Mereja.Forum

[OPFist]

New Oromo Republican Party as a Modern Version of the OLF to Foster Ethiopia Entertaining Geo-Federation?

Fayyis Oromia*

It seems the era of liberation fronts is coming to an end. The EPLF has already changed its name and will likely fade away with Isaias Afwerki’s eventual natural death. The TPLF is on its deathbed, having lost its legal position in Ethiopia. The ruling Tigrayan nationalists, led by Getachew Reda, will most likely adopt a new name for their organization to reflect a new generation. The ONLF is effectively defunct, with Somalis increasingly moving in other political directions. The OLF also appears to be reaching its final stage of development.

Oromo nationalists with a bilisummà (freedom) mindset are now active across Oromia—whether in the OLA, OFC, or even OPP. I believe it’s time for them to unite into two major Oromo parties: the ruling OPP and a new opposition party—the Oromo Republican Party (ORP). Nationalists within the OLA, OFC, and OLF should come together to form a strong ORP capable of challenging the OPP in future peaceful struggles.

Ongoing negotiations between the OLA and OPP should bring an end to armed conflict. The ORP could then prepare to take power in the Finfinne Palace during the next political transition, with the aim of stabilizing and advancing Oromo identity, specifically the ÀAÀ (Àdà – culture, Afàn – language, and Àngô – power). The ORP should work to consolidate Àngô, promote Afàn Oromô as the primary working language of the federation—replacing Amharic—and modernize Àdà to fit the 21st century.

I once heard Obbo Léncô Lata’s interview with Bethy, where he proposed forming a new Oromo party to replace the OLF. According to him, the OLF has completed its mission, and the Oromo need a modern party capable of tackling current challenges with new approaches. This idea is not without merit. If the OLF is too outdated to adapt, a modern organization with a relevant platform that captures Oromo hearts—as the OLF once did—is essential.

In fact, we don’t only need a new Oromo party but also a new Ethiopian party led by genuine Oromo Republicans, to compete with the ruling Prosperity Party. The current Oromo leadership in Prosperity seems to be consolidating power through the inclusive Ethiopian Prosperity Party. To counter this, the OLF and OFC should work to foster an inclusive Ethiopian democratic party, building coalitions across all regions. This would give rise to a two-party system akin to that of the United States, with a major Ethiopian Democratic Party competing against the Prosperity Party.

Crucially, Oromo elites must ensure that Abseha elites—both the Amhara assimilationists and Tigrayan hegemonists—never get another chance at domination. Ethiopia is at a crossroads, and five possible future scenarios present themselves:
- A unitary, Amharanized Ethiopia, as envisioned by Ezema and Dr. Berhanu Nega.
- An Amharic-dominated dictatorial federation, pursued by Dr. Abiy’s EPP.
- An independent republic of nations, originally advocated by Obbo Galàsà Dilbo’s OLF.
- A democratic federation led by Afàn Oromô, as proposed by Obbo Léncô Latà.
- A voluntarily united, Oromonized Ethiopia influenced naturally by the demographic majority, as envisioned by Dr. Haile Fidà of Meison.

Of these, the first is already obsolete, and the second is likely temporary. This leaves the final three as the most viable democratic options:
- Democratic independence (Obbo Galàsà Dilbo),
- Democratic federalism (Obbo Léncô Latà),
- Democratic integration (Dr. Haile Fidà).
- All Oromo nationals are united in the struggle for freedom from the current system of domination. The name OLF now symbolizes that struggle—it’s no longer limited to a single organization but represents a collective mindset among Oromo nationalists. Thanks to the sacrifices made in this long fight, we are almost free from the Abyssinian system, though still oppressed by Abiy Ahmed’s neo-Naftagna regime.

Today, that OLF mindset has taken shape in three different political directions:
- Ethiopian Integration – led by democratic Oromos within parties like ECS (Dr. Berhanu) and EPP (Dr. Abiy). This is the Ethiopianist branch of the OLF.- Federal Union of Nations – expressed through ODF (Obbo Leenco) and OFC (Dr. Merera). These are the true federalists.
- Oromian Independence – represented by the OLF under Obbo Dawud Ibsa. This is the pure Oromianist faction.

The division among Oromo political forces is not about freedom, but about what kind of post-freedom state to build. Three major approaches are visible:
- Pro-federation Oromos, like Obbo Leenco Lata, prefer a British-style model where Afan Oromo becomes the federal language. Oromia would equate to England, and Finfinne to London—leading to a de facto Oropia (Oromo-led Ethiopia).
- Pro-unity Oromos, like Obbo Andargachew Tsige, support a French-style integration. As long as this model guarantees freedom, Afaan Oromo as a federal language, and Gadaa democracy as the governance model, it too results in a version of Oropia.
- Pro-independence Oromos, like Obbo Galaasa Dilbo, envision a German-style nation-state for Oromia, where Oromos are the majority, and minorities like Harari would resemble the Sorbs in Germany.

The key point is this: as long as the direction is toward freedom—with Afan Oromo as a federal language, and with democracy, justice, rule of law, and economic development—the Oromo people will benefit, whether the outcome is an independent Oromia or an integrated Oropia (in either federal or unitary form). All three options are viable, provided the ÀAÀ (culture, language, and power) of the Oromo remain intact.

Let us therefore watch Ezema under Dr. Berhanu with caution, resist Abiy’s EPP, and be open to the democratic visions of Obbo Galaasa Dilbo, Dr. Haile Fida, and Obbo Leenco Lata. Finally, creating a smart, modern, and strong Oromo party—as Leenco proposed—is necessary, so long as it is pro-Oromummà, unlike the pro-Amharanet EPP under Abiy.

Whether Oromummà leads to an Ethio-federation (Geo-federation) or an Ethno-federation, the Oromo should be in the leadership of both the inclusive Republican Party envisioned by Leenco and the Prosperity Party already established by Abiy.

May Wàqa bless the Oromo and Oromia!

Galatôma.
Read more: https://orompia.wordpress.com/2023/06/2 ... ity-party/

[Abere]

You will be relieved off your duty of making such a landfill here, when Orrommumma's Fang is trimmed off soon. There is nothing modern about Orrommumma.