What Does Self-Determination Mean for the Oromo (Majority at Center)?
As we (the Oromo) were marginalized from the center (Finfinne palace), it was legitimate to talk about self-determination in a sense of Oromian autonomy or Oromian independence for we were not highly confident enough to claim the center and influence the country, the region as well as the continent. But now, even though we seem not yet to believe the reality, the two oppresive Abyssinian groups (Amara and Tegaru elites) are no more in control of the center. Oromo forces have got it and surely will stay for ever, unless we mess up things ourselves. It is natural that different Oromo groups may compete for power in Caffé Aràrà, but we will and should make sure that the cvnning Abyssinian elites never return back. As far as I am concerned, self-determination for the Oromo means to make sure that our AAA (àdà/culture, afàn/language and àngô/power) in Oropia (Oromummà led Ethiopia) flourish and be respected without any limitation or restriction. Is OPP of Dr. Abiy ready to realize such noble way of Oromo’s self-determination? Can OFC, OLA, OLF and OPP agree on such form of self-determination for the Oromo?
Read more: https://orompia.wordpress.com/2023/04/3 ... at-center/
Re: What Does Self-Determination Mean for the Oromo (Majority at Center)?
Few years back, one “breaking news” from Ethiopia came out telling the world that the beginning of 2010 was “the end for armed struggle of Oromo liberation movement, i.e. the OLF was almost dead.” Was that fact or fancy? Were the news makers deceiving themselves or were they devoid of sense for reality? Did consumers of the news fall into trap of buying the reason for merrymaking in the TPLF camp in those days? Here, I do try to show how almost all stakeholders were living in self-deception as far as Oromo liberation movement is concerned. I think the following groups live under such self-made “reality” about Oromo people, Oromo land and Oromo liberation struggle:
– the international power players and interested governments, such as the UK and USA, did think that they can maintain peace and stability they want to have in the Horn of Africa by neglecting, ignoring and suppressing Oromo liberation movement and by simply supporting occupation force of the TPLF. For this position of them definitely will not serve their strategical interest, they seemed to live under self-deception.
– the unitarist forces of the empire, which still dream to reverse the liberation move of Oromo people towards self-determination by simply talking about unconditional Ethiopian unity and which are still trying to dismantle the present symbolical Oromia, do also live under self-deception; and they continue to preach as if Oromo people are interested not for national independence, but only for individual freedom in unitary country dominated by them, which they seem to romanticize.
– the hegemonist leaders of TPLF, who were almost blind to see their near and far futurity because of the arrogance they developed based on “military success” they had against Derg and thereafter. They were living under self-deceptive fancy of ruling over Oromia and other national areas in the country forever without taking into consideration the negative consequence of their action on the fate of their future generation.
– the collaborating Oromo individuals as part of the past ruling party, who did tell us that they have already liberated Oromo people and preached to us that we were successfully on the way of development economically, were living under self-deception par excellence.
– those who are democratic federalists out of conviction and who told us that “Oromian autonomy within Ethiopian context” is the end-goal of Oromo liberation movement do live under self-deception, considering it as fact that “Oromo people will never demand more than this federal arrangement.”
– some of liberation fronts, which want to limit the goal of our liberation movement to achieving of only an isolated & independent republic of Oromia also seem to live under self-deception, and they want to convince us that further union of independent Oromia with its neighboring nations in whatever form “is not in our interest.”
– of course, the special group of people, who do want to live under self-deception are those Oromo individuals or groups who gave up the armed struggle and joined the TPLF camp. Some of them told us that “Oromo question under the TPLF rule was already satisfactorily answered.” The surrendered group under self-deception told the world that “the OLF is no more an effective freedom fighter on which Oromo people can further count.” This is the worst self-deception of all.
As long as Oromia was under occupation force, the OLF stayed not only alive, but continued to develop as a major force in the region. The only effective way of killing OLF is the liberation of Oromo land so that Oromo people will have no necessity to foster and support such liberation front. Otherwise, OLF has got a potential more thank 60-million freedom fighters, including those Oromo individuals in the ruling party, whom it can mobilize whenever it needs.
The self-deception of these all stakeholders is specially regarding fact on the ground that Oromo nationalism is growing slowly, but surely similar to a gradual rise of a sea level to slowly flow over their heads. They were just surprised in due time how overwhelming this movement was to uncover their denial. Oromo liberation movement is also like a slowly heating water to its boiling point. Foes of the movement will just experience that they are like frogs in such a slowly heating water. They enjoy the warmth till they will get overwhelmed in due time in the slowly boiling water.
The other very important reality on the ground, which should be accepted by all stakeholders is that Oromo liberation journey from the status quo of self-deception will continue by any means through achieving self-administration envisioned by some federalist movements towards self-determination of the nation as planned by our liberation fronts. All the above mentioned stakeholders need to perceive this reality and act accordingly for the sake of their own respective long term interest. They need to consider the inevitable Oromo liberation movement in the equation of their political calculus. Specially, the oppressed mass of both Amara and Tegaru nations should have taken this into consideration and fight for self-determination of their respective people be free from TPLF tyranny in parallel and/or in alliance with liberation struggle of the Oromo and that of other oppressed nations in the country.
My call to factions of the OLF and different fronts of Oromo liberation movement was to unite or to merge. Oromo people had almost come to the conclusion that there is no difference of goal between them. We, as a nation, did have only one aim with three terms to be met through three different ways: through way of Oromo rebel fronts, via way of opposition movements and/or through way of Oromo ruling party. Despite all the sufferings and failures, Oromo people pushed hard forward in our fight for freedom. I didn’t think that we needed a “paradigm shift” as some people tried to suggest, but we needed only deep comprehension about the complementarity (no contradiction) of the different terms of our objective, which each of our liberation organizations seemed to follow. There was no conflict of goal, but there was only one Oromo-aim, which could be divided into the following three terms:
– the immediate or short term aim, i.e Oromia’s autonomy (true federation)
– the middle term goal, i.e Oromia’s independence without a union, and
– the end or long term objective, i.e union of free peoples, including or excluding Abyssinia.
Some people were talking about only the immediate aim and they wanted us to make it be the end objective. They presented it as if OLF is against the immediate aim. Such opinions were sometimes from TPLF cadres, who were intentionally trying to create conflict among Oromo liberation fighters, even though there was no conflict of goal between them. Let the people in such pro-immediate goal group bring us to genuine federation with democratization in Ethiopia. No Oromo with sound mind opposed this move. The same attempt of confusion is true for those who try to create a conflict between immediate aim and middle goal as well as between middle goal and end objective. I am sure they all know how every Oromo is nowadays determined to forge unity for liberty to march together to achieve the above mentioned short, middle and long term goals (autonomy, independence & union) – one after another.
We all first will achieve true ethnic federation, where Oromia’s autonomy will be respected within Ethiopian context. Then, only Oromo people will decide if we will be satisfied by achieving only this immediate goal or whether we will move further to the middle goal, i.e. struggle for Oromia’s independence. Then again, it will be role of only Oromo people to decide, if we will be satisfied by arriving at the middle goal or whether we will move further to the end objective, i.e. to foster union of free peoples (de facto Oropia), which may include only the hitherto oppressed nations of the empire or may include also the two Habesha nations (which still fight against right of oppressed nations to self-determination) or which may include all nations in the Horn. Anyways, Oromo liberation journey was from the status of slavery under TPLF subjugation — through federation to secure Oromia’s autonomy — and through liberation in form of Oromia’s independence — to union of nations with Oromo people’s freedom and Oromia’s sovereignty). In short, our lasting objectiv is, in entirety, union of free peoples (Oropian union).
Specially, it is good for consolidation of our liberation struggle to have such guideline with union of free peoples as a common end, instead of talking about only freedom of the Oromo and sovereignty of Oromia. The advantage is that it sends good message to the Oromo liberation groups to cooperate and coordinate their move as well it tackles the objection from other groups, which do have fear of Oromo liberation movement:
– to all Oromo nationalists rallying behind different liberation movements, even to those supporting OPP, it gives very clear direction and guideline of moving: from the status quo kept by TPLF – first to goal of OFC – then to goal of OLF – at last to goal of OPP, so that there will be no point of conflict and area of contradiction among them.
– to unitarist Oromo individuals who did oppose Oromo liberation movement just for having “special love to united Ethiopia,” it persuades them to choose between unitary Ethiopia and union of free peoples. Of course, they cannot have moral ground to prefer unitary region to regional union.
– to other oppressed nations in the empire, which feel insecure by the rhetoric of establishing only an independent republic of Oromia, it gives them moral and chance to be on our side. They will feel to be part of future union of free and sovereign nations in the region. It encourages them to rally on the side of Oromo freedom fighters.
– to some of the rational and democratic Habeshas who at least can see legitimacy of our liberation struggle, but oppose it for having fear to be limited only in Abyssinia, it helps them to understand that future union of free peoples means also custom union, common market, monatory union and political union of all nations in the country, which allows free movement of capital, goods, labour, person and service with right for all citizens to settle in any place in the union. These groups can rally beside Oromo freedom fighters, instead of crying only about unitary country. It is clear that our main enemies (die-hard unitarists and hegemonists, who do fight us unconditionally to bring back the unitary country or to maintain their hegemony in the present empire), do every thing possible to hinder our forward move.
– to other sovereign nations in the Horn, like Eritrea, Djibouti, Kenya and Somalia, it sends message of inclusiveness, so that they will not have irrational fear from being disadvantaged and dominated by biggest nation of the Horn (the Oromo) in the future.
– to the international community and the superpowers which do have big interest to keep integrity of the country, it sends one alternative way of doing it, instead of only unconditionally supporting the oppressive, dominant and undemocratic unitarists or hegemonists.
In general, the opinion of having union of free peoples as an end-goal is constructive and helpful to promote our struggle for national liberation as well as to foster future regional integration, both of which need to be stressed and done one after another or side by side. Despite the obstacles, setbacks and failures, take it only 1 year, about 10 years or as long as 100 years, Oromia shall be free and a necessary stable ground for the future union of free peoples in the region will be established. We, the Oromo, should have no illusion: we like it or not, we were under occupation. No rhetoric could undo this fact, we needed to struggle for our freedom. Time will come, when the next generation of our current oppressors will ask Oromo nation forgiveness for the crime their ancestors did till now and are doing today. We also need to stop the blame game sometimes directed against only leaders of our liberation movement for the unsuccess we had in our struggle. Just as we do share the glory when ever they lead us to success, we should also be ready to share the pain, when we (they) fail. It is enough that TPLF cadres do the blaming and the accusation job, in order to discourage our leaders contineously in the cyber world. Let us, Oromo nationalists, concentrate on constructive criticism, i.e by showing the alternative and corrective way forward. Leading Oromo liberation is very very difficult because of many factors attributable to Oromo people, to our foe (Abyssinian rulers) and to their allies (admnistrations of neighbour nations and that of Western nations). Here I am not saying that our leaders are free from mistakes, but I just suggest that we address their “weaknesses” in appropriate manner, at right place and time. Of course we need to learn also to give them a due respect for leading us untill now under dire circumstances to the victories we already achieved.
To have more success and victory in our future move, we should try to break the vicious cycle which may contribute to downward spiral leading us to strategical failure and we need to build the necessary virtuous cycle, which can promote our struggle towards success. Examples for vicious factors are the division based on region, party and religion; passivity and inaction; as well as the negative aspects of our sub-cultures and religions, which are deviating our attention away from our liberation struggle. Because of such vicious factors, we all have paid and are still paying the price directly and/or indirectly. Some of the necessary virtues we need are such as readiness to be led by Oromummà and by will of serving our national interest; willingness to dedicate our talent, money and time for the struggle; more orientation towards and emphasis on practice, action and pragmatism in contrast to ideologies and theories we usually like to talk and write; last but not least we need necessary patience and perseverance in the long lasting journey towards our end objective.
We also don’t forget the fact that nations like England were under occupation of the Roman empire for many hundred years and nations like Israel used to lose their existence as a nation also for many hundred years. The fact that Oromia is now under occupation for the last about 150 years is not exceptional. But it is an oxymoron and a self-deception of black community in particular and the international community in general to consider Ethiopia as a “never colonized country in Africa” and it is a paradox to accept Finfinne as “free capital city of Africa”, whereas fact is that one of the biggest African nations, Oromia, and its capital city, Finfinnee, are under occupation of the only African partaker of European colonizers’ scramble for Africa in the end of 19th century, i.e Oromia and its capital city Finfinne were under occupation of Tigrai. I hope in due time all stakeholders, who are still living with the above mentioned self-deception and denial will wake up and smell the coffee. Even if they don’t wake up, despite the discouraging stands of all stakeholders, different parts of Oromo nation will slowly, but surely come together and move forward together from the past political position of Oromo self-deception — via OFC’s position of Oromo self-administration — to OLF’s position of Oromo self-determination, but in a sense of consolidating our AAA in Caffé Aràrà for we are the majority at center, who may give minorities at periphery including the Amara and Tegaru their right of autonomy or independence.
– the international power players and interested governments, such as the UK and USA, did think that they can maintain peace and stability they want to have in the Horn of Africa by neglecting, ignoring and suppressing Oromo liberation movement and by simply supporting occupation force of the TPLF. For this position of them definitely will not serve their strategical interest, they seemed to live under self-deception.
– the unitarist forces of the empire, which still dream to reverse the liberation move of Oromo people towards self-determination by simply talking about unconditional Ethiopian unity and which are still trying to dismantle the present symbolical Oromia, do also live under self-deception; and they continue to preach as if Oromo people are interested not for national independence, but only for individual freedom in unitary country dominated by them, which they seem to romanticize.
– the hegemonist leaders of TPLF, who were almost blind to see their near and far futurity because of the arrogance they developed based on “military success” they had against Derg and thereafter. They were living under self-deceptive fancy of ruling over Oromia and other national areas in the country forever without taking into consideration the negative consequence of their action on the fate of their future generation.
– the collaborating Oromo individuals as part of the past ruling party, who did tell us that they have already liberated Oromo people and preached to us that we were successfully on the way of development economically, were living under self-deception par excellence.
– those who are democratic federalists out of conviction and who told us that “Oromian autonomy within Ethiopian context” is the end-goal of Oromo liberation movement do live under self-deception, considering it as fact that “Oromo people will never demand more than this federal arrangement.”
– some of liberation fronts, which want to limit the goal of our liberation movement to achieving of only an isolated & independent republic of Oromia also seem to live under self-deception, and they want to convince us that further union of independent Oromia with its neighboring nations in whatever form “is not in our interest.”
– of course, the special group of people, who do want to live under self-deception are those Oromo individuals or groups who gave up the armed struggle and joined the TPLF camp. Some of them told us that “Oromo question under the TPLF rule was already satisfactorily answered.” The surrendered group under self-deception told the world that “the OLF is no more an effective freedom fighter on which Oromo people can further count.” This is the worst self-deception of all.
As long as Oromia was under occupation force, the OLF stayed not only alive, but continued to develop as a major force in the region. The only effective way of killing OLF is the liberation of Oromo land so that Oromo people will have no necessity to foster and support such liberation front. Otherwise, OLF has got a potential more thank 60-million freedom fighters, including those Oromo individuals in the ruling party, whom it can mobilize whenever it needs.
The self-deception of these all stakeholders is specially regarding fact on the ground that Oromo nationalism is growing slowly, but surely similar to a gradual rise of a sea level to slowly flow over their heads. They were just surprised in due time how overwhelming this movement was to uncover their denial. Oromo liberation movement is also like a slowly heating water to its boiling point. Foes of the movement will just experience that they are like frogs in such a slowly heating water. They enjoy the warmth till they will get overwhelmed in due time in the slowly boiling water.
The other very important reality on the ground, which should be accepted by all stakeholders is that Oromo liberation journey from the status quo of self-deception will continue by any means through achieving self-administration envisioned by some federalist movements towards self-determination of the nation as planned by our liberation fronts. All the above mentioned stakeholders need to perceive this reality and act accordingly for the sake of their own respective long term interest. They need to consider the inevitable Oromo liberation movement in the equation of their political calculus. Specially, the oppressed mass of both Amara and Tegaru nations should have taken this into consideration and fight for self-determination of their respective people be free from TPLF tyranny in parallel and/or in alliance with liberation struggle of the Oromo and that of other oppressed nations in the country.
My call to factions of the OLF and different fronts of Oromo liberation movement was to unite or to merge. Oromo people had almost come to the conclusion that there is no difference of goal between them. We, as a nation, did have only one aim with three terms to be met through three different ways: through way of Oromo rebel fronts, via way of opposition movements and/or through way of Oromo ruling party. Despite all the sufferings and failures, Oromo people pushed hard forward in our fight for freedom. I didn’t think that we needed a “paradigm shift” as some people tried to suggest, but we needed only deep comprehension about the complementarity (no contradiction) of the different terms of our objective, which each of our liberation organizations seemed to follow. There was no conflict of goal, but there was only one Oromo-aim, which could be divided into the following three terms:
– the immediate or short term aim, i.e Oromia’s autonomy (true federation)
– the middle term goal, i.e Oromia’s independence without a union, and
– the end or long term objective, i.e union of free peoples, including or excluding Abyssinia.
Some people were talking about only the immediate aim and they wanted us to make it be the end objective. They presented it as if OLF is against the immediate aim. Such opinions were sometimes from TPLF cadres, who were intentionally trying to create conflict among Oromo liberation fighters, even though there was no conflict of goal between them. Let the people in such pro-immediate goal group bring us to genuine federation with democratization in Ethiopia. No Oromo with sound mind opposed this move. The same attempt of confusion is true for those who try to create a conflict between immediate aim and middle goal as well as between middle goal and end objective. I am sure they all know how every Oromo is nowadays determined to forge unity for liberty to march together to achieve the above mentioned short, middle and long term goals (autonomy, independence & union) – one after another.
We all first will achieve true ethnic federation, where Oromia’s autonomy will be respected within Ethiopian context. Then, only Oromo people will decide if we will be satisfied by achieving only this immediate goal or whether we will move further to the middle goal, i.e. struggle for Oromia’s independence. Then again, it will be role of only Oromo people to decide, if we will be satisfied by arriving at the middle goal or whether we will move further to the end objective, i.e. to foster union of free peoples (de facto Oropia), which may include only the hitherto oppressed nations of the empire or may include also the two Habesha nations (which still fight against right of oppressed nations to self-determination) or which may include all nations in the Horn. Anyways, Oromo liberation journey was from the status of slavery under TPLF subjugation — through federation to secure Oromia’s autonomy — and through liberation in form of Oromia’s independence — to union of nations with Oromo people’s freedom and Oromia’s sovereignty). In short, our lasting objectiv is, in entirety, union of free peoples (Oropian union).
Specially, it is good for consolidation of our liberation struggle to have such guideline with union of free peoples as a common end, instead of talking about only freedom of the Oromo and sovereignty of Oromia. The advantage is that it sends good message to the Oromo liberation groups to cooperate and coordinate their move as well it tackles the objection from other groups, which do have fear of Oromo liberation movement:
– to all Oromo nationalists rallying behind different liberation movements, even to those supporting OPP, it gives very clear direction and guideline of moving: from the status quo kept by TPLF – first to goal of OFC – then to goal of OLF – at last to goal of OPP, so that there will be no point of conflict and area of contradiction among them.
– to unitarist Oromo individuals who did oppose Oromo liberation movement just for having “special love to united Ethiopia,” it persuades them to choose between unitary Ethiopia and union of free peoples. Of course, they cannot have moral ground to prefer unitary region to regional union.
– to other oppressed nations in the empire, which feel insecure by the rhetoric of establishing only an independent republic of Oromia, it gives them moral and chance to be on our side. They will feel to be part of future union of free and sovereign nations in the region. It encourages them to rally on the side of Oromo freedom fighters.
– to some of the rational and democratic Habeshas who at least can see legitimacy of our liberation struggle, but oppose it for having fear to be limited only in Abyssinia, it helps them to understand that future union of free peoples means also custom union, common market, monatory union and political union of all nations in the country, which allows free movement of capital, goods, labour, person and service with right for all citizens to settle in any place in the union. These groups can rally beside Oromo freedom fighters, instead of crying only about unitary country. It is clear that our main enemies (die-hard unitarists and hegemonists, who do fight us unconditionally to bring back the unitary country or to maintain their hegemony in the present empire), do every thing possible to hinder our forward move.
– to other sovereign nations in the Horn, like Eritrea, Djibouti, Kenya and Somalia, it sends message of inclusiveness, so that they will not have irrational fear from being disadvantaged and dominated by biggest nation of the Horn (the Oromo) in the future.
– to the international community and the superpowers which do have big interest to keep integrity of the country, it sends one alternative way of doing it, instead of only unconditionally supporting the oppressive, dominant and undemocratic unitarists or hegemonists.
In general, the opinion of having union of free peoples as an end-goal is constructive and helpful to promote our struggle for national liberation as well as to foster future regional integration, both of which need to be stressed and done one after another or side by side. Despite the obstacles, setbacks and failures, take it only 1 year, about 10 years or as long as 100 years, Oromia shall be free and a necessary stable ground for the future union of free peoples in the region will be established. We, the Oromo, should have no illusion: we like it or not, we were under occupation. No rhetoric could undo this fact, we needed to struggle for our freedom. Time will come, when the next generation of our current oppressors will ask Oromo nation forgiveness for the crime their ancestors did till now and are doing today. We also need to stop the blame game sometimes directed against only leaders of our liberation movement for the unsuccess we had in our struggle. Just as we do share the glory when ever they lead us to success, we should also be ready to share the pain, when we (they) fail. It is enough that TPLF cadres do the blaming and the accusation job, in order to discourage our leaders contineously in the cyber world. Let us, Oromo nationalists, concentrate on constructive criticism, i.e by showing the alternative and corrective way forward. Leading Oromo liberation is very very difficult because of many factors attributable to Oromo people, to our foe (Abyssinian rulers) and to their allies (admnistrations of neighbour nations and that of Western nations). Here I am not saying that our leaders are free from mistakes, but I just suggest that we address their “weaknesses” in appropriate manner, at right place and time. Of course we need to learn also to give them a due respect for leading us untill now under dire circumstances to the victories we already achieved.
To have more success and victory in our future move, we should try to break the vicious cycle which may contribute to downward spiral leading us to strategical failure and we need to build the necessary virtuous cycle, which can promote our struggle towards success. Examples for vicious factors are the division based on region, party and religion; passivity and inaction; as well as the negative aspects of our sub-cultures and religions, which are deviating our attention away from our liberation struggle. Because of such vicious factors, we all have paid and are still paying the price directly and/or indirectly. Some of the necessary virtues we need are such as readiness to be led by Oromummà and by will of serving our national interest; willingness to dedicate our talent, money and time for the struggle; more orientation towards and emphasis on practice, action and pragmatism in contrast to ideologies and theories we usually like to talk and write; last but not least we need necessary patience and perseverance in the long lasting journey towards our end objective.
We also don’t forget the fact that nations like England were under occupation of the Roman empire for many hundred years and nations like Israel used to lose their existence as a nation also for many hundred years. The fact that Oromia is now under occupation for the last about 150 years is not exceptional. But it is an oxymoron and a self-deception of black community in particular and the international community in general to consider Ethiopia as a “never colonized country in Africa” and it is a paradox to accept Finfinne as “free capital city of Africa”, whereas fact is that one of the biggest African nations, Oromia, and its capital city, Finfinnee, are under occupation of the only African partaker of European colonizers’ scramble for Africa in the end of 19th century, i.e Oromia and its capital city Finfinne were under occupation of Tigrai. I hope in due time all stakeholders, who are still living with the above mentioned self-deception and denial will wake up and smell the coffee. Even if they don’t wake up, despite the discouraging stands of all stakeholders, different parts of Oromo nation will slowly, but surely come together and move forward together from the past political position of Oromo self-deception — via OFC’s position of Oromo self-administration — to OLF’s position of Oromo self-determination, but in a sense of consolidating our AAA in Caffé Aràrà for we are the majority at center, who may give minorities at periphery including the Amara and Tegaru their right of autonomy or independence.