Why the OLF’s Sovereignty Mindset Hasn’t Yet Defeated the OPDO’s Servitude Mindset
By Fayyis Oromia*
There is no question that Oromo elites are generally divided into two ideological camps: those with the OLF mindset of sovereignty, and those with the OPDO mindset of servitude. The former group are pro-Oromic, striving for the freedom and sovereignty of the Oromo people. The latter group adopt a pro-Amharic stance, often seen as having a servile mentality that prioritizes serving non-Oromo values.
The current Oromo liberation struggle is aimed squarely at the incumbent regime—the “salisawi Derg”, also known as Biltsigina. This regime claims to represent the Oromo while, in practice, trading in their name. The struggles of the past—against the monarchy, Mengistu’s Qedamawi Derg, and Meles Zenawi’s Dagimawi Derg—were clear-cut battles against explicitly Habesha-dominated regimes. Today’s struggle is more complex.
What makes it different is that the current regime is not explicitly Habesha, but rather represents the implicit rule of Amapianists—elites promoting Amharic domination—led by Dr. Abiy Ahmed. This requires a smarter, more adaptive generation of Oromo leaders capable of confronting Amapianist dominance in the Finfinne palace with clarity and strategy.
To achieve this, we need Oropianists—elites who believe in an Oromic-led Ethiopia—rather than just the Oromianists of past generations. The key question is this: Is the OLA the much-needed Oropianist force—an evolved version of the historically Oromianist OLF?
I hope the OLA fighters carry the broader vision of Oropia—an Oromic-led Ethiopia, nearly twice the size of Oromia—capable of prevailing over the current Amapianist regime. This is the right moment to think beyond Oromia alone, to consider the entire Horn of Africa—from Meroë to Mombasa—where the Oromo people live, and to adopt an inclusive, pan-Oromo outlook.
Read more: https://orompia.wordpress.com/2017/06/0 ... thiopia-2/