was once seen as a young moderate intellectual and was respected by Ethiopianists as he first started to criticize the OLF and spoke for the possible union of free peoples as a better alternative to an independent Oromia, was regarded as “a naive young Oromo, who doesn’t have experience and insight” when it comes to deep political problems in the empire. Overnight, Abyssianists changed him from an angel to a devil; they talked and wrote all negative things about him; the highlight being video clip presented as a “documentary: Jawarawi Harakat” as I mentioned above. The malicious campaign against this brilliant Oromo talent was going on for long time.
But, was this approach of Abyssianist elites regarding Oromo nationals a new phenomenon? Didn’t they, throughout their history, adore and use Oromo talents as long as Oromo nationals served their institutions and their interests, just to discard the servants when they are no more beneficial? Was it not like this during Minilik, Haile-Selassie, Mengistu and even Meles eras? Are they not still seeking Oromo talents whom they want to use? To have a look about Oromo talents in Habesha political club, read more: http://www.ethiopianreview.com/forum/vi … =2&t=24770. Here, we can see how Abyssinians got profit from political game by Oromo professionals, but played in the club of and for interests of the ruling Habesha elites. Then, is it surprising when they wanted to use the modern day Oromo talents like Birtukan Midhagsa, Jawar Mohammed, etc. and get disappointed by facing the reality that some of these talents are not “their loyal servants” as they expected?
I think the era of getting Oromo political talents playing for Habesha club is slowly, but surely, dwindling. The Oromo are getting enough insight that Abyssinian nationalism, being masked with Ethiopiawinet, is anti-thesis of Oromian nationalism (Oromummà). The two nationalisms are competing to win hearts and minds of Oromo nationals. That was going on in a very intensified form during Jawarawi Harakat. Abyssinian elites seemed to have waged a coordinated campaign against Oromia and Oromummà. To be effective, they were using few Oromo nationals with Abyssianist mentality as we hear in the following audio record: http://www.zehabesha.com/ethiopian-orom … statement/. Is this using an Oromo against another Oromo something new? When we see at recent history of Oromo subjugation and the hitherto rule by Abyssinian elites, there was no regime in the empire, which could win struggle against the Oromo without using such Oromo collaborators. The same phenomenon is still going on.
Whatever Abyssinian elites try, the Oromo national liberation struggle is slowly, but surely, getting momentum; more and more Oromo are becoming assertive and radical to push for freedom of Oromo people and self-rule of Oromia. One of the demands of Oromo is self-rule of own Oromo state within a union state; the other objective being an independent Oromia; of course, the third option is an integrative Oropia or the transformation of Abyssinian empire to Oromian union without the necessity of preserving own Oromo region. There is nothing less than converting Ethiopia into this Oropia, which can be a guarantee for unity and territorial integrity sought by Abyssinian elites. The case of Jawar was an interesting phenomenon, in which foes and friends of Oromo national liberation movement were clearly seen and separated. The foes were doing their best to criminalize Jawar, and the friends were united more than ever to show solidarity to his clear position on Oromia and Oromummà. All Oromo nationalists were singing together the same song of ‘no compromise on Oromia and Oromummà.’ That was why I dared to ask: Jawarawi Harakat or an intentional criminalization of Oromo nationalist? I think for Oromo national liberation camp, it was Harakat, whereas in Abyssinian camp the usual criminalizazion of genuine Oromo nationalists was going on. Jawar did capitalize on the support he got and played the card smartly to lead the Harakat towards a success for the Oromo. Waaqa helped us use the Harakat for intensification of Oromo national liberation struggle
No question that the Oromo, who got rid of both Abyssinian colonizers (Amhara Assimilationsts and Tegaru hegemonists) shall be free from the currently ruling dictatorial Oromo Prosperitans led by Abiy Ahmed. This regime of Abiy is dominated by Oromo elites, who are doing the bidding of Abyssinian dominators. It is determined to maintain the existing domination of Amaranet/Amarigna at the cost of Oromiffà/Oromummà. After achieving our bilisummà/freedom from this Pro-Amaranet elites, the Oromo will choose one of the two post freedom sovereignty: either Oropia of Jawar Mohammed or Oromia of Jaal Marroo. There is no disadvantage for the Oromo if we opt for one of these two types of sovereignty as long as we are free from the Abyssianist dictators. In general, Oromo elites can be devided in to three camps based on their political move: Abyssianists, Ethiopianists and Oromianists. Abyssianists like those in OPP are with slave mentality adoring Amaranet instead of respecting Oromummà. Ethiopianists like those in OFC want to democratize Ethiopia in Oromo terms so that it will be de facto Oropia. Orom(p)ianists like those in the OLF want to either establish republic of Oromia or change the name of democratic Ethiopia to Oropia.
On February 5, 2013, Ethiopia’s only and publicly-funded television station, ETV, aired a controversial documentary during primetime in violation of an outstanding court injunction. Oddly subtitled “Boko Haram in Ethiopia,” Jihadawi Harakat (i.e. Arabic for “Jihadi movement”) – denounces leaders of Ethiopia’s yearlong protest movement for alleged links to foreign terrorists. That criminalization of the Ethiopian Muslims’ legitimate question of the right in exercising their religion without any interference from the government was not surprisingly the first fictitious “documentary film” produced by the regime to criminalize civic or political movements in Ethiopia. Similar criminalization of the Oromo national liberation movement (the OLF) has been undertaken some years ago.
Parallel to such malicious move of the ruling elites, the nostalgic Amhara elites, who want to impose an assimilative Ethiopia and Ethiopianism on the Oromo in particular, and on all other nations and nationalities of the empire in general, also produced and published a “documentary film” with a title “Jawar Mohammed – A Muslim OLF Radical – Ethiopians out of Oromia” as shown here:
Is this Jawarawi Harakat or a criminalization of the young Oromo nationalist, Jawar, for being Oromo? What an interesting parallel between both the rival Abyssinian elites of Amhara and Tigrai, when it comes to the criminalization of any Oromo individual nationalist or any Oromo national liberation organization in order to silence this subjugated nation?! Similar criminalization of genuine Oromo nationalists is now going on by the ruling dictatorial regime of Prosperitans led by Dr. Abiy.
The discussion regarding the controversal Oromo nationalist, Jawar Mohammed, started with the seemingly well-thought restructuring of the Oromo history by an Abyssianist Oromo scholar, Dr Fikre Tolassa, who wrote an appeal open letter to one of the ODF (Oromo Democratic Front) leaders, Dr Bayan Asoba (http://www.gadaa.com/Beyana-Suba-1.pdf). This new version of Oromo history and the demands directed to ODF in order to reverse the use of Qubee (Afan Oromo alphabet), adore Ethiopian flag and accept Ethiopian nationalism at cost of Oromian nationalism ignited a series of responses and debates between the two contesting nationalists (Ethiopianists and Oromianists). One of the responses was the suggestion of fostering future common home, Oromia, instead of Ethiopia, which I forwarded: http://gadaa.com/oduu/20124/2013/06/06/ … ty-amhara/.
Then followed a well organized campaign and discussion in Ethiopian as well as Oromian media. The explicit intention of the campaign sounded “we want to promote a constructive dialogue between the Ethiopian nationalists and the Oromian nationalists, who do respectively pursue two diametrically opposite political goals, but had one common enemy, the TPLF, which hindered their move.” The debate and discussion were interesting, and it was very inviting at the beginning. Gradually, some protagonists from Abyssianist camp started to put a precondition for the discussion. They started to impose Ethiopia and Ethiopiawinet on Oromianists, who claim to have Oromia as a country and Oromummaa as their national identity, of course rejecting the demand of owning Ethiopia and Ethiopiawinet.
Even some of the leading protagonists in Ethiopian media started to take side and denigrate Oromia and Oromummaa to the extent of “intimidating” Oromo nationalists, who wanted to assert republic Oromia as a future independent state, instead of envisioning a united Ethiopia. This conflict led to a hot discussion in which the Oromo nationalists vehemently rejected Ethiopia as their future land and Ethiopiawinet as their identity. On the contrary, they asked the Abyssianists to arrange for the future common home, Oromia (naming the future democratic federal state as Oromia, instead of Ethiopia). Surprisingly, this counter attack has driven the Abyssianists crazy; they were very angry; they asked “how dare you try to change the name of this holy-land given to us from God?” These right extremist Abyssianists started to bash and vilify Oromo nationalists in discussion forums. The intended dialogue between Amara and Oromo at Paltalk level changed into confrontation between the two groups. Of course, TPLF agents and cadres enjoyed this conflict and as usual poured kerosene to the fire.
It was amidst this circumstance that the journalist in Al-Jazeera asked Jawar Mohammed a very good question: “are you Oromo first or Ethiopian first”? (http://stream.aljazeera.com/story/201306102025-0022818). The answer to the question was crystal clear: “I am Oromo first; Ethiopian identity is imposed on me.” This reply from Jawar made the already crazy Abyssianists to take off their cloth and declare a cyber-war against him. They decided to invite him to an interview and persuade him to apologize. They did as they planned, and the answer they got in the interview was not what they expected, but the re-assertion of his firm position regarding Oromia and Oromummaa. What a liberating stand from Jawar! Oromo nationals were proud of him; Abyssianists were mad at him. They started a mission of character assassination, criminalization, denigration, and even went to the extent of collecting a petition against him.
Jawar, who was once seen as a young moderate intellectual and was respected by Ethiopianists as he first started to criticize the OLF and spoke for the possible union of free peoples as a better alternative to an independent Oromia, was regarded as “a naive young Oromo, who doesn’t have experience and insight” when it comes to deep political problems in the empire. Overnight, Abyssianists changed him from an angel to a devil; they talked and wrote all negative things about him; the highlight being video clip presented as a “documentary: Jawarawi Harakat” as I mentioned above. The malicious campaign against this brilliant Oromo talent was going on for long time.
But, was this approach of Abyssianist elites regarding Oromo nationals a new phenomenon? Didn’t they, throughout their history, adore and use Oromo talents as long as Oromo nationals served their institutions and their interests, just to discard the servants when they are no more beneficial? Was it not like this during Minilik, Haile-Selassie, Mengistu and even Meles eras? Are they not still seeking Oromo talents whom they want to use? To have a look about Oromo talents in Habesha political club, read more: http://www.ethiopianreview.com/forum/vi … =2&t=24770. Here, we can see how Abyssinians got profit from political game by Oromo professionals, but played in the club of and for interests of the ruling Habesha elites. Then, is it surprising when they wanted to use the modern day Oromo talents like Birtukan Midhagsa, Jawar Mohammed, etc. and get disappointed by facing the reality that some of these talents are not “their loyal servants” as they expected?
I think the era of getting Oromo political talents playing for Habesha club is slowly, but surely, dwindling. The Oromo are getting enough insight that Abyssinian nationalism, being masked with Ethiopiawinet, is anti-thesis of Oromian nationalism (Oromummà). The two nationalisms are competing to win hearts and minds of Oromo nationals. That was going on in a very intensified form during Jawarawi Harakat. Abyssinian elites seemed to have waged a coordinated campaign against Oromia and Oromummà. To be effective, they were using few Oromo nationals with Abyssianist mentality as we hear in the following audio record: http://www.zehabesha.com/ethiopian-orom … statement/. Is this using an Oromo against another Oromo something new? When we see at recent history of Oromo subjugation and the hitherto rule by Abyssinian elites, there was no regime in the empire, which could win struggle against the Oromo without using such Oromo collaborators. The same phenomenon is still going on.
Whatever Abyssinian elites try, the Oromo national liberation struggle is slowly, but surely, getting momentum; more and more Oromo are becoming assertive and radical to push for freedom of Oromo people and self-rule of Oromia. One of the demands of Oromo is self-rule of own Oromo state within a union state; the other objective being an independent Oromia; of course, the third option is an integrative Oropia or the transformation of Abyssinian empire to Oromian union without the necessity of preserving own Oromo region. There is nothing less than converting Ethiopia into this Oropia, which can be a guarantee for unity and territorial integrity sought by Abyssinian elites. The case of Jawar was an interesting phenomenon, in which foes and friends of Oromo national liberation movement were clearly seen and separated. The foes were doing their best to criminalize Jawar, and the friends were united more than ever to show solidarity to his clear position on Oromia and Oromummà. All Oromo nationalists were singing together the same song of ‘no compromise on Oromia and Oromummà.’ That was why I dared to ask: Jawarawi Harakat or an intentional criminalization of Oromo nationalist? I think for Oromo national liberation camp, it was Harakat, whereas in Abyssinian camp the usual criminalizazion of genuine Oromo nationalists was going on. Jawar did capitalize on the support he got and played the card smartly to lead the Harakat towards a success for the Oromo. Waaqa helped us use the Harakat for intensification of Oromo national liberation struggle